What Djokovic And Nadal Said

What did the two players have to say after the Monte Carlo final. These quotes are from their post match interviews

Djokovic

Q. It's been a tricky week for you in every respect. Was there a sense perhaps today, as we felt, that everything caught up with you a little bit, and perhaps that reflected a little bit in your performance today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I definitely don't want to take away anything from Rafa's win. I mean, he deserved to win today. He was a better player. But it's a fact that I just didn't have any, I think, emotional energy left in me. So I was there physically, you know, game wise I was playing okay throughout the week. But, yeah, it was a bad day. If I wanted to have any chance of winning against Rafa on clay, you know, I needed that extra gear, which I didn't have.

Q. Did you feel that he played at a higher level than when you beat him on clay last year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He always plays well on clay. He rarely, rarely plays worse than he usually does. It's been like that throughout the years. Actually, he has been improving. I think today he played just enough to win. I made a lot of unforced errors. I just wasn't there. You know, I didn't play well. He took his opportunities first set and made a break, and that's it. I didn't make him play at all, you know. I just was out there trying to put the ball in the court.

Nadal


Q. Nobody would like to take anything away from your eight wins in Monte Carlo, which is a great achievement. But today didn't you feel that Djokovic wasn't the real best Djokovic?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, Djokovic wasn't the real best Djokovic. In other finals that I played against him, I wasn't my real best, too. But the real best are both. My real best is when I play well and when I play bad. The real Rafa is not only when I play my best. The real Rafa is when I play well, when I don't play that well. If I take that for myself, the same for the others. Djokovic had amazing one year and a half, having always perfect, no mistakes. Today, yes, he had more mistakes than usual. I won 6 3, 6 1. Win 6 3, 6 1 is for sure not normal to win against the best player of the world today. But happened. Very happy for my victory. Sorry for him. But that's sport. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes you
play fantastic, sometimes you play normal, sometimes you play worst. Today I played a very good first set. In my opinion, he didn't have a very bad first set. In the second, yes, but not in the first.


http://www.monte-carlorolexmasters.com/News/Tennis/2012/Interview-Transcripts/Rafael-Nadal-Sunday.aspx


Mmmm...

The usual sniping then.

I've read these transcripts twice, and - hard as I try - can't detect any sniping ('usual' or otherwise) myself.

Quite the opposite - seems to me like an honest assessment by both players. In fact quite refreshing I'd say.

I agree with lags.

quite like the comment by NAdal that the real NAdal includes the good and the bad, not just the best. Obviously you can apply that to all the players and in fact all sports that basically you cannot be the best you can be all this time and shouldn't be judged all the time on your redline game. I think its quite mature to hear a sportsman say that during there time among the top of a sport - normally sportspeople say that kind of thing in reflection years later.

It makes me realise that with Murray inparticular as fans we have to accept that his mental demons effecting his play are part of him - i'm not totally convinced he has accepted them yet - might be good to see him be more relaxed with himself on court - have to live in hope.

Agree with others...both players are realistic and magnaminous their assessments. Nadal knows this is no massive watershed moment (although he'll be very happy for the win)...but he's also saying that having bad days is a part of tennis...he's had them, Nole has them (yesterday),,,and that will continue into the future. I suspect he's also saying that for Nole this may be more usual now given the stellar level he maintained last year, that bad days will come as well as the great performances he's sure to put in too.

Good point about Murray Tom, dont think he's as strong mentally as the others so has more of the ups and downs than the top 3. Not sure what can be done about that...after all he's facing legends of the game above him and losing to them is no disgrace. He just needs to knuckle down on his strengths and not try to become something he's not...i.e. move away from being a counterpuncher or else he may negate those strengths in feeding off pace and using his guile to turn points around Mecir-like.

lags72 wrote:I've read these transcripts twice, and - hard as I try - can't detect any sniping ('usual' or otherwise) myself.

Quite the opposite - seems to me like an honest assessment by both players. In fact quite refreshing I'd say.

Irony? You need to include more B vitamins in your diet!

Always happy to improve my diet.

I'm conscious that Vitamin B (notably B2 IIRC) is good for eyesight, amongst other things.

But the everything-in-moderation maxim is important of course.

Taken in excess, it could have the unhealthy side-effect of causing the user to 'see' things that don't actually exist.

Best to check your daily consumption ....

meh obviously it was a completely unexceptional set of comments from both players, I guess it's a sense of humour thing, eh?

Yep, I suspect you're right, perhaps it IS a sense of humour thing.

But, who knows ...... there could well be a vitamin supplement on the market that might even help you with that !

... but not you I fear!

Thanks. I think I've had all the fun I need on this one, so I'll leave you to it.

As the saying goes ..... Keep taking the tablets !

Dude. That was my joke. Please do try for originality.

...we're not talking about forum-enhancing drugs are we? (FEDs)

reckoner, you following Barcelona this week?

lol lydian, yes FEDs might well be needed round here!

Yeah will try to follow Barcelona depending on how much work gets in the way! How about you?

lol, I'm on 4 x FEDs a day at the moment...
Having played tennis for a couple of hours yesterday I need all the glucosamine I can get!

Know what you mean about work...yeah I'll be following Barca, not too many intriguing 1st round matches but with the depth of field it should get interesting from tomorrow onwards. I'm actually working in Barcelona next week would you believe....grrrr!

lydian wrote:lol, I'm on 4 x FEDs a day at the moment...
Having played tennis for a couple of hours yesterday I need all the glucosamine I can get!

Know what you mean about work...yeah I'll be following Barca, not too many intriguing 1st round matches but with the depth of field it should get interesting from tomorrow onwards. I'm actually working in Barcelona next week would you believe....grrrr!

No way, you'll be in Barcelona?! Nice!! Ah c'mon you're going to have a ball - Nadal is a certainty to win it so I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself!

Sorry lydian but I'm finding it hard to feel that sorry for you...

But +vely, Lydian could be living it up in gloomy, rainy London instead ... oh wait

Or gloomy, rainy Newcastle.

I think I'd take following the tennis circuit around the globe, even with a one-week delay.

Hey P4S...I'm nearly on crutches today I'll have you know...my 8 yr old played a blinder of a drop shot (well they're nearly all drop shots, lol) that had me running forward like Nigella Lawson after a midnight snack...did wonders for my back...not.

haha reckoner, yeah just my luck to be in Barca a week AFTER the tennis tourny! I think its fair to bet who'll be lifting the trophy on Sunday. Its almost as sure a bet as Nole lifting his trophy a week later in Belgrade....they might as well call these events "The Nadal" and "The Nole" Open's

Sounds like I'm halfway between you guys...dry here for the moment in WAG-land Cheshire.

Yeah, I can't disagree with either player's comments. I think the tour is a grind and over the course of 80 or so matches you are going to have bad days at the office for any number of reasons some in your control and some less in your control. Injuries, personal issues, illness, bad form etc. all come into play. So we have to look at the totality of the circumstances.

I think both guys realize that this is just one in a long series of skirmishes to establish the pecking order at the top of the tennis tour. I don't think it really changes the dynamic of the tour one way or the other. I think it is a nice psychological bump for Nadal however and helps him get a bit of the swagger back after going a long period of time without lifting a title.

Indeed socal, Nadal needed that win more than Nole...makes for an interesting clay season.

What do you make of blue clay then?

Lydian, I think Novak will win Madrid. The altitude and little bit more speed in the game helps Novak. I think Novak's well rounded game is the best on a medium slow hardcourt or a quicker clay court.

Interesting you mention last year's madrid final. That match and Rome last year lead me to believe that Novak will not have a problem matching Nadal. Novak swarmed nadal last year early at madrid going up a double break, then Nadal played frankly the best tennis I have ever seen him play for a few games of that set and did the unthinkable he came all the way back in the first set from double break down to tie 5-5. Novak calmly broke him the next service game and won the set 7-5 despite Nadal playing desperate and great tennis. In particular, that was the match Nadal hit the between the legs lob passing shot off of Novak after a lengthy point that Novak had taken control and charged into net.

To lose a double break lead in a set, on clay, and in spain to Nadal and comeback to win the set and the match was truely where the mental edge developed for Novak last year. I don't think this loss in MC will impact Novak much, maybe Novak of 08 or 09, but not now.

Whats the clay like in Rome? Slow, medium?

Curious as its seems like Federer has had his worst clay results there...

Ruffin, I think from my viewing of it, I think if you go from slowest to fastest the clay courts would go something like this: 1. Monte Carlo 2. RG 3. Rome 4. Madrid (the quickest). Interestingly Rome was the only clay court masters Pete Sampras ever won.

socal1976 wrote:

To lose a double break lead in a set, on clay, and in spain to Nadal and comeback to win the set and the match was truely where the mental edge developed for Novak last year. I don't think this loss in MC will impact Novak much, maybe Novak of 08 or 09, but not now.

If that was how Novak gained a mental edge over Rafa. Why dont you think that Nadals win over Novak in Monte Carlo losing only 4 games won't affect this mental edge?

Even if you argue that Novak will quickly put this beating behing him or even dismiss it believing that he wasn't mentally in the best place the outcome of this final will affect Nadal. Instead of feeling cowed and at a loss about how to beat Djokovic Nadal will now be feeling confident about their next matches. Tennis at this level can be a mental game. How Nadal feels can affect the outcome as much as how Djokovic feels.

lydian wrote:Hey P4S...I'm nearly on crutches today I'll have you know...my 8 yr old played a blinder of a drop shot (well they're nearly all drop shots, lol) that had me running forward like Nigella Lawson after a midnight snack...did wonders for my back...not.

Clearly a well-coached prodigy.

Back to Djokovic-Nadal and it was never clear to me that Djokovic had established a superiority on clay over Nadal. Madrid is not as well-suited to Nadal so it was not that big a surprise that he lost that final, although I think socal makes a good point about the manner of that first set win for Djokovic. Rome was a bigger surprise given Nadal's record there, but to think that meant he would 'own' Nadal on clay seemed a little premature.

Well positively 4th, I don't think Novak thought that he would win every single time he played Nadal. So I don't think losing against him when all the circumstances were cutting against him isn't particularly troubling to Novak's psyche. As I have pointed out the speed of the court, the wind, and most importantly Novak's family issues all played a role. Novak should have lost to Berdych frankly and could have lost to Dolgopolov. If he had lost those matches do you think he would be any less confident the next time he played them? Do you think he now will have less confidence against Nadal? I don't. It might help Nadal a bit but I don't think Nadal feels this is indicative of Novak's level. If Berdych, well wasn't Berdych he would have won his match against Novak in straight sets. So if i was Nadal I wouldn't really bet on seeing this level of form from Novak to often.

social1976

You just talk about how the outcome of the final will not in your opinion affect Djokovics confidence. That may or may not be true. But it will affect Nadal's confidence. No matter how Djokovic feels he will be facing a very different Nadal to the one he defeated 7 times in a row.

Agree with big points...no big deal for Nole but great confidence booster for Nadal. I think Rafa will be very hard to beat on clay this year...knees notwithstanding of course
I know what you say social about Madrid last year but it was close and ok Nadal did well to come back from 0-4 in that first set but I don't think that Nadal was the Nadal of previous years on clay....his mind wasn't right last year due to internal squabbles, and he wasn't always thinking clearly on court, kept using the same tactics against Nole. Not that Nole didnt play amazingly well. I think Nole will always have e upper hand on HC going forward...unless Nadal finds a new tactic I'm not aware of right now...but on clay I'd put Nadal at 70/30. On grass it's a very close call as Nadal played awful in that final for long spells. Will be intriguing to see how it all unfurls...

Seriously lydian do you really buy this hogwash about knees? EVERY year it's the same story - Nadal bravely soldiering whilst on the verge of collapse lol.

I would bet money on this happening next year and the next...

Also hawkeye, a rational reading of the MC final would show Nole playing well below par. It was obvious the guy was out of sorts and grieving. It won't be the case the next time they meet, so I don't think Nadal & team is going to take as much from it as you are saying.

Normality has been restored with this win. It is not that a below par Djokovic can still defeat Nadal anymore. It happens with lesser players where the top players can defeat them while playing below par. Djokovic and Nadal are equals, with the performance of the day determining who will win. Djokovic is not playing as well as in 2011. Real match would be Djokovic -2011 versus Nadal-2010, perhaps their best years. This result in Monte Carlo will motivate both of them. Perhaps the end result will ultimately show at Roland Garros.

Eskay wrote:Normality has been restored with this win.

I would wait for some consistency in wins. 7-1 in recent times is still lopsided.

Eskay wrote:It is not that a below par Djokovic can still defeat Nadal anymore. It happens with lesser players where the top players can defeat them while playing below par. Djokovic and Nadal are equals, with the performance of the day determining who will win. Djokovic is not playing as well as in 2011.

It also shows how close these top guys can be.

Eskay wrote:Real match would be Djokovic -2011 versus Nadal-2010, perhaps their best years. This result in Monte Carlo will motivate both of them. Perhaps the end result will ultimately show at Roland Garros.

The 2011-vs-2010 match is technically impossible, except in fans' minds.

socal1976 wrote:Well positively 4th, I don't think Novak thought that he would win every single time he played Nadal. So I don't think losing against him when all the circumstances were cutting against him isn't particularly troubling to Novak's psyche. As I have pointed out the speed of the court, the wind, and most importantly Novak's family issues all played a role. Novak should have lost to Berdych frankly and could have lost to Dolgopolov. If he had lost those matches do you think he would be any less confident the next time he played them? Do you think he now will have less confidence against Nadal? I don't. It might help Nadal a bit but I don't think Nadal feels this is indicative of Novak's level. If Berdych, well wasn't Berdych he would have won his match against Novak in straight sets. So if i was Nadal I wouldn't really bet on seeing this level of form from Novak to often.

Hi socal. I don't think Djokovic did think that, or you for that matter as I've read many posts where you were suggesting Nadal would still get a few victories. I do feel it was premature in some quarters to write Nadal off on clay though, his record is incredible and two victories for Djokovic last summer did not completely change the picture. They redressed the balance sure, but I would find it hard to call if they met in the final at RG.

I don't think I agree with Eskay when he says that normality has been restored or that some sort of equality exists between the two. The fact remains as laverfan has pointed out that novak has won 7 of the last 8 meetings and this last meeting had a unique set of circumstances that favored Nadal. In my mind, I would favor Novak currently under more normal circumstances over Nadal on any surface and that includes clay. But again that doesn't mean that Novak can beat Nadal everytime or almost everytime. Nadal is too good of a competitor and too much of a talent for Novak not to lose to him sometimes.

As for Lydian and Hawkeye's point that this should help Nadal's confidence, well I don't dispute that. He will have a nice bump in the confidence department that should serve him well. But I doubt that a lone masters victory is going to go a long way to wiping out the memory of 3 straight grandslam defeats. The main reason that I say this is that I really didn't see Nadal doing much different from the other 7 matches he lost. It wasn't that his level was obnoxiously high, it was just that the other guy really couldn't keep the ball on the court. That is tennis, it is a timing game on my best day I look like a world beater and on my worst day I lose to players that I have no business losing to.