2022 Roland Garros Men's Quarterfinals: Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal

[the AntiPusher]

Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in.. Here again was my pre Match thoughts...

5/30

FAA match was perfect for Rafa. Felix serve, net game and movement is ever bit as potent as Novak's game. Acourse Novak is a better overall better player than Felix's game but it has prepared Rafa perfectly to defeat Novak's defense.Two things was important from Sunday:

1. How Rafa's ability to problem solving while under pressure against a top ten player.
2. Probably the most important, Rafa's health. How would the foot pain affect his movement and would Rafa be ae to recover to practice for Novak on Monday.

Rafa passed all the tests and will be mentally prepared for Novak's serve and drop shots. The night match ISN'T that big of a deal. Rafa has played Novak numerous times in the night colder conditions on clay before. Sure , Rafa feels he is Kal-El of Krypton under the Earth's Sun but his defense combined with his movement is really the key. Rafa knows he has to play with the same intensity early as he did in later in the first set vs FAA and 2 ,3 and 5 set. Speaking of the 5set, Felix played the Best set he EVER played in his young career. 3 UFEs and still lost 6-3 because Rafa's game went to the nuclear level. Rafa has 4 UFES but 15 winners in the 5 set. That's what I have been preaching about, Rafa, Novak and Roger can reach that level but the latter two can't on Clay. Rafa is going to take THIS 5set level into the match vs Novak. This is Why Rafa will win this one is 4 sets.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in.. Here again was my pre Match thoughts...

5/30

FAA match was perfect for Rafa. Felix serve, net game and movement is ever bit as potent as Novak's game. Acourse Novak is a better overall better player than Felix's game but it has prepared Rafa perfectly to defeat Novak's defense.Two things was important from Sunday:

1. How Rafa's ability to problem solving while under pressure against a top ten player.
2. Probably the most important, Rafa's health. How would the foot pain affect his movement and would Rafa be ae to recover to practice for Novak on Monday.

Rafa passed all the tests and will be mentally prepared for Novak's serve and drop shots. The night match ISN'T that big of a deal. Rafa has played Novak numerous times in the night colder conditions on clay before. Sure , Rafa feels he is Kal-El of Krypton under the Earth's Sun but his defense combined with his movement is really the key. Rafa knows he has to play with the same intensity early as he did in later in the first set vs FAA and 2 ,3 and 5 set. Speaking of the 5set, Felix played the Best set he EVER played in his young career. 3 UFEs and still lost 6-3 because Rafa's game went to the nuclear level. Rafa has 4 UFES but 15 winners in the 5 set. That's what I have been preaching about, Rafa, Novak and Roger can reach that level but the latter two can't on Clay. Rafa is going to take THIS 5set level into the match vs Novak. This is Why Rafa will win this one is 4 sets.

Well Hello long time no see?

 

[Moxie]

The FAA 5 setter in hindsight was just what the doctor ordered to prepare for the Novak match.

I said this earlier, (and not tooting my horn, but to reiterate what I think we know,) that Rafa can benefit from an emotional win. Djokovic wasn't especially tested up until this point. And Rafa had had a lackluster clay season, after such a great HC start. He needed a big win.

And I'm also going to say this: when they both play reasonably well, Rafa is much better on clay. We will always argue "best level," but there is no reason to say that Djokovic had an off-day, from what I could see. (Only in the 4th.) Or any reason he did so poorly in the 2020 RG final. Except that Rafa is that much better on clay and at RG.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Just like the 2022 Australian Open, Nadal will have TWO days off to rest his foot and mind to prepare for the semifinals on Friday.

 

[Moxie]

Just like the 2022 Australian Open, Nadal will have TWO days off to rest his foot and mind to prepare for the semifinals on Friday.

I'm so out of the loop, with work...so he plays Zverev? What goes on in the bottom half tomorrow?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I said this earlier, (and not tooting my horn, but to reiterate what I think we know,) that Rafa can benefit from an emotional win. Djokovic wasn't especially tested up until this point. And Rafa had had a lackluster clay season, after such a great HC start. He needed a big win.

And I'm also going to say this: when they both play reasonably well, Rafa is much better on clay. We will always argue "best level," but there is no reason to say that Djokovic had an off-day, from what I could see. (Only in the 4th.) Or any reason he did so poorly in the 2020 RG final. Except that Rafa is that much better on clay and at RG.

Do you think this is like shades of RG 2020, Rafa did not have a good preparation for RG remember?

 

[rafanoy1992]

I'm so out of the loop, with work...so he plays Zverev? What goes on in the bottom half tomorrow?

Yes, he plays Zverev on Friday (more than likely the 1st SF match).

The bottom half plays their QF matches tomorrow.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Do you think this is like shades of RG 2020, Rafa did not have a good preparation for RG remember?

Yes and No. The reason I say that is because in 2020 while he did not have a good preparation for RG, he was still physically fresh coming into RG due to the COVID lockdown.

This year, his foot is a REAL question mark.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Yes and No. The reason I say that is because in 2020 while he did not have a good preparation for RG, he was still physically fresh coming into RG due to the COVID lockdown.

This year, his foot is a REAL question mark.

As I posted Rafa feels more confident with his doctor with him at RG, the foot is of course a question mark, so lets hope it remains intact for as long as he plays at RG

 

[the AntiPusher]

Well Hello long time no see?

Howdy Miss Margaret.. Great match today. Rafa fans, well this one got what he wanted, an appearance by RG 20 Rafa. This was the best Rafa looked on clay since the fall of 2020. Give Novak credit, he could have folded early and took his tennis team back home to MC but he fought like the TriGoat he is. There were one sequence when Novak and Rafa were serving extended games that were over 10 mins each. Pure and total insanity. Rafa wrestled the first set and control of the first set but was cornered like sewer rat by a urban city cat when he was up a set and two breaks of serve in the 2nd set. Rafa had early control of the first, second and third set but not the 4th. Novak's took control early in the 4 set and raced out to a 5-2 lead although Rafa had his chances. Novak's FH and backhand were too powerful. Rafa held serve and was able to clean up game by taking control of the center of the court. I truly believe that Novak felt the pressure and was unable to play as well in the 4 set TBR. The match score doesnt reflect the quality of the match. It could have went to a 5 set and who knows it was a possibility of anyone's game. Its a shame that the fickle French wasted this 59th H2H because of their silly rule to go by the ATP ranking for their seeding. Seeding Nadal #5 is like putting pineapples on a pizza, its foul and makes no logical sense. Vamos Nadal!!

 

[Jelenafan]

I think we get confused by two somewhat interlinked and yet separate issues of Rafa:

the endurance and stamina of a soon 36 year old man AND the chronic foot pain which flares up intermittently and hinders his movement.

As Rafa said about his lack of play & excessive rest during the COVID lockdown, the lack of play ironically worsened the foot issue because the body wasnt acclimatized itself to that new normal.

the foot injury could end his career at any moment, OTOH, more play by itself doesnt automatically flare it up.

The foot flareup at the Italian Open was definitely NOT because he overplayed this claycourt season.

Now i do think the 54 hour rest after the 4+ Hour FAA match was huge, but thats more about his body, and not the foot IMO.

 

[don_fabio]

Howdy Miss Margaret.. Great match today. Rafa fans, well this one got what he wanted, an appearance by RG 20 Rafa. This was the best Rafa looked on clay since the fall of 2020. Give Novak credit, he could have folded early and took his tennis team back home to MC but he fought like the TriGoat he is. There were one sequence when Novak and Rafa were serving extended games that were over 10 mins each. Pure and total insanity. Rafa wrestled the first set and control of the first set but was cornered like sewer rat by a urban city cat when he was up a set and two breaks of serve in the 2nd set. Rafa had early control of the first, second and third set but not the 4th. Novak's took control early in the 4 set and raced out to a 5-2 lead although Rafa had his chances. Novak's FH and backhand were too powerful. Rafa held serve and was able to clean up game by taking control of the center of the court. I truly believe that Novak felt the pressure and was unable to play as well in the 4 set TBR. The match score doesnt reflect the quality of the match. It could have went to a 5 set and who knows it was a possibility of anyone's game. Its a shame that the fickle French wasted this 59th H2H because of their silly rule to go by the ATP ranking for their seeding. Seeding Nadal #5 is like putting pineapples on a pizza, its foul and makes no logical sense. Vamos Nadal!!

Nice words AP.

I think Novak was feeling the pressure for the most of the match, not only at the end and he become a victim of it. His reaction at the end tells enough, he was angry as he was leaving the court. He probably felt like he didn't do enough.

I believe that Novak thought that the job tonight might be slightly easier. He came out hard in the beginning and was playing great but he soon found himself down a set and 2 breaks!! Level of Nadal until that point was out of this world, he could not miss a ball, just insane. Novak had to work so hard just get back into that 2nd set and he managed, he won both of those monster 2 games that lasted 28 mins. He then went to win a set, he was swinging freely he was in the zone, but then to come out in the 3rd set like that and give cheap breaks to Nadal is what turned the course of this match. I think Novak was surprised once again how hard is to beat Nadal in RG.

Novak had to work so hard to break Nadal, while Novak gave away his service games just too easy at times. He had opportunity to break back and get into the 3rd but failed again and Nadal run away with another break. Novak was too tentative on huge points, he played it safe or chose weird shots. He lacked killer instinct to finish Nadal when it mattered.

Then the 4th set, Novak was in control, but again was not doing enough on Nadal serve and failed to serve it out for the set when again he had control of the game and some game points, he doesn't go for lines, plays it safer and fails again. You can't play safe against Nadal, it doesn't pay off. That is the biggest regret for Novak last night, playing too safe/wrong shot selection at times and not pushing enough on opponents serve.

After Nadal broke Novak serve in 4th I just kind of knew that this is the end, it was visible on Novak's body language that he kind of just gave up, while Nadal never gives up and it paid off once again.

It's a pitty it didn't go to the 5th, it would be a 50:50 match IMO.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Nice words AP.

I think Novak was feeling the pressure for the most of the match, not only at the end and he become a victim of it. His reaction at the end tells enough, he was angry as he was leaving the court. He probably felt like he didn't do enough.

I believe that Novak thought that the job tonight might be slightly easier. He came out hard in the beginning and was playing great but he soon found himself down a set and 2 breaks!! Level of Nadal until that point was out of this world, he could not miss a ball, just insane. Novak had to work so hard just get back into that 2nd set and he managed, he won both of those monster 2 games that lasted 28 mins. He then went to win a set, he was swinging freely he was in the zone, but then to come out in the 3rd set like that and give cheap breaks to Nadal is what turned the course of this match. I think Novak was surprised once again how hard is to beat Nadal in RG.

Novak had to work so hard to break Nadal, while Novak gave away his service games just too easy at times. He had opportunity to break back and get into the 3rd but failed again and Nadal run away with another break. Novak was too tentative on huge points, he played it safe or chose weird shots. He lacked killer instinct to finish Nadal when it mattered.

Then the 4th set, Novak was in control, but again was not doing enough on Nadal serve and failed to serve it out for the set when again he had control of the game and some game points, he doesn't go for lines, plays it safer and fails again. You can't play safe against Nadal, it doesn't pay off. That is the biggest regret for Novak last night, playing too safe/wrong shot selection at times and not pushing enough on opponents serve.

After Nadal broke Novak serve in 4th I just kind of knew that this is the end, it was visible on Novak's body language that he kind of just gave up, while Nadal never gives up and it paid off once again.

It's a pitty it didn't go to the 5th, it would be a 50:50 match IMO.

Rafa was a the Spanish version of a Bull shark..he smelled blood in the water in the 4 th set. There was nothing Novak could do. As proven in 08 and 2020, Rafa at RG can take things to a level that there's not been a human ever created to play against to defeat him. Prior to the match, Novak said that he was ready for Rafa and felt good about their potential match up.Well, in retrospect, it was like watching the "Fantastic Four part 2 introducing the Silver Surfer. Novak was a version of Marvel's Human Torch and Rafa is the Silver Surfer ( actually Red clay surfer ). The Human Torch thought he could battle with the Surfer and flew beyond the Earth's atmosphere to continue the battle but he flamed out. Just like the Human Torch who fell back through the heavens to the Earth , so did Novak but there was noOne to save him . The Red Clay Surfer continues and glides on through the skies of RG. Vamos Nadal Entiendo mi amigos.

 

[Jelenafan]

Rafa was a the Spanish version of a Bull shark..he smelled blood in the water in the 4 th set. There was nothing Novak could do. As proven in 08 and 2020, Rafa at RG can take things to a level that there's not been a human ever created to play against to defeat him. Prior to the match, Novak said that he was ready for Rafa and felt good about their potential match up.Well, in retrospect, it was like watching the "Fantastic Four part 2 introducing the Silver Surfer. Novak was a version of Marvel's Human Torch and Rafa is the Silver Surfer ( actually Red clay surfer ). The Human Torch thought he could battle with the Surfer and flew beyond the Earth's atmosphere to continue the battle but he flamed out. Just like the Human Torch who fell back through the heavens to the Earth , so did Novak but there was noOne to save him . The Red Clay Surfer continues and glides on through the skies of RG. Vamos Nadal Entiendo mi amigos.

To be fair, on clay Novak is like the Silver Surfer, but Nadal is Galactus, the world devourer.

 

[kskate2]

Rafa has said having his doctor at RG has helped him considerably

That has to be a nice fat paychex for 2 weeks of work, no? Lemme see how fast I can go to med school and get certified. Is that something I can do online MM?

 

[Chris Koziarz]

Congrats to Rafa. IMO, the fact that he stopped the non-deserving player from advancing is more important than him extending his chances at another title. Fantastic! Med on hard, Alex (non-player) on hard down under, Rafa on clay, let's hope someone steps up to the task on grass!
Keep the good work going boys! If Rafa retires, we have a successor (Alcaraz) who should keep the good work on clay. Hopefully Med continues his good work in NYO (and there won't be Russian ban anymore) hopefully whoever replaces Alex Hawke as an immigration minister here, will keep his good work and maintains 3y ban on Joker in Australia (should be enough to deny him any AO title), and so on... Keep it up that way, boys!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Congrats to Rafa. IMO, the fact that he stopped the non-deserving player from advancing is more important than him extending his chances at another title. Fantastic! Med on hard, Alex (non-player) on hard down under, Rafa on clay, let's hope someone steps up to the task on grass!
Keep the good work going boys! If Rafa retires, we have a successor (Alcaraz) who should keep the good work on clay. Hopefully Med continues his good work in NYO (and there won't be Russian ban anymore) hopefully whoever replaces Alex Hawke as an immigration minister here, will keep his good work and maintains 3y ban on Joker in Australia (should be enough to deny him any AO title), and so on... Keep it up that way, boys!

Hi Chris, long time since you have posted.
Novak has said in the press he holds no grudges against the Australian government,or their Immigration minister Alex Hawke.As we have recently got a new government here,to date there has been no change in their policy.Interesting to see what happens when the AO is close for 2023 and if Labor government does change the policy, as Novak would have to apply for a new visa and give a very good reason why his visa should be restated.

 

[Jelenafan]

One of the things that drive me crazy after watching a match like this is hearing commentary such as “Nadal blew a two break lead in the second set” or “Novak let the 4th set slip Away.”

Among these two EVERY point is a life and death struggle, an actual service break is the result of blood sweat and tears. Nothing comes easy. They both had 17 and 12 breakpoints respectively despite both serving at 70%.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Moxie if you are around,

Novak did request a night match, then said after the match the night conditions started a bit late and like in RG final 2020 the conditions did not suit him,Rafa handled them better.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

Hi Chris, long time since you have posted.
Novak has said in the press he holds no grudges against the Australian government,or their Immigration minister Alex Hawke.As we have recently got a new government here,to date there has been no change in their policy.Interesting to see what happens when the AO is close for 2023 and if Labor government does change the policy, as Novak would have to apply for a new visa and give a very good reason why his visa should be restated.

Hi Margaret, I've been busy at work recently but when big news such as this one comes out, I'm here to chip in my comment...
The new gov have just been formed here in OZ (a better gov than the previous one but this is not the topic for this thread) and Alex Hawke is succeeded by Andrew Giles a Melbournian who's been sitting in the House for 9 years and been (unsurprisingly) a shadow Immigration Minister before. So, exprienced politician. I haven't heard him criticizing Alex Hawke's decision re Joker. But I've checked his speeches and public messages: he's mostly about protecting rural people against violence, alcoholism and protecting Aboriginals against infection diseases. A good guy, with a very good attitude, esp. when it comes to deal with Joker.
I've sent Andrew a message, of course cordially congratulating him his new appointment but also noting his predecessor's good work and hoping this particular piece of Alex's work: keeping Australia safe from laws disobeying celebrities such as Mr Novak Djokovic. I also reminded how good and safe AO2022 was without joker (also without his dangerous tantrums) and hoped for the same AO2023. If Andrew reads my message, this tiny drop may affirm his opinion and we won't see Joker in OZ as desired. We will find out soon: our world will start talking about it in 4-5 months.