Fogninniiiiiiiii!

First topic message reminder :

More on the Italian Job that took place at Roland Garros. The guy who could have cost Djokovic the grandslam, not Nadal, or Murray; but fabio fognini. If not for the 4 day lay off and two sets worth of rust given Djokovic in the following semi, I think he beats fed and wins the title. I am not the only one, who sees the Italian Job French open of 2011 for what it is.


"So, thoughts are already on the other side of the Pond. But, as Djokovic left London, thoughts were also rewinding to the other side of the Channel and to his defeat to Federer in the semi-finals of the French Open, and how that match would have played out had the Serb looked a bit more at ease on the slippery clay on a dank Parisian evening. Or if his quarter-final opponent, Italy’s Fabio Fognini, had not withdrawn because of injury, so disturbing the rhythms of Djokovic’s tournament.

Had Djokovic won that match, he would have been well placed to have beaten Nadal in the final since he had got the better of him at the two warm-up tournaments in Madrid and Rome, and we could now be discussing the possibility of the first calendar-year grand slam since Rod Laver’s in 1969.

At the end of the US Open, the obscure Fognini could turn out to be the player who inadvertently stopped Djokovic from landing the calendar Grand Slam. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/8616196/Wimbledon-2011-Novak-Djokovic-expected-to-win-his-first-US-Open-title.html

Fognini's "injury" broke up one of the most historic runs in all of sports. Seemed to be moving fine at wimbeldon.

just saw this.
speechless....

LuvSports - I'm not surprised !

Although it's not the first time I've seen it myself, it's good that the thread was revived, if only for all the fond memories of when it originally appeared.

The very notion that any player could somehow be disadvantaged by an extra day's rest (even though fully fit and hence able to train/practise on the day in question) was, and always will be, ludicrous beyond belief.

If ever there was a definition of a 'Parallel World Theory' this has to be it.

Oh, Fognini, we owe you so much. Your place in tennis history - and more importantly in the annals of 606v2 - is forever secure.

Fognini spin your 'magic' for another year...please!!!

As a consumate professional athlete, making upwards of $5-7 million dollars a year in prize money and probably 3 times that in endorsements, player have to handle a lot of different things during a tournament, a season, a career.

A player of Djokovic's caliber is well trained and at this point in his career, well experienced, to handle whatever comes his way; that said - look at Agassi v Courier in French Open final in 1991. Agassi was wiping the floor with Courier, it rained, Courier had some technical advice from his coach, moved back, and the match changed. One can't say for CERTAINTY that Courier would NOT have won, had it not rained, but all details considered, it's quite probable that Agassi would have won that final.

There's alot of intangibles in a match and going on just "expectations" Serena would have blasted Razzano off court today - but that's the beauty of sports, and tennis - that things happen. No doubt Serena knew she was coming into RG on form, with every chance of lifting the title - BUT faced with the conditions she had today - opponent, her game, perhaps her condition (period?), things didn't go her way. Billie Jean says "Pressure is a priviledge, and Champions adjust" however it's a rare breed that wins through everything, no matter what. Makes Djokovic's 2011 season all the more amazing - pressure built and Federer took advantage of the opportunity that came his way. Luck - players make their own luck for the most part - a crucially timed let cord as perhaps the exception, but again, that's not really luck - its physics! WHEN it happens, and HOW a player responds, is perhaps the greater part of what happens in the bigger picture.

Serena has won at least two Major singles titles being match point down, today might have been another example of that - however she couldn't win that last point in the 9th game, 3rd set, and so....

Anyway, tomorrow sees Round 2 of singles, a step closer to the final "goal," and another chance to show one's talents, cope with whatever conditions arise, opponents bring to the table...let's enjoy!