FO Semi Djokovic v Federer

First topic message reminder :

I am not sure what's going to happen there but I hope the wind is finally going to stop ....for the sake of a high quality semi.

Discuss

5'th will be played tomorrow.

Great comeback from Novak. This really is a mammoth match now. Obviously, if Novak wins he maintains his unbelievable unbeaten run and will become new world No.1 whilst for Roger a win would instil new belief that he has more slam wins in him but a defeat from two sets up in a slam (would be the first time ever in his career) and people and pundits would point to that as further evidence that he is in decline.

Tremendous fight back by Roger. Respect.

OMG what a game. Superb play from both.

Oh dear oh deary me

I have never seen Fed fight like this. In his pomp he rarely needed to do so, but as a Rafa man I have to tip my cap to him. This is the match that shows his greatness.

Tie-Break

That backhand is going to be Roger's ultimate undoing.

OMG Federer has de-throned the man of the season so far.

OMG YES!!!!!

Fabulous performance from Roger Federer to prove there is life in the old dog yet. A win in five sets to end Djokovic's long unbeaten run of 43 matches and with it goes his dream (for now) of becoming world No.1. Cracking match that and what a day of tennis.

And people doubt the greatness of this man.....

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! COME ON! I always believed and trusted in Roger!!!!! 4 sets as well!

Brilliant match, congrats to Fed and commiserations to Nole.

Yippee I got my Fedal final

Happy B'day Rafa from Fed. Saves him from another battering. Good luck Roger against Rafa, leave your demons in the cupboard and win 2nd RG.

legendkillar wrote:If conditions are blustery, and Federers forehand isn't working, Djokovic will roll him in 3. If it is working, I can see the Fed Express rolling Djokovic in 4. Federer needs all things in his game working today to pull off the victory. Djokovic is strong in all departments out the moment and it will be interesting to see how quick he adjusts to the conditions.

Why didn't I go down the bookies!! Grrrr

The enemy of my enemy is my friend

Great match !

Commiserations Djoko but OH
Roger was SUPERB !

Truly fantastic match. Amazing stuff. Well done Roger.

Fantastic match. Well done Roger. And congrats to Novak for a great run.

Fed is toying with his fans.
At 4-4 he couldn't get a first serve in and got broken
The very next game he played his best return game of the match
After that his serve broke down again
And in the tie breaker he decides to hit, what was it 4 aces?

anyway, i didn't expect this to happen, not before the match and definitly not after Nole broke in the fourth.

The first set was one of the best sets of tennis i've ever seen.

gallery play wrote:Fed is toying with his fans.
At 4-4 he couldn't get a first serve in and got broken
The very next game he played his best return game of the match
After that his serve broke down again
And in the tie breaker he decides to hit, what was it 4 aces?

anyway, i didn't expect this to happen, not before the match and definitly not after Nole broke in the fourth.

The first set was one of the best sets of tennis i've ever seen.

Funny thing is I only tuned in at 3-2 in the 4th set and my nerves took a beating.

It's a good thing I am in good health!

Good job to Roger, he fully deserved it. Played brilliantly, really served well and did just about everything else well. That is why he is Roger Federer.

"Why didn't I go down the bookies!! Grrrr"

Same with me Legend.....I forecast that Murray would go down 6/3, 7/6, 6/3 after the first 5 games. Close call, but a 3 set loss might have got me a bit back, but.....I did predict to the wife that Fed "might" beat Djoko in 4 sets, not quite the permutation that it realised, but a 4 set victory would have had a few little earners on it.

But its easy to predict when it comes true.


And Feds record of never losing when 2 sets up from the start, although still in place, it is phenomenal.

Didnt Djoko do his homework ?

Well Haddie, your dream comes true.

Who are you up for on Sunday ?

Me, surprisingly, its Federer, even though he's Murray's nemesis in finals and I hate him for it, I'll be roaring for Roger because I think he deserves two FO's to give his "One of The Greatest, Ever" player tags that much more credibility.

Mats Wilander gave hands up to Fed for the final.

Great win by Feds...confounded a lot of people including some on here! Really enjoyed the match

Funny thing is I only tuned in at 3-2 in the 4th set and my nerves took a beating.

It's a good thing I am in good health!

Me too, I tuned in the final of the tie-break and nearly had a heart attack. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Roger. I just idolise him. God it is so great to still have this great gift of God still with us winning matches at the top.

Happy for Fed, but sad for Nole (no draws in tennis).

Fabtastic (fabulous+fantastic) tennis from both Fed and Nole.

Edit: The Fab Four of Tennis - Rafa, Nole, Rog, Andy. :hatoff:

A lot of people were writing Roger off but there is still a lot of life left in the old dog yet.

Enough to beat Rafa on Sunday ?

Federer has now won 49 matches(tied with the Ice Man) at Roland Garros!!!

Only Vilas, Lendl and Agassi havewon more times at Roland Garros!

kemet wrote:

Funny thing is I only tuned in at 3-2 in the 4th set and my nerves took a beating.

It's a good thing I am in good health!

Glad you are Kemet!
I was about to crash my plasma screen when Djoko broke Federer in the fourth, but i just managed to keep my cool, like the swiss maestro btw

Jubbahey wrote:Well Haddie, your dream comes true.

Who are you up for on Sunday ?

Me, surprisingly, its Federer, even though he's Murray's nemesis in finals and I hate him for it, I'll be roaring for Roger because I think he deserves two FO's to give his "One of The Greatest, Ever" player tags that much more credibility.

Well Jubba I have to be supporting Rafa but.. if Roger plays as well as tonight and Rafa is on form... wow we are in for a Fedal classic... are we in for another one like 2008 Wimbers !! ??? fasten your seat belts

If Fed beats Rafa, Nole becomes #1. What destiny!

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2011/05/22/Roland-Garros-Friday-Federer-Ends-Djokovic-Streak.aspx

Incidentally Novak withdrew from AEGON.

"Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club, which starts on Monday, because of patellar tendinitis."

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2011/06/23/Queens-Djokovic-Withdraws.aspx

What a warrior Novak is!

What's wrong in withdrawing from a non consequential grass tournament?

"Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club, which starts on Monday, because of patellar tendinitis."
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That's Roger's game side effects. Ask Rafa!

ebar86 wrote:though im still on my prediction

fed in 4

oh oh

wow wrote:What's wrong in withdrawing from a non consequential grass tournament?

There is nothing wrong about withdrawing due to injuries/fatigue, the 41-1 speaks for the effort required.

The point I was raising was that Clay has a couple of Masters (Rome, Madrid, MC) as preparatory tournaments for RG, while grass has only Halle and AEGON (there is also Den Bosch and Eastbourne, perhaps a bit too close to Wimbledon). Skipping such a tourney may affect Nole's preparations for W.

Tenez wrote:"Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club, which starts on Monday, because of patellar tendinitis."
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That's Roger's game side effects. Ask Rafa!

I did not want to highlight that specifically, but it does lend credence to some of your 'physical nature of the game' assertions.

Roger seems to manage his back issues very well compared to these types of incidents. His thigh was wrapped at W 2010.

Nole has been wearing those knee patches since Dubai, IIRC. .

The game is so physical nowadays it is absurd. The fact that talent can still express itself in such a physical environment makes Federer a very special athletes. Having the timing to hit single handed BH at that pace after long and physical rallies is out of this world. Anyone having a single HBH I am sure can appreciate that.

I think Fed would probably had collected much more injuries if he had been exposed to that kind of physical game at such a young age, despite his "economic" game.

This is why I am so much in favour of faster conds cause it gives better chances to the talented players and prevent too many long gruelling rallies which shorten players careers.

The FO got the conds perfect for clay this year. Allowed for long and short rallies.

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I dont see anything absurd about it at all .. we are living in 2011.. tennis believe it or not has moved on.. as in all sports things change.
Players choose to play their own style and that is becoming more physical with every generation. People have many opinions as to what defines talent and, surprisingly, they may not always agree with yours.

There a lot of absurd things in our 2011 world. It's not because it's 2011 that we have to consider them "normal".

Money is what has made most sports going to extremes. The matches between Murray and Nadal show that physical side of the game best.

So there is no problem with that as I see it... there is not a tennis player on tour who is not earning money. Whether the game is more physical has nothing to do with money....or are you inferring something else ??? The fact that you do not consider physical players "normal" (whatever that is meant to be) seems to be your problem.
Or am I missing something

Not just tennis, but sport in general has evolved over the years.
Due to what is available now compared with 10 years ago with medical staff, fitness routines and diets etc, players & athletes alike have evolved also and are fitter, more aggressive and better physical athletes.

What is the problem with the game being more physical? Nothing.

If anything it is better that more physically fit players are rewarded. After all physical fitness is a basic requirement of any sportsman so any player who can't meet up to that physical fitness should shape up or ship out in my opinion.

I'm not sure where this thread is going but well played Roger I didn't think you could play like that for 4 sets anymore.

What is the problem with the game being more physical? Nothing.
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The more physical the game becomes, the less talent plays a role. And let's not forget that the prime reason we are interested in sport is to see talent being translated in success.

Imagine a guy coming twice as big and strong as Karlovic and winning everything. Not many woudl be happy I am sure...yet, his wins would be more "natural" than some happening right now.

Im not sure where your comments are leading Tenez .. the game has evolved to being more physical for all reasons other posters have suggested and Im not sure what is"unnatural" about that.. there is something rather sinister about your ambiguity so might I advise that you either say what you mean or let the subject drop

Talent and physical fitness are all certain requirements for one to succeed at sport and especially now in tennis. Physical fitness doesn't assure a player wins as if one less physically fit player has such a fabulous game he'd win out by being able to fore shorten rallies to erase the physical element of the game. So physical fitness DOES NOT assure success in the sport so not sure what Tenez is getting at.