[Samer Kadi] A Final Before the Final

[brokenshoelace]

Hey guys, it's a little late, but here's my latest blog with an in-depth review of the Nadal-Djokovic semi final.

http://www.tennisfrontier.com/blogs/broken-shoelace/a-final-before-the-final/

I know the buzz should be for the final but let's face it, this was the main event. Feel free to discuss...

 

[Moxie]

RE: A Final Before the Final

Excellent summary of the match, Broken. It seems that Nadal has gone some way to solving the problems with his match-up against Djokovic. Certainly in his head, as he played that match more within himself, or with more calm than Novak did. Obviously, Djokovic has set this as a goal, and Nadal has the keys to the castle at RG, so he was understandably edgy. But Nadal made a strong stand defending the bulwarks. Maybe, like Rafa at Wimbledon against Roger, he'll win in his 3rd try at a final. TBD.

For now, it's still Rafa's house, depending on how things go tomorrow.

 

[tented]

RE: A Final Before the Final

Great blog post, as always, Broken. Thanks.

One question: They still haven't played on a hard court since the 2012 AO final, and Rafa hasn't won a hard court match since 2010. Do you think Rafa will be able to transfer to the hards any of the adjustments, and whatever other things he's learned from their last five encounters, all of which have been on clay? Or are these clay-specific, such as the bounce, and the effects of weather on the surface, etc.? Or is it impossible to deduce anything relevant to hards based on these clay-court matches?

 

[brokenshoelace]

RE: A Final Before the Final

Do you think Rafa will be able to transfer to the hards any of the adjustments, and whatever other things he's learned from their last five encounters, all of which have been on clay? Or are these clay-specific, such as the bounce, and the effects of weather on the surface, etc.? Or is it impossible to deduce anything relevant to hards based on these clay-court matches?

I don't think these are clay specifics (for instance going for his forehand up the line earlier in the rally applies to every surface), but I also don't expect to see a huge change in dynamics in their hard court meetings.

Novak's game still hurts Nadal anywhere, and Rafa, especially on hards, needs his serve to give him cheap points. As far as the baseline war is concerned, yes, Rafa would need to adopt a similar approach to the one he had in Paris (and he's played aggressively in the past against Djokovic), but Novak is still the better hard court player in general, and has the more obvious path to victory. That alone means he's always going to get the better of Nadal on the surface, more often than not (he was doing that even before 2011).

So the match won't be this huge turning point, but yeah, things like utilizing the forehand DTL and hitting the CC backhand with authority can certainly help Nadal on other surfaces against Djokovic.

 

[fedfan]

RE: A Final Before the Final

Hey guys, it's a little late, but here's my latest blog with an in-depth review of the Nadal-Djokovic semi final.

http://www.tennisfrontier.com/blogs/broken-shoelace/a-final-before-the-final/

I know the buzz should be for the final but let's face it, this was the main event. Feel free to discuss...

Great read as always

Something tells me the race to catch 17 may be closer than once thought a year ago.

 

[brokenshoelace]

RE: A Final Before the Final

Hey guys, it's a little late, but here's my latest blog with an in-depth review of the Nadal-Djokovic semi final.

http://www.tennisfrontier.com/blogs/broken-shoelace/a-final-before-the-final/

I know the buzz should be for the final but let's face it, this was the main event. Feel free to discuss...

Great read as always

Something tells me the race to catch 17 may be closer than once thought a year ago.

With those ever shaky knees, I don't think Nadal will catch up, unfortunately.

 

[Kieran]

RE: A Final Before the Final

That's a good write-up, Broken, given how difficult a match it is to review. It's very easy to lapse into superlatives and stereotypes about these matches. For me, what stood out was that after Nadal held to get to 2-3 in the fifth, he was in "the calm" as he calls it, and so he always had a shot. Once he levelled the service breaks, I felt Nole would blink first. I no longer feel that Nole has a hold on him. It's four out of five now for Rafa, to repel Nole on clay, anyway, and dispel any myths about Novak being somehow superior to him on the dirt. Nadal was out for seven months and Nole was a long time preparing for this match, and still it should have been done in four sets.

As they got deep in the fifth, both players hit some extraordinarily abrupt winners. Both served great too, until Nole cracked in the final game. I was most impressed with Rafa, the way he rises to the challenge and stays focussed. His levels of concentration in the fifth were awesome. He's truly set the bar in these matches. And Nole was a great opponent for him in this masterpiece of fifth set attritional tennis...

 

[fedfan]

RE: A Final Before the Final

Hey guys, it's a little late, but here's my latest blog with an in-depth review of the Nadal-Djokovic semi final.

http://www.tennisfrontier.com/blogs/broken-shoelace/a-final-before-the-final/

I know the buzz should be for the final but let's face it, this was the main event. Feel free to discuss...

Great read as always

Something tells me the race to catch 17 may be closer than once thought a year ago.

With those ever shaky knees, I don't think Nadal will catch up, fortunately.

Fixed