Was Novak Djokovic’s 2011 Season A Total Fluke? It’s Looking That Way
The big takeaway for me from today’s lopsided Cincinnati final was that on his favorite surface Novak Djokovic just got fed a bagel by a man six years his elder. SIX YEARS!! Absolutely incredible.
At 25, Djokovic should be in the very prime of his tennis career. He was in form. He hadn’t been broken all week and he just blew through the Toronto title. Yet today, he got bageled by an arch rival on his very best surface, something that he just cannot let happen. But credit to Roger Federer who shoved one right down his throat in a 6-0, 7-6 victory to win his fifth Cincinnati title. How’d that taste, Novak?
Really, I don’t care how mentally fatigued Novak was, how do you come out that flat again? Djokovic looked fine Friday and Saturday, and playing Federer should get the blood, the juices and the motivation flowing. But as CBS’s Jim Courier said, from the start the guy just wasn’t “engaged".
And of late that’s been the pattern. In his last four big stage matches (sorry Toronto), Djokovic’s won ONE SINGLE SET! In lackluster efforts he lost to Federer in four at Wimbledon, then Murray and Del Potro in straights at the Olympics and now this hack job against Federer in the Cincinnati final. Sure, Federer played unbelievably well but Novak has got to start better, correct the double faults and at least manage a break point somewhere in the match. He did up his game in the second but was I never felt Federer was ever in trouble.
So after putting together a spectacular 2011 season and then winning the Australian, Djokovic’s regression continues. I picked Federer to win this match on part because I wasn’t buying into Novak. And the result somewhat confirms my belief that maybe he doesn’t have that DNA needed to stay on top like Federer, Pete Sampras and even Nadal who I think has it but his body fails him. Which for me is too bad because Novak’s got a game that’s up their with the greats. The head isn’t.
Perhaps Novak’s just an entertainer, a showman like Andre Agassi was. Not a GOAT candidate as some have made him out to be based on last year. Might he be happy being the second guy, or the third or the garbage man, collecting titles when his rivals don’t play or are upset? If you watched his post match interview on court with Mary Jo Fernandez one would have thought he had won the match! He looked darn happy and sounded satisfied.
To be fair, though, Novak’s actually been shouting from the rooftops all season that he cannot repeat 2011. It’s almost like he’s been predicting his downfall. But from a sporting point of view, if that’s your mindset, your belief, that you can’t repeat greatness, then how do you ever expect be great? Maybe that was never his goal.
Sean Randall
Was Nole's 2011 A Total Fluke?
posted on 21/8/12
His stamina was out of this world last year.
Nobody could outlast him. Nobody.
This from the guy who used to be a weakling before.
posted on 21/8/12
He out-nadaled Nadal. LOL.
posted on 21/8/12
edooem, you can't expect 40+ winning streaks each year.
I believe Nole made genuine breakthrough due to his his health and once he was top of the pile it is harder to hold onto that than to get there.
It's completely disrespectful of his achievements to accuse him of this same as some of the nole/fed fans accuse Nadal of the same sort of thing.
posted on 21/8/12
The article might be a wumfest but he makes salient points.
Something is not quite right with DJoker. Maybe he doesn't want it enough
posted on 22/8/12
Haha its refreshing to see Djoker accused of taking PEDs instead of Nadal for once!
Other than this debate I think I agree that 2011 was a fluke by Djokovic and I think that he will end up with 8 or 9 Grand Slams!Nadal will be on 14 or 15 and Federer will end up with 20 Grand Slams!
posted on 22/8/12
"How does ped helps in improving serve or forehand return or saving match points?"
There are rumours flying around about Djokovic,but apart from his form there isnt really much one can go on,certainly not as much evidence thats links Nadal to doping.thing is,if youre going to be suspicious about a certain player then you have to be open to the possibility that any athlete cold be doping,including Federer or Djokovic
Theres no way Djokovic is on steroids,not even steroids that don't contains growth hormones.If hypothetically he was doping,it would likely be endurance PED's along the lines of Clenbuterol or EPO or something similar
These kinds of PEDs are very popular with cyclist and other endurance sports,so while they may not help add pace your serve,it can certainly improve the endurance aspect of your game.As someone already mentioned his stamina was out of this world,no one could outlast him,the relentless serving and dominating ruthlessly with his forehand for hours on end getting better and better with each lengthy rally instead of running out of steam
Djokovic credits his improvement to changing his diet,could be true as it has some substance to it,ask anyone body builder,they will tell you the diet is everything,but his weight loss could also be down Clenbuterol
He definitely uses something,whether its a banned substance or legal,I dont know how else he would manage to win a match like then AO final and semi final back to back one pure adrenalin alone
posted on 22/8/12
He was inhuman in 2011 and we know one way of making that happen
He has stopped taking PEDs this year and look what happens Throwing his racket all over the place, breaking chairs, whacking balls away - Cold turkey anybody?
posted on 24/8/12
Maksi,
What good for the goose
Ive always been sceptical about his "superhuman year"
After his AO exploites against 'Murray and Rafa', there could only be one possible reason how he could have won that GS
posted on 24/8/12
He definitely uses something,whether its a banned substance or legal,I dont know how else he would manage to win a match like then AO final and semi final back to back one pure adrenalin alone
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Totally agreed with you. But there will always be grey areas, if you watch triathlon, I was surprised to see their strength and endurance. Nole's endurance is not impossible to achieve.
Another thing which goes in Nole's favour is that he has never had suspicious offs from the tour unlike Nadal.
posted on 25/8/12
TMF being off-tour does not make him suspicious!
He is missing US Open due to knee injury!