Where does Djoker go from here?

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Djoker has completely lost momentum.

Nadal has reversed a series of losses against him, beating him the last three times they have played.

Federer then beat him in Wimbledon, a match that led to him losing the top ranking as well.

The last straw was losing to Murray at the Olympics, a tournament Djoker would have been desperate to win.

What this all means that he’s lost to all three of his big rivals the last time he’s played them. 2011 and the miraculous run of form seem a long way away.

Who does this benefit? Maybe Murray? With Nadal having injury problems, Federer heading into retirement and Djoker losing confidence, is this the time when Murray makes his move? It’s been a long time coming!

Danny_1982 wrote:He's still top of the points race over the season. Let's be honest, if it wasn't for last season we'd be saying this is Djokovic's best season in his career.

He is losing matches against other top 4 players that he beat in 2011, not because he's not playing well (most of the time) but because they are playing better on the big points.

There is no question that it has been a pretty good year for him and certainly one that anyone below #3 in the rankings would have been delighted to have achieved. In comparison to 2011 it looks less stellar but the concerns must be about his consistency - it isn't just that he is losing matches when his opponents play better on big points ... some of his play looks uninspired and I wonder if the USO final last year represents a hill that he doesn't want to climb again until he has regrouped for a bit.

I'm sure he'll bounce back. He has great skills and he now knows what he is capable of.

To paraphrase the great Paul McCartney during the "Paul is Dead" rumour

"stories of my death have been greatly exaggerated"

Last time I looked, Nole was still No.2 by some considerable distance

We seem to be reacting on these boards to each Top 4 defeat and writing off the loser.

Just two weeks ago, we had some stating that Fed would never win another Slam which matched four weeks earlier when it was Murray's turn for never winning owt of substance

Nole is my favourite for the US Open, simply becasue I think he will get on an unstoppable role and if it's cool (as expected) then it suits him fine

Then we can moan about how Fed and Murray are now no good

Well, one way to look at it is that he could finish the year with a slam. Another way to look at it is that he somehow managed to win that slam carrying over the momentum from last year, before it all fell apart. All he's won since then is Miami (beating only Murray) and Toronto (where he faced none of the other top 4).

It is not reaction to a single defeat. It is a reaction to his entire year post the Australian Open 2012.

Many people would now justifiably consider him to be 4th in the world (after Federer, Nadal and Murray). Federer is ranked above him, and Nadal might have been but for the injury. Murray is on the rise, that is plain to see.

Tennisanorak wrote:Well, one way to look at it is that he could finish the year with a slam. Another way to look at it is that he somehow managed to win that slam carrying over the momentum from last year, before it all fell apart. All he's won since then is Miami (beating only Murray) and Toronto (where he faced none of the other top 4).

It is not reaction to a single defeat. It is a reaction to his entire year post the Australian Open 2012.

Many people would now justifiably consider him to be 4th in the world (after Federer, Nadal and Murray). Federer is ranked above him, and Nadal might have been but for the injury. Murray is on the rise, that is plain to see.

I fail to see how on earth Nole can be ranked behind Nadal, when he's miles in front of him - having played all the matches on Nadal's favoured surface. Rafa, these days, rarely does owt against this rivals on the hard courts (Murray bageled him in their last meeting)

It shows just how short term people look at things. He did reach the semi's at Wimbledon and The Olympics. Last time we saw Rafa was losing to some journeyman (no disrespect) at Wimby

Tennisanorak wrote:Many people would now justifiably consider him to be 4th in the world (after Federer, Nadal and Murray). Federer is ranked above him, and Nadal might have been but for the injury. Murray is on the rise, that is plain to see.

Eh? Are we talking about the same Murray who's won 4000 fewer ranking points in 2012?

And the same Nadal who had also won fewer points up to the time he got injured? Or do the results that might have happened trump the results that have?

I have no issue with the idea that Novak is not as good as last year but to have him as 4th is just madness!

HM Murdoch wrote:

Tennisanorak wrote:Many people would now justifiably consider him to be 4th in the world (after Federer, Nadal and Murray). Federer is ranked above him, and Nadal might have been but for the injury. Murray is on the rise, that is plain to see.

Eh? Are we talking about the same Murray who's won 4000 fewer ranking points in 2012?

And the same Nadal who had also won fewer points up to the time he got injured? Or do the results that might have happened trump the results that have?

I have no issue with the idea that Novak is not as good as last year but to have him as 4th is just madness!

There's an argument, given the recent results (Murray's beaten Nole the last two occasions) that Murray is currently better than Nole on hard courts - which really is what we're talking about, given that we have no other surfaces until next April

It's not a huge argument as I think we still favour Nole, but it's not unreasonable to think that there might be a reduction 2500 points between these two at the US Open

I don't get the argument with Nadal, who was already proving himself to be the 4th best on this surface since last years US Open

banbrotam wrote:There's an argument, given the recent results (Murray's beaten Nole the last two occasions) that Murray is currently better than Nole on hard courts - which really is what we're talking about, given that we have no other surfaces until next April

It's not a huge argument as I think we still favour Nole, but it's not unreasonable to think that there might be a reduction 2500 points between these two at the US Open

I think you've got your facts wrong there. Novak won the last hard court meeting (Miami) and has won two out of the last three hard court meetings (AO, Dubai, Miami).

HM Murdoch wrote:

banbrotam wrote:There's an argument, given the recent results (Murray's beaten Nole the last two occasions) that Murray is currently better than Nole on hard courts - which really is what we're talking about, given that we have no other surfaces until next April

It's not a huge argument as I think we still favour Nole, but it's not unreasonable to think that there might be a reduction 2500 points between these two at the US Open

I think you've got your facts wrong there. Novak won the last hard court meeting (Miami) and has won two out of the last three hard court meetings (AO, Dubai, Miami).

Sorry, you're correct. My point is that Murray has won two out of the last three fast surface events and appears to be the one who has improved his game most this year

I've said earlier - Nole is my favourite for the US Open, I think the intensity of Fed and Andy's matches will take it's toll, mentally