Novak Djokovic tied Rafael Nadal’s record of 33 career Masters 1000 titles when he won the Mutua Madrid Open on Sunday evening. Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 in the final, holding all 10 of his service game without facing a break point over one hour and 32 minutes of play.
“These are the best tournaments, biggest tournaments we have in our sport, in the ATP, of course alongside the Grand Slams,” Djokovic commented. “This is as important and as good as it gets.”
The world No. 1 was as good as it gets in Madrid, where he recaptured something the lines of his Australian Open form–thus emerging from a slump that lasted from Indian Wells through Monte-Carlo. Djokovic mostly eased through two matches and then followed up a walkover from Marin Cilic to edge a red-hot Dominic Thiem 7-6(2), 7-6(4). The top-seeded Serb raised his level even higher to get past Tsitsipas, who had upset Rafael Nadal in the semis.
“I’m very pleased,” Djokovic assured. “I was saying after yesterday’s semifinal win that it was a very, very important win for me for my confidence. I wasn’t playing my best tennis after Australia so I was looking to regain the momentum this week. I started off well. I didn’t drop a set the entire tournament, so I’m very pleased. I played some of my best tennis here.”
“He deserved the victory; he played unbelievable,” Tsitsipas praised. “I couldn’t do much. Physically I was not there. My legs were not coping with my mind. Completely I could feel the fatigue and this soreness, not just in my legs, but everywhere in my body. And yes, he played quite smart. He tried moving me around the court. He knew I had a tough match last night, so he took advantage of that knowing that he’s going to have to make me run and suffer more and I just didn’t have solutions.”
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congrats, Djoker
So, having to beat two ATGs back to back is too much to ask for, esp when you’re still a youngster. Thiem beat Fed but couldn’t beat Djoko next; Tsitsipas beat Rafa but couldn’t beat Djoko next.
It’s a tough ask, only Sasha in recent times could do it – beating Fed and Djoko B2B. Goffin did beat Rafa and then Fed at WTF 2017, but Rafa was on one leg then; and Goffin had a day’s rest if I’m not wrong, before playing and beating Fed in the SF.
I think we have to trace back to Delpo at the USO2009 for completing such a feat (of beating two ATGs B2B).
Er… I forget Berdych did it in 2010 Wimbledon, beating Fed in the QF and Djoko in the SF, but fell to Rafa in the final.
Stan did beat Djoko and Rafa at AO2014, though in QF and then in final, not exactly B2B; he did it too at FO2015 beating Fed in QF and then Djoko in the final.
Interesting what Tsitsipas said about facing the three ATGs. He said beating Rafa in the SF probably made him a bit tired for the final, and Djoko’s incredible BH which made Tsitsipas ran all over the place was too much for Tsitsipas to handle.
I wonder, had Tsitsipas played Djoko in the SF, and with fresher legs, and playing his all out attacking game (like against Rafa), won’t he beat this Djoko then? My feeling is he probably would, for he’s hitting with depth and rushing the net, that would put Djoko under defence all the time, making it almost impossible for Djoko to control the points or to make Tsitsipas run all over the place. The same could be said of Thiem, would he do better against Djoko in the QF rather than in the SF (where he already had a hard battle against Fed)?
Sometimes, the draw may affect the results.
+1 different circumstances can produce an entirely different result. Djokovic still had to come out and play flawless tennis and he did that as good as anyone has in the history of the game (i.e. Fed, Nadal, Borg and Laver)
Of course, but Tsitsipas made it even easier for him to play flawless tennis, offering not much resistance; made to run from left to right, and right to left!
As mentioned, it’s really hard to beat the ATG one after another. Thiem too, took him three sets to beat a Fed, who already played a three setter against Monfils in the previous round. Was Djoko playing better than Fed? I really couldn’t tell, for Fed really gave Thiem plenty of problems in the QF, what if Fed was a little bit fresher without the Monfils match?
True, Djokovic was never put under pressure. Players too often focus on not losing or trying to win when really they should just try to put their opponent on as much pressure as possible when they are playing catchup. Its a mental thing.
+1 = i agree
Djokovic was on another level. One of the most best performances i’ve ever seen.
It makes it easier when you know you have a physical edge on your opponent.
Djokovic played well but against two washed out players. Tsitsipas is the hope of the future …. http://www.138mph.com/stefanos-tsitsipas-and-roger-federer-remain-the-last-of-the-mohicans/
young and upcoming djokovic went through roddick (3), nadull (2) and federer (1) in 2007, rogers cup, canada. i am sure he was tired too.
Roddick isn’t and wasn’t an ATG! You want to compare beating him to beating Djoko, when Djoko is a 15 times slam champion?