Semi Final Day - 10/09 Day 12

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Here it is guys.

Straight shootout

Federer v Djokovic

Murray v Nadal

Couple of superb points by Fed. He's still in this match, thought Djoko got the set.

Djokovic stays alive to take the third set 6-3 and now fitness will start to play a part here. Djokovic playing with a lot more purpose now and a few errors creeping in to Fed's game.

Well Djokovic still looks tired out there but didn't have to do much to win that set. Federer will have to change sometime, S&V perhaps? Surely it's something Annacone would have told him to try when the tables are turning?

There it is then... still I think Roger will up it a gear in this next set and then it will be shown that this current number 1 still has a cut in his armour, i.e the GOAT..

Djokovic still very much in this, Federer looking a little tired towards the end of that set...

Fed's serve has always revealed how much gas he has left in the tank. And giving his serving in the third, this doesn't look good for the meastro

Djokovic now targetting the technically deficient Federer backhand now. Looks like a one way traffic there.

4th set here we go!

Federer's feet have fallen off.

Surely, a massive match this now for Federer. I mean at Wimbledon he lost a two set lead at a slam for the first time ever and now could it happen for the second set running. That is a sign of something.

Not the silly errors again please Fed!!!

Nice early break, this match looks eerily like RG, lets hope for a different result

Great point from Novak - the tide looks like it's turning!

oh dear, terrible service game from Federer, he needs to be careful here. UE count really creeping up, first serve percentage dropping badly in that third set, and suddenly djokovic is in the driving seat.

I am starting to get a bad feeling about this match....

Djokovic now on fire. What has Rog got left in the tank?

It is like watching Monfils play, come out and dance around the baseline pleasing the crowd and have little left in the tank now. Federer needs to be more smarter now and S&V. I know it's hard for him but he could try.

Novak's groundies are just devastating right now

Well I didn't know Roger had zero break points that set....early break for Novak but still a long set to go i'd say. Roger looks to be a bit slower around the court than first 2 sets though..

yep it's over already, 2,5 hours of high level tennis is all Fed's old body can take.
Deja vu.

5 straight games now, come on Novak do it

Djokovic, sensing Federer's weakening, turns the screw.

Novak's forehand is monstrous right now

Federer is spent, Djokovic will win at a canter.

gallery play wrote:yep it's over already, 2,5 hours of high level tennis is all Fed's old body can take.
Deja vu.

Yeah he's looking pretty knackered. Still hitting well when it comes near him, but chasing anything down and he's not getting there.

Smart play coming to net by roger, has to change it up and not just bang from the back

Roger is slower but then I'm not sure of thats because Nole's shots are harder, plus Nole now seems stronger...its a potent mix and you feel the match is already slipping. But Federer will doubtless find another patch of form in this match. But the problem is that his great periods of form seem to be for sets rather than whole matches - I'm not sure if thats physically or mentally based, or both. You feel he has to get that break back soon...

Simple_Analyst wrote:It is like watching Monfils play, come out and dance around the baseline pleasing the crowd and have little left in the tank now. Federer needs to be more smarter now and S&V. I know it's hard for him but he could try.

S&V against the best returner in the game, when he's too tired to get to the net quickly? Crazy to try that.

Come on Novak lets get this to 5

This is ideal. Federer plays some real tennis in the first 2 sets to remind us how it should be done, then Djokovic can go on to beat the moonballer in the final in a 4 hour bleep test. Beep test. Whatever it was called.

His wrists/shoulder/arms are slouching away from him a bit...that is the main difference between Federer of last 2 years and Federer of his JesusFed days..

Well he could try it on some points as a tool to disrupt Djokovic rhythm. He just turned 30 days ago, if he is getting tired after 2.5 hours, he shouldn't be on court.

Now novak is serving lights out and giving the Rog a taste of his own medicine

bleep test. Beep test. Whatever it was called.

Think I had level 11 or 12 in that test!

This is hilariously bad now Every two ball into Federer's backhand ends up in the crowd.

Novak boucing around like it is the first set Roger looks down

Roger's footwork is shot, match over. Well done to Novak for sticking with him for long enough, but it is worrying for Roger if he's knackered after two hours tennis or less

What a disaster...

lydian wrote:..thats because Nole's shots are harder, plus Nole now seems stronger.

Nole is now stronger and hits harder than in the first set? That's rubbish.
Man give it up, just acknowledge that Fed is not as fit as you always claim. It's right here before your eyes, once again

yes got the double break, looks like we are in for a 5 set classico

Mfc.. it's not necessarily his lungs or legs that are feeling it, more or less his shoulder is tiring and his mind is wandering a bit since Novak made that good start early in the 3rd...

If this were Murray the commies would be going on about his poor body language. Sure Roger's not berating himself but the shoulders are slumped, and another mishit backhand (of which he produced so very few in the first two sets) gifts the break to Djokovic. Unless something remarkable happens this is now Novak's match to lose

Federer's tactically prowess and on-court intelligent will be tested here. If i were him, i'll sleep through this set and be more fresher for the 5th set. Is Annacone allowed to write this one a piece of paper and pass it over to him?

Novak is striking cleaner right now GP. His forehand is hitting its spots and he is seeing Roger's serve better and serving better. People do have ups and downs in matches

It's getting near " Goodnight Vienna" time for poor Roger.

C'mon Novak.

His footwork has to be pristine to take the ball so early, innit? Once he gets a vacuum egg chamber machine he'll be able to sustain it.

Fed defeating him self as usual...

Josiah Maiestas wrote:Mfc.. it's not necessarily his lungs or legs that are feeling it, more or less his shoulder is tiring and his mind is wandering a bit since Novak made that good start early in the 3rd...

nah he's a step slower, can't get his returns in play (that's where it's really showing). Sure some of it's mental, but physically he's gone down a level...

Wow Novak just cranked that forehand usain bolt couldn't get that one

It seems for, whatever reason, that Fed just finds it impossible to get through five set matches without dips in his game. Now whether it is fitness related or mental related I don't know but it seems evident here.