Everyone–except Dominic Thiem on clay–looks just about hopeless against the Big 3 these days. But if there is anyone who won’t lack belief, it is Roberto Bautista Agut against Novak Djokovic.
That will be the matchup in the first Wimbledon semifinal on Friday afternoon.
Although Bautista Agut still trails the head-to-head series 7-3, he is 2-0 against Djokovic this season. The Spaniard prevailed 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 in the Doha semis and 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 during fourth-round action in Miami. They have never faced each other on grass, while all three of their previous Grand Slam encounters have gone Djokovic’s way in four sets (2015 U.S. Open, 2016 French Open, 2018 French Open).
“He is very solid from baseline,” Bautista Agut said when asked why he and Djokovic always have tough matches. “He likes to play a lot of rallies. Well, I like to play against opponent like this–to play a match with a lot of rallies. Against Novak, that’s what we do.”
Nothing was difficult about either competitor’s trip to the semis. Djokovic split his first two sets with Hubert Hurkacz 7-5, 6-7(5) before rolling, but he otherwise made mincemeat out of Philipp Kohlschreiber, Denis Kudla, Ugo Humbert, and David Goffin. The world No. 1 is now 70-10 lifetime at the All-England Club with four titles, three of which have come in the last five years–including one last summer.
Bautista Agut has also dropped just a single set this fortnight. The world No. 22 trounced Peter Gojowyczk, Steve Darcis, Karen Khachanov, and Benoit Paire before beating Guido Pella 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the quarters.
“His consistency, I think,” Djokovic answered when asked about the best aspect’s of Bautista Agut’s game. “His ability to stay in the point even when it seems like he’s on the back foot. He’s got amazing consistency I think with his shots. Very flat from both forehand and backhand. He has improved his backhand; I think he’s got more depth on his backhand. The ball bounces lower on the grass, which is I think more suitable to his style of the game. He doesn’t like when the ball bounces higher to his backhand. He’s been playing some very, very high-quality tennis in this tournament. He has won twice against me so far this year. That’s certainly going to give him confidence coming into the match.
“(In the) semifinals of a Grand Slam, (I’m) going to try to use my experience in being in these kind of matches (and) get myself tactically prepared.”
Djokovic is absolutely correct that a slam situation is entirely different from the likes of Doha or even Miami. The top-seeded Serb’s urgency level will increase tenfold and that should allow him to fend off what will be yet another stern test from Bautista Agut.
Pick: Djokovic in 4
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God we have to listen to Invertwat arguably the most loathed figure in British sports broadcasting. I can’t stand listening to him!
I think it’s hilarious listening to McEnroe trying to keep a conversation going with him, if that’s the Brit I’m listening to.
It is! He is unbearably smug and irritating! Mac obviously agreed with me…
The best was the comment about souffle. Mac didn’t quite know what to do with that one.
I didn’t hear that thank God!! Just be thankful you aren’t British as he fronts for several sports. I have absolutely no idea why he is commentating!
Might Nole as for the roof if the wind doesn’t die down?
RBA came to play. He is going to make Novak earn this win. The first challenge that Novak has faced in the tournament so far. Great to see RBA playing with conviction and belief! E
Ok Nole breaks! Please someone put Invertwit on mute!
Vamos Nole! Hope he can consolidate. He seems completely off today
What’s the word for an irrational, or rather in our case rational, fear of the roof?!☺
The level of tennis is jaw-dropping right now. Through the roof 😉
Haha! Not!
Djo’s first challenge of Wimby 2019
roofobia
Nole has been finding out what it’s like to play himself – 45 shot rally to save BP.
That was incredible. RBA had his chances in that game but Novak was too good in those points and that was the difference in the set.
Rafans be like -clap along if you feel like a court without a roof
is there rain forecast?
No!! It’s windy but sunny!
Do they ever close the roof because it’s windy though? I wouldn’t have thought that’d be reason enough
RBA is obviously an incredible tennis player. However, I love him even more as a person. He’s one of the only men on tour who is willing to speak up about injustices that no other male players want to talk about. He also just seems like an extremely nice guy.
Okay, he is a nice guy, but I’m more impressed by his future wife 🙂
Agut is so stupid to engage in non stop CC BH rally with Djoko! He’s throwing away all his BP chances! He’s more hoping for Djoko to miss instead of taking risk to change direction of his shots! It could be 3-4 serving to level the set, now he’s wasting energy to get to 3-5 and Djoko would most likely hold serve to win the set! Agut is quite poor in his maths!
lucky,
I thought exactly the same thing! Playing right into Novak’s hands! Not a winning strategy!
Nope will in 4 sets. He just lost concentration in set 3.
Only Federer with great serve and attacking game can beat this Djokovic.
Nadal plz lose to Federer,
Djokovic will all over in your service games otherwise in final, breaking you infinite times.
Please, since when Fed could beat Djoko at Wimbledon, after 2012? Fed already struggled against Kei, don’t even need to talk about Djoko. He’ll be hoping to beat Rafa and Agut to beat Djoko to reach the final!
Agut has to hope for another gust of wind blowing during Djoko’s service game!
Novak is keeping ball in play hoping Agut he makes an error. If Agut was playing more aggressive he could have won this third set by now, esp as Novak cannot buy a first serve!!!
I agree. Novak just has to keep the ball in play and wait for RBA to make a mistake. Getting drawn into that kind of baseline war with Novak is a losing strategy.
RBA had his chances to break back in that third set. But he just got drawn into this baseline war of attrition.
Ancraophobia is an excessive fear of wind. It’s quite bizarre in Nole’s case how it gets into his head.
LOL!
Seriously am I the only person who literally can’t bear listening to Inverjerk?! I have to turn the commentary down until it’s scarcely audible!
Amy, turn your favourite music on, and mute it. I know missing the court sound is not idea. They should give us an option to mute the commentary and enjoy the tennis only.
I like listening to Mac! To me it is obvious.that Mac detests Invermoron as much as I do. He sounds mortified to be sitting next to.him. Wish he would beat him about the head with a large kipper!
If you break serve with the aid of the wind, do you break wind?
LOL!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Any, ure naughty!!
Finally RBA is changing it up and going to net! If only he did this in the third set.
No! I don’t want to see Agut winning against Djokovic as it might actually put pressure on Federer to beat Nadal considering beating Nadal would almost feel him win the title then. I don’t want to have Federer feel that extra pressure.
The reason is if Agut wins, the Fedal match will be dogfight then, and with pressure to reach final at any cost to feast Agut might impact Federer’s game. With Djokovic not in Final, Nadal will be extra motivated to beat Federer and can make things complicated for Federer.
Why I federe to win is the fact that he has already beaten Djokovic in his prime at Wimbledon in 2012, had almost won again in 2014 – had a breaking point in 5th set.
So, Federer still has a better probability to beat this Djokovic.
Lol!! Agut is not going to win! He does not have the killer instinct required to beat Novak here! The upset would be if he takes Novak to five!
I like Agut but hid game is not where it needs to be to beat Novak at this point. Such as shame bcos Novak cannot buy a first serve!
This reasoning is way too complicated!
You’re talking about four or five years ago; if Fed couldn’t beat Djoko then, now that he’s so much older, you think he’s still good enough to beat this Djoko?
Djoko is like a human backboard, it’s so difficult to hit past him; I doubt old Fed could do the job.