I wasn't wrong was I?

I wrote that on 606 last November but I have been saying Djoko would be the next world number 1 for the last 3 years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A76690894

In particular the last paragraph:

I hope we will see a Murray Djoko match soon. We are long due one but I think those 2 players have the game to finally overtake Nadal as they are now reaching maturity and will overtake Federer as well as the man is getting older and the game is becoming more physical by the weeks. I expect Djoko to start winning slams very soon and maybe Murray to finally grab one or two there and then. I am pretty sure we won;t have the same domination of Nadal next year as we had this year and we might see a change of hand in the number of 1.

You read it here first.

After today's match I am confident that Murray or Djoko would have beaten Nadal this evening. Those 2 will take over the spaniard in the next weeks, especially Djoko as I predicted. Of course tomorrow Nadal is likely to win against a 50% Djoko but even that isn't a cetainty so much Djoko has overtaken Nadal on clay. [b]

Tenez, win or lose tomorrow as a novak fan I really love the way he fought. His serve abandoned him after the first set. That had a lot to do with the slow court and Andy's return game, but still he fought. Well congratulations, please feel free to toot your own horn whenever you like. As long as you are predicting success for my man Nole.

Tenez

Djokovic has over taken Nadal on clay? Who you kidding?

Yep Socal - I can't say that I enjoy either game but I certainly enjoyed the drama and battle.

It's too much a Bolitieri game for me. A men version of Seles v Jankovic! But hey each to his own.


Yes Sonic. Djoko is a better clay courter than Nadal. He was already pretty close in 2009 but now it's not even close.

Tenez wrote:Yep Socal - I can't say that I enjoy either game but I certainly enjoyed the drama and battle.

It's too much a Bolitieri game for me. A men version of Seles v Jankovic! But hey each to his own.


Yes Sonic. Djoko is a better clay courter than Nadal. He was already pretty close in 2009 but now it's not even close.

If Djokovic wins 5 French Opens or 14 Clay Masters than maybe he would be Nadal's equal. Thus far, he's not better.

Sonic - I am not talking about the GOAT on clay...otherwise I would have talked about Borg not Nadal. I am talking about having the best clay game. And Nadal is history with Murray (soon) and Djoko already better.

Tenez wrote:Sonic - I am not talking about the GOAT on clay...otherwise I would have talked about Borg not Nadal. I am talking about having the best clay game. And Nadal is history with Murray (soon) and Djoko already better.

Again Nadal, whom you claim is over the hill, has won Monte Carlo, Barcelona, reached final at Madrid and Rome.

Good going I'd say

Sure. He is still better than Ferrer! But he is not the best on clay anymore.

And he is not over the hill. In fact he has never been as good.....just that some have climbed higher since.

Tenez,

Novak - Boletieri? YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!!!!!

cross court, along the line, cross court, along the line, cross court, along the line oh! along the line again! 15-0


That's Bolitieri game. And if done properly, it's very efficient!

I have always seen Bolitieri's school of tennis as robotic.

Nole's tennis is definitely not robotic.
If Novak was transported into the 70s or 80s, you'd love his hands I'm sure.

Tennis game moves on with the tactics needed to beat The Guy to Beat...

If you cast your memory to 2007, Nole's game was not that powerful,but,my did he dance on that court or what....

Actually, Tenez both players showed great variety in that match. Djokovic in particular made nearly 30 trips to the net and Andy murray made a John Mcenroesq half volley in the middle of the service box off an amazing Djokovic backhand. Not to mention the beautiful display of drop shot artistry, and Novak's lethal backhand lobs. 30 trips to then net on a slow clay court a piece is pretty varied in my opinion. Besides both guys can volley it is just a lot riskier play in the modern era with the modern strings and racquets playing against a player that retrieves as well as these two do.

If you play tennis and hit a ball since childhood, you are bound to be able to play all the shots. They can all play those odd shots. I am talking about their bread and butter points.

We had many 10+ rally points and the coming to the net was essentially to force the issue when one was running out of breath.

Tenez, serve and volley as a bread and butter play is dead for a variety of reasons. And if you have ever watched Andy Roddick or Robin Soderling volley then I don't see how you could take the hands both players displayed for granted. Nowadays players have to work their way to the net and both players looked for opportunities to do that on a slow clay court. Personally, I like the lengthy exchanges and the display of attack and defend. This match had it all, a lot of winners, a lot good defense, and plenty of variety. Djokovic served pretty poorly from the second set on but that had a lot to do with the guy who was returning on the other end and the speed of the court.