"There are lots of mistakes to be made in tennis and Novak makes the fewest of them." Amen. So rarely does he make the wrong shot selection and rarely does he not execute. He was too passive in RR play and made too many predictable trades with Sinner which actually made him vulnerable to Sinner's BH down the line weapon as u said Gill. Thanks again.
So I am so so proud to be a Novak fan!!!!! I knew he would overtake Sinner after the defeat. Sinner ist going to win a slam vor sure. Such an interresting young player.... He is not an arrogant beauty like some other..... He got though this process of development Brave enough to change this coach!!!! one word on Zverev heads up!!!!!!!! Good to see you back !!!!!!!
The GOAT debate is well and truly over. The Greatest Athelete debate will linger on with Novak occupying the highest pedastal and solidifying it with his recurrent victories.
it was the hardest atp finals. All of the 8 participants won at least one Master 1000. Moreover, we had 4 winners (Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Zverev and Djokovik).
Winning Monte Carlo or Rome doesn't prepare you for these fast indoor conditions! . I think ATP needs to level the playing field a little bit. Make Beijing or shanghai, Vienna or Basel or Bercy fast but Turin should not be this fast. US open hard court speed is perhaps the optimum and fair for all 8 participants.
@@krishnaramachandran7722 if we are to look at what the 4 achieved, you can say that it is the hardest. If we strictly refer to atp finals, Nadal won none and Murray only one. Plus there was an imbalance between the 4 and the rest.
@@PythonicMindsetMost of the reason Nadal and Murray didn’t win more is because of Federer and Djokovic in their primes. Nadal lost to Federer in the semis in 2006 and 2007. Nadal beat Djokovic and Murray but lost to Federer in 2010, then beat Federer but lost to Djokovic in 2013. Nadal would have at least 2 ATP Finals titles, maybe 3-4 without Djokovic and Federer there. I don’t understand why people make the claim that Federer is a “top 5 clay courter ever” with one title because he played in the same era as Nadal, but Nadal doesn’t get the same treatment for playing against possibly the two best indoor hard court players of all time?
@@SJ-di5zuNobody said Nadal is not a top 5 grass and hard player. Djokovic and Federer are not as good as Nadal on clay, just like Nadal isn't as good as Djokovic and Federer on hard and grass
What a great win for Djokovic! As if what he was doing this year already wasn't historic enough, he adds the final feather in his cap by winning his 7th year-end championship. After seeing the match vs. Alcaraz, I just knew that Novak winning against Sinner was all but inevitable. With the emergence of Sinner and Djokovic going nowhere, it will not get any easier for either Alcaraz and Medvedev next year. Let's see how they both will respond and what improvements they make over the off-season. In terms of Novaks greatest seasons, it goes: 1. 2015 2. 2011 3. 2023 4. 2021 Novaks 2015 season was statistically the greatest season in tennis history. The Serb won 3 slams, made all 4 slam finals(losing the FO final to Stan Wawrinka), won 6 master 1000s, made 8 master 1000 finals, won the YEC, reached 15 consecutive finals and was number 1 the entire year. Moreover, he accumulated the highest point total in a season in ATP history. 2011 was pretty impressive in its own right. 3 grand slam victories, a FO semi, 5 master 1000 titles, 43 match winning streak, and 10-1 vs Fedal were the major highlights. If not for Djokovic petering out after the USO and having a lackluster Asian and indoor swing, this would have taken the top spot. 2023 was not only impressive because of the 3 slams, 4 slam finals, 2 masters and YEC. It was a marvel how Novak did this at 36 years old and overcame young and hungry great talents almost half of his age. Had Djokovic won the Wimbledon final, 2023 would be a strong contender for best season. 2021 is very similar to the 2023 season. Novak won 3 slams and made the final of the other(flip Wimby with the USO). He also won the Paris Masters. Djokovic arguably beat better players to win his slams(peak Zverev and Medvedev to win the AO, Nadal + peak Tsitsipas to win the FO and peak Zverev to reach the USO finals). Where 2021 falls short to the current year is one less master 1000 and semifinal showing at the YEC. Novaks "what if" seasons: 2020- What started out as a great year winning the ATP Cup, AO and Dubai became a nightmarish one. Covid took the world by storm and the tour was momentarily halted. Wimbledon 2020(where Djokovic would have been the heavy favorite) was cancelled. What made matters worse was the default at the USO. Nadal did not enter due to covid and Djokovic was the heavy favorite. Djokovic won masters at Cincinnati and Rome and would go on to lose to an unplayable Nadal in the FO. Had covid not interferred, we'd likely be looking at another 3 slam year for Novak. 2022- Considered as one of the most controversial seasons in the history of tennis, a healthy and fit Djokovic was deported from the Australian Open. The Serb was the 3 time defending champion at the time. To add injury to insult, Novak was unable to compete in the USO that year due to covid travel mandates. Considering Medvedev was below par and Nadal knocked out early at the USO, this very well may have been another 3 slam year for Djokovic.
Just curious: How many people think Alcaraz's #1 ranking last year was almost completely due to restrictions on Djokovic because he wouldn't submit to vaccine bullying, plus the lack of ratings points from Wimbledon? If Joker had just gotten the 2000 points from Wimbledon, he would have almost caught up to Alcaraz, and that without being able play the Australian Open, the U.S. Open, the Sunshine Double, and the pre-U.S. Open tournaments. Alcaraz is a great player, and I believe that he will eventually achieve a fully deserved #1 ranking. But last year's "accomplishment" AND his U.S. Open championship both have asterisks. (To be fair, Djokovich's Wimbledon championship last year should also have an asterisk because the Russians couldn't play, and Nadal's Australian Open championship last year should have an asterisk because Joker couldn't play.)
@@jacobschmidt2709 Probably none, but Medvedev is always a legitimate threat, plus last year Rublev was better then anyone Joker beat on his way to the championship.
Everyone who are thinking and speaking with open minds…those are facts I think he will never reach No1 place if they didn’t sabotage Novak….I truly believe that….
One thing I noticed Novak doing that the "big forehands" don't do - changing up the spin on his groundstrokes. There was one point early in the second set where in order he hit a "normal" topspin forehand, then a Rafa-esque looper that Sinner had to hit above well above head level, then finished the point with a flat crosscourt that practically skimmed off the court. Take a note of how many of Sinner's errors were off-center on his racquet, mostly due to misjudging the incoming spin on deep balls.
Thank you for bringing this up! I was going to comment on that. Somehow, all Djokovic opponents have a bad day when facing him across the net! Their FH does not work, their serve does no click, their return is not as sharp, too many "unexplained" unforced errors, ...
@@sidmeerut417Federer and Nadal undeniably had more variety. Nadal was literally known for changing up his spins, and both had great slices. Djokovic has made great strides on that front, but Federer and Nadal have/had ridiculous variety off both wings.
@@SJ-di5zu I don't know what you are on but nadal is a known grinder and moonballer with little variety apart from changing spins, thats why he preferred clay, he was remarkably consistent though and federer sort of had a one dimensional game from bh wing with weak bh which was always limited and consistently exploited by Djokovic and Nadal. What I'm saying is stated by best coaches ever like Nick Bolletieri [over 50 years of experience], Patrick Mouratoglou etc., just type it on google and find it out through their statements, try thinking objectively soketimes my friend, apart from changing spins Novak consistently changed angles, directions and subtly changed tempo, shot pace, and type from both wings throughout his career especially after 2011 thats how he became GOAT, the most complete player.
His skill, his mental fortitude, his adaptability to court surfaces, his homework on opponents’ weaknesses, his depth and accuracy, his court coverage, his self-discipline to diet and lifestyle, his defense and anticipation, his ability to learn from mistakes are all things we should appreciate about the player, Novak Djokovic, and many have become accustomed to his greatness. His stats speak for themselves. They are staggering. But what doesn’t get said enough is his off court personality, charitable efforts, his charisma, his love for his family and team, his concern for lower ranked players, hence the PTPA, his gracious attitude, his willingness to praise other players and their achievements. Too often we hear the negative smearing of his image by MSM propaganda that seek to tarnish his reputation by cherry picking his moments of frailty or rage like racquet smashing, and shirt ripping. Truth is Djokovic is a great ambassador and gentleman of the game. This never gets said enough. Everyone concedes that his tennis is outstanding. But his humanity and integrity to stand up for what he believes to be morally right and not complying to injust laws that barred him from play. His ability to overcome adversity time and time again. This is what makes him a greater champion than Nadal and Federer. I love Nadal and Federer as tennis geniuses, but they are media managed and lack the moral integrity and bravery of Djokovic!
This is indeed such an insightful comments! To build on, he always gives credit to his opponents, winning or losing (it is actually not easy to do so esp after a tough loss). His interviews are always insightful, intelligent and authentic. After his first defeat of Sinner years ago, he also offered advice on where Sinner could work on. He loves his country, his family did not change citizenship when offered opportunity to move to UK. The list can go on and on. It is just inspiring
I think the 2020 RG beatdown at the hands of Nadal has served Djoker well in the long run. Despite the successes from 2nd half 2018-2020, he was still very skinny and extremely underpowered on the forehand side. His gameplay still heavily relied on his 2015-2016 dominance centered rally tolerance foundation. The beatdown forced him to put on the extra weight and retool the forehand. That with the continually improving serve and variety has made 21-23 djoker a superior version to 18-20 djoker, and the more explosive forehand and serving will help combat the effects of age.
@@comradeivan9326I don't think he didn't play his best in RR on purpose, it's probably more that the loss to Sinner and the possibility of elimination made him sharper and more motivated.
Meddy said 2 days back that the level of the top 5-6 is there with Novak. It's not completely wrong. But the truth is that Novak stays at that level 90% of the match whereas other players have couple of perfect games and that's it!
I can't believe that this channel doesn't have more subscribers. Gil's analysis is always thoughtful, detailed, and interesting. Moreover, his delivery is smooth and copacetic; and unlike so many other channels nowadays, he doesn't pollute his videos with annoying, distracting, looped background techno-trash muzak.
Crazy how Federer in 2017 was seen as elite for 35/36. Yes he had a great year, but Novak has outdone him tremendously. Fed lost to Del Potro in the US Open then Goffin at the ATP finals. No one has been as good as Djokovic at 36.
@@mikemoggerson6651 You're right, it's amazing what Novak has been able to achieve at 36. Take nothing away from Federer's achievements. Both players are an inspiration, but there can only be one GOAT and that's Novak.
Gill. Thanks for your great job. I am italian and a Sinner fan since he was a kid. I think that, at the end of the match Jannik should have asked Nole : " how much I owe you for the tennis lesson?" Novak is Jannik's model of player and I am sure he will take this defeat the way it must be taken: another unique lesson and another step towards the kind of player he's trying to become in the next future.
He has a great attitude, always wanting to learn and improve..I've followed him since he won the next gen finals, not sure why, I'm from the UK, it was just something about him, his persona, and his strokes. Then Carlos had his meteoric rise and people actually started writing Jannik off. A rival podcast suggested he had reached his ceiling a year ago, which was just a ridiculous to say about a 21 year old as he was then. They have had to eat a bit of humble pie these last few weeks.
Gill, the highest compliment I can pay you is this: every time I listen to your astute analysis of the game, I feel like my own tennis IQ gets multiplied. You really are a gem of an observer and student of the game. I always learn something new from you each and every time. And you are always measured and fair in your observations. Even just growing my knowledge of terminology that you so eloquently elucidate. I now like to use the phrase "shot or rally tolerance, spot serving, hitting targets, etc." to sound a little more sophisticated, lol. Great insights as always for the Final between Djokovic and Sinner. Aside from the remarkable 1st and 2nd serve stats by Djokovic that you mentioned, I have to re-emphasize your comments that Djokovic won this match because he realized he wasn't rushing and making Sinner feel uncomfortable enough from the baseline. How do you neutralize Sinner's power game? Hit harder, with more depth and move your opponent from left to right by employing more down the line shots both on the FH and BH. Easier said than done. Hitting harder pays the price of making more errors, but Novak knows his margins and limits and executed a higher risk game plan b/c well, he's Novak. All that added muscle mass has helped him with his own power game. He's conceded a bit of flexibility and defensive speed, but he also counters that with better anticipation and reading the game of his opponent. Anyways, great analysis as always Gill. And I liked the coffee /tennis metaphor of "absence of defect". Not a sexy term, but it is an apt metaphor.
It is hard to quantify just how spectacular this season was for the great Novak Djokovic. It was the greatest beat down of the Next Gen ever going 17-4 against the top 10 this year. 36 years old and this dude wins 55 out of his 61 matches he played this year. He won 3 out of 4 slams he played and save for a couple of missed chances, he just missed Wimbledon. 27-1 in grand slam competition this year and 14-2 in M1000 tournaments with wins in Paris and Cincinnati He breaks Federer s record with his 7th YE title and he tied Federer with his 71st hard court title He also just notched his 71st Big title which is an incredible contrast to Federer who had 103 career titles but only 54 Big titles. Novak has 98 career titles with his 71 Big titles He enters 2024 defending 2250 points down under but has a lead over alcaraz of 2390 points. Assuming he does well down under, he could hold number until the clay court season since he has no points to defend in Indian Wells and Miami where he has dominated in the past 2024 will see more records fall as he’s only 9 match wins shy of breaking Federers record of most Grand slam match wins and only 8 matches shy of breaking Rafas record of most M1000 match wins! Most importantly, he needs 1 GS title to break the record he shares with Margaret court for most grand slam titles Novak is number 1 all time on the men’s side for most GS titles, final appearances and semi final appearances. He trails Fed by just 1 GS quarter final appearances! Also, 2024 will see Novak approach and perhaps pass Federer for career titles as Fed is number 2 all time with 103 Novak has won 7 out of the last 12 Grand Slams and he didn’t even play in 2 of them With his conditioning and ever improving game, he looks to be dominate at least through 2025 and no less than 3 more GS slams!
Djokovic became more powerful this year, bigger, stronger and more muscular. That makes a huge difference in his case, and when he feels the ball you cant do anything, on any surface. He was hitting, on average, faster than Sinner and Alcaraz. I noticed some bombs of 160+ km/h. This is similar to the 2011 power output. He is way steonger than his pre 2023 versions, even more powerful than in 2015. This also adds to the quality and speed of his serve and to his defence. The pace of the ball has increased a lot, and i meab a LOT since last year. The inly thing that is not the same as before is his stamina, but that is understandable at 36. This sf and final is just the second time we are seeing this new mode that he has this year, ever since AO in January. Novak is saving his best for the next year, to lure that coward from Mallorca, so he can get the opporrunity to settlw some depts and also for that clay olympics so he can be safe there on slow clay with thia new found power. Djokovic should have been like this his entire career. I hate the skinny vegan version of Djokovic, its just bs. This is the real Novak. Just pure power and strength.
No trypio Its that diet and some of his meticulous routines that helped preserve his body. Greens, fruits, sea food etc help by reducing the inflammations caused by the oxidative stress animal diet puts on the body. Amazing way to slower the body's aging process is to add more organic greens, fruits and sea food. Now that he is more prone to injuries at post 35+ yrs, he has gone back to his usual diet and put on muscles when he actually needs them to (unlike a younger body that is more flexible naturally) protect his joints, oblique and limbs. Master planning by THE GOAT to maximize his potential. I am a vegetarian from atleast 5 generations and may be more (that i am aware of) and i look at least 10 yrs younger than my actual age. Even I have added aome sea foods to supplement my body's needs that occur naturally due to slower rejuvenation and recovery of the body💁♂️ Not saying it suits everybody but i think it suited GOAT well.
There is also certain negative trade off is that because of that extra muscle weight, he became somewhat less "light" and more "heavy on the legs" like Nadal and thus it affected his mobility and ability to charge faster towards the ball to dig more difficult ones! Before he gained muscle he used to dig every ball, every drop shot, reply with effective passing shot on every volley etc...ever since muscle gain it became rarity...he is also way easier to wrong foot now and catch off guard because of that...the positives are obviously faster and stronger serves, faster and stronger groundstrokes especially on the forehand side and even more powerful and effective volleys (at least easier ones...he puts them away better than he used to in the old days...), the only thing left unchanged - oveheads! They are as bad as they used to be unfortunately...
@@Summon256 Well you have to give some, to get some right 🙂 . Djokovic cant just dig out balls vs someone like Alcaraz or Sinner, they would kill him. Just look what they are doing to these pushers like Medvedev and Zverev. Sure, these now old gen will get a win or two here and there v new gen, but new gen has already takken over and started to dominate them. Also, the biggest reason in my oppinion Djokovic lost to Nadal these couple of recent clay matches, particulary those FO losses, was due to him lacking power to hit through the FO slow courts. And he didnt have that weakness before. He was stronger even in 2015 for clay. At faster hc, yes, Nadal stands no chancez v any form of Novak, but for clay, Djokovic need to take charge, and now he definitelly can do that. And Djokovic isnt at his best when he is playing passive defence, he can, but thats not his best option. Contrary to what some uneducated tennis people think, he is not like Murray, Medvedev, Zverev. He needs to hug the baseline and take the ball early, that is when he is at his best, and to do that he needs power. Djokovic is an all court agressive baseliner with great defense, as well as offense, not a defensive counterpuncher. But if pusher by opponent, he can defend. So balansing this is important for Novak's game. And in these two last matches of the ATP finals, he found the perfect ballance. Had he returned this way at Wimby, which he didnt, he would have won it no problem.
@@jokelot5221 Fair enough...man i still have nightmares about that 2nd set tie-break at the Wimbledon, a few bad misses turned into winners and he could have taken 2-set lead, which would change the whole dynamic of the match immediately...dammit! Here's hoping he learned his lessons from that...
Novak's forehand doesn't get the love that it deserves, and I think people are just starting to realize how good his serve is, which has been underrated for years. He has been hitting his forehand big all year, starting in Australia.
Whenever anybody mentions Novak's best matches they mention 2019 AO off the top, and rightly so, because he played great and it was a Gslam final. But I personally think the greatest tennis I have ever seen a human being play was Djokovic/Nadal Doha 2016 to take the head to head lead. I've never seen anything like that. Even Nadal said after the match I've never seen anybody play tennis at this level.
Gill, I listen to other tennis podcasts and commentary but I can honestly say that your tennis knowledge, analytical insight, and use of data leaves the others standing. And I haven't heard anyone else compare tennis to coffee 😄 On the tournament, I thought it was a great week. I am a massive Sinner fan and I'm really proud of his recent improvements; he is now in the conversation very near the top of the game. But I don't think anyone was beating Novak yesterday.
Yes also a credit to his rivals who keep improving and pushing Novak. Maybe Novak had 1 more year in him, but I can't see a 38 year old dealing with the gruelling outdoor conditions.
Look, I'm a huge fan of Fed and Rafa (though to be clear, I was NEVER a Nole hater), but Nole is just "The PERFECT Tennis Player" - the perfect combination of skill, athleticism, tennis IQ, and mental toughness. Nole stands above all others in tennis the same way Michael Jordan did in basketball, and like MJ did throughout his career, Nole is always adding things to his game and quickly masters the skill. It's like every single thing Nole does on the tennis court is top level (well, except overheads, but they're not awful anymore), and nobody has ever been tougher mentally and executed in pressure situations better than this guy. It's just awesome to watch Nole dominate tennis even 20 years into his career. Nole is truly "One of a Kind"!
This may appeal to a casual fan, and not someone like Gill.. but it would be interesting to chart out a hypothetical path/ march towards 109+ titles for Novak. How can he get there? What has to go right? How many years? How many tournaments ?Surely Novak has an eye on it ?
@jacobschmidt2709 Apsolutly...Nadal is the king of clay... But don't forget...Novak is one of only two players who ever beat Nadal at RG and only one who beat him twice...Also Novak is the only player who beat Nadal in the finals of all three ATP1000 on clay: Rome, Madrid, and Monte Carlo... Roger never beat Nadal at RG, nor in other finals on clay....
I feel like this is bc since 2021 Djokovic feels like he has a good chance of beating Nadal at RG. pre-2021 he was still the favorite at three of the four slams.
@@Ultimate.Tennis Novak has felt he has a chance against Rafa since 2007 only. But he wasn't able to show that on the court. 2013 was his best chance and he choked. It's always been close but Rafa always had the edge. Tables turned since 2015. 2020 RG was just a shit show but since 2021 Novak is the favourite against Rafa irrespective of where they play!
It's Olympics next year. Feels like yesterday when Novak had the perfect 7 months in 2021 and then 2 heartbreaking defeats to Sasha and Meddy. The ultimate goal is in his sights and he can retire at this time next year❤
haha i love that intro music is back :) yes Novak did a great job, he is great champion and man. we are blessed to live in his era. I followed him since 2011. All important records are to his name now. Let's see what he will prepare for 2024.
This match reminded me of the AO final against Tsitsipas . Tsitsipas’ forehand was dominant in the previous rounds yet come final , Djokovic’s forehand quality was just too good that he keeps coughing up errors on that side. The serving was unplayable too.
Novak was brutal in these conditions. His serve has improved so much, his return is still the best in the world, and from the baseline he can hang with or outmatch anyone still. That’s an impossible combination to beat. Alcaraz could hang with him on the return and baseline somewhat, but was outserved, and honestly in these conditions it was harder for him to get enough power. Djokovic redirected all his shots; props to him for that. In the final, I didn’t feel like Sinner played a great match overall. He was fine, but it was easily his worst match of the week. But it was also a much better Djokovic who dominated the serve/return dynamic.
Hey Gill - Novak is just beyond superlatives at this point in '23. TOTALLY AGREE Nole - the 1st & 2nd serve, the forehand, the backhand, the depth, the pace, the power , his lateral & foot movement & the placement.- just more aggresive PERIOD! In the SF & F, Nole just took time away from Carlos & Jannick. After the 1-2-3 matches of these kinds of tourneys, Nole just hitz his groove - THE ZONE and takes it up...way up! Look out '24! Nole's coming! Just unstoppable! Thanx Gill. Best, Milan
Absence of defect! How I like when you find new words for the greatest player ever. 🎉 Until he won, players make mistake, this ther, all they’re here, they’re over there, because of this because of that. Million excuses. But Gil you are okay how other how others treat him!
1st time listening to you gill. I will be listening again .. So many great insights.. especially the 2nd serve placements of novak to janniks forehand....
This year was arguably as dominant as 2011 or 2015 for Djokovic, five losses, one to a non top-10 player, three major finals and Tour Finals won in straight sets, one set from the grand slam. Simply absurd dominance.
You should watch Doha 2016 Final with Nadal, please , and let's hear your thoughts. Maybe you have watched it, but would like to hear your thoughts. That one goes up there with AO 2019.
I think Djokovic himself was more balanced in his review. He said that he was feeling less energy coming from the other side and he was able to press. The key word is "and". It was not that one was caused by the other. Sinner had a bad day AND Djokovic played so well. It is not unheard when a first time finalist meets the greatest.
I feel like you can point to any players today, or from the past, and they would all have a weakness (Fed, Rafa included). Technical, mental, physical issues, or not really excelling on x and y surfaces. Whether it's being too passive, too agressive, tactically one dimensional, a weak backhand, a clunky volley, forehand too spinny, or not spinny at all, court positioning, bad defense, average serve..anything. Just look at the top 10. Alcaraz' serve is not very good, he can be rushed, his forehand can be broken down on fast courts. Medvedev cant attack well, can only return from the back. Sinner doesnt have enough variety, doesnt have a good slice, not a great volleyer, has a very error prone game. Rublev cant defend from the corners, no open stance backhand, tactically one dimensional. Tsitsipas backhand..we all know. Zverev not a great volleyer, a bit one dimensional, forehand is too loopy, problems with second serve. Rune's forehand is inconsistent, needs more variety in his game. Hurkacz relies too much on defending, cant attack consistently, not a great forehand. Fritz has a one dimensional game, not a great mover/defender. Ruud's backhand is a clear weakness. Except from his inconsistent overhead, Novak doesnt have any weakness in his game technically, and more importantly, at the things he is very good at, he is better than 90% of everyone else. That's why he has so much buffer, so much room to improve throughout a match, or a tournament, even if he is not at his best, making too many mistakes. Same applies to his tactical repertoire, variety, his weapons. He can do anything with you. Can step back and defend the heck out of you, can step forward and take everything on the rise. Has the best return, and one of the best serves at the moment. He can play loopy, spinny balls, he can flat it out, change directions easily, kill short balls like no one else, can serve and volley effectively, and his movement is outstanding. He can be beaten, but you will ALWAYS have a hard time coming out as a winner, even if he is at 50-60% capacity.
Can't believe that after being superhuman in this match, Nole was struggling against Sinner one more time in the Davis Cup's semi-final. Is it due to Sinner's credit or Nole just couldn't maintain his god-like level in such an important match (at least for him it is)?
Thanks Gil for your insight and passion for the game, and for saluting excellence! 👏🏼 Will we see you in Melbourne for Aus Open 2024? Would be great to see you down under!
For me the difference was Sinners Serve! Novak served just as well as he did on Tuesday, however Sinner didn't play his service games as good as he did on Tuesday also when he got his chance in the second set he made too many unforced errors where as on Tuesday he took his chances! That said Novak has been my fav player for years however as an Italian I actually wanted Sinner to win! Another difference was that Novak was the first to change direction in the rallies where as on Tuesday thought Sinner was doing it more!
After USO i have written the following for Djokovic's targets for the then next 12 months: 1.Ronal Garros for completing 4 times at least all slams 2a. Monte Carlo for completing 3 times at least all 1000s. 2b. Equally important as the above, Wimbledon for equalizing the Roger's tournament record. 4. AO to extend his record in slams but with a very possible side effect as well (if not primarily for this). If Nole wins AO I believe that Rafa will not come back. 5a. US Open, in case he wins the three first slams for the year (very demanding and difficult) to complete calendar grand slam. 5b. If not, the Olympic Games to win a medal for Serbia. 7. ATP Final for the absolute record. 8. 1st in the ranking at the end of the year. 9. 400+ weeks as no.1. 10. If he wins 3+ tournaments in the coming 12 months, he will target the RF record of tournament wins in 2025. Regarding targets 10-7, mission accomplished (in fact, in relation to target no.10 he is going faster). The hybrid of GOAT-WOLF is moving up the "ladder"
@@lawdogwales5921 The hunt of GGS destroyed the CGS 2.5 year ago. The schedules for 2024 are as below: RG 26/5-9/6 W 1/7-14/7 OG 27/7-4/8 USO 26/8-8/9 This means in 3.5 months 4 big events to be won. I believe it is not feasible if the usual well known opponents are fit. Even the GOAT needs to set priorities.
Hey Gill : I was thinking Janniks win in the group stages over Novak was detrimental to his chances of winning the final against him. Do you think that the loss motivated Novak even more to do better or would it have been the same result if they had played and Novak won it in 3 in the group stages?
Come on Gill don't read stats like news no excitement these matches you will miss in future these comparisons you will miss in future. It will never happen when the legend of the sport retires
Great analysis, as always. I think it was masterclass, a set and a half it looked like he is semi god, then the crowd started to irritate him, and it caused problems, he started to miss first service and volleys. After beating Nadal in Doha and AO easily, this was his best performance in semifinals and finals.
If D.H. Adams is still alive his "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" would have a new trilogy of books about universe (in this case tennis universe) and its creator: 1. Some of the greatest Novak's mistakes 2. More about Novak's greatest mistakes and 3. Who is that Novak, anyway. Absence of defects is a very old concept and it used to be called perfection, we don't need coffee analogy to understand that. And Novak's perfection is earned by learning and evolving, just like in any other cases of people who were example of "absence of defects". However, perfection or absence of defects is an illusive concept, one to not have it ever but strive to it always. Closest you can be to perfection is to understand that, and Novak does. He is not perfect, he is not example for absence of defects, he is just the guy who placed more pieces in his puzzle of perfection than anybody else in the world by hard work, determination and superior intelligence. And he will continue to uncover more pieces because that is what he does. This is the message of Novak's career that is making him such a good potential role model to anyone in any aspect of life and it is not wise to neglect it. We live in a world of cutting angles, searching for shortcuts, finding easy ways, putting 40 grams of sugar into our coffees to mask the reality. One doesn't become neither great nor successful in whatever he/she is doing by doing that, by always learning to evolve one might have. That is probably the most underrated and underappreciated legacy Novak Djokovic is sharing with us. He is not absence of defects, he is work in progress. When you think about it, which of these words you think might be of a more use to all of us? Absence and defect, or work and progress?
Definitely one of those bulldozer performances by Djokovic, at least in that first set. The match it reminded me of was the first two sets Djokovic played against Federer at the 2016 Australian Open.
What does Novak Djokovic have in common with a good cup of coffee? Make sure you stick around for the last segment of the show to find to out.
Like a good cup of anything that’s absent of defect 👍
Finally no spoiler alert...thank you
"There are lots of mistakes to be made in tennis and Novak makes the fewest of them." Amen. So rarely does he make the wrong shot selection and rarely does he not execute. He was too passive in RR play and made too many predictable trades with Sinner which actually made him vulnerable to Sinner's BH down the line weapon as u said Gill. Thanks again.
Akin to a good cup of coffee, my man gives a good kick to those that are still half-asleep, and need waking up??
So I am so so proud to be a Novak fan!!!!!
I knew he would overtake Sinner after the defeat.
Sinner ist going to win a slam vor sure.
Such an interresting young player....
He is not an arrogant beauty like some other.....
He got though this process of development
Brave enough to change this coach!!!!
one word on Zverev heads up!!!!!!!!
Good to see you back !!!!!!!
The GOAT debate is well and truly over.
The Greatest Athelete debate will linger on with Novak occupying the highest pedastal and solidifying it with his recurrent victories.
it was the hardest atp finals. All of the 8 participants won at least one Master 1000. Moreover, we had 4 winners (Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Zverev and Djokovik).
Winning Monte Carlo or Rome doesn't prepare you for these fast indoor conditions! . I think ATP needs to level the playing field a little bit. Make Beijing or shanghai, Vienna or Basel or Bercy fast but Turin should not be this fast. US open hard court speed is perhaps the optimum and fair for all 8 participants.
I think any field that included Novak, Roger, Rafa and Andy on their prime was perhaps the toughest
@@krishnaramachandran7722 if we are to look at what the 4 achieved, you can say that it is the hardest. If we strictly refer to atp finals, Nadal won none and Murray only one. Plus there was an imbalance between the 4 and the rest.
@@PythonicMindsetMost of the reason Nadal and Murray didn’t win more is because of Federer and Djokovic in their primes. Nadal lost to Federer in the semis in 2006 and 2007. Nadal beat Djokovic and Murray but lost to Federer in 2010, then beat Federer but lost to Djokovic in 2013. Nadal would have at least 2 ATP Finals titles, maybe 3-4 without Djokovic and Federer there.
I don’t understand why people make the claim that Federer is a “top 5 clay courter ever” with one title because he played in the same era as Nadal, but Nadal doesn’t get the same treatment for playing against possibly the two best indoor hard court players of all time?
@@SJ-di5zuNobody said Nadal is not a top 5 grass and hard player.
Djokovic and Federer are not as good as Nadal on clay, just like Nadal isn't as good as Djokovic and Federer on hard and grass
What a great win for Djokovic! As if what he was doing this year already wasn't historic enough, he adds the final feather in his cap by winning his 7th year-end championship. After seeing the match vs. Alcaraz, I just knew that Novak winning against Sinner was all but inevitable. With the emergence of Sinner and Djokovic going nowhere, it will not get any easier for either Alcaraz and Medvedev next year. Let's see how they both will respond and what improvements they make over the off-season.
In terms of Novaks greatest seasons, it goes:
1. 2015
2. 2011
3. 2023
4. 2021
Novaks 2015 season was statistically the greatest season in tennis history. The Serb won 3 slams, made all 4 slam finals(losing the FO final to Stan Wawrinka), won 6 master 1000s, made 8 master 1000 finals, won the YEC, reached 15 consecutive finals and was number 1 the entire year. Moreover, he accumulated the highest point total in a season in ATP history.
2011 was pretty impressive in its own right. 3 grand slam victories, a FO semi, 5 master 1000 titles, 43 match winning streak, and 10-1 vs Fedal were the major highlights. If not for Djokovic petering out after the USO and having a lackluster Asian and indoor swing, this would have taken the top spot.
2023 was not only impressive because of the 3 slams, 4 slam finals, 2 masters and YEC. It was a marvel how Novak did this at 36 years old and overcame young and hungry great talents almost half of his age. Had Djokovic won the Wimbledon final, 2023 would be a strong contender for best season.
2021 is very similar to the 2023 season. Novak won 3 slams and made the final of the other(flip Wimby with the USO). He also won the Paris Masters. Djokovic arguably beat better players to win his slams(peak Zverev and Medvedev to win the AO, Nadal + peak Tsitsipas to win the FO and peak Zverev to reach the USO finals). Where 2021 falls short to the current year is one less master 1000 and semifinal showing at the YEC.
Novaks "what if" seasons:
2020- What started out as a great year winning the ATP Cup, AO and Dubai became a nightmarish one. Covid took the world by storm and the tour was momentarily halted. Wimbledon 2020(where Djokovic would have been the heavy favorite) was cancelled. What made matters worse was the default at the USO. Nadal did not enter due to covid and Djokovic was the heavy favorite. Djokovic won masters at Cincinnati and Rome and would go on to lose to an unplayable Nadal in the FO. Had covid not interferred, we'd likely be looking at another 3 slam year for Novak.
2022- Considered as one of the most controversial seasons in the history of tennis, a healthy and fit Djokovic was deported from the Australian Open. The Serb was the 3 time defending champion at the time. To add injury to insult, Novak was unable to compete in the USO that year due to covid travel mandates. Considering Medvedev was below par and Nadal knocked out early at the USO, this very well may have been another 3 slam year for Djokovic.
Thanks for the in-depth review.
Well said Jacob 🤝👌
👍
Just curious: How many people think Alcaraz's #1 ranking last year was almost completely due to restrictions on Djokovic because he wouldn't submit to vaccine bullying, plus the lack of ratings points from Wimbledon? If Joker had just gotten the 2000 points from Wimbledon, he would have almost caught up to Alcaraz, and that without being able play the Australian Open, the U.S. Open, the Sunshine Double, and the pre-U.S. Open tournaments.
Alcaraz is a great player, and I believe that he will eventually achieve a fully deserved #1 ranking. But last year's "accomplishment" AND his U.S. Open championship both have asterisks. (To be fair, Djokovich's Wimbledon championship last year should also have an asterisk because the Russians couldn't play, and Nadal's Australian Open championship last year should have an asterisk because Joker couldn't play.)
What Russian was beating Djokovic at Wimbledon?
@@jacobschmidt2709 Probably none, but Medvedev is always a legitimate threat, plus last year Rublev was better then anyone Joker beat on his way to the championship.
Carlitos is great but he didn't deserve to be no.1, jet
Get over it dude...
Everyone who are thinking and speaking with open minds…those are facts I think he will never reach No1 place if they didn’t sabotage Novak….I truly believe that….
One thing I noticed Novak doing that the "big forehands" don't do - changing up the spin on his groundstrokes. There was one point early in the second set where in order he hit a "normal" topspin forehand, then a Rafa-esque looper that Sinner had to hit above well above head level, then finished the point with a flat crosscourt that practically skimmed off the court. Take a note of how many of Sinner's errors were off-center on his racquet, mostly due to misjudging the incoming spin on deep balls.
yep more variety in Novak's game than aggressive baseliners like Sinner, Federer, Medvedev, Nadal, Wawrinka etc.
Thank you for bringing this up! I was going to comment on that. Somehow, all Djokovic opponents have a bad day when facing him across the net! Their FH does not work, their serve does no click, their return is not as sharp, too many "unexplained" unforced errors, ...
@@sidmeerut417Federer and Nadal undeniably had more variety. Nadal was literally known for changing up his spins, and both had great slices. Djokovic has made great strides on that front, but Federer and Nadal have/had ridiculous variety off both wings.
@@SJ-di5zu I don't know what you are on but nadal is a known grinder and moonballer with little variety apart from changing spins, thats why he preferred clay, he was remarkably consistent though and federer sort of had a one dimensional game from bh wing with weak bh which was always limited and consistently exploited by Djokovic and Nadal. What I'm saying is stated by best coaches ever like Nick Bolletieri [over 50 years of experience], Patrick Mouratoglou etc., just type it on google and find it out through their statements, try thinking objectively soketimes my friend, apart from changing spins Novak consistently changed angles, directions and subtly changed tempo, shot pace, and type from both wings throughout his career especially after 2011 thats how he became GOAT, the most complete player.
His skill, his mental fortitude, his adaptability to court surfaces, his homework on opponents’ weaknesses, his depth and accuracy, his court coverage, his self-discipline to diet and lifestyle, his defense and anticipation, his ability to learn from mistakes are all things we should appreciate about the player, Novak Djokovic, and many have become accustomed to his greatness. His stats speak for themselves. They are staggering.
But what doesn’t get said enough is his off court personality, charitable efforts, his charisma, his love for his family and team, his concern for lower ranked players, hence the PTPA, his gracious attitude, his willingness to praise other players and their achievements.
Too often we hear the negative smearing of his image by MSM propaganda that seek to tarnish his reputation by cherry picking his moments of frailty or rage like racquet smashing, and shirt ripping. Truth is Djokovic is a great ambassador and gentleman of the game. This never gets said enough. Everyone concedes that his tennis is outstanding. But his humanity and integrity to stand up for what he believes to be morally right and not complying to injust laws that barred him from play. His ability to overcome adversity time and time again. This is what makes him a greater champion than Nadal and Federer. I love Nadal and Federer as tennis geniuses, but they are media managed and lack the moral integrity and bravery of Djokovic!
What a superb comment. 🙏❤️🎾
This is indeed such an insightful comments! To build on, he always gives credit to his opponents, winning or losing (it is actually not easy to do so esp after a tough loss). His interviews are always insightful, intelligent and authentic. After his first defeat of Sinner years ago, he also offered advice on where Sinner could work on. He loves his country, his family did not change citizenship when offered opportunity to move to UK. The list can go on and on. It is just inspiring
Great comment! Novak is a hero for all seasons!
BULLSEYE 🎯 Thank you for your lucid insight 💪🏻🏆🤗
@@rosaliewright4226supserb
I think the 2020 RG beatdown at the hands of Nadal has served Djoker well in the long run. Despite the successes from 2nd half 2018-2020, he was still very skinny and extremely underpowered on the forehand side. His gameplay still heavily relied on his 2015-2016 dominance centered rally tolerance foundation. The beatdown forced him to put on the extra weight and retool the forehand. That with the continually improving serve and variety has made 21-23 djoker a superior version to 18-20 djoker, and the more explosive forehand and serving will help combat the effects of age.
It would be interesting to know Djokovic’s weight in 2019-2020 vs. his current weight. It seems his legs are thicker now
@@minzhang3758 Novak has the best legs in tennis!
Novak team went back to the drawing board and really prepared Novak ...so wow those guys work hard
You can have the best tactics in the world if he was not able to execute. But he does, and that makes him the GOAT.
It is really up to the player to execute the plan ..if he cannot , all that hard work is a waste
The drawing board said: just serve like a maniac, you'll be fine
he played RR casually, he did not give his best and instead did that in SF/F
@@comradeivan9326I don't think he didn't play his best in RR on purpose, it's probably more that the loss to Sinner and the possibility of elimination made him sharper and more motivated.
Meddy said 2 days back that the level of the top 5-6 is there with Novak. It's not completely wrong. But the truth is that Novak stays at that level 90% of the match whereas other players have couple of perfect games and that's it!
I can't believe that this channel doesn't have more subscribers. Gil's analysis is always thoughtful, detailed, and interesting. Moreover, his delivery is smooth and copacetic; and unlike so many other channels nowadays, he doesn't pollute his videos with annoying, distracting, looped background techno-trash muzak.
The best tennis analysis
Too liberal and pc but not bad
Masterful performance and an amazing achievement. You deserve this victory Novak. Simply the GOAT! ✨🐐❤🇷🇸💪
Crazy how Federer in 2017 was seen as elite for 35/36. Yes he had a great year, but Novak has outdone him tremendously. Fed lost to Del Potro in the US Open then Goffin at the ATP finals. No one has been as good as Djokovic at 36.
@@mikemoggerson6651 You're right, it's amazing what Novak has been able to achieve at 36. Take nothing away from Federer's achievements.
Both players are an inspiration, but there can only be one GOAT and that's Novak.
Novak Djokovic turned the "GOAT debate" into a DJOKE.
😂😂😂
Gill. Thanks for your great job. I am italian and a Sinner fan since he was a kid. I think that, at the end of the match Jannik should have asked Nole : " how much I owe you for the tennis lesson?" Novak is Jannik's model of player and I am sure he will take this defeat the way it must be taken: another unique lesson and another step towards the kind of player he's trying to become in the next future.
Sinner is super humble and that is why he has improved so much as he is willing to improve.
He has a great attitude, always wanting to learn and improve..I've followed him since he won the next gen finals, not sure why, I'm from the UK, it was just something about him, his persona, and his strokes. Then Carlos had his meteoric rise and people actually started writing Jannik off. A rival podcast suggested he had reached his ceiling a year ago, which was just a ridiculous to say about a 21 year old as he was then. They have had to eat a bit of humble pie these last few weeks.
That is how big matches with Fed and Rafa shaped Novak, now this guys can shape themselves by Novak for the future ….
Gill, the highest compliment I can pay you is this: every time I listen to your astute analysis of the game, I feel like my own tennis IQ gets multiplied. You really are a gem of an observer and student of the game. I always learn something new from you each and every time. And you are always measured and fair in your observations. Even just growing my knowledge of terminology that you so eloquently elucidate. I now like to use the phrase "shot or rally tolerance, spot serving, hitting targets, etc." to sound a little more sophisticated, lol. Great insights as always for the Final between Djokovic and Sinner.
Aside from the remarkable 1st and 2nd serve stats by Djokovic that you mentioned, I have to re-emphasize your comments that Djokovic won this match because he realized he wasn't rushing and making Sinner feel uncomfortable enough from the baseline. How do you neutralize Sinner's power game? Hit harder, with more depth and move your opponent from left to right by employing more down the line shots both on the FH and BH.
Easier said than done. Hitting harder pays the price of making more errors, but Novak knows his margins and limits and executed a higher risk game plan b/c well, he's Novak. All that added muscle mass has helped him with his own power game. He's conceded a bit of flexibility and defensive speed, but he also counters that with better anticipation and reading the game of his opponent.
Anyways, great analysis as always Gill. And I liked the coffee /tennis metaphor of "absence of defect". Not a sexy term, but it is an apt metaphor.
It is hard to quantify just how spectacular this season was for the great Novak Djokovic.
It was the greatest beat down of the Next Gen ever going 17-4 against the top 10 this year.
36 years old and this dude wins 55 out of his 61 matches he played this year. He won 3 out of 4 slams he played and save for a couple of missed chances, he just missed Wimbledon. 27-1 in grand slam competition this year and 14-2 in M1000 tournaments with wins in Paris and Cincinnati
He breaks Federer s record with his 7th YE title and he tied Federer with his 71st hard court title
He also just notched his 71st Big title which is an incredible contrast to Federer who had 103 career titles but only 54 Big titles. Novak has 98 career titles with his 71 Big titles
He enters 2024 defending 2250 points down under but has a lead over alcaraz of 2390 points. Assuming he does well down under, he could hold number until the clay court season since he has no points to defend in Indian Wells and Miami where he has dominated in the past
2024 will see more records fall as he’s only 9 match wins shy of breaking Federers record of most Grand slam match wins and only 8 matches shy of breaking Rafas record of most M1000 match wins!
Most importantly, he needs 1 GS title to break the record he shares with Margaret court for most grand slam titles
Novak is number 1 all time on the men’s side for most GS titles, final appearances and semi final appearances. He trails Fed by just 1 GS quarter final appearances!
Also, 2024 will see Novak approach and perhaps pass Federer for career titles as Fed is number 2 all time with 103
Novak has won 7 out of the last 12 Grand Slams and he didn’t even play in 2 of them
With his conditioning and ever improving game, he looks to be dominate at least through 2025 and no less than 3 more GS slams!
Djokovic became more powerful this year, bigger, stronger and more muscular. That makes a huge difference in his case, and when he feels the ball you cant do anything, on any surface. He was hitting, on average, faster than Sinner and Alcaraz. I noticed some bombs of 160+ km/h. This is similar to the 2011 power output. He is way steonger than his pre 2023 versions, even more powerful than in 2015. This also adds to the quality and speed of his serve and to his defence. The pace of the ball has increased a lot, and i meab a LOT since last year. The inly thing that is not the same as before is his stamina, but that is understandable at 36. This sf and final is just the second time we are seeing this new mode that he has this year, ever since AO in January. Novak is saving his best for the next year, to lure that coward from Mallorca, so he can get the opporrunity to settlw some depts and also for that clay olympics so he can be safe there on slow clay with thia new found power. Djokovic should have been like this his entire career. I hate the skinny vegan version of Djokovic, its just bs. This is the real Novak. Just pure power and strength.
No trypio
Its that diet and some of his meticulous routines that helped preserve his body. Greens, fruits, sea food etc help by reducing the inflammations caused by the oxidative stress animal diet puts on the body. Amazing way to slower the body's aging process is to add more organic greens, fruits and sea food.
Now that he is more prone to injuries at post 35+ yrs, he has gone back to his usual diet and put on muscles when he actually needs them to (unlike a younger body that is more flexible naturally) protect his joints, oblique and limbs.
Master planning by THE GOAT to maximize his potential. I am a vegetarian from atleast 5 generations and may be more (that i am aware of) and i look at least 10 yrs younger than my actual age. Even I have added aome sea foods to supplement my body's needs that occur naturally due to slower rejuvenation and recovery of the body💁♂️
Not saying it suits everybody but i think it suited GOAT well.
There is also certain negative trade off is that because of that extra muscle weight, he became somewhat less "light" and more "heavy on the legs" like Nadal and thus it affected his mobility and ability to charge faster towards the ball to dig more difficult ones! Before he gained muscle he used to dig every ball, every drop shot, reply with effective passing shot on every volley etc...ever since muscle gain it became rarity...he is also way easier to wrong foot now and catch off guard because of that...the positives are obviously faster and stronger serves, faster and stronger groundstrokes especially on the forehand side and even more powerful and effective volleys (at least easier ones...he puts them away better than he used to in the old days...), the only thing left unchanged - oveheads! They are as bad as they used to be unfortunately...
@@Summon256 Well you have to give some, to get some right 🙂 . Djokovic cant just dig out balls vs someone like Alcaraz or Sinner, they would kill him. Just look what they are doing to these pushers like Medvedev and Zverev. Sure, these now old gen will get a win or two here and there v new gen, but new gen has already takken over and started to dominate them. Also, the biggest reason in my oppinion Djokovic lost to Nadal these couple of recent clay matches, particulary those FO losses, was due to him lacking power to hit through the FO slow courts. And he didnt have that weakness before. He was stronger even in 2015 for clay. At faster hc, yes, Nadal stands no chancez v any form of Novak, but for clay, Djokovic need to take charge, and now he definitelly can do that. And Djokovic isnt at his best when he is playing passive defence, he can, but thats not his best option. Contrary to what some uneducated tennis people think, he is not like Murray, Medvedev, Zverev. He needs to hug the baseline and take the ball early, that is when he is at his best, and to do that he needs power. Djokovic is an all court agressive baseliner with great defense, as well as offense, not a defensive counterpuncher. But if pusher by opponent, he can defend. So balansing this is important for Novak's game. And in these two last matches of the ATP finals, he found the perfect ballance. Had he returned this way at Wimby, which he didnt, he would have won it no problem.
@@jokelot5221 Fair enough...man i still have nightmares about that 2nd set tie-break at the Wimbledon, a few bad misses turned into winners and he could have taken 2-set lead, which would change the whole dynamic of the match immediately...dammit! Here's hoping he learned his lessons from that...
"To lure that coward from Mallorca!!!" 😂😂😂😂😂 ROFLMAO 😂😂😂😂
Novak's forehand doesn't get the love that it deserves, and I think people are just starting to realize how good his serve is, which has been underrated for years. He has been hitting his forehand big all year, starting in Australia.
The first set and a half felt like a Djokovic-tiebreak. I guess the fast courts allows him to do be in that mode for longer.
😂😂😂
Whenever anybody mentions Novak's best matches they mention 2019 AO off the top, and rightly so, because he played great and it was a Gslam final. But I personally think the greatest tennis I have ever seen a human being play was Djokovic/Nadal Doha 2016 to take the head to head lead. I've never seen anything like that. Even Nadal said after the match I've never seen anybody play tennis at this level.
Gill, I listen to other tennis podcasts and commentary but I can honestly say that your tennis knowledge, analytical insight, and use of data leaves the others standing. And I haven't heard anyone else compare tennis to coffee 😄 On the tournament, I thought it was a great week. I am a massive Sinner fan and I'm really proud of his recent improvements; he is now in the conversation very near the top of the game. But I don't think anyone was beating Novak yesterday.
Notice how Novak raises his level as he progresses during any tournament
Yes also a credit to his rivals who keep improving and pushing Novak. Maybe Novak had 1 more year in him, but I can't see a 38 year old dealing with the gruelling outdoor conditions.
Look, I'm a huge fan of Fed and Rafa (though to be clear, I was NEVER a Nole hater), but Nole is just "The PERFECT Tennis Player" - the perfect combination of skill, athleticism, tennis IQ, and mental toughness. Nole stands above all others in tennis the same way Michael Jordan did in basketball, and like MJ did throughout his career, Nole is always adding things to his game and quickly masters the skill. It's like every single thing Nole does on the tennis court is top level (well, except overheads, but they're not awful anymore), and nobody has ever been tougher mentally and executed in pressure situations better than this guy. It's just awesome to watch Nole dominate tennis even 20 years into his career. Nole is truly "One of a Kind"!
Good comment🤞
@@move3spaces246 Thanks. Though I will admit to hating Nole just a little right after he snatched Wimbledon 2019 away from Fed...🤣
This may appeal to a casual fan, and not someone like Gill.. but it would be interesting to chart out a hypothetical path/ march towards 109+ titles for Novak. How can he get there? What has to go right? How many years? How many tournaments ?Surely Novak has an eye on it ?
Every year since the turn of the decade, 2020-23 feels that if Novak plays all 4 slams in his best shape, he has a chance for a grandslam!
Novak already achieved slam, Novak-slam, holding all 4 G trophies at the same time... The order you do that is of less importance, but he did that...
I agree with most of this with the exception of Nadal at RG.
@jacobschmidt2709 Apsolutly...Nadal is the king of clay... But don't forget...Novak is one of only two players who ever beat Nadal at RG and only one who beat him twice...Also Novak is the only player who beat Nadal in the finals of all three ATP1000 on clay: Rome, Madrid, and Monte Carlo... Roger never beat Nadal at RG, nor in other finals on clay....
I feel like this is bc since 2021 Djokovic feels like he has a good chance of beating Nadal at RG. pre-2021 he was still the favorite at three of the four slams.
@@Ultimate.Tennis Novak has felt he has a chance against Rafa since 2007 only. But he wasn't able to show that on the court. 2013 was his best chance and he choked. It's always been close but Rafa always had the edge. Tables turned since 2015. 2020 RG was just a shit show but since 2021 Novak is the favourite against Rafa irrespective of where they play!
It's Olympics next year. Feels like yesterday when Novak had the perfect 7 months in 2021 and then 2 heartbreaking defeats to Sasha and Meddy. The ultimate goal is in his sights and he can retire at this time next year❤
He shouldn't retire until 40 atleast.
if he wins 4 gs and an olympic gold, i don’t think he will retire lol, he says he’ll retire when these youngsters beat his ass
@@naurrrrethen next year cos alcaraz will win every slam next year..
@@jonbonesmahomes7472 lol
That Sasha loss was one of his biggest chokes. Not sure what happened there
haha i love that intro music is back :) yes Novak did a great job, he is great champion and man. we are blessed to live in his era. I followed him since 2011. All important records are to his name now. Let's see what he will prepare for 2024.
Since "Alcaraz's era"was declared after Wimbledon,Djokovic won every single tournament that he played. He is really enjoying being in that era..😂
Also a Novak fan since 2011. It's been a great 13 years!
When Djokovic is hunting for history, he is dangerous.
Wow!!! Fantastic analysis. Loved the closing words. Really good analogy 🙂
This match reminded me of the AO final against Tsitsipas . Tsitsipas’ forehand was dominant in the previous rounds yet come final , Djokovic’s forehand quality was just too good that he keeps coughing up errors on that side. The serving was unplayable too.
Novak was brutal in these conditions. His serve has improved so much, his return is still the best in the world, and from the baseline he can hang with or outmatch anyone still. That’s an impossible combination to beat. Alcaraz could hang with him on the return and baseline somewhat, but was outserved, and honestly in these conditions it was harder for him to get enough power. Djokovic redirected all his shots; props to him for that.
In the final, I didn’t feel like Sinner played a great match overall. He was fine, but it was easily his worst match of the week. But it was also a much better Djokovic who dominated the serve/return dynamic.
Hey Gill - Novak is just beyond superlatives at this point in '23. TOTALLY AGREE Nole - the 1st & 2nd serve, the forehand, the backhand, the depth, the pace, the power , his lateral & foot movement & the placement.- just more aggresive PERIOD! In the SF & F, Nole just took time away from Carlos & Jannick. After the 1-2-3 matches of these kinds of tourneys, Nole just hitz his groove - THE ZONE and takes it up...way up! Look out '24! Nole's coming! Just unstoppable! Thanx Gill. Best, Milan
Absence of defect!
How I like when you find new words for the greatest player ever. 🎉
Until he won, players make mistake, this ther, all they’re here, they’re over there, because of this because of that. Million excuses.
But Gil you are okay how other how others treat him!
In these past few years, all sports have seen the best players level up with age. LeBron, Brady, Novak, Hamilton, Messi, Kohli
😅 CR7
@@MrLongTommymessi>>>>>>>
these millennials (except brady) are hard to die
How many world cup Kohli won
@@kingnole4237 1
Gil Gross is PISSED, he downplayed Djokovic ALL year.
No he did not
That coffee analogy was really great, Gill. I love your match analysis, keep up the great work, it's appreciated.
1st time listening to you gill.
I will be listening again ..
So many great insights.. especially the 2nd serve placements of novak to janniks forehand....
Gill in the thumbnail always looks like hes trying to enjoy the present but deep down is terrified of whats to come
This year was arguably as dominant as 2011 or 2015 for Djokovic, five losses, one to a non top-10 player, three major finals and Tour Finals won in straight sets, one set from the grand slam. Simply absurd dominance.
It's 4 major finals
It's 6 losses, not 5 but i get the sentiment...
@@Summon256 Yes, forgot that he played that clay 250 and lost to Laovic.
@@Mekzy007 I was referring to how many he won in straight sets.
@@joshforde698 Alright
You should watch Doha 2016 Final with Nadal, please , and let's hear your thoughts. Maybe you have watched it, but would like to hear your thoughts. That one goes up there with AO 2019.
I think Djokovic himself was more balanced in his review. He said that he was feeling less energy coming from the other side and he was able to press. The key word is "and". It was not that one was caused by the other. Sinner had a bad day AND Djokovic played so well. It is not unheard when a first time finalist meets the greatest.
Thanks Gill great analysis ❤🇨🇦
Djokovic has no hole in his game
Brick wall
Novak points on Grand Slams and Nitto finals 8500, Alcaraz whole season 8455
Hahah, great point!
@vjekoslavproic496 your wrong but it’s ok
@@colethomas903 7200+ 1300 and it was more a joke than anything else, i love Carlitos
Seventh heaven for Djokovic!
I feel like you can point to any players today, or from the past, and they would all have a weakness (Fed, Rafa included). Technical, mental, physical issues, or not really excelling on x and y surfaces. Whether it's being too passive, too agressive, tactically one dimensional, a weak backhand, a clunky volley, forehand too spinny, or not spinny at all, court positioning, bad defense, average serve..anything. Just look at the top 10. Alcaraz' serve is not very good, he can be rushed, his forehand can be broken down on fast courts. Medvedev cant attack well, can only return from the back. Sinner doesnt have enough variety, doesnt have a good slice, not a great volleyer, has a very error prone game. Rublev cant defend from the corners, no open stance backhand, tactically one dimensional.
Tsitsipas backhand..we all know. Zverev not a great volleyer, a bit one dimensional, forehand is too loopy, problems with second serve. Rune's forehand is inconsistent, needs more variety in his game. Hurkacz relies too much on defending, cant attack consistently, not a great forehand. Fritz has a one dimensional game, not a great mover/defender. Ruud's backhand is a clear weakness. Except from his inconsistent overhead, Novak doesnt have any weakness in his game technically, and more importantly, at the things he is very good at, he is better than 90% of everyone else. That's why he has so much buffer, so much room to improve throughout a match, or a tournament, even if he is not at his best, making too many mistakes. Same applies to his tactical repertoire, variety, his weapons. He can do anything with you. Can step back and defend the heck out of you, can step forward and take everything on the rise. Has the best return, and one of the best serves at the moment. He can play loopy, spinny balls, he can flat it out, change directions easily, kill short balls like no one else, can serve and volley effectively, and his movement is outstanding. He can be beaten, but you will ALWAYS have a hard time coming out as a winner, even if he is at 50-60% capacity.
Novak's display was reminiscent of the 2019 Australian Open final, where he beat Nadal in straight sets
Can't believe that after being superhuman in this match, Nole was struggling against Sinner one more time in the Davis Cup's semi-final. Is it due to Sinner's credit or Nole just couldn't maintain his god-like level in such an important match (at least for him it is)?
Bro talk abourt crowd unfair disturbance during Novak's serve in the 2nd set 3-2 game .
“Absence of defect”, so few words that says so much.
Thanks Gil for your insight and passion for the game, and for saluting excellence! 👏🏼
Will we see you in Melbourne for Aus Open 2024? Would be great to see you down under!
Novak team made sure he worked on our to beat Sinner those guys work very hard well done 👍 Novak Gill thank you 🙏 great work 👏👏👏👏🎉🎉❤️❤️
For me the difference was Sinners Serve! Novak served just as well as he did on Tuesday, however Sinner didn't play his service games as good as he did on Tuesday also when he got his chance in the second set he made too many unforced errors where as on Tuesday he took his chances! That said Novak has been my fav player for years however as an Italian I actually wanted Sinner to win! Another difference was that Novak was the first to change direction in the rallies where as on Tuesday thought Sinner was doing it more!
After listening to this here I am on my way to Dunkin Donuts! 😂
After USO i have written the following for Djokovic's targets for the then next 12 months:
1.Ronal Garros for completing 4 times at least all slams
2a. Monte Carlo for completing 3 times at least all 1000s.
2b. Equally important as the above, Wimbledon for equalizing the Roger's tournament record.
4. AO to extend his record in slams but with a very possible side effect as well (if not primarily for this). If Nole wins AO I believe that Rafa will not come back.
5a. US Open, in case he wins the three first slams for the year (very demanding and difficult) to complete calendar grand slam.
5b. If not, the Olympic Games to win a medal for Serbia.
7. ATP Final for the absolute record.
8. 1st in the ranking at the end of the year.
9. 400+ weeks as no.1.
10. If he wins 3+ tournaments in the coming 12 months, he will target the RF record of tournament wins in 2025.
Regarding targets 10-7, mission accomplished (in fact, in relation to target no.10 he is going faster).
The hybrid of GOAT-WOLF is moving up the "ladder"
I am most excited to see 1, 2b and 5b. CGS would be too crazy.
@@jornwend3959I do agree, but for some reason I want to see 2a as well.
Golden Slam baby!
@@lawdogwales5921 The hunt of GGS destroyed the CGS 2.5 year ago.
The schedules for 2024 are as below:
RG 26/5-9/6
W 1/7-14/7
OG 27/7-4/8
USO 26/8-8/9
This means in 3.5 months 4 big events to be won. I believe it is not feasible if the usual well known opponents are fit. Even the GOAT needs to set priorities.
@@ipsa-uae9050 It's tough but doable.
Sinner did not have enough carrots.
Thanks Gill
Right on time I am hitting the road and you uploaded MMA 😁👍🏻
Beautiful metaphor at the end man- and that was from a fan of js
Would have been surprised if Sinner had managed to take a set ...
Hahaha I love the end about the coffee 😂
8:20 funny enough I said the same thing (that it was the first time he looked human) but it was after he hit the tape on the passing forehand dtl
Finaly we can see his coach job. Good job Goran.
Professional analysis. Excellent! ❤
The best way to beat him is to let him win indefinetely and he will get bored
Very pumped that you’re also into coffee, during this match I was making very James Hoffman inspired lever shots! True story! Amazing crossover
What a breakdown of the match! You are so meticulous with dissection of performance!
Sinner's tragedy: He probably would have won the tournament if he had lost his last game in the group stage...
There was a person named Goldwolf who used to write trash a few years ago!!! I wonder where is he now
Until 2022 he was active, it seems like this year he is too depressed to appear anywhere 😂
Cofeeokovic so....or Djocoffevic..lol
Zivela Srbija, Novak i Tesla.
Hey Gill : I was thinking Janniks win in the group stages over Novak was detrimental to his chances of winning the final against him.
Do you think that the loss motivated Novak even more to do better or would it have been the same result if they had played and Novak won it in 3 in the group stages?
Come on Gill don't read stats like news no excitement these matches you will miss in future these comparisons you will miss in future. It will never happen when the legend of the sport retires
Amazoni GILL. congrats. Wow what the data shows these days it’s amazing. Practically it reveals Djokovic tactics. Good work gill.
One of my absolute favorite monday match analysis videos
Wow. Great analysis! Plus an analysis of your analysis ("absence of defunct"). Just so interesting and smart.
May I add one small observation to your commentary: It contained very few, if any (in my very amateurish opinion) defects. Cheers👍
Great analysis, as always. I think it was masterclass, a set and a half it looked like he is semi god, then the crowd started to irritate him, and it caused problems, he started to miss first service and volleys. After beating Nadal in Doha and AO easily, this was his best performance in semifinals and finals.
How does Novak use his racket to help with his balance and moment? Will other players try to learn this?
Heavy racquet 🎾 he has they say
Many of HATERS, do not realize that Nole thrives on such situations!!!😂😊😅
Very Good analysis as ever 😊 luv to watch your podcasts 👌
An other big deception for jaleous and haters. Because it's give more drive to nole, thinks to all uncle tony of world.
I think Novak should find someone his age, instead of ranting and torturing kids! 😂😂
Rafa will be back soon.
Love your coffee analogy!
I’ve started hitting the slice second serve more than the kick to copy Nole 😂
why Djokovic has Communist CHina flag? wtf
The coffee analogy - awesome 👌
Most success since 2016 i think
Yeah, absence of defect, except a shitty crash I get afterwards and then I have another one. Gotta quit that shit.
Like in advance on this one Gill ! Half way through.
Djokovic brought science, to the tennis court.
finally gill is back to making error-less takes! missed this gill
Sinner is 6' 2". Gill said he's 6'4" and i had to look up immediately as he does not look so tall. Tsitsipas is probably 6'4"
I just wrote Gill to say the same. Sinner is 6'2 and Tsitsipas is about 6'3
Thank you so much Gill, loved this!
Love your analysis. Many thanks.
GOAT !!!
What a year for No1et! 🐐🇷🇸💪
Absence of defects - love it!
I love your smile!
If D.H. Adams is still alive his "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" would have a new trilogy of books about universe (in this case tennis universe) and its creator: 1. Some of the greatest Novak's mistakes 2. More about Novak's greatest mistakes and 3. Who is that Novak, anyway. Absence of defects is a very old concept and it used to be called perfection, we don't need coffee analogy to understand that. And Novak's perfection is earned by learning and evolving, just like in any other cases of people who were example of "absence of defects". However, perfection or absence of defects is an illusive concept, one to not have it ever but strive to it always. Closest you can be to perfection is to understand that, and Novak does. He is not perfect, he is not example for absence of defects, he is just the guy who placed more pieces in his puzzle of perfection than anybody else in the world by hard work, determination and superior intelligence. And he will continue to uncover more pieces because that is what he does.
This is the message of Novak's career that is making him such a good potential role model to anyone in any aspect of life and it is not wise to neglect it. We live in a world of cutting angles, searching for shortcuts, finding easy ways, putting 40 grams of sugar into our coffees to mask the reality. One doesn't become neither great nor successful in whatever he/she is doing by doing that, by always learning to evolve one might have. That is probably the most underrated and underappreciated legacy Novak Djokovic is sharing with us. He is not absence of defects, he is work in progress. When you think about it, which of these words you think might be of a more use to all of us? Absence and defect, or work and progress?
Definitely one of those bulldozer performances by Djokovic, at least in that first set. The match it reminded me of was the first two sets Djokovic played against Federer at the 2016 Australian Open.