ATP MASTERS 1000: CINCINNATI - THE FINAL

Looks like Djoko forgot to drink his juice this morning

This one's going the way of Mr Smug.

HM Murdoch wrote:Three double faults and two losses of serve already?!

This is a good example of why I think things aren't right in Novak's head. Unbroken all tournament and then collapses in front of the big man!

Is it in his head or in his body? He seems certainly out of sorts. Federer is playing well...but there is more to it.

Tenez wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:Three double faults and two losses of serve already?!

This is a good example of why I think things aren't right in Novak's head. Unbroken all tournament and then collapses in front of the big man!

Is it in his head or in his body? He seems certainly out of sorts. Federer is playing well...but there is more to it.

Unless it is an injury, a collapse of that scale surely has to be in the head? It seems more than just fatigue.

Very odd.

That lucky slap-shot return from Federer looked familiar ....

FIVE double faults!

HM Murdoch wrote:FIVE double faults!

look at it on the bright side HM, he's 2:1 up in the second GO NOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Yes 5 DFs but the sun might be the reason for a few. I noticed they really are serving right into the sun.

HMM wasn't an article on V2 mentioning Djoko had "problems" he did not want to talk about?

The serve is Novak's "tell". When he's nervous, it's first thing to wobble.

Looking a little better this set though.

Tenez wrote:Yes 5 DFs but the sun might be the reason for a few. I noticed they really are serving right into the sun.

HMM wasn't an article on V2 mentioning Djoko had "problems" he did not want to talk about?

Yes, there was. Novak has confirmed that there are problems but will not say what they are (which I don't blame him for).

Worry times.

Federer seems to have spent some time drilling that inside in forehand from the baseline....

Oh stop it HM, NO WORRIES TIMES!

4:3 bravo Nole go, go , gooooooooooooo

Come on Nole BREAK!!!!!!!

I can see Lend's ghost has returned

Oh Novak, if only you had played like this from the start!

HM Murdoch wrote:Oh Novak, if only you had played like this from the start!

NO-LE! NO-LE! NO-LE!

Nole, you've got to win the next 2 pOints PLEEEASEEEEEEEE

YESSSSSS!!!Now just one more!!!

this tie-break is killing me

well at least the agony is over.

Federer breaks another record!

noleisthebest wrote:well at least the agony is over.

Novak played a lot better in the 2nd set but what happened in the first set?

I can take crumbs of comfort from the 2nd set and huge slices of worry from the 1st!

Another great performance from Fed though, he's looking very sharp.

Federer has pesked here, Nole's peaking for USO

Come on Tenez, say something, I promise I won't use the

Yes Fed played so well again under pressure. I feel he had that TB in the bag...until he lost 4 points in a row.

As I said yesterday, Federer was by far the more impressive this week and if anything I am as surprised the second set was that close as the first one wasn't. A 63 63 woudl have been very much what I expected.

Veejay wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:well at least the agony is over.

Novak played a lot better in the 2nd set but what happened in the first set?

What happened?

Federer serving watertight and Nole being broken in the opening game.

noleisthebest wrote:Federer has pesked here, Nole's peaking for USO

Come on Tenez, say something, I promise I won't use the

I must say I';d be worried for Djoko's USO. He has not shown the form of last year. Sure he played better in the second set but not great 2nd set either...despite being closer.

Interesting that neither Nadal and Djoko won Cincy as it is one of the fastest surface.....yet Fed won it 5 times!

Ho hum another victory for the SAS - Smug, Arrogant and Smarmy.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Federer has pesked here, Nole's peaking for USO

Come on Tenez, say something, I promise I won't use the

I must say I';d be worried for Djoko's USO. He has not shown the form of last year. Sure he played better in the second set but not great 2nd set either...despite being closer.

Interesting that neither Nadal and Djoko won Cincy as it is one of the fastest surface.....yet Fed won it 5 times!

Without his serve Nole stood no chance today.
I'm glad he saved his face in the second.

I think he'll be fine for USO.

mikeyM1000 wrote:Ho hum another victory for the SAS - Smug, Arrogant and Smarmy.

And also a good player. Who's your favourite? Vincent Spaeda?

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/YTD-Singles.aspx

The race is very close!!!!!

Tenez wrote:

mikeyM1000 wrote:Ho hum another victory for the SAS - Smug, Arrogant and Smarmy.

And also a good player. Who's your favourite? Vincent Spaeda?

Spadea - does he still play?

Delpo and Tsonga are my faves.

Yeah Fed's better than htem, but he's such an annoying git.

Mikey do you see either EVER winning a slam (again)?

Tsonga will never win one - never thought he would really, but c'mon - the guy wiuld rather have fun than hire a coach - you gotta love that.

Delpo - maybe, he's younger than the guys aboveh im but a bit injury prone. If he stays fit, he can do it.

Roger had a similar season as he is having now back in 09,regaining the no1 ranking,breaking record etc and he won Cincinnati beating Novak and Murray back to back
He was heavily favoured going into the U.S Open,but was surprisingly upset by Del Potro
Im just wondering if this U.S open will see a similar result...
If someone had told me a week before the U.S open that everything that happened at that tournament would happen,I would have laughed at them!

I remember those who said in 2007/8 that Fed was past his peak!!!! 4 years on he still plays unbelievable and when on form, no one can touch him.

I did not see the final,but from that I can read here that is surely problem with Nole´s concentration, because to produce 5 double faults in the first set looks pretty bad. Fed on his day with his peak servis is hardly beatable. So, if somebody want to be a real threat for Fed in USO, then must not produce DFs. Well done for Fed.

Nole come on, you still have it at himself to show us that you can do it. You need to stay positive and a bit improve serving

Tenez wrote:

The race is very close!!!!!

It's even closer when today's result is factored in!
(I can't post the live link because I'm a new member! But it is only 175 pts)

I think the year end #1 is going to come down to the WTF. I can't see either player pulling 1500 points clear between now and then!

HM Murdoch wrote:

Tenez wrote:

The race is very close!!!!!

It's even closer when today's result is factored in!
(I can't post the live link because I'm a new member! But it is only 175 pts)

I think the year end #1 is going to come down to the WTF. I can't see either player pulling 1500 points clear between now and then!

I think after USO, it's Fed that's defending a lot more than Novak. So all things being equal I reckon Nole will be back to number one before WTF.

Tenez wrote:I remember those who said in 2007/8 that Fed was past his peak!!!! 4 years on he still plays unbelievable and when on form, no one can touch him.

Fed has some mental hiccups with his great fellow, but now without having him in draw he looks pretty relaxed. Fortunately the GS are played for 5 sets, otherwise there is a small threat on HC with his peak serving. As already written the semi should be quite sure for top 3 and then who is going through Andy will have tricky way to final. Fed looks pretty good for his 18th.

Tenez wrote:I remember those who said in 2007/8 that Fed was past his peak!!!! 4 years on he still plays unbelievable and when on form, no one can touch him.

Why wouldn't he be a his peak?
People listen to pundits too much. What do they know, they are just paid to talk and often talk complete rubbish
Federer did have a readjusting period, call it "crisis" , but so do all players. Nole's bad year was when he lost his serve and then he managed to find it and come back in style.

HM Murdoch wrote:

Tenez wrote:The race is very close!!!!!

It's even closer when today's result is factored in! (I can't post the live link because I'm a new member! But it is only 175 pts)

Yes, this is what I meant.

I think the year end #1 is going to come down to the WTF. I can't see either player pulling 1500 points clear between now and then!

...unless Djoko's misterious personal problems worsen....or either get injured. My money is now on Fed. He is playing well and can now win against the top players without having to rally too much.

NITB - Yep, Fed is defending 3000 points to about 500 for Novak I think.

Depending how USO goes, Nole may well reclaim number 1 before the end of the year. But it won't be a done deal before WTF!

HM Murdoch wrote:

Tenez wrote:

The race is very close!!!!!

It's even closer when today's result is factored in!
(I can't post the live link because I'm a new member! But it is only 175 pts)

I think the year end #1 is going to come down to the WTF. I can't see either player pulling 1500 points clear between now and then!

Is that really correct?

paulcz wrote:

Tenez wrote:I remember those who said in 2007/8 that Fed was past his peak!!!! 4 years on he still plays unbelievable and when on form, no one can touch him.

Fed has some mental hiccups with his great fellow, but now without having him in draw he looks pretty relaxed. Fortunately the GS are played for 5 sets, otherwise there is a small threat on HC with his peak serving. As already written the semi should be quite sure for top 3 and then who is going through Andy will have tricky way to final. Fed looks pretty good for his 18th.

Paul I don;t believe in Fed's mental hiccups v Rafa. He always lost versus Rafa cause Rafa physically drains him down. Without teh physical challenge that is Rafa, Fed woudl lead by a great margin in teh H2H dept.

Tenez - USO is the biggie. If Fed comes out of that still leading the Race To London, I would say he is favourite for year end #1. He may not clean up like last year but I expect him to score more points than Novak at the indoor events.

If Novak wins USO, he will be almost 1000 points clear in the race, even if Fed is the defeated finalist. That makes things very close.

If Fed falls early at USO and Novak goes all the way, then I think that is advantage Novak.

HM Murdoch,
I dont think youre correct,Roger only made the quarter finals of Cincinnati last year so that means he has just added 850 points
Was Novak not a finalist last year? So he gains nothing
Roger can still gain points at the U.S Open as he was a semi finalist where as Novak can only lose points as he was the winner,he wont gain anything from winning

HM Murdoch wrote:NITB - Yep, Fed is defending 3000 points to about 500 for Novak I think.

Depending how USO goes, Nole may well reclaim number 1 before the end of the year. But it won't be a done deal before WTF!

Yes but it really doesn't matter what Fed and Nole have to defend when it comes to Year end #1 as they are both on the same number of points now. So, no more pressure for Fed than Nole.

HM Murdoch wrote:Tenez - USO is the biggie. If Fed comes out of that still leading the Race To London, I would say he is favourite for year end #1. He may not clean up like last year but I expect him to score more points than Novak at the indoor events.

If Novak wins USO, he will be almost 1000 points clear in the race, even if Fed is the defeated finalist. That makes things very close.

If Fed falls early at USO and Novak goes all the way, then I think that is advantage Novak.

Yes I cannot argue against that.

Veejay wrote:HM Murdoch,
I dont think youre correct,Roger only made the quarter finals of Cincinnati last year so that means he has just added 850 points
Roger can still gain points at the U.S Open as he was a semi finalist where as Novak can only lose points as he was the winner,he wont gain anything from winning

Hi Veejay. For the Race To London (i.e. points scored so far in 2012), last year's points don't count. So what happened today is that Fed added 1000 points to his total, Novak added 600.

So far in 2012, their totals are:

Novak: 8710
Fed: 8545