The final ATP tournament of the year comes down to the world’s top two players on Monday in London. It’s Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic for the title.
Something will have to give when Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic collide for the 39th time in their careers in the title match of the World Tour Finals on Monday afternoon. Nadal has been the best player this season and has clinched the year-end world No. 1 ranking. Djokovic, though, has been the dominant man from start to finish this fall.
Since losing the U.S. Open final to Nadal, Djokovic has won 21 consecutive matches. The second-ranked Serb triumphed in Beijing, Shanghai, and Paris to storm into London with incredible momentum. Although it hasn’t been easy, he has not looked back. Djokovic scored three-set round-robin wins over Roger Federer, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Richard Gasquet before hammering Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday’s semifinals.
Nadal compiled a perfect round-robin record at the World Tour Finals for the second time in his career and he is through to his second final at this event. The Spaniard beat Wawrinka, David Ferrer, and Tomas Berdych–the latter in three sets–then took out Federer 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday. Nadal is an incredible 75-6 for the season and four of his 10 titles are of the hard-court variety.
“I hope to be ready for that for the last remaining match,” the top seed said. “I know it’s going to be a difficult one. But I will try my best. I need to play my best match to have a chance tomorrow.”
Nadal generally says that even when facing someone outside the Top 100, but in this case it is the truth. Although he leads the head-to-head series 22-16, Djokovic owns a 12-7 edge on hard courts. Included in Djokovic’s unblemished fall streak is a 6-3, 6-4 drubbing of Nadal in the Beijing final.
Djokovic’s two-handed backhand down the line, which is the best in the business, could be the difference in this showdown. He has been timing it expertly this week and he can use it to counter his opponent’s heavy topspin to the ad side. Djokovic can also handle Nadal’s spin serve out wide better than anyone. At the same time, Nadal is playing too well, is too tough of a competitor, and the surface is not playing fast enough for this to be anything other than an appropriately thrilling end to 2013.
Pick: Djokovic in 3
[polldaddy poll=7550418]
who’s gonna take it?
This one is hard to call. Surface better for Novak. He’s got everything to play for. Nadal has a lot to play for too obviously. Nadal has been playing like he means business here a lot more than in the last couple of tournaments, understandably. And neither has had to go to their highest gears yet. Both will dig deep. I’m going to say Rafa in three and a close match overall. Could also be Novak in three in a close match. I don’t see either dominating the other too much, nor either playing well below par. A nervous match, sure. Small saving grace for Rafa: he has no DCP to go play in so can leave everything on court and it is not best out of 5 l(unlike AO 2012). EIther one will be just too good for the other (don’t think so) or it will be a close one (likely).
“Included in Djokovic’s unblemished fall streak is a 6-3, 6-4 drubbing of Nadal in the Shanghai Masters final.”
It was the Beijing Final.
Overall, it is a nice preview 🙂 and I agree with the pick… I am also picking djokovic in 3
I do feel that IF rafa can play aggressive tennis right from the beginning, he can definitely win it ! One thing I am concerned about is that rafa’s backhand often goes into defensive mode against Nole. This happened at USO and Beijing. I hope Rafa can hit his backhand like he did in Montreal SF. THe backhand was pretty solid against federer today..
Generally, rafa’s ROS is the most vulnerable aspect on indoor courts…
just keep your ROS good, serve ACCURATELY (not like USO final) , and hit your backhand deep…not too bothered about the forehand as I know it is going to be on fire!.
VAMOSSS
VR always lookin out for me
hahaha….paying more attention to details 😛 I have learned this from you haha
what do others think??
The finals has the exact two players it should. has been a great tournament so far. I’m taking Rafa in 3.
Rafa in 3!
Vamooos
I voted for the best man.
This is really a hard one. I do think that Djoker would be the favorite in this match. He played extremely well against Stan in the semifinals. He has his own winning streak going right now. I think he’s feeling very confident right now.
Rafa was right in what he said. He will have to play his best to win this final. He did play his best match against Fed in the semifinals, but Djoker is a much tougher matchup for Rafa here. I have noticed that Djoker has that dtl backhand firing again. That is the shot that let him down in his previous losses to Rafa. Djoker is also serving well again, none of those mental lapses and double faults all over the place at critical moments in matches.
It seems that losing the #1 ranking has seemed to give Djoker more purpose and focus now. He has looked like a different player since the USO. He will go out to get the win.
I can’t bring myself to pick against Rafa. I do not think this match will be like the final at Beijing. I think it’s going to be more like the close matches these two have had. I am going to pick Rafa pulling out a tough win in 3 sets.
so what you’re saying is that you think Djokovic will win but refuse to pick it?
Ricky,
No, that is not what I am saying. If I was sure that Djoker would win, then I would say so. I’ve been around on your sites long enough for you to know better. If I thought it was a done deal and Rafa had no chance, that’s how I would call it.
I think it’s very close. But in the end, if I have to pick then I am going with Rafa. Not just because I don’t like to pick against him, which I have done in the past. It’s because I know that Rafa’s will to win has gotten him wins in the past when he wasn’t the favorite.
I don’t need you pushing me on this one. It’s a toss up in my mind, with Djoker as the favorite. But I am going with my heart on the one. I have been wrong before and will be wrong again.
just asking a question because your previous comment suggested you thought Djokovic would win. no need to get defensive.
if you think Rafa is going to win, that’s cool.
Rafa in 2 6-4 6-3 😉
Djokovic in 3….agree with Ricky. The match might not be very competitive at the end.
so u disagree?
Agree re Djokovic winning in 3.
My personal view is that the 3rd set might not be very competitive
atul,
If you think the match might not be very competitive, then why not pick Djoker in straight sets? If he wins in 3 sets, then the match will have been competitive.
he thinks Djokovic is going to wear Nadal down and run away with the third set after a competitive first two.
@ Ricky – Exactly my thoughts. Thanks
@ NNY – apologies for not putting it across clearly the first time around
85-75 in the current vote in favor of R. Nadal (ESP)
atul,
You don’t owe me any apology. 🙂
I was just asking for some clarification, but Ricky provided it.
I don’t know who is the bookies’ fave but I predict Rafa for the win!!!
I know Nole played scary good today,this is his favorite surface but somehow I feel Rafa has been saving himself for this match and he will win no matter what!
Vamos Rafa!!!!!
Too difficult to call..will surely go 3..it will be a WAR I think..maybe like Miami 2011 or Montreal 2013..def 3 setter and tight..
I think it just will boil down to who wants it more and who calms his nerves better 😉
vamosrafa..not happy to see u predicting Djoko
But all expert picks are for Djoo..so Rafa is clearly underdog here
WTF? What’s Tignor smoking? He’s got to be the only expert picking Rafa!
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/11/it-had-be-you/49757/#.UoCRDuJRCDd
“This year Rafa seems to be on a mission to put his past at this event behind him and get a win while he’s healthy and playing well. While I think this is truly a toss-up, and while I wouldn’t be surprised if it went the other way, I’ll take Nadal to complete his most complete season with one more win.”
Tiggy’s also noticed the glint in Rafa’s eye…………
Vamos!!!
To hell with what everyone else is saying, I am going with Tiggy! Rafa’s FHDTL will be singing tonight………
Bring it!
#ComingToBuryNovakNotPraiseHim
That’s great to hear that Tiggy is going with Rafa. I also liked his reasoning. It’s what I was trying to say in my initial prediction. But Tiggy said it much better than I did.
That’s why I was struggling, because I do think it is a toss-up and could go either way. But I do agree with him that Rafa has been a man on a mission this year and winning this tournament was one of his stated goals. Rafa is healthy and well now and playing great.
Sometimes matches can turn on intangible things like the sheer will to win. Rafa wants this title. Sometimes that is enough.
Thank goodness Tiggy could articulate it so well.
At least I will be able to see this match live and bite my nails and freak out while it’s going on. 🙂
Rafa has been the better player this week. He has only dropped one set and Djoker has only won one match in straight sets. It’s a close call. It all depends on who plays better tonight but purely on form I will pick Rafa.
They will both be very nervous because they are playing more for bragging rights.
^^^ ––They will both be very nervous because they are playing more for bragging rights––
While Rafa was fighting for the No.1 there were definite signs of nerves – at its most noticeable in his match with Wawrinka. Against Federer he played freely and managed to make Federer look almost pedestrian much of the time. It was Federer who succumbed to stage fright. I haven’t yet watched the encounter with Berdych so I have no idea why Rafa dropped his first set of the tournament Was he too relaxed?
Djokovic on the other hand has often looked a bit ragged this week and he has needed three sets to win each of his matches. A bit like Federer, the higher the stakes the more often he stumbles at the crucial point of a landmark match. Although this does not qualify as a landmark match for him his desire to stop Rafa achieving the title that has alluded him for so long and to reassert his hardcourt dominance over him will be a huge motivation.
I’m banking on Rafa’s indomitable will to win and finish 2013 on a high to outlast Nole’s lust for glory.
Nadal in 3 nerve-wrackingly tight sets.
I have a feeling that this will turn out to be an anti-climax and will be a straight sets victory for either of them.
^^^When has a final between these two ever been an anti-climax?
Look no further than their past 2 finals: USO and Beijing. Both were far from anything close.
Say who 😉
@sanju, yeah I have picked djokovic in 3 but I do believe rafa has a really good chance. IF he can take care of his backhand, serve accurately , return well enough then there is no reason why he can’t win.
Vamosrafa: I would call that sitting on the fence 😉
hahaha…it is NOT easy to pick against Rafa lol…. but yea, my pick is djokovic in 3. I am seriously hoping I am terribly wrong with this one….
you ready for some robby koenig and jason know-all ?? 😛
^^^^With any luck Koenig will end up with LOCKJAW before the end of the match.
nothing is worse than Koenig’s “phenomenadal”
Actually, his description of Delpo as a “big unit” is both worse and a tad unnerving.
Rafa cannot afford to start slow otherwise he gives himself the proverbial mountain to climb.
Vamos!!
Rafa’s whole family is here…and I mean ALL of them…Rafa does not bring in his family for nothing…he means business here and he will fight till the end… a meltdown in the third set is out of question…I like the way Rafa served in his match against Fed…his shots were sharp, he stood closer to the baseline…Rafa was near his best against Fed but I also know where it is coming from: Rafa has no mental barriers when it comes to Fed; he is so self-confident when playing Fed which makes it really hard for him to lose…OTOH Fed helped him a lot with his errors…Rafa will not get these gifts from Nole for sure…
Nole IMO looks a bit tired…although it may mean nothing as we all know Nole gets extra energized when playing Rafa yet it can not be ignored…however, Rafa should not relay on Nole getting worn out and I think Rafa knows it…Nole had much tougher opponents than Rafa but still losing those sets in every single RR match may mean only one thing: Nole is not being at his best…Rafa should count on that…Nole was convincing against Wawa but it was totally predictable…Wawa almost lost to Ferrer who was wasted so Wawa presented no danger for Nole…Berdy would have done much more than Wawa but Rafa denied that opportunity… 😉 Nole ended up having only THREE winners in the first set against Wawa…what does it tell you?
I was hoping to dream about this final but all I ended up dreaming about is Antonio Banderas?!! I have no idea why, maybe because he has a lot to do with Rafa 🙂 I know he supports Rafa or it may be that he will end up being at the match tonight??!…my dreams may be telling me something but I am incapable to interpret it… 🙂
To this end I chose Rafa in 3…it’s not only my heart speaking…I really think Nole is not playing his best and Rafa is determined and has nothing to lose…Rafa learned how to recover from a deficit against Nole and will most likely implement his never give up attitude as he did at RG semis…
Vamos Rafa!
Also noticed the large family contingent @natashao2013. Saw some “extra” women in the entourage, must be the aunts……
Glad I will not be present at the post-match family get together should Rafa win. There will be lots of tears, hugs. They suffered with him during that long injury lay-off. He is such a lucky boy to have such a strong family unit in his corner……….
natashao2013@November 11, 2013 at 10:59 am
–Antonio Banderas…I know he supports Rafa or it may be that he will end up being at the match tonight??!—
It wouldn’t be the first time – Antonio Banderas has watched Rafa at Roland Garros (in Rafa’s Kingdom).
Antonio Banderas and Rafa at Roland Garros in 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/o338u3t
Rafa has absolutely no reason to be tight in this match. This is the last match of the season, he has not wasted too much energy, he is the #1 player and he knows how to beat Novak.
He should just go out there and enjoy himself, play with freedom, the rest will follow i.e. success!
We are all obsessing so much over who will win this encounter we have almost lost sight of the significance of a Rafa win tonight. The WTF is the one missing link in Rafa’s credentials. Personally I have never rated this title that highly or minded that Rafa has not won it before but I do feel this year is the best chance he will get of pulling it off and to cement once and for all his legacy as the greatest champion of his era.
This is why we are obsessing, ed251137! Because of the significance of a Rafa win here. It would be the perfect exclamation mark to an improbable come-back, it would remove a gaping hole on his resume not to mention beating 2 of the best indoor HC in the process but most importantly for me, it would plant seeds of doubt in Novak about Oz 2014.
I believe Rafa wants to make the most of this “healthy window” in his career. He, just like us, does not know when his knees may buckle again.
Rafa is off to Richard Branson’s Island, Necker, tomorrow for 1 week then off to SA straight from there so he won’t see his family for a long time. He’ll try and give them something to cheer about tonight.
By the way, if you are interested, the RB ProAm tournament in Necker is open to all. It only costs $100,000 for 2 people for the week, all inclusive and there are only a few places left. So rush to your nearest ATM and book now.
Thanks @nadline, makes sense to have the whole family here since he will not see them for a while.
Ah, the Necker Island romp………..make it perfect Rafa with a win tonight.
They are playing for bragging rights, the title and 500 points. They’ve both already got 1000 points each.
Rafa is the underdog here as it is HC n indoors , so it will be perfect if he turns the tables on Nole 🙂
And even if he loses ,making 14 finals out of 17 shows his consistency and 2 more semis
That is crazy consistency for the season.
If he wins WTF , he would have won 3 titles in a year no one gave him an outside chance to win – Cincy, USO, WTF
What about IW and Montreal?
I guess what @Sanju means is Rafa has won both IW and Montreal multiple times before whereas he has won USO only once before and never won Cincy and WTF…..
Rafa has also won 75 matches this season..thats a lot. Nole is 2nd at 71 which also is a high number
^^Novak has been quite good this year, it’s just that Rafa has been better……………and I expect Rafa to be even better in 2014.
even though rafa had won IW multiple times before, I would say IW was the tournament where NOBODY was giving rafa ANY chance of winning.
I also remember people saying that rafa has very little chance to win montreal and a semi final showing would be a good showing etc… people were picking muzz,djo,delpo !
Cincy, we all know that haha..it was rafa’s poor record there…but many tipped rafa to win USO due to his hard court winning streak heading into USO..
True @vamosrafa, And Rafa is the perfect example of why “past behaviour is not a very good predictor of future behaviour”. Rafa was written off the IW winner’s circle because it was erroneously thought he would not be playing on HC anymore. He was similarly written off the Montreal winner’s circle because he lost early at Wimby. Gos, he was written off Cincy because it was too fast, he had never won it before! By the time USO can by, the pundits did not know what to think anymore, easier to just say he will win!
Rafa has been and continues to be a true enigma. You cannot put him in a box and stick a label on it! This is why the pundits have been so frustrated with him, they cannot figure him out……………….
Rafa has (and had even from the beginning) a better chance of winning this than all of those except Montreal (and maybe US Open)
I – and everyone else – thought he had no chance at Indian Wells or Cincinnati.
^^I remember you even mused he would skip Cincy after winning Montreal!
rafaisthebest@November 11, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Rickys’ prediction was even more gloomy.
“”SI.com. Roundtable: ATP Tour hot topics. July 11, 2013
Dimon: …Nadal will lose in the Montreal semifinals and withdraw from Cincinnati. Take it to the nearest bank.””
http://tennis.si.com/2013/07/11/atp-roundtable-roger-federer-andy-murray-novak-djokovic-rafael-nadal/
Hmmmm, someone is feeling mighty confident and relaxed…….
RT @DjokerNole: “In case u r flying tonight while we r playing, u can still watch us live on channel #Sport 24 in the plane!See u tonight! :)”
@holdserve Djokovic is -165 (approximately). Nadal is +120 or +125.
poll update: 210 for Nadal, 168 for Djokovic.
“Dimon: …Nadal will lose in the Montreal semifinals and withdraw from Cincinnati. Take it to the nearest bank.””
I took this to the nearest bank and……………they wouldn’t pay! I wonder why?
Any more cheques to dish out, Ricky? Bank guaranteed, please? Not Lehman Brothers cheque, per favore………….
hahaha…poor Ricky…leave him alone guys…it’s not his fault that Rafa keeps exceeding other people expectations…
Vamos Ricky! Please be wrong tonight as well…I will be the first to forgive you… 🙂
@nats, how can we leave him alone when he continues writing these cheques? If today’s (Djokovic in 3) is another dud, we have to seriously question who we are dealing with here…………Bernie Madoff?
LOL…
Djokovic in 3 check can be cashed.
When commentating on Federer’s, Murray’s or Novak’s matches, the commies go on and on about their prowess, tell us how good they are and how superior they are to their opponents. When commentating on Rafa they go on and on about what the other players should do to beat him.
This suggests to me that Rafa is the one player they think no one has the solution to. OK, he loses matches, but he continues to surprise.
Drives be crazy when commies say, I wish Fed would do this or he should do that or when fed shanks, they say oh such a shame.
#FederazziFawning
Never bank on Dimon’s guarantees.
Rafa in three with at least one TB,
Speaking of TB…
DO YOU???????
hahahahahahahaha, still find that funny.
Funny I just googled the quote to post a link from youtube and guess who posted the clip???
DO YOU???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8kUvhHynPc
epic
hilarious… 🙂
I will take Rafa in 3! Like someone said before, Rafa really wants this, like the US Open; and you know, whatever Rafa wants, Rafa gets!!
VAMOS!
To repeat myself, I agree. My gut says Rafa probably in 3 because he’s been giving the same impression the last few months as he has in the past when faced with a challenge he had not overcome before. Should be a good match either way. I don’t think that either will play much below their ability. If Rafa loses I don’t think it will affect him much re AO as it will be close. If Novak loses it might affect him a bit more even if close, on the tail of the last very significant match they had,the US Open.
Keep your mind focused and sharp like a laser beam, keep calm and be strong like steel, Rafa!
Looks like the singles final will start late. The doubles final has just gone to a third set super tiebreaker.
Just watched Verdasco arrange one of his water bottles at the changeover. Maybe Rafa’s teaching him how to focus.
I read something about an entire different subject where the example was used of a top athlete always doing the same physical ritual before starting a pitch, before hitting a ball, etc., e.g blowing on their fingers or any number of other things. The author commented that the athlete does this to get herself / himself back entirely grounded in their body again and in the present, to perform optimally in the next few moments. This puts all of the players’ own physical rituals in the right light I think.
Super tie just ended. Marrero and Verdasco won the title.
Ceremony for them first?
Yes, they’re doing the presentation now.
I don’t think it matters how these two have looked so far in the tournament. They will each bring their best because they know that’s what it will take to win. I thought Djoker looked very good against Stan. He took him completely out of his game. Rafa looked great against Fed and got a well deserved first win against him on indoor hard courts.
I still think Tiggy got it right. It could go either way. That’s true in so many of their matches. They push each other to the limit. I do think that Djoker losing the #1 ranking has gotten him fired up. He is playing much better and has been more mentally focused.
Now that’s about to start, I am getting so nervous! I really want this for him to cap off what hhas been an unbelievable year. It’s true that the whole family is there, including Miguel Angel.
Good luck, Rafa!
I won’t be too disappointed if Rafa doesn’t take this one. He will be because it may be his best chance. But it will have been close and not unexpected. He still is the _relative_ underdog here. But I would be really thrilled if he finds a way to fight so well and intelligently as to win it. In the context of his particular career it would be very significant, a salient achievement remembered among his best. (Would not be if the WTF’s surface was rotated among all of them.)
Don’t stop believing,
Hold on to that feeling,
Rafa’s world people!
who serves first?
novak serves first, his choice
1. Play close to the baseline;
2. Hit the FHDTL;
3. Serve over 70%
Vamos!!
go rafa go ! VAMOS
Doh! 0-30
Horrid start from Rafa…looks too tight..no depth
Montecarlo memories. Ugh!!
Rafa broken to start the match
I can’t believe it! Rafa is broken again in his very first service game.
This is not good.
terrible start from rafa
Rafa is either hitting too short or hitting long..plying horrible
MC repeat?
hmmm……….looks like I may be able to cash the Rickster’s cheque today………
Rafa needs to calm down.
Rafa is cleraly nervous..no doubt..horrible errors..all times Rafa has won against Novak past 2 years..he has begun stronger..won 1st set..Today he is just not feeling it.
Nerves, nerves, nerves.
Rafa will pick up but 2 things working against him:
1. 3-setter, window will shut down quickly as soon as he starts picking up steam;
2. the low bounce.
Fed was 3 0 up on Novak last year too in both 1st n 2nd sets ..yet lost 75 76
But ofcourse Novak is no Fed
PLEASE avoid a dble break here
Atleast no bagel..pheww
Rafa is hitting his inside out forehand well. He just has been a little inconsistent and backing it up well… Novak will keep targeting that backhand of rafa’s so I hope he can hit it like yesterday !
Good hold ! even though rafa is down 1-3, has anyone noticed how he is going for more on his 2nd serves?? he sure is when under the gun
He won a game!
….And he broke serve.
Djokovic leaking some errors now and rafa settling. POUNCE here
The level of play itself till now is pathetic..match has just not picked up tempo
Djoker hitting backhands all over everywhere
what a PATHETIC return of serve rafa :@
2 BPs gone..Rfas ROS landing way too short
Ah, better point….HEAVY forehands from rafa…..break point again
Djoker hitting shots into Germany
hahaha
Rafa breaks back..but both playing bad..its UE all over the place ..hardly any winners
I believe the reset button has been hit….both have gifted breaks of serves so far so now they can play freely ! I hope the quality of play rises and rafa steps up the aggression…
Djoker just hit a backhand over the Strait of Gibraltar
LOL..what’s up with djokovic’s backhand :O phewww comfortable hold…good serving !
Rafa is sweating like crazy.
First decent rally but Rafa falling into regular patterns..CC to CC..Rafa DTL please..early
Rafa now getting into top gear.
Rafa is hitting his forehand well…but he has not been able to take adv of ‘relatively’ short balls from novak…novak aint giving many short balls
Rafa serving behind always an issue..towardss business end of set
Rafa leaking DF..what is happening..Rafa is behaving like Novak of Toronto 1s t set
Rafa has the crowd behind him. OMG what’s with all those DFs.
Well that’s that set gone.
Novak is puffing like a steam train.
Bad..1st set Novak..
Rafas DFs cost him dear
Rafa’s DFs let him down.
4 double faults and 58% 1st serves in is not going to cut it for Rafa. He needs to find his serve otherwise this will be over in 2…………..
All I can say is Rafa doesn’t deserve to win playing like this. Was expecting Nole to have an attack of the jitters not Rafa.
Agree.. Novak is hitting 60% BH DTL..how many FH DTL is Rafa hitting..hardly
This is giving the feel of Beijing
Noles defense is like unreal..he gets every damn thing back
Cmon Rafa even Fed could take a set off Novak..go for it
Is that the narrowest margin for a ball to be in?
Rafa’s concentration is weak today, he is tired, expected………..
Vamos!!
forehand out of control
forehand off the boil
Rafa is just not able to hit the FH DTL today..missing all of them today
^^am afraid that’s the match gone if he loses confidence in his FHDTL…..
It is already gone RITB..abhirf was right looks like…hyped up match down to ashes
Rafa is tired RITB? , I thought Novak has won 3 back to back…21 in a row..he should be the 1 who is tired..Rafa is playing horrible and has lost the plot
horrific from Rafa
This will be over very, very quickly……..
Okay this is bad now..so many FH misses..I cant watch this any more..It is pathetic to watch..
Rafa is just gifting Nole free points.
3 free points and one great return
Such a hyped up match will be anti climatic proving all pundits wrong..I am so pisssed off seeing Rafa play so badly ..He does not deserve to win this at all.
Oay guys signing off..bye..cant see this aany more
Bloody hell. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is going on with Rafa. He is going down hill fast. It’s not like Djokovic is playing that well but he is annihilating even good shots from Rafa.
RT @SI_BTBaseline: “17 unforced errors to 4 winners for Rafael Nadal tonight. #FinalShowdown”
Not match winning stats, by any stretch of the imagination……
Djokovic is playing well, folks………….
Nasty moment at the end of the 5th moment when Rafa lunged for a return and pulled up afterwards wincing and has been flexing the left knee since.
^^^^5th game
I wish Rafa was only doing Necker Island and then staying home in Mallorca to recover
“simply to good from Novak” — Cahill
Sigh………..Novak toying with Rafa now……..
The faces of all his family tell their own story.
I think Rafa is already in Necker.
I guess it is better for Rafa to go into the offseason with this reality check than being subjected to another 2011 surprise in the main season next year. In spite of kind of year he has had, it would be 3-3 with Djoko 🙁
Rafa seems unsure about what he wants to do.
Well, it’s Rafa’s worst surface.
He just wants to go home Nadline.
Now lets give Djoko some taste of his own medicine by winning the match after saving match point 😀
It’s been a fun season, Rafans………we should not complain!
We are not!
Vamos!
Can anyone give me a link of the french open semi highlights. It seems all of them have been taken of youtube.
They were never on youtube, the French don’t allow it.
I recollect watching the highlights on youtube the day after the semi. Is there anywhere else it can be accessed
vmk1@November 11, 2013 at 10:06 pm
http://www.youtube.com/results?q=rafael+nadal+Novak+Djokovic+french+Open
I’m glad I’m listening to the commentary in Arabic.
75-7 then. But boy, is this Nole a beast!
I’mm just sorry for some poor car.
Will Nole win RG first or Rafa win WTF first?
Good question.
I feel it would be Nole 1st.
I am sad.
Vamos Rafa – no matter what!!!!!
It wasn’t Rafa’s night. Things just didn’t work out for him he just didn’tplay his best. Too many missed chances.
pathetic from rafa… one of his worst performances of the year… novak was good but it was not like Novak was just playing sublime tennis and destroying rafa..
Rafa will be on fire at Oz open 2014. Mark it.
Well played Novak, well deserved. Rafa was never at the races today.
Gutted, I really expected Rafa to do better than this. Fully expected Novak to win but expected a bit more fight from Rafa, not to be.
In all fairness, Rafa tried but it was to no avail. His aggression was not controlled and errors were the result. This is because he is mentally tired, baby needs a rest.
I hope he gets some much needed rest……..
RT @Ringham7: “Nadal has made huge strides on hard outdoors but indoors Djokovic still has a decisive edge.”
He reeled in Fed, he will reel in Novak……………..
This, you can take to the nearest bank, encashment guaranteed…….
Probably only Nole can do this – take out the confidence from Rafa that he stands any chance of outlasting his opponent from baseline.
Rafa was playing like Fed when he plays Rafa – going for too much and missing too much.
And after that mysterious disappearance of the Nole BHDTL, it has suddenly made its appearance today. Novak missed that shot big time in USO.
Anyways, Congrats Rafa for such a successful season. Best of luck for 2014!
Congratulations Nole for the win! Hope we will get to see more of this Nole in 2014 rather than the one we saw in the middle of this season!!
This win was very important for Novak, for his confidence going forward. For Rafa, it;s a disappointment to come this far and fail at the finish but I do not think it is a big confidence smasher considering:
1. the time of the season, Rafa is always pooped this time of the season because of his clay court exploits;
2. it’s his worst surface
Indoor season is over, thank God, now back to the sun!!!!
^^^^^ I totally agree. The loss would have been more devastating for Djokovic than it is for Rafa. He will be bitterly disappointed with his performance but he will do what he always does and that is go away and fathom out how to solve the puzzle.
RT @BenRothenberg: “Big Four becomes Big Two? Both No1 Nadal (13030) and No2 Djokovic (12110) now have more than twice the ranking points of No3 Ferrer (5800).”
Apparently, Nole received only mild applause and Rafa got a rapturous applause.
I wouldnt describe it as only mild applause although it’s true Rafa came onto the court to thunderous applause and also had the lions share both during and at the end. In general this year’s crowd were better behaved and more respectful towards all the players which has not always been the case in the past.
This was Rafa’s best (!) post U.S. Open swing in last 7 years. He earned more points than ever and reached at least the semifinals in every tournament.
WTF – Final
Masters 1000 Paris – SF
Masters 1000 Shanghai – SF
ATP-500, Beijing – Final
Points earned after the U.S. Open (until the end of the year, without Davis Cup):
2013 – 2020 – the best result
2012 – didn’t play
2011 – 590
2010 – 1680
2009 – 1140
2008 – 180″”
2007 – 960″”
“”The points earned before 2009 are recalculated according to the current ATP Point table.
^^Thank you @augusta08, the voice of reason! The cup is indeed half full, not half empty……..
Well done Rafa, rest well and see you next year! I am expecting a great 2014 for Rafa.
Vamos!!
Nah. Definitely not a confidence smasher. But was surprised by Rafa’s approach. The moment Nole struck a BHDTL in a rally, Rafa panicked and went for broke too much to avoid it.
Moreover, I do acknowledge that Nole is probably the best returner but he seems to be most comfortable while returning Rafa, almost getting a look at the break in every service game. And this has been a constant feature in their rivalry. Probably Rafa is missing a trick on his serve.
@abhirf, Rafa’s tactics were to be aggressive but the implementation did not come off, hence appearing to be going too much for broke. I think this is due to mental fatigue. A fresh Rafa would have calibrated that aggressiveness better………
Novak definitely has his game back. His FHDTL is back and that is always a sign of confidence on his part. He appeared calm whereas Rafa looked rushed and ragged.
This sets up 2014 nicely. Can’t wait for AO2014!
^ reply to ritb 10:36pm post
I didn’t get to see the match, only the last couple of games due to my own obligations…since I did not have any idea how Rafa has been playing until the moment I started watching I naturally had my hopes up that Rafa would recover from a break down…But as soon as I have seen him playing I realized one thing: this was not Rafa I expected to see…I did tape the whole match but after reading all your comments I am not sure I want to watch it…
This is not Rafa’s part of the year, yet he accomplished so much…he is back to No1 and will have well deserved rest to get ready for the next season…we should be happy about him…and he was so sweet at the ceremony…Bravo Rafa for everything you accomplished this year! We are so proud of you!!!
Nole after all deserved to win…he worked hard to get here…but I feel he is only won the battle…Rafa wins the war…
Vamos Rafa!
Oh and belated congratulations to Ricky. You stuck to your guns and were proved right.
i’d like to take this opportunity to thank myself.
True indeed: The King of predictions RickyD reigns! I humbly bow to your art of prophecy…although you also expected it to go to three sets…so you were only partially right… 🙂 I bet you were afraid to predict straight set win because of us rather offensive Rafans here 🙂
And I move on to celebrate the end of this season only because Rafa will be given time to rest his knees…I really believe Rafa to win the AO 2014…
Enjoy your time off Rafa! We love you!
Vamos Rafa no matter what!
I felt sorry for Rafa watching him play tonight… not the level I expected. But he did still fight. And I loved the smile on his face when he spoke at the ceremony. WTF indoors against Novak and while seemingly tired… a bridge too far. Now for a well-deserved break. Here’s hoping his knee holds out as well as through next year’s WTF as it has this year.
Congrats to Novak. Fully deserved victory today and trophy this week, in fact all trophies since the US Open.
And it’s amazing how close they are in points at the end of this unusual year. Next year will be interesting yet again, especially when Andy returns with a healthy back.
Yes, ricky, please take this opportunity :-).
Were you, too, surprised at Rafa’s level in the match?
Worst season of Major finals in recent memory. Only competitive final was in Australia. Only a big 2 now is bad for tennis. New blood needed. Hats off to the bull and the joker though.
Pressure is on, Delpo
I did not expect Rafa to win this but hoped he did as he wanted it real bad as it was missing in his resume. What I saw was really disappointing. Never did I think it will be a straight set defeat , I def thought will go to 3.
Indoors is just not Rafa surface though he did much better this year than other years.
The serving, FH, ROS all of it was so bad all match, it was pathetic to watch.
Also on tired part, Nole has played as many matches as Rafa..if he can gut out a win, there should be no excuses for Rafa
Rafa has kinda lost the edge he built on Nole by these 2 defeats and Nole will now be very high on confidence to start 2014. He is the out n out fav for AO 2014.
Also it is very upsetting that Gasquet, Delpo, Fed all took set off Nole but Rafa did not.
Also his post match pressser saying he was not the fav for the match, hence not very disspointed is very upsetting to read. A World No 1 cant talk like that. Thats is why I like Nole and Feds pressers more – they never talk themselves down.
Sanju @November 12, 2013 at 7:32 am
—Raafa may get AO 2014 but Nole is clear fav for it.—
Paraphrasing you, a fan of the world No.1 can’t talk like that 🙂
@Sanju 7:32 am, if the benchmark is Gasquet, Delpo and Fed taking sets off Novak and Rafa not doing so then to be afir we should also ask how many TITLES the said trio have taken off Novak. Truth is, I do not think this is a fair comparison. Gasquet, Delpo, Fed did not make the final, Gasquet and Delpo did not even get out of the Group stage. It is very plausible that Novak was conserving his energy, not playing full throttle tennis, waiting for the final.
Ask Gasquet, Delpo or Fed whose 2013 they would like to have, Nole’s or Rafa’s and I bet you my bottom dollar they will ALL say Rafa’s. Even Novak himself, with all the success he has had in 2013, would trade all those M1000s, 500 and WTF for a French Open title, USOpen title and ending the year as #1.
We should all now accept that Novak is going to be a thorn in Rafa’s side for the rest of his career. Personally, I like that scenario because that is the impetus Rafa needs to stay vigilant and keep improving.
Rafa has done amazingly well in 2013………….he will do even better in 2014.
Leave it to Djokovic to articulate better what I am trying to say:
“The Grand Slams are the tournaments where I want to win, where I want to get my hands on the title,” he said.
“That will be my highest priority for next year.”
“It was very satisfying,” he said. “After the last two and a half months, even more.
“But the only thing I’m not as satisfied about is the fact that I lost the three big matches in the three Grand Slams.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/24907129
Sanju. There are different kinds of tiredness. It was not just physical for Rafa. He has ridden a giant roller coaster this year. We all hoped and prayed he might pull this one off but truth be told he has been running on willpower alone since the US and against Djokovic in the mood he was it was never going to be enough.
Yes ed but Nole suffered the same in summer. The RACE with Rafa got to him and affected him, the minute he became No 2 and the hunter, he started playing well. 4 in a row in fall is HUGE, I doubt he expected it himself. Maybe it is better for Rafa to be hunter and just take the No 1 towards end of year and stay No 2 for most part of year 🙂
You and me @nats! I am very bullish about Rafa’s chances at AO 2014! He is getting that one……..beat you to that prediction, Ricky!
You said the same fo WTF too RITB?
Raafa may get AO 2014 but Nole is clear fav for it.
@Sanju, there is no contradiction in what I am saying at all! Being bullish about his chances does not mean he will win! I do not play the matches for him. I was bullish about his WTF chances, he played a lousy match and lost, stuff happens. Novak was better on the day.
That does not mean I am unhappy about Rafa’s overall Fall performance, quite the opposite, and this is what makes me very very optimistic about AO 2014. Nole is clear favourite for AO2014, so what else is new? I am not arguing with that, I just think Rafa is in a good place to challenge him.
Unlike you, I am not judging Rafa by his WTF final performance, he is better than that and he will be better than that at AO 2014.
I don’t want to make the mistake of getting carried away like some did after Rafa completed the Summer Slam, beating Djoker twice in the process. I was reading a lot of hyperbole here about how Djoker wouldn’t be able to beat Rafa again, how he was in denial about the fact that Rafa had his number and on and on. There were also some who talked up Rafa’s chances during the fall hard court season, making it seem as though he would win every tournament he played.
I didn’t have very high expectations for Rafa, but did think he was capable of getting good results and possibly a title. This has never been a good time of the tennis year for him. I wasn’t shocked that he lost to Djoker at Beijing, but was concerned about the manner in which he lost. I think Rafa got solid results that enabled him to ultimately clinch the year end #1 ranking.
That’s why I am now not going to freak out over this loss in the final to Djoker. I am not happy about it and especially about the way Rafa played. But I am not going to read too much into this. Rafa did want to win the WTF. But it has seemed to me that he just didn’t have it mentally anymore. I think he was pushing himself in the tournaments he did play. But when you have hit a wall, then there’s not much that can be done.
I am also not going to get into an analysis of why Rafa was mentally fatigued and Djoker was not in this final. We should remember that for the better part of this year, Djoker has been the one who looked mentally frail and out of it in crucial moments of matches. He is the one who would double fault away his serve and be up a break and then give it back. He didn’t have it when it counted on many occasions. However, Rafa did have the mental strength to gut out tough wins against Djoker. He was the one who had the reliable serve, the more aggressive game, the dtl forehand and cc backhand.
I think Rafa beat Djoker mentally in the great wins he had over him this year. These two are so closely matched and very little separates them. But Rafa had the edge mentally all year up until the fall. So I am able to accept that Rafa finally was mentally exhausted. He has accomplished so much this year and just maybe he is entitled to have a letdown.
Djoker needed these wins more than Rafa. He needed to win some more titles and defend all of his points from last year. I do think that losing the #1 ranking was the thing that made Djoker get it together finally.
I am not ready to say that this is going to change the dynamic in the Rafa/Djoker rivalry. Rafa needs to take a break, rest and relax. Then he can come back fresh and ready for 2014. I always felt that Djoker wasn’t going anywhere. Their rivalry has had its ebbs and flows. I just hope that Rafa can stay healthy enough to keep on doing well and still getting great wins against Djoker.
That’s my perspective after taking a while to kind of think about what happened in this final. I sincerely hope that Rafa will just enjoy himself, go fishing, be with family and friends and get recharged.
I think the 2014 AO is going to be a great one! The good news is that Rafa will be there! 🙂
Excellent post NNY. Agree with all of it , okay with the losses too but def not okay that it happened in straights yest.
nativenewyorker7 says:
—I think Rafa beat Djoker mentally in the great wins he had over him this year…I just hope that Rafa can stay healthy enough to keep on doing well—
When Rafa returned to the ATP tour on February 4th, he was 7560 (!) points behind Djoko in the ATP rankings. Today he is 920 points ahead (!) of Djoko – the former No.1.
Numbers don’t lie – they show how well Rafa played this year compared to the former No.1.
With his courage and candor and beautiful smile,
His fans hope that he will stay with us awhile.
Great post NNY.
Couldn’t have put it better myself 😉
Nole knows he has got the chance over Rafa after USO simply because Rafa always gets drained and tired in the last quarter of the year! Even those who do not follow tennis closely know that Rafa’s form drops beginning of October. What else is new? So, of course Nole has mental advantage over Rafa in these late-in-the-year matches. All the Serbian commentators (no exception!) when commenting Rafa’s matches after USO would begin with the same old line: “Rafa’s form is declining towards the end of the year and that is what was expected”…etc..
However, it gets completely different fitness-wise in January. Rafa will be fresh and energized and Nole will no longer be so self-confident about beating Rafa. This is why I expect Rafa (provided his knees are ok!) to be the man to beat at AO. He likes the surface there. He likes the weather. He has won it before…he loves everything about AO…I am not saying Nole will be less competitive…I am just saying Rafa will be completely different opponent!
So these pessimistic approaches and lamentation over Rafa’s great season really have no ground. If someone told you last year at this time that Rafa would be wining two GSs, 5 M1000, and played all those finals, you would have probably thought he/she was crazy. So please, stop whining and complaining about great accomplishments of our Rafa!! It is not fair to our boy!
speaking of being carried away…I remember reading here not so long ago that Rafa will never again win a hard court tournament again…hahahaa…and that is what I call “bad assessment”…
Vamos Rafa!
Yes the season was beyond what any of us would have dremt of at start of the year, no one would have expected 14 finals nd 10 titles. However given that wewere spoilt , the lack of titles from the final 4 tourneys and the 2 consecutive straight set losses to Nole as well as DElpo, Ferrer were a bit bad.
Hope he wins atleast 2 slams next year, hopefully AO & FO.
Ricky Dimon@November 11, 2013 at 11:21 pm
Ricky, you must get a consolation prize. 🙂
After Rafa’s comeback, you picked Djoko to win 10 titles: Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Wimbledon, Montreal, Cincinnati, USO, Shanghai, WTF. Djoko won two of them (Shanghai, WTF) and Rafa – six.
hahahahahaha…a good one! 🙂
^^augusta08, you are kidding right? Did Ricky really predict Djoker would win all those in 2013? I’ve heard of delirious fandom but this would take the cake!
Ricky, I respectfully request that you let @vamosrafa and @nadline do the 2014 preds, and you confine yourself to being the lone Nole fan on this site………….just for the year.
I know we will get total objectivity from the said nominees…………………………
rafaisthebest@November 12, 2013 at 2:38 pm
I am serious. You can read yourself:
¤ Approach Shots: Indian Wells Week 2 preview
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/blog/Ricky_Dimon/20130311/Approach_Shots:_Indian_Wells_Week_2_preview
¤Approach Shots: Djokovic, Murray headline depleted Miami field
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/blog/Ricky_Dimon/20130320/Approach_Shots:_Djokovic,_Murray_headline_depleted_Miami_field
¤ Approach Shots: Federer back for Madrid title defense
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/blog/Ricky_Dimon/20130505/Approach_Shots:_Federer_back_for_Madrid_title_defense
¤ Approach Shots: All hands on deck for Rome Masters
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/blog/Ricky_Dimon/20130513/Approach_Shots:_All_hands_on_deck_for_Rome_Masters
¤ Wimbledon full tournament picks: Djokovic vs. Nadal in final
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/blog/Ricky_Dimon/20130623/Wimbledon_full_tournament_picks:_Djokovic_vs._Nadal_in_final
¤ Rogers Cup preview and picks: Djokovic over Del Potro
https://tenngrand.com/2013/08/04/rogers-cup-previews-and-picks-djokovic-over-del-potro/
¤ Approach Shots: Federer back for Cincinnati title defense
https://tenngrand.com/2013/08/11/approach-shots-federer-back-for-cincinnati-title-defense/
¤ 2013 U.S Open picks: Djokovic vs. Nadal
https://tenngrand.com/2013/08/24/2013-u-s-open-picks-djokovic-vs-nadal/
¤ Shanghai Masters preview and picks
https://tenngrand.com/2013/10/06/shanghai-masters-preview-and-picks/
why would anyone pick Nadal to beat Djokovic on a hard court?
that is just dumb to put it mildly.
“why would anyone pick Nadal to beat Djokovic on a hard court?”
For the following reasons, maybe:
1. Rafa is quite good on HC, especially outdoors;
2. Rafa has beaten Djokovic before on HC, both indoors and outdoors (7 times to be precise).
Picking Nadal not to win on hardcourt this year was a good pick, until he started to win much more than expected on clay and again much more than expected on hardcourt. By this time we were getting close to the USO. Even then Rafa had to be considered less likely to win the USO than Novak.
Don’t beat up on me as I am a Rafa fan all the way but had Rafa met Novak at IW he might not have won. And I am not saying ‘would not’, just ‘might not’. It would have been the expected result, and retroactively still is, that early in Rafa’s comeback.
In other words I agree with Ricky if you have to say it in the most general sense, generally speaking, on average, you can expect Novak to beat Rafa on hardcourt. At a particular tournament and also depending on their forms etc, that is not always the case. But even then Rafa is generally the underdog, even if only by a smaller amount than when Roger as an underdog meets Rafa on hardcourt.
^^I agree with you on indoor HC, @chloro, Novak is the undisputed favourite. On outdoor HC, best of 3, I call the match-up even. On outdoor HC, best of 5 I now give the edge to Rafa.
i correctly predicted hard-court domination by Novak.
I just thought it would start sooner than Beijing!
#HumbleBrag
Thanks @augusta08. Yes, love can be blind…….
ritb,
If we know anything about Ricky and who he is personally a fan of, Nadal or Novak, it is the boy from the village on the island who brings flowers.
@chloro, hmmmmm, I always suspected Ricky of being @willmw in disguise……..
#Antijinxer
Sanju@November 12, 2013 at 3:49 pm
—However given that we were spoilt , the lack of titles from the final 4 tourneys…were a bit bad.—
Rafa has won only 3 titles after the U.S.Open during his career:
¤ Beijing (then in a lower category than ATP-500); 12.09.2005; Outdoor: Hard; Opponent in the final: Guillermo Coria (ARG);
¤ Madrid, Masters Series ; 17.10.2005; Indoor: Hard; Opponent in the final: Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
¤ Tokyo, ATP-500; 04.10.2010; Outdoor: Hard; Opponent in the final: Gael Monfils (FRA).
Let me remind you again your comment after the USO.
“Sanju says:
September 10, 2013 at 7:28 am
I really dont care what Rafa does now till WTF, he can lose in 1st round of all tourneys….” [U.S. Open final expert picks: Djokovic vs. Nadal, September 9, 2013