Down goes Novak Djokovic.
For the second time in their last seven installments of the Australian Open, someone other than Djokovic will lift the winner’s trophy. The defending champion and No. 2 seed was knocked out in stunning fashion by Denis Istomin on Thursday afternoon in Melbourne. Istomin started strong and finished even more impressively to produce a hard-to-believe 7-6(8), 5-6, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 upset after four hours and 50 minutes.
The unheralded Uzbek did not even earn direct entry into the main draw of this event and had to win the Asia Pacific Wild-Card Playoff to get in. During that event Istomin saved four match points against someone named Prajnesh Gunneswaran.
Djokovic sure wishes Istomin hadn’t.
Playing the match of his life from completely out of nowhere, the world No. 117 fired 17 aces and finished with more winners than errors (63 to 61) against arguably the best defender in the sport. Istomin won seven fewer total points (186 to 193) but took both tiebreakers and delivered three clutch holds after breaking Djokovic for a 3-2 lead in the fifth set.
“It is unreal,” Istomin assured. “To beat Novak in five sets, it’s a great win. I didn’t expect what I’m doing now and what I did on the court. Actually, if you don’t think that you have a chance, then (there’s) no reason to come on court.
“I would say, ‘Are you crazy or what,” Istomin added after being asked what he would say if someone told him at the start of this season that he would beat Djokovic at the Australian Open. “Especially in five sets, for sure. For me, (it) was impossible to think about that I can hold it (for) five sets with Novak, physically and mentally. So I did well today.”
“All the credit to Denis for playing amazing,” Djokovic commented. “He deserved to win. No doubt, he was a better player in the clutch moments. He stepped it up, played aggressive, served very well, very precise. There’s not much I could do. Of course, I was not pleased with my performance overall. But I have to congratulate my opponent today.”
Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJCn5lfhOj4
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Djoko only made 72 UEs in this match. When he made 100 UEs against Simon, he won the match.
He’s Rocky in first half of Rocky 3.
#JumpedTheShark
Amazing from Istomin. Something to be said for nothing left to lose, I guess. Djoko not at his very best – how many are this early in the year and tournament? But did not play badly.
Remember Istomin’s 2nd round 2010 match vs Rafa at USO? Took Rafa to a tiebreak 1st set, went up 5-1, playing an amazing winner off a dropshot from Rafa. That shot even got a quiet racquet tap of applause from Rafa as he lined up to serve. I always imagined Rafa thinking “Great shot, kid, sorry for what I’m about to do to you now” and then reeled off 6 straight points to take the set.
You mean Istomin was leading 5:1 in the TB because Rafa did not drop his serve until the SF at USO 2010.
Unbelievable
There are really no words for this loss. The tennis channel is replaying it. Novak us Neto sets to one and he loses to a player ranked 117 at the AO where he has six titles?
Alarm bells should be ringing now. I don’t care how well Istomin played, Novak should have won this match!
It is incomprehensible to me. I remember all of the experts on both the tennis channel and espn talking about how Novak beating Murray in Doha was the key to him beating Murray in the final here. Well that isn’t going to happen!
Novak just wrecked my bracket! I had him in the final, losing to Murray.
The last time Novak lost in the second round was in 2008!
Novak is in some serious trouble after this loss. This was supposed to be the reset for him in the new year. Now his part of the draw is wide open.
I was thinking about Rafa playing Istomin in the second round at the 2010 USO. Rafa’s. if serve is what saved him in that match. I will never forget that second set TB! Rafa down 5-1 and on the verge of losing the set. But somehow he managed to pull it out and win the TB!
But it’s not like Istomin has done anything lately. Far from it!
I am watching the fifth set now and just not believing what I am seeing.
How many people lost money on Djokovic?
Pablo carreno vs Denis istomin I picked D. Istomin to win at 2.75. I know he is not the favorite but i was impressed by his win against Novak djokovic, he should be extra motivated against Pablo.
I hope he backs it up. Head to head makes me think not sadly. But if he plays like this again he should win again.
I first took notice of Istomin when he played against the USA in Davis Cup. He was trying to do it all on his own and showed great grit. I watched most of the match last night and went to bed during the 4th set, thinking Novak had this. Woke up this morning to a shocker. Very happy for him! You just never know what is going to happen out on the court.
This is what I said on another thread earlier today (too lazy to look for it.
Obviously great tennis minds think alike:
Boris Becker…
“Having watched the match today, I felt he tried and he played five sets and four and a half hours, but I didn’t see the intensity, didn’t see the absolute will to win, didn’t see him mentally going crazy.
“He always was very nonchalant about it, and that is not the Novak that I know. I’d rather see him break a racket or pull the shirt or something, for him to get emotional. I thought it was very even keel the whole match through, and that was unusual, and I don’t know what to make of that.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/sports/tennis/australian-open-novak-djokovic-boris-becker.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
Hawkeye.
Thanks for posting that link with Becker’s thoughts! I actually think he was quite accurate! It is true that the intensity was missing and also the mental focus. The will to win.
The espn commies were saying that Novak looked like he did not know what to do st times in the match. That is not like Novak!
This is what we were saying about Rafa, only some here made it seem as though we were saying he had a mental illness. This sport is so much mental, and when that goes this is what happens. Novak should have won this match being up two sets to one. He has had tough early round matches and come through even when not playing his best and his opponent was playing very well.
I don’t care how well Istomin played. His best is not good enough against a Novak playing mediocre tennis.
Novak lost his way and that you just don’t see happen.
This loss is going to shake him up. No question about it. He has lost his mojo.
Becker was so perceptive about what went wrong. It is not something that a player can just snap his fingers and fix.
I never bought that Novak’s win over Murray in Doha meant that all was right with him or that he would inevitably beat Murray in the AO final. We now have proof that it was not the case.
on Nativenewyorker (AT 3:38 AM),
The local armchair doctor diagnosed Rafa with an anxiety disorder (it’s a mental illness) and you approved it.
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-130/#comment-115595
Which you miscategorized as a mental illness.
Such misquotes from you. You missed your calling at breitbart news.
You can’t fool nny.
Don’t trust posts by the poster AT 4:36 AM.
augusta,
I try my best to ignore your attempts to instigate trouble on this site. However, you posting that comment of mine proved nothing, as usual. In fact, you also thought ok it out of context. All I did was agree with Hawkeye!
Hawkeye and I were able to see what Rafa was going through and at least acknowledge it. I did say that Hawkeye used Rafa’s own words. Even after all this time, you refuse to accept what Rafa said! At least I had the good sense to pay attention to Rafa and respect what he says, as opposed to you who ignore his own words and make up your own reality!
Tsk, tsk!
on Nativenewyorker (AT 5:01 AM),
Thank you for confirming that you agreed with the diagnosis given to Rafa by the local armchair doctor. 🙂
I accept what Rafa and U.Toni have said because that’s the reality. The diagnosis given by the local armchair doctor isn’t.
Rafa and U.Toni have explained several times that Rafa lost confidence in 2015 due to his health issues in 2014. An excerpt from U.Toni’s interview with COP, a radio network in Spain, in December 2015 (translated by GSS):
“Getting injured in the AO 2014 final was a big blow. When he recovered, the wrist issue happened [July 2014] and then appendicitis [October 2014] when he was trying to come back. All this caused him a huge stress and lack of confidence in his body. He was going on court [in 2015] without knowing/trusting what his body would do.”
http://www.cope.es/player/Toni-Nadal-en-El-Partido-de-las-12-Rafa-volvera-a-ser-el-de-antes&id=2015122301340002&activo=10
Djoko was behaving the same way last year when he played against Simon, I really don’t think there’s any difference. I think he normally doesn’t feel agitated in earlier rounds of slams, perhaps thinking he would ride through the rough times as the match wears on. The difference between this match and that Simon match is that Simon did go away in the fifth set, when his fitness finally gave way whilst in this match Istomin was so fit stamina wise, even in the fifth set, though he said he had leg cramps. Istomin also hung though mentally and his big serve certainly did help him.
Djoko plays many five setters at the slams even during his peak years, he used to start slow in the early rounds and managed to edge out low ranked players. His records were quite amazing, since becoming a top three guy, he only lost four times in early rounds – Wim 2008 (R2); FO2009 (R3); Wim 2006 (R3); AO2017 (R2).
I mean to say Wim2016 (R3)
Disagree.
I agree with Becker. He knows the difference and saw first hand that Nole wasn’t willing to commit after completing the grand slam.
Ice seen him passive and detached in finals against fed on cincy and also in the USO final the same way just to name two off the top of my head.
Hawkeye,
Thanks! I put more stake in what Becker says because he knows Novak better than anyone here.
He did not address how Istomin played either because Novak knows his game and how to counter his tactics. It’s not like Istomin reinvented the wheel in that match.
Novak did not seem to be thinking out there. This takes nothing away from Istomin. He hung in there and took advantage. But let us not pretend that this was the real Novak out there.
I’m talking about earlier rounds at the slams! He was lack lustre too vs Simon last year in R2 or 3, and that’s before he competing his career slam!
R4 it should be.
To be fair, Istomin played very well and ticked all the boxes when it comes to giving Novak trouble. Persistent flat groundies, big serves, the man deserves some credit. Novak wasn’t in full flight, but he was playing well, better than what has been reported anyway. But yes, Becker is right. Djokovic no longer seems to have a point to prove, he’s not getting riled up when the crowd supports his opponent. This is not the man that silenced the crowd at the US Open 2015. And I doubt we will see that man again.
I agree. I thought Djokovic was playing solid tennis but Istomin was really stepping it up when he had to. Completely deserved win by Istomin.
Istomin was playing like Simon but comes with a better serve and a better stamina and mental focus. He’s unfazed even when down two sets to one and was nerveless during the fourth set tiebreak!
He was so patient while staying in the rallies, hitting flat shots CC and DTL from both wings. He hit more winners than Djoko, and most of his shots were deep to the corners or near to them. He certainly came with a good game plan,not overly aggressive but patiently retrieving and waiting for his chances to strike.
Of course we are not talking about a top form Djoko here (he rarely is in earlier rounds of slams) and so Istomin took full advantage of that. Smart play.
Somebody had written an article after AO last year and observed that Nole had got the yips. For an athlete, that’s the beginning of the end. If I can locate the article, I will post the link.
I watched the Istomin -Nole match yesterday and I can attest to the fact that Istomin was playing amazing. The commentators kept expecting him to come “down to Earth” but obviously he did not.
@ lucky 4:15 am,
Ageed! Credit should be given when it’s due! Novak ran into a beast who just refused to go away! Istomin had beliefs and the best day in the office! That’s the winning combination! Well deserving win!
We discussed here numerous times how Novak usually is vulnerable in early rounds! I remember people saying he was conserving energy for later rounds, or he would do just enough to win the match, etc. even when at his very best Novak used to have at least one troublesome early round match, which he would manage to overcome somehow…
IMO, Novak had to hit the wall at some point. His style of play is demanding on his body and with his new vegan diet he seems too skinny to add the same strength to his shots..,he seemed to lose some speed too.,,When you add to it his shaken confidence he becomes subjective to errors and mental walkabouts. Too bad Becker failed to do a better job with Novak to push him to ho to the net more often, instead of long rallies..,
I think Becker’s comment is an indirect dig at Nole’s gury who works with Novak to calm him down and to cut on those on-court outbursts…IMO, Novak did not lose passion and will, he is simply not at his best right now…he hardly implemented his trademark drop-shots in this match…
All I did was agree with Becker! I think he knows Novak pretty well after being his coach got a few years.
No one is taking anything away from Istomin! Novak was up two sets to one. All he had to do was win one more set, Istomin did play well l, but that is not why Novak lost this match. He wasn’t there mentally. I don’t recall Novak looking lost or confused or not sure what to do in this kind of match. He’s been there before many times.
The comparison to Novak’s match with Simon is different because Novak was fighting mentally. He had the focus and concentration and will to win. I also do not agree that Simon lost it in the fifth set due to fatigue. He was fighting to the end, but Novak refused to lose.
Novak is definitely in trouble right now.
Yes hes in trouble, but he still has the will to win! He wont be arguing with the umpire etc if he doesnt even care whether he wins or not!
Hes the defending champion, of course he wont want to lose so early to a no.117 player!
To me, Djoko’s style of play and his relentless pursuit of Fedal have taken their tolls on his body and mind. I think he may be having some injury or not yet fully recovered from injury. His serve and returns arent up to his usual level.
Djoko’s fitness doesnt come to him the way Rafa’s to his, ie its not natural to Djoko. Djoko is born slender with breathing problems; not the muscular type of Rafa; to me he should stick with initial style of play, ie more aggressive style painting the lines and keeping the points short. I feel he should adopt a style more like Fed’s instead of going the fitness route of Rafa’s.
His body may be suffering from all those pounding these past six years; once his fitness is gone IMO he wont find his way back to the top.
Rafa despite all his injuries, still could fight back time and again because physically he is a beast. I do hope Rafa as he ages, will play a physically less demanding style, to cut down on the wear and tear and injury issues.
@ lucky 11.41am,
Exactly! I agree on all counts!
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/tennis/former-australian-star-john-alexander-says-a-weakness-in-novak-djokovics-serve-could-be-exploited-at-wimbledon/news-story/6b6866948be94d221dbf4fe60f3a84b2
Denis istomin deserves all the credit & no one should take anything from him, he defeated an in form N. djokovic & no one should make an excuse 4 djokovic.
I predicted in this article that he was going to defeat P. Carreno and i put my money were my mouth is & guess what he won & so did i.
Am going to make another bold prediction & i would give you guy’s a minute 2 put ur glasses on, wait 4 it, wait for it.
Denis istomin is the australian open champion, and the crowd cheers, laugh all you want haters just wait & see.