The World Tour Finals anticipated script was flipped on Tuesday night when Roger Federer upset Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-2 during round-robin action. Federer clinched his spot in the semifinals by prevailing after one hour and 17 minutes.
A competitive opening set saw both plays hold serve en route to a 6-5 Federer advantage. That is when the 34-year-old stuck decisively, clinching break point and set point with a backhand drop-volley winner.
Federer appeared to take complete control with a break for 2-0 in the second, but Djokovic had other ideas–albeit briefly. The top-ranked Serb seized his first and only break of the day for 1-2 before getting back on level terms on 2-2. Nonetheless, it was nothing more than an aberration to what was an otherwise extremely uncharacteristic performance on Djokovic’s part. Federer quickly added breaks at 3-2 and 5-2 to close the match out in style.
“Credit to Roger for mixing up the pace, giving me always a different ball,” Djokovic remarked. “He used the slice and spin very wisely. He served very efficiently. I made a lot of–lot of–unforced errors. Just handed him the win, especially in the second set.”
Federer had a different take on the matter.
“You still have to put him away,” the 17-time major champion explained. “It’s not an easy thing to do. It’s not like he played terrible. Why did he play that way? I’d like to give myself credit for that.”
In addition to securing a spot on semifinal Saturday, the win also gave Federer a 22-21 lead in the head-to-head series against Djokovic.
As for Djokovic, his semifinal fate is still in play heading into Thursday, when Federer’s last round-robin match against Kei Nishikori will precede Djokovic’s showdown with Tomas Berdych. The No. 1 seed will still qualify for the semis if he beats Berdych regardless of the score between Federer and Nishikori.
“Of course you never want to lose as an athlete,” Djokovic assured. “You’re not coming into these matches and these tournaments to lose. You’re coming to win. I have another group-stage match and I need to get through.”
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What does it say for the rest of the field that Fed is the only one able to beat Djokovic ?
Only in best of 3. Stanimal is the only one who can beat him in best of 5.
I agree.
Nothing specific really.
Just a reminder of the great player that Roger Federer is!
It means that Federer is a great player at 34, one of the best of all time, that he is always very difficult to beat indoors (against anyone), and that he still has the edge over Nole on a hard court best of three.
That’s why I picked him! 🙂
Fed is not the only one, Murray too beat him at Montreal. Novak may yet suffer one or two more BO3 defeats this season!
Rafa vs Djokovic in best of 5 – 9:4 to Nadal.
I think the reference was to the year 2015 only…if Rafa is back than of course he is the major obstacle for Novak whether it’s best of three or best of five…
These selective pronouncements are not worth the paper they are written on. It’s all about second guessing events. Up until Fed beat Novak yesterday, Novak was invincible, period; after Fed beat him Nole yesterday he is now said to be invincible only in best of 5 except to Stan just because Stan is the only one who has beaten him in a best of 5 this year.
Some people like to live in the past.
As JJ would say, “What have you done for me lately.”
Only time will tell but 9-4 is history ATM.
#GloryDaysTheyllPassYouBy
Simon Cambers ‏@scambers73 5h5 hours ago
Few have been better or more subtle in their use of mind games in tennis than Roger Federer. Last night’s bench steal was hilarious
I think this is the second time he did it to Djoko.
FED!!!!!
I want to know who is saying that Novak is invincible? I don’t get that at all! He’s been the best player this year. His record speaks for itself. Oh and Rafa agrees! Why? Because he knows better than anyone here what it takes to do what Novak has done this year.
We know that Fed has beaten Novak in previous best of three tournaments this year. Fed had two shots at beating Novak in two slam finals this year. He tried but couldn’t get it done. We know that Stan beat Novak, denying him his first RG and ultimately preventing him from winning the calendar slam. Murray beat Novak at Montreal last summer.
I don’t think Novak is Superman or the Bionic man. I think he’s human. I picked Fed to beat Novak. So I guess I think that Novak can be beaten in this tournament. I recall picking Murray to beat him at Montreal.
I am looking forward to Rafa being once more in great form in 2016, so he can show that Novak can be beaten!
@NNY: ––I want to know who is saying that Novak is invincible––
My question to you is why is it so important to know who is saying Novak is invincible.
Nobody is claiming he is invincible in the strict sense of the word. Having an air of invincibility is tennis shorthand for sayig he is very, very hard to beat. This site is awash with speculation over how many Slams and Masters he might amass and asking who is capable of stopping the runaway train called Djokovic.
Commonsense says his reign of terror will not last forever. Equally there can be no certitude about who will topple him, nor when. The most pessimistic Rafans fear Djokovic could rampage unchecked for another 3/4 years. The terminally optimistic believe Rafa will stop him in his tracks as early as the AO. The rest fluctuate between hope and anxiety or remain objective.
See my response below.
NNY, here is the answer to your question:
The Guardian
“Roger Federer does not believe Novak Djokovic is INVINCIBLE
Roger Federer outclassed Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2 to start his 14th consecutive appearance at the ATP World Tour Finals in fine style. Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA
Monday 16 November 2015 00.01 GMT Last modified on Monday 16 November 2015 00.17 GMT
Roger Federer will have an early chance to disprove the notion that Novak Djokovic is untouchable when they meet in their second round-robin match at the ATP World Tour Finals on Tuesday”.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/16/roger-federer-novak-djokovic-atp-world-tour-finals
Exhibit 2
NNY will have nothing said about Djoker that is not in complete awe of him, she’d be down your throat before you can say Dj. Diss Rafa and she is on you side in a nano second.
Fed is marching to victory, the ‘invincible’ Djoker will be relieved.