Its 145 in the AM and I know I am ditching work tomorrow and I can't sleep.....

I really don't know how these players are handling it, especially Roger and Novak because it is such a tight rivalry match. For me as a Djokovic fan this is the biggest playing the man on his court tomorrow for all the marbles. I thought RG 2011 and 2012 were big matches between these two great rivals and they were. And of course who can forgot the epic US open semi wars these guys have been in the last two years? But this is something different. Make no mistake about it this is it in our sport. Yes it isn't the final, but when you have the best player ever playing the current world #1 with the prospect of regaining his title at wimbeldon of all places, well it is electric folks. I hope it isn't a blowout, I hope it is another classic. The thing is I will most likely have to wake up and watch the match on my DVR or just stay awake all night and watch. I don't know which i will do, but I ain't going to work. The benefits of being your own boss every now and again you can have one of those days. And this is one of those days.

I have to hand it Roger, I get on his case from time to time but the guy is truely the Ferrarri of the sport. To beat him at wimbeldon as a Djoko fan with all that court means, with all that trophy means, with the number one ranking on the line well I won't lie I can taste it. But I also won't lie and say that part of my insomnia doesn't revolve around the prospect of playing Mr. Majestic on his court. Despite my conficted feelings about the man, I can't lie the most painful losses as a Novak fan have been inflicted by Roger; I can't help but thank him for sticking around and being so bloody great that he can terrify my into sleeplessness the night before a match.

I think it isn't lost on Novak what is about to take place. While this match isn't for a the calendar year slam it is pretty much for the number 1 ranking at least in the short term he has to be the favorite as the way the points race plays pretty shortly to retake it even if he loses. But the stakes are huge, the setting is perfect, the opponent is the guy that you would pick right out of the history books. I believe he is up to the task and has shown he is deserving, but he will need all of his game to deserve this win.

From the outside looking in I'd guess the more nerves would be amongst the Federer fans. I mean he is in the twilight of his career and chances like these are being taken as perhaps his last serious shot at another slam. That heightens the nerves, anxiety and pressure. For Djokovic though it is not such a truly pivotal match as he has another five years or so left at the top of the sport so more chances will come his way - at least that is how I'd think if I were a Novak fan so things are a little more relaxed. For Fed fans (in order to help them relax) I'd remind them that their man has already won 16 slams and is seen as the greatest player of all-time so why stress yourself out? Just sit back and enjoy the match.

CC. Agree that although every match brings pressure, there will be more of it on Murray today than Fed. Rog, after all, has won just a few GS and a rather a large number of them at Wimbledon, while Andy seeks his first and the first by a Briton since 1381 when Wat Tyler was among the fans.

Fans tend to get more stressed than players.

I feel much the same.

As a Novak fan, I knew 2011 couldn't be repeated. My hope for 2012 was that it would be a multi-slam winning year. If that can be achieved by the end of the Wimbledon, I can relax a bit more for the rest of the season! Plus retaining a Wimbledon title is a big deal. The list of players who achieve it is distinguished.

If Roger were to win today and go on to claim the tournament though, well, that achievement is so colossal that I couldn't help but enjoy it. 17 slams, including one at nearly 31, moves his position even further out of the "greatest ever tennis player" debate and firmly into the "greatest ever sportsman" debate.

Got to agree murdoch, I mean Novak still has a great shot at the USO don't get me wrong but getting the win on Roger at wimbeldon of all places would mean a great deal against one of your biggest rivals. Especially when that guy has 16 slams and 6 wimbeldon titles. Extremely nerve racking stuff frankly. Are fed and Djoko on first? Either way tomorrow morning my time early evening your time I will be in a self induced media blackout watching all of the tennis. And I am not answering my phone either.

They are on at 1PM.
In 2h 30min.

Djoko will cruise in 3 or 4, I don't think you should get too nervous SoCal.

That is my prediction IMBL, but there is always doubt when one of the top 3 guys plays. Also frankly it is wimbeldon that brings about its own nerves. Additionally, you have the added stress of possibly having Novak lose the number one ranking. Don't get me wrong it isn't just a fear of losing. If Novak loses it doesn't effect me much other than I will not be as happy for a couple of hours that is about it. But part of it is just the nervous anticipation of getting to watch that match. They have afterall never played in their great rivalry on grass. It is just that special of event in my mind and a special opponent and I just can't wait to watch them play.

It's looking very grey in London today, adding the possibility of rain to the mix...

CaledonianCraig wrote:From the outside looking in I'd guess the more nerves would be amongst the Federer fans. I mean he is in the twilight of his career and chances like these are being taken as perhaps his last serious shot at another slam. That heightens the nerves, anxiety and pressure. For Djokovic though it is not such a truly pivotal match as he has another five years or so left at the top of the sport so more chances will come his way - at least that is how I'd think if I were a Novak fan so things are a little more relaxed. For Fed fans (in order to help them relax) I'd remind them that their man has already won 16 slams and is seen as the greatest player of all-time so why stress yourself out? Just sit back and enjoy the match.

I can understand socals nerves, but I think it is a little easier on the Fed fans as we've passed the stage of acceptance that he doesn't win everything nowadays. Novak basically has been winning it all and I know from experience that puts in the fan a far greater dread of a loss.

I passed the stage of peak nerves after USO 2008 - 2008 was so hideous in so many ways that after that nothing could hurt so bad. 2009 was a happy year and since then it's just been a bit disappointing to see him ever so gradually declining.

That said, I'm nervous today because - to borrow socals phrase - I can atste something really good in the #1, #7 and #17 combined.

Hello Socal



I haven't slept since 1pm yesterday and I've been working all night.

I finished at 9am today and drove back home like a maniac in the rain. Just arrived. Now I'm gonna sleep for two hours so I can wake up and watch the match. I'll set three alarms just so I don't miss it. I've been looking forward to this all week. I'm too tired to have any nerves.

Allez Rooooooogeeeeeeeeeeeeeer.



emancipator

How in the blue hell did you predict the 4 semi finalists correctly?!?!?!

I think your cheating. You have a time machine!!!

sirfredperry wrote:CC. Agree that although every match brings pressure, there will be more of it on Murray today than Fed. Rog, after all, has won just a few GS and a rather a large number of them at Wimbledon, while Andy seeks his first and the first by a Briton since 1381 when Wat Tyler was among the fans.

Well as this was a topic sol;ely about Fed/Djok semi I didn't think Murray's nerves come into this.

bogbrush wrote:That said, I'm nervous today because - to borrow socals phrase - I can atste something really good in the #1, #7 and #17 combined.

Ooh, that's a good spot! Some quite freakish symmetry there.

reckoner wrote:Fans tend to get more stressed than players.

Definitely.

Probably applies to just about any ardent tennis fan.

I'm in the USA at moment so cant watch the match

I'll be hoping for a Federer win...if he wins he can go out on a high then because this might be his last slam chance.
Ok he has USO this year but thats a hard (pardon the pun) surface to win on with these powerful hitters on tour now...and 2013...sorry no way.
Wimb2012 has given him a great draw and with Nadal going early he wont have to get through Djokovic AND Nadal to win the event.
Murray doesnt hold many fears for him.

The problem is he also knows he wont get a better chance this this one to go the whole way...so that must add pressure!
You can bet non-one better than him knows his chances of getting one diminish each time a slam passes by.

Allez Roger!

lydian wrote:Probably applies to just about any ardent tennis fan.

I'm in the USA at moment so cant watch the match

Lyd it comes in ESPN and ESPN 2, I am in Canada , more or less same time zone if you are anywhere near Toronto , anyways great match.

2011 was probably the peak of this rivalry. At any rate, 2011 was better than the 2012 series so far. Their French Open and US Open matches were classics in 2011, and their Australian Open match, albeit in straight sets, was high quality, and a decent match at Indian Wells too.

However this year at Rome Federer didn't quite hit the heights, at Paris Federer only played top stuff in patches and it was disappointing to see only a straight setter. And today only the 3rd set was really top quality.

I remember watching AO 09 final when I was in California. The match was on from I think about 1am to 5am. I went to sleep at 10pm, set the alarm for 1am, and slept again from 5am to 9am or 10am. Now that was a match worth staying up for, and then some.

Well it wasn't meant to be. Roger played great really deserved it. Served so beautifully and played the big points well. Novak did the one thing that he couldn't do to win the match he played sloppy with his forehand behind his serve and usually when he gets broken that is the main issue and it was again today. Also he has some sort of mental block with his overhead easily one of the worst guys on tour when the ball is in the air, lets say it is not one of his strengths. Either way it was an entertaining match. I am intrigued by the final possibility but will be able to watch the match with a bit more cool detachment.

Hey Socal, bad luck today.

Your guy's gonna bounce back, no doubt.

Thanks emancipator, it was always going to be tough if Fed served that well. Good performance by him he really has deserved this resurgence. I think it is clear that Annacone has made a big difference in helping keep Fed at the top. I have no doubts Novak will come back and play well on his favorite hardcourts it is the beauty of the sport there is always a tournament in a week or two.

Djokovic should win Belgrade in an easy field then call it a day, he's just unable to compete with an almost retired vet. Phoney grunter would've not let Fed own him the way the Serb did. Federer has now beat him in Paris, New York, Melbourne and finally Wimbledon. Back to tennis school, chumps.

Socal, Novak clearly was not at his best today and it was still a close match. I think he is still my favourite for the US Open, I hope people aren't foolish enough to write the guy off he is still the only one in my eyes capable of beating Federer and Nadal back to back in a slam when they are both playing well

I really cannot pinpoint why Novak wasn't really at the races yesterday. The match only came alive in the third set as well but Roger Federer cannot be faulted for his part. He played at a consistently higher level than Novak and definitely deserved the win. It was a weird match in which, in the first set, Novak failed to sparkle and seemed flat and Roger took advantage and served superbly well to win the set. The second set saw Roger's level dip a little and allowed Novak to get back in the match and undoubtedly the third set became key. There were a number of key games/points in that set and finally Novak seemed to be competing far better and finding his form and so when he was to lose that set it was a hammer blow. He strangely seemed disinterested, like he wanted to be somewhere else in that fourth set and the fiery fight we normally see from him just wasn't there. How much of that was down to Roger's level of play or Novak's I am not sure. However, there is no doubt that the best player won on the day.