AO 2016 - Day 14

First topic message reminder :

Order of Play - http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/schedule19.html

Live Scores - http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/index.html

Day 14 Preview - http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/articles/2016-01-31/ao_analyst_how_murray_can_beat_djokovic.html

(Apologies for being tardy...)

No predictions from me, but Murray has his work cut-out if he wants the Norman Brooks Trophy.

Number of Comments/Views on 606v2 Tennis for each main AO day (as of this writing).

Day 1 - 19/500
Day 2 - 96/1324
Day 3 - 35/675
Day 4 - 33/542
Day 5 - 102/1578
Day 6 - 48/795
Day 7 - 251/2941
Day 8 - 120/1639
Day 9 - 93/1598
Day 10 - 115/1660
Day 11 - 254/3570
Day 12 - 128/2098
Day 13 - 39/565
Day 14 - ?/?

Imperative Andy holds here. Critical.

Doing wonders for my blood pressure Not

This game is so Murray.

Yes yesssss keep it up.

That's more like it

Perfect, Djoko melting.

Crush himmmm

What a hold

Well played Andy - those are the sort of games you have to win.

Some absolutely insane tennis here.

Andy must feel like he's trying to beat a brick wall at times.

Huge hold from Andy. Fair to say he's dictating the play now. Thing is, although Andy is matching Novak, you still feel he is having to invest so much more to be able to do it. Over the course of a 5 setter, that is likely to tell eventually.

christ these unforced errors are annoying.

Well it is at least good to see him good humoured if nothing else

15-30 and three very winnable points. Argh!!!

Born Slippy wrote:christ these unforced errors are annoying.

Getting close to Djoko proportions V Simon.

Huge game here. Hold and I think he will break next game.

The conclusion to this is inevitable. Murray dictating the points but looks like erupting mentally at any point. He's using up so much energy in negative emotion that I'm not sure what will come first...

The physical or the mental implosion!

Great point from Novak. Andy needs this point badly,

The physical implosion is close.

Unreal rally.

Superb from Novak in that game.

And that is that one thinks. Great play by Novak upped his game when he most needed it. Andy's first serve deserted him when he needed it most when 40-0 up. Djokovic wins this set he wins in straights.

Sickening for Andy to be broken from 40-0 up, but huge credit to Novak for upping his level. Showed why he is dominant number one in that game.

Oh dear - I think thats done for Andy.

You don't come back from 2 sets down against Djokovic.

There is no way Andy has enough in the tank for another 3 sets against wonder boy

Interesting analysis from Mats, who reckons Andy has got Novak right where he wants him. Err, no.

DF from Novak... jeeze unheard of

Wow - I'll say no more than that.

Those are the big points Andy had to win.

Nole shows he might just be human after all - 2 successive double faults.

Djokovic leads 6-1 7-5 and is on the verge of equalling Roy Emerson's of six Australian Open titles.

Feeble!

We

Code:

ll as I now have to go out.. I think I can safely say Im not going to miss the outcome sad for you CC

Well no-one can deny Murray gave this one his all. Made Novak work his socks off for that set.

Just a few too many unforced errors at crucial points...the slim margins between being #1 and #2.

And that's the difference. At times Murray's tennis was superb, but he committed mental suicide again! Berating himself and his corner, and consequently missing some straight forward rally shots.

That's the difference between great and very good... Mental toughness. Emotional control.

And that is almost certainly that. At least it was a contest in the 2nd. Andy just needs to relax and go all out. He managed a revival at the French and took it to 5. Can he do it again? Somehow I doubt it, but you never know.

Andy yet again the bridesmaid. A fitting label.

No this is done now. Small margins and not taking the chances in the second set and not turning up for the first.

The second set Murray should watch back as he was on top in the rallies for long spells and had Djoko under the cosh - something to take heart from but his seventh slam final defeat will still be hard to take. He'll have a long time to mull it over as I do believe he is not scheduled to play again until March.

legendkillarV2 wrote:Feeble!

Think that's harsh. The 1st set was feeble, but the 2nd emphatically not. Andy just wasn't good enough, but I don't blame him for that. In a grand slam final, when Novak is totally focused, he is an incredibly difficult proposition and, let's face it, simply the superior player compared to Andy.

We can only speculate how this might have panned out if Andy had managed to find a similar level in the first set.

Don't think we should be too hard on him though. A lot of shots he played in the second set would have been winners against any other player. Nole is just an inhumanly good player....even when he makes mistakes, he finds a way to make sure they don't end up costing him too much.

I think its also worth mentioning Novak had an extra day to recover for this match. Murray had a tough 5-setter against Raonic while Djokovic beat Federer in 4.

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Feeble!

Think that's harsh. The 1st set was feeble, but the 2nd emphatically not. Andy just wasn't good enough, but I don't blame him for that. In a grand slam final, when Novak is totally focused, he is an incredibly difficult proposition and, let's face it, simply the superior player compared to Andy.

Ignore Leg-End. He's just a troll, looking for someone to bite so he can get into an argument. I've got him on my ignore list, so I don't have to read his rubbish.  

And add to that that this is clearly Novak's favourite surface and slam. He's virtually unbeatable here. Is it any wonder that Andy concedes a mental disadvantage. Roger is no different, although perhaps age gives him more of an excuse.

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Feeble!

Think that's harsh. The 1st set was feeble, but the 2nd emphatically not. Andy just wasn't good enough, but I don't blame him for that. In a grand slam final, when Novak is totally focused, he is an incredibly difficult proposition and, let's face it, simply the superior player compared to Andy.

It's not harsh. You said it right there. Feeble first set. It's lunacy and stupidity to think you can gift a first set in a BO5 against the best player in the world. The 2nd set that missed volley would've give him BP. Different outcome given the momentum to Andy. The heavier shots he played troubled and had Novak on the back foot and now he has recoiled into his shell.

Someone showing up for one set is feeble.

dyrewolfe wrote:

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Feeble!

Think that's harsh. The 1st set was feeble, but the 2nd emphatically not. Andy just wasn't good enough, but I don't blame him for that. In a grand slam final, when Novak is totally focused, he is an incredibly difficult proposition and, let's face it, simply the superior player compared to Andy.

Ignore Leg-End. He's just a troll, looking for someone to bite so he can get into an argument. I've got him on my ignore list, so I don't have to read his rubbish.  

I don't think he's a troll.

dyrewolfe wrote:

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Feeble!

Think that's harsh. The 1st set was feeble, but the 2nd emphatically not. Andy just wasn't good enough, but I don't blame him for that. In a grand slam final, when Novak is totally focused, he is an incredibly difficult proposition and, let's face it, simply the superior player compared to Andy.

Ignore Leg-End. He's just a troll, looking for someone to bite so he can get into an argument. I've got him on my ignore list, so I don't have to read his rubbish.  

Says the muppet who glory hunts for one day

Hmm he lost the set 6-1 just like Federer did but I didn't hear that word used then. Just saying like. Is Federer allowed to lose a set 6-1 and it cannot be called feeble?

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:

dyrewolfe wrote:

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Feeble!

Think that's harsh. The 1st set was feeble, but the 2nd emphatically not. Andy just wasn't good enough, but I don't blame him for that. In a grand slam final, when Novak is totally focused, he is an incredibly difficult proposition and, let's face it, simply the superior player compared to Andy.

Ignore Leg-End. He's just a troll, looking for someone to bite so he can get into an argument. I've got him on my ignore list, so I don't have to read his rubbish.  

I don't think he's a troll.

Oh well...we'll agree to disagree. I've read enough of his comments on here to make up my mind.

And lk yes Murray was mince in that set - no doubt.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Hmm he lost the set 6-1 just like Federer did but I didn't hear that word used then. Just saying like. Is Federer allowed to lose a set 6-1 and it cannot be called feeble?

Can't comment as I didn't see the match.

Still fighting! Worth keeping it close, because even a multiple champion like Novak will still have nerves approaching the finishing line. Andy clearly has nothing to lose, so can swing freely. That, of course, doesn't guarantee he will swing well.....