Klizan upsets Djokovic in Barcelona, Nadal struggles but wins in straights

April 25, 2018 Ricky Match recaps 46

The relative momentum Novak Djokovic picked up in Monte-Carlo evaporated right away in Barcelona.

Djokovic–who won two matches last week before pushing Dominic Thiem to three sets–lost his opening match at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Wednesday afternoon, falling to Martin Klizan 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. The 12th-ranked Serb did well to recover from a slow start by dominating the middle frame of play, but his game soon took another turn for the worse and he eventually succumbed after one hour and 39 minutes.

Coming back from physical problems of his own, Klizan broke three times–converting 100 percent of his break-point opportunities–even though Djokovic served at 79 percent. Prior to this week, the 140th-ranked Slovak had won just a single match at an ATP event this season (over an opponent ranked No. 1,529 in the world). Klizan’s reward is an all-lefty third-round showdown against Feliciano Lopez.

Highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boV7UgXZl0o

Ten-time Barcelona champion Rafael Nadal joined Klizan and Lopez in the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over fellow Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena. Nadal endured his biggest struggle in his eighth clay-court match of the 2018 campaign, but he still had more than enough to get across the finish line in one hour and 51 minutes.

The world No. 1 finished with more errors (21) than winners (18) and made 14 mistakes off the forehand side alone. He dropped serve once in each set but managed to capitalize on four of his seven break-point chances.

Next up for Nadal is compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who got a retirement from Kei Nishikori after winning the first set 6-3.

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46 Comments on Klizan upsets Djokovic in Barcelona, Nadal struggles but wins in straights

  4. RCB has great groundstrokes, he was playing with nothing to lose and Rafa was playing at about 70% – probably not feeling the ball as well today.

    Djokovic is just a shadow of himself. He is much worse than Rafa was when he lost his form in 2015. Djokovic’s dramatic fall is baffling. The elbow injury is probably just a red herring because he keeps changing his story about what’s going on with him. One minute he said he was no longer bothered about winning then he sacks his team to put the spark into him, then it’s his elbow.

    Reply

  7. Rafa’s slump lasted for at least two years. Maybe two and a half. Any slump with s top player is concerning. There is no such thing as a good slump.

    I don’t presume to know when or if Novak will come back. He is still far from the player he was when he was dominating. It’s tough when you lose to a player ranked # 140. I remember when he had 100 UE’s in that match at the USO with Gilles Simon. Simon should have won that match. Novak had a bad day at the office but he still managed to win the match. His mental strength carried him through even when his best game was
    not there.

    I thought Fed was playing extremely well when he lost back-to-back finals to Novak st Wimbledon and the USO. But Novak was such a mental beast at that time.

    On the tennis channel James Blakev said that Novak can put together one really good set of tennis. But he cannot sustain it. That about sums it up.

    Reply

  8. Nativenewyorker APRIL 25, 2018 AT 4:32 PM
    “Rafa’s slump lasted for at least two years. Maybe two and a half. Any slump with s top player is concerning. There is no such thing as a good slump.”

    This is news to me. Which 2 1/2 years are you referring to?

    2012 when he was injured for 1/2 the season with a knee injury?
    2013 when he ended the season as #1?
    2014 when he suffered back injury at the AO followed by a wrist injury in July and appendicitis in September?
    2015 Rafa was in a slump
    2016 Rafa suffered another bout of wrist injury took time off but forced himself to go to the OG but called it a season after Shanghai?
    2017 When he ended the season as #1?

    Reply

    • Here lies Rafa’s Slump
      May it rest in peace.

      (2014.5-2016.5)

      This is what a wise and candid Rafa said during it’s peak (or trough) in 2015.

      “It is not a question of tennis. The thing is the question of being relaxed enough to play well on court,” he told reporters after the 6-4 2-6 6-3 loss at Key Biscayne.

      “A month and a half ago I didn’t have the game. My game has improved but …I am still playing with too much nerves for a lot of moments, important moments, still a little anxious on those moments,” he added.

      “The physical problems are in the past. I am in competition. I’m playing weeks in a row. Is not an excuse.”

      “It is a different story today.

      “I am feeling more tired than usual, feeling that I don’t have this self confidence that when I hit the ball I am going to hit the ball where I want to hit the ball, to go for the ball knowing that my position will be the right one.

      “All these are small things that are difficult to explain.

      “One of the tougher things has been fixed, that is the game, in my opinion. Now I need to fix again the nerves, the self‑control on court. That’s another issue.

      “I am a little bit on and off too much. That is something that didn’t happen in the past.

      “In the past I have been able to change a lot of situations, negative situations, in my career and I want to do it again.

      https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-miami-men-nadal/nadal-says-suffering-from-nerves-and-lack-of-confidence-idUSKBN0MQ02G20150330

      Reply

      • Thank you for posting that. Now I don’t have to bother to answer the question directed at me. Or are we going to pretend that Rafa did not have a slump at all?

        Those dates seem accurate. Some people will look for an argument no matter what. It’s a shame, also a waste of time. We all know what happened with Rafa. But now it’s behind him. History. Things are good now.

        Reply

        • NNY, Hawkeye’s post doesn’t answer my question to you. You still have to specify the 2 1/2 years Rafa was in a slump or just admit that you got it wrong.

          Reply

        • If Rafa’s woes are behind him, why did you have to bring it up in the context of what Djokovic is now going through?

          Reply

      • Check my post where I clearly said Rafa WAS in a slump in 2015. No one is denying that Rafa was in a slump but for 2 1/2 years????? Everyone knows that 2015 was his annus Horribilis. Re-writing history and saying Rafa was in a slump for two and a half years is simply wrong information that can be spread around the internet in no time.

        If Rafa was in a slump for 2 1/2 years, which 2 1/2 years were they, NNY?

        Reply

        • nadline,

          I owe you nothing. You have distorted my comments in the past all too often for your own agenda. I am not going to give up anything to you.

          I stand by what I said. You can continue to harass and badger me to disrupt this site as you have done in the past. But it is not going to work. It just galls me that someone who has twisted the truth and made phony and baseless accusations against me in the past, is now pretending to be the only one tho knows what happened with Rafa.

          I feel sorry for you that there is nothing better to occupy your time.

          Reply

        • The first video shows Rafa at the press conference when he pulled out of RG with wrist injury giving Granollers a WO in Rnd 32 then he pulled out of Wimbledon.

          Reply

    • U.Toni explained already 2.5 years ago what was Rafa’s problem in 2015.
      I wonder what’s the point of making up stories about Rafa.

      An excerpt from U.Toni interview with COP, a radio network in Spain, at the end of 2015:
      ¤¤ “What happened to Rafa [lack of confidence] was coming from constant stress, not due to competition, but due to injuries.”
      “Getting injured in the AO 2014 final was a big blow. When he recovered, the wrist issue happened and then appendicitis 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 without knowing/trusting what his body would do.” ¤¤

      https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-115/#comment-69324

      Reply

  9. I love Rafa’s brutal honesty – the way he tells it as it is. But nothing quite equals the reply he gave to a young, not very experienced female BBC reporter as he left the O2 in 2009 after losing all three of his RR matches:
    She simpered at him ‘how has your year been been?’
    Rafa raised one eyebrow, shrugged his shoulders and replied: ‘A bit up and down’ then after a brief pause continued with a smile ‘well…… mostly down’.

    I cracked up with laughter.

    Reply

  13. To me, Rafa went into a slump albeit gradually, after he injured his back at AO2014 final. Its from then on that his game (plus body condition) started deteriorating due to that injury.

    I mean for the first time since a long time, Rafa lost early at IW (R2) that year. And, for the first time since 2003, Rafa lost in the QF at both MC and Barcelona and lost to Ferrer on clay since dont know when and to Almagro for the first time (at Barcelona).

    Its unfortunate that he injured his wrist during practice before the US HC swing in 2004 and after his comeback briefly at the Asian swing he had appendicitis.

    It took him almost one and a half years to get his game back on track just before the 2016 clay season but unfortunately he suffered a left wrist injury. His rest of 2016 was spent recovering and trying to get back on track but he had to end the season early due to injury and recovery.

    All in all he had spent almost two and a half years (second half 2014 to end 2016) coping with injuries/recoveries/getting back on track/dealing with and overcoming loss of confidence.

    Poor Rafa, just when he was getting the better of Djoko and regaining no.1 (in 2013) he suffered injuries again and got to ‘waste’ two and a half years before getting back his great form (and game) in 2017 (and onwards I hope despite his knee/hip injuries).

    Reply

      • Yep, she doesn’t confuse cause and effect (contrary to what the local armchair doctor has written on this site for years).

        Reply

    • luckystar says AT 9:32 AM:
      “To me, Rafa went into a slump albeit gradually, after he injured his back at AO2014 final… after his comeback briefly at the Asian swing he had appendicitis.”
      ===

      That’s exactly what U.Toni said at the end of 2015.

      Thank you for not confusing cause and effect. 🙂

      Reply

    • Lucky,

      Thanks for keeping it real as always. Using facts and reason and logic. There were injuries that complicated things, but Rafa was definitely struggling for a good part of tel years or so. He was losing matches to players he would normally beat easily. Fognini comes to mind. I remember that loss at the USO, where Rafa was up two sets and lost to Fog. It was the first time that he ever lost bring up two sets. He had already lost to Fog earlier that year on clay.

      I think he hit rock bottom when he lost to Verdasco in the first round of the AO. Rafa was unable to make adjustments in matches during this period. It was obvious that he was struggling and I do not think it is a slur or anything like it to state the truth.

      I do think that the injuries complicated what was already going on with Rafa. I remember in 2016 when Rafa seemed to be coming back in clay. He started playing better and many of us thought he was coming out of his troubles. But then the wrist injury forced him out of RG early.

      I really don’t like being baited here. The idea that anyone would take offense at me talking about Rafa’s slump, is absurd. The blind fanaticism here by some is out of control.

      Reply

      • Agree Nny!….yeah!..i can’t believe the harsh response following your post…It’s not as if u criticized Rafa or badmouthed him!…It’s just a small matter but got bigger bcoz of blind fanaticism…

        Reply

        • MA,

          Thank you. Of course I did not criticize Rafa. I gave my opinion about the length of his slump. That’s it. I think it’s hard to quantify the time because there were injuries that occurred.

          I don’t think you have been here long enough to have read some of the trash that has been says about me. This person has accused me of being a Novak fan and hating Rafa. It’s been going on for a long time.

          I am used to the lies that have been said about me. But it is not pleasant. This is someone who would rather go after another poster than talk about Rafa’s match.

          I will be happy to talk about Rafa’s match with you! That’s why it means so much that you are here. It helps me deal with the other garbage. Some people are just miserable and need to spread their misery. It’s sad.

          Rafa is playing really well today. He has been in control all the way. His draw has opened up nicely and he should be able to take advantage of it.

          Reply

          • I spoke too soon. Garcia-Lopez played some great shots to break Rafa. Then he held so he’s just down a break.

            Come on Rafa!

          • You’re very much welcome Nny!…U hating Rafa???Oh God!!…even my cat knows how much u love Rafa Nny!…Whoever cannot see it,is blind really!..I can’t stand they treat u like this Nny!…You’re one of the senior Rafans here…u should be respected!..Not to be treating like this!

            And i will be happy to talk about Rafa with u Nny!..Always!…Don’t care much about your haters k?Just think about something that will make u happy such as Rafa’s success etc..Other matters is not important…And i think if his health permitted..Rafa will rake success on clay once again this year Nny..insyaallah!…

  14. The word ‘slump’ clearly means different things to different people. Nadline only sees it as a slur on Nadal.

    I bristled at the description of his match against Carballes as being a struggle: it was clearly harder work than he (or we) were expecting but imo in no way did it merit being called a ‘struggle’.

    Reply

    • No ed, I don’t think a slump is a slur on Rafa at all, as you can see from my post I admit he was in a slump in 2015. I just don’t think being injured repeatedly over a course of time is a slump. To me, a slump means not playing well when you’re fully fit which was what happened to Rafa in 2015.

      Since Paris last year up to Monte Carlo, Rafa had played a total of 7 complete matches, withdrawing from Paris, the WTF, Acapulco, the QF of the AO, because of injury. He earned peanuts in points for about 5 months but he was still ranked #1. Not bad being #1 when you’re in a slump, is it?

      Reply

    • ed,

      It doesn’t take much for nadline to take offense to anything that goes not follow her script. She is basically arguing about the length of time of the slump. It’s impossible to have a reasonable discussion when someone is looking for a fight.

      I don’t need a gratuitous regurgitation of events that happened with Rafa over a few years. I was watching it for myself. I know full well about his struggles. Obviously, if Rsfa was injured then that would not be a slump.

      Are we to think that Rafa lost to Novak in the quarterfinals of RG in 2015 when he was at his best?

      This is just another attempt to stir up trouble over nothing. Rafa has long since moved on and those days are behind him. I cannot believe there is this discussion about something that is over and done with.

      Reply

  15. Anyone can struggle in one match. Nadal played poorly by his (clay) standards, but still won in straight sets. At no point did it seem the outcome was in doubt.

    Reply

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