AO 2015 - Day 7

First topic message reminder :

Order of Play - http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/schedule12.html

Live Scores - http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/index.html

Day 7 Preview -http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/articles/2016-01-23/day_7_preview_a_collision_course.html


(Hopefully the preview writer(s) will use some version of collide/collision/collusion - at some point tomorrow ).

Update: My front and back yard- Thanks Jonas!

Matchpoint wrote:Not totally surprising for me. Looks like he's struggling to adapt to harsher playing conditions in the sun, his first in this tourney. Simon took Fed to 5 sets in an early round in 2011. He's still grinder par excellence at 31. Can be very dangerous. But I expect Djoko to survive.

No I have to disagree. He has played in much hotter conditions than this without issues. This is a tournament renowned for sweltering conditions and he has owned this tournament for years.

Djokovic breaks to take the third set. It will be a long match should he win but this is about survival now. Surely, he can't play so poorly again.

And he breaks at the perfect time.

Break point itself was unambitious but at least he showed a bit of initiative to get the BP opportunity.

I think some of the struggle has come from part of the court being in bright sunshine and the other part being is shade. Tricky conditions.

Same for both players of course but Simon has hardly been great either.

No HM again I have to disagree. The shade wasnt even there earlier in the mstch andcthe errors were there plus he has played in these shaded conditions before and thrived.

It seems more of a physical/health issue to me. His energy levels seem nowhere and he looks subdued by his normal standards.

I'm not saying it's because of the shade. I'm just saying it's a factor.

The main reason is he's played rubbish and retreated into tedious pushing.

No I wouldn't say it was. This malaise he was in was there before the shade has come across and the unforced errors have not increased because of the shade. It is something within Djokovic is how I see it.

As I say this is about survival now though. Even if it takes 4 hours it is about staying in the tournament as we know he can recover from 5 hour marathons here and still do another marathon match and win.

This is one of those matches that is so poor that I'm getting no entertainment from it, but having endured this much of it, I feel like I need to see it through!

It is like watching an imposter out there is how best to describe it. Whatever happens the press conference will be interesting.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

Matchpoint wrote:Not totally surprising for me. Looks like he's struggling to adapt to harsher playing conditions in the sun, his first in this tourney. Simon took Fed to 5 sets in an early round in 2011. He's still grinder par excellence at 31. Can be very dangerous. But I expect Djoko to survive.

No I have to disagree. He has played in much hotter conditions than this without issues. This is a tournament renowned for sweltering conditions and he has owned this tournament for years.

To be sure, I'm not referring to playing in the sun per se. I'm referring to adapting and readjusting, making the switch, seamlessly, from playing at night to playing during the day in the hot sun (I still have vivid memory of him quitting a much here vs Roddick). I think that affects all players, the changing set of playing conditions from day to night. Sure, everyone knows that he owns this tourney, like Nadal owns the FO. Then what happens? One way or the other, every passing year eats away a little something from your mastery, regardless.

It just seems apparent to me it is something more physical/health to me. He is flat. Even his fist pumps lack energy and that is not sun-related.

I think he will come through this and that is all that matters. It will be a fairly long match but Novak will not bother about that. It will give his future prospective opens here though much more hope.

You see shade and sun gone but the unforced errors are still there.

Djokovic already looking miles better since the sun has gone. Just dislikes those conditions. Simon had to take the third to have any shot.

Born Slippy wrote:Djokovic already looking miles better since the sun has gone. Just dislikes those conditions. Simon had to take the third to have any shot.

Not to the degree it forces 75 unforced errors out of him.

Oh yeah, he's having a bad day at the office as well, but there's nothing physical wrong with him.

Born Slippy wrote:Oh yeah, he's having a bad day at the office as well, but there's nothing physical wrong with him.

Still think there is something awry. Not muscles/limbs wise but health-wise. We have seen an almost limp-wristed fist pump from him, no real come ons to gee himself up and seems down on energy levels as well. Errors still flying in from him.

Simon grinds out two break point chance and takes the second to break and will serve for the fourth set.

Absolutely woeful.

Inexplicably poor.

These errors are completely unforced. Bog standard mid-court balls just being shanked all over the place.

These drop shots are embarassing.

Why?!

STOP THE FRICKING DROP SHOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simon takes it on his 4th set point to level at two sets all with 3 hours 51 minutes on the clock.

HM Murdock wrote:STOP THE FRICKING DROP SHOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All confidence in his go to shots has gone I'd say.

This is excrutiating.

It's not even as if Gilles is playing a blinder.

Djokovic averaging 20 ue's a set

2 each!
I still believe Djoko will come thru. But even so, a 5-setter battle like this is very taxing to go forward. I suspected that 5-setter Fed won vs Simon in 2011 nevertheless did him in.

monty junior wrote:Djokovic averaging 20 ue's a set

He's going to pass 100 for the match.

My money would still be in the predator beast Djokovic finding it within himself to come through.

[quote="CaledonianCraig"]It just seems apparent to me it is something more physical/health to me. He is flat. Even his fist pumps lack energy and that is not sun-related.

I don't disagree with his drastic drop of physical form. That's obvious. I speculate it's the overall day playing conditions catching up. Hopefully we'll know more the relevant cause at the presser.

Berdych now in the boxseat leading by two sets to win against Bautista-Agut or is it Agut? (Haddie nuff will confirm).

Matchpoint wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:It just seems apparent to me it is something more physical/health to me. He is flat. Even his fist pumps lack energy and that is not sun-related.

I don't disagree with his drastic drop of physical form. That's obvious. I speculate it's the overall day playing conditions catching up.  Hopefully we'll know more the relevant cause at the presser.  

I suppose another theory is his game is so far off where he wants it and he is in such tormoil mentally that it is mentally draining him trying to solve the conundrum whilst trying to physically win a tennis match at the same time.

A loose game from Simon and Djokovic breaks to lead in the 5th set. Surely now he won't let this slip?

Come on Simon, pack him home.

Novak breaks from 40-0 down!

It seemed to reach the point where he thought the game was gone and just started hitting some bigger shots.

It looks like Novak is remembering how to play tennis. He leads 4-1 in the 5th set and should be home and dry now.

Pusher looks shot.

If only the semis were played during the day.....

Simon going quietly into the night is broken again Djokovic leads 5-1 and serving for the match after 4 hours 17 minutes.

Born Slippy wrote:Oh yeah, he's having a bad day at the office as well, but there's nothing physical wrong with him.

Surely there's nobody left who deduces Novak is physically troubled by his demeanour?

I do want Novak to win but the UEs are currently at 94 and I'd kind of like to see the century reached!

Novak's record at serving out is pretty poor for a player of his calibre.

bogbrush wrote:

Born Slippy wrote:Oh yeah, he's having a bad day at the office as well, but there's nothing physical wrong with him.

Surely there's nobody left who deduces Novak is physically troubled by his demeanour?

If you have watched the match you can't help but have noticed how flat Djoko has been. Non-plussed and flat - he may have a bug or something. There has been a couple of energyless fist pumps and no come ons to gee himself up. Very un-Djokovic-like.

I'd like to hear people's opinions here as reading this forum he has been a shoo-in for the title by all sincere posters here so how can one so certain to win go from a sure cert to hitting nearing a century of unforced errors in one match? That says something is drastically wrong and the unforced error count is one we don't normally see in Djokovic's match stats.

HM Murdock wrote:I do want Novak to win but the UEs are currently at 94 and I'd kind of like to see the century reached!.

It would be a thing to see a match win with 100 u/e!!

Pusher can do this to players, he's difficult when he's up for it.

It's 97!!

I can see why the forum feels pained!

99...

CaledonianCraig wrote:

bogbrush wrote:

Born Slippy wrote:Oh yeah, he's having a bad day at the office as well, but there's nothing physical wrong with him.

Surely there's nobody left who deduces Novak is physically troubled by his demeanour?

If you have watched the match you can't help but have noticed how flat Djoko has been. Non-plussed and flat - he may have a bug or something. There has been a couple of energyless fist pumps and no come ons to gee himself up. Very un-Djokovic-like.

I'd like to hear people's opinions here as reading this forum he has been a shoo-in for the title by all sincere posters here so how can one so certain to win go from a sure cert to hitting nearing a century of unforced errors in one match? That says something is drastically wrong and the unforced error count is one we don't normally see in Djokovic's match stats.

I'd have thought a Murray fan would more then must have worked out that Djokovic's manner means nothing about his state.

Simon can mess with anyone's game. He retrieves, soft rallies, then throws in a heavy hit. He's a pain.

100!!

100!!!!

Djokovic seals the century of unforced errors (HM something for you to cheer). Simon clings on trailing 5-3.

bogbrush wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

bogbrush wrote:

Born Slippy wrote:Oh yeah, he's having a bad day at the office as well, but there's nothing physical wrong with him.

Surely there's nobody left who deduces Novak is physically troubled by his demeanour?

If you have watched the match you can't help but have noticed how flat Djoko has been. Non-plussed and flat - he may have a bug or something. There has been a couple of energyless fist pumps and no come ons to gee himself up. Very un-Djokovic-like.

I'd like to hear people's opinions here as reading this forum he has been a shoo-in for the title by all sincere posters here so how can one so certain to win go from a sure cert to hitting nearing a century of unforced errors in one match? That says something is drastically wrong and the unforced error count is one we don't normally see in Djokovic's match stats.

I'd have thought a Murray fan would more then must have worked out that Djokovic's manner means nothing about his state.

Simon can mess with anyone's game. He retrieves, soft rallies, then throws in a heavy hit. He's a pain.

No I get what you are saying but this is different as I see it. In those matches V Murray he wasn't spraying 100 unforced errors - his level was far far higher. His forehand and backhand was firing unlike today and movement was better.

That's an average of 20 per set. He usually makes less than that in. An entire match!

Hard to imagine him having a match like that anytime soon.