Djokovic Edges Alcaraz in Thrilling Cincinnati Final | Monday Match Analysis
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- Опубліковано 30 чер 2024
- On this week's Monday Match Analysis, Gill unpacks what was a gem of a final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. We'll talk about what made the match so special to watch, then we'll discuss the interesting physical developments on both sides of the net, Djokovic's point shortening skills, Djokovic's 2nd serve strategy and some of his other keys to success in the match. Then, we'll break down Alcaraz's tactics and weigh their effectiveness.
00:00 Intro
01:40 Match Summary
04:50 Physical Developments
14:35 Djokovic Serves & Volleys
17:00 2nd serve strategy
21:45 Other Djokovic Success
26:24 Alcaraz Tactics
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Novak wins the longest ATP Masters final in history. Novak also won the longest grandslam final in 2012. GOAT!
Simply the best, better then all the rest.
Technically, the longest atp masters final is Rome 2006 where nadal beat federer in 5 sets, in over 5 hours. So this djokovic win would be the longest best-of-three atp masters final
And the longest Wimbledon final as well 🙂
Djokovic is more than great sportsman,he is living legend whose mentality,diet and living should be studied...
Alcaraz is playing better tennis than anyone so far. That's why what Novak is doing is even more worthy of respect and admiration.
“…what Novak is doing at 36 is even more worthy of respect and admiration.”
well said indeed.
Not the case in Canada and Cincinnati
@@ErnestoLopez-kr8zl eh eh eh
Novak plays with so much discipline.
The best match of the year
Congratulations djokovic for the title winning🏆🐐👑👏🎾❤️
Wimbledon final?
@@Srednicki123that was a garbage match compared
@@Andres-qm1xxgarbage? Lol
@@Andres-qm1xxThis is the saltiest cope of all time. Go troll somewhere else man. I’ve never seen someone obsessively hate on a 20 year old this much.
@@Srednicki123Novak's first serve was off. Best matches are when both are top shape.
Nobody's talking about the mental toughness of Djokovic making 3 double faults in a row and an unforced error to give away a break when he was already a set down, and to come back and win the set by saving a championship point.
Whats there to talk about..both are mentally so tough..
Proved so many times already..
Carlos also saved championship point
So many match points saved. What a match !
You are making it sound like he did it on purpose.
If Djokovic did not pretend to be sick Alcaraz would have won in 2 sets. Like Wimbledon he tried to break Carlos’s focus. In a 5 setter it would not have worked. The guy has nailed how to play dirty. Props to him, but this is the same reason he will never be considered to GOAT (except to vaccine nut jobs)
This was a HUGE psychological battle that Djokovic won. He needed this win to show Alcaraz he was still here and that the Carlitos era was not about to start. It was also their first battle on a hard court i.e. Djokovic's best surface. Alcaraz had already beaten him on clay and grass. He needed the boost BADLY to stop Alcaraz from running away with the H2H. That's why he gave EVERYTHING he had to win. This match reminded me so match of his match w Nadal in that AO12 final, the longest GS match in history. It was a physical and mental battle where both players felt the pain. But in the end, experience beat youth. I think Djokovic drew from those battles with Nadal to get him over the line. Makes the USO final prospect tantalising if it's anything like this.
Longest GS final*. Isner - Mahut lasted just a little longer.
Agreed. But its hard for Djoco to keep wiining against Alcaraz. Man this boy is strong.. I am a huge Djoco Fâ... but we need to be aware lol
@@thibautsprengers54in one stretch. Over days isn't the same endurance--not even close.
I also felt this match was a statement win for Novak.
I found it the most similar to the match against Medvedev at the WTF last year.
That was a match didn’t need to win, he’d already qualified and could have taken a straight set dive and still won the tournament. Daniil was going home regardless.
But Djokovic wanted that win for pride, the H2H and mental advantage going into the 2023 season.
This was similar! Novak came to Cincinnati to get some matches under his belt but then finds himself in the final against Carlos, down a set and a break and looking done and dusted physically.
His pride came to the forefront and wanted this win to level the H2H, avenge that Wimbledon loss and send a message ahead of the US Open.
Unbelievable match.
The clay win doesnt count match because Djokovic was returning from half year or more away. A month or 2,3 weeks before that tournament Djokovic was bageled almost by Rublev and was working to return to game and he suprisingly went to very good level but far from Djokovic level.
Djokovic is like a seasoned marathon runner he always has the big picture and how to manage energy physically and mentally God bless him!!!
Novak doesn't play the best tennis. Absolutely true. But he finds a way to win. For over a decade,, irrespective of the surface, opponent, form, conditions. What a champion ❤
Every tennis player from this last generation try to model their game after Novak . He is the most complet player ever. So, he plays the best tennis
Atrocious way of playing
@@dumitriuradu8481you mean 23GS, 39 M1000 way to win?
Go cry 😂
@@franciscoesteves1561 I don't think it's meant as an insult, he just means he plays safe and doesn't have the big shots some of the more aggressive players have. But tennis is as much about consistency as it is about having the weapons so despite this, he's still the most successful tennis player in men's tennis. He doesn't have the big shots, but he's got a big ❤.
@@franciscoesteves1561Federer plays better tennis if strokes are used to measure but the total strokes have more inconsistency and errors especially at critical moments.
Depends what you consider as measure.
Overall championship is a full project
If you want someone to understand and get into Tennis, you just show that person this whole match.
Mental toughness, fighting spirit, passion, drama, epic ball exchanges on the highest level possible and gratitude, respect for each others game and challenge they brought.
An epic battle for the ages and glad i am watched it and witnessed it.❤🙏
Great effort by both players. Two gladiators leaving it all on the court. Congratulations Nole, simply the GOAT!
Goat federer not dependent on "magic" potions and iron man plates
@@maximesteinebrunner9941lol why say that
@@maximesteinebrunner9941cry more fedals
@@maximesteinebrunner9941 lol Cry more.
@@naysayer1238 wouldn't have a problem with him if he didn't act so arrogant on court bro its just so unnecessary
Match was amazing. Congratulations Nole 👏🏆🐐❤️🔥🇷🇸
Novak is really right about himself! “ I have a wolf like attitude “ when the sun goes down He comes up…
A tight wolf then 😆😆😆
He is the Wolf.
Great point 😅 but the tennis explanation is the ball doesn't bounce as high so a heavy topspin shot becomes less effective like in AO night conditions
Cringe overload
Real question is why is anybody forced to play in 38 degrees, it's like 60 degrees in sun !
I've watched tennis for years and years, and I can confirm that this was the best 3 set match of all time. Was a gift to behold.
I would go for the 2009 semi final in madrid between nole and rafa
What about Nadal- Djokovic Madrid 2009, Federer-Kyrgios Miami 2017, Djokovic - Thiem atp finals 2019, Murray-Nadal atp finals 2010, etc., etc., etc.. Indeed, that was the great match, but history of tennis has seen a number of great matches (and that was one of them), so don't exaggerate please🙂
Better than 09 Madrid?
@@user-kf7bo6sv9fI agree that it’s recency bias.
But this match will still go up there in that top tier with those matches.
@@ditplm agreed! Great match!
The matches between these two is becoming one of the best story lines in tennis history! The luck we have to see this happen almost immediately after the "Big 3" story line has ended!
Yes, Novak has played Rafa 59 times (30-29), played Roger 50 times (27-23), played Andy 36 times (25-11), AND now has played Daniil 14 times (9-5), played Alexander 12 times (8-4), played Dominic 12 times (7-5), played Stefanos 13 times (11-2), and played Carlos 4 times (2-2). May Novak and Carlos play 15 matches, mostly finals.
@shawnberry9335 if he plays Carlos 15 times, it will be something like 13-2 for Novak. Now he knows how to defeat Alcaraz y will do it always.
We should be very grateful to witness these battles between Carlos and Novak. Carlos wants the sceptre, but Novak will not cede it without a titanic struggle. The U.S. Open will be a huge disappointment if we do not see a five set version of this match. I'm a Nole diehard fan, but I have huge love and respect for Carlos. Just amazing tennis and humanity displayed during the speeches. Completely agree with you Gill about this match making me appreciate and loving this sport.
🎉👏👏👏👍🙏
My sentiments exactly! Thank you!😊
Great to see real friendship between Carlos and Novak, unlike Roger who was salty loser hardly shaking hands at the end and calling Novak lucky .
@@ja-kl8rg When did that happen? Serious question...Never saw Roger this salty...
@@mireafelder81942011 us open and all their early matches
Congratulations Novak. Goat without Question.
it was a great match with such incredible swings if i could decide both deserved to win but congrats novak you are a fighter
Two great warriors and one wonderful match. What an epic battle!
A privilege to watch a battle like this. Both Djokovic and Alcaraz are simply, out of this world.
This one brought me back to the times I started watching tennis. It felt like I was watching one of those Novak-Nadal gladiator fights, both of them wanting it, deserving it and both of them denying the other. Pure joy.
What A match!
Congrats to both.
Novak is for me the God of tennis.
Yes.. me too felt same bro..
The best match l have ever experienced congratulations Novak your the greatest 👏👏👏❤️❤️🥇🇬🇧
Federer era thaught us how great tennis can be played while looking effortless.... Novak,Rafa and from now on Alcaraz give us the perception how many bounderies an elite athlete can break...
I watched whole match and it finished 3:45AM for me, but I couldn't go to bed leaving without knowing the result, in the end I got my wish and Novak out clutches Alcaraz. Amazing match, roller-coaster match.
I think Djokovic doesn't have a heat problem - as shown by his AO performances...
...he has a humidity problem.
Japan Olympics! Whereas Melbourne is a dry heat.
Great game today. Great speeches. Great sportsmanship. Totally brilliant! 👍🙂👍
@M how can u say that when he played all 7 matches at night this year and for the last few years he barely plays during the day why because he can’t handle Heat it’s been proven time and time again
@@colethomas903What I can't understand is that why would they start the final at 4:30. Why not start at 7? Early finals never make sense to me! That would always help Novak if every GS and Master's 1000 final starts at 7.
@S so again we are suppose to bow down to 1 player needs ?
kind of like the AO did this year where all Novak matches were at the same time it had never been done before just like Rafa at Rome playing all day matches in Rome
This is preferential treatment
Not saying you’re wrong, but at Melbourne he almost exclusively plays at night and directly asks for night matches. Djokovic does have issues with heat and he knows it.
@@colethomas903 Primetime has the most viewership and atmosphere is the best in the evening. It makes so much sense for those factors alone to have the 7 pm final. AO 2012 was the best in history because it started at 9 pm and ended at 3 am. People are shopping, running errands at 3 pm on Sunday. By 7, activities are done and ready to watch the game.
A 3hr 49min 3-set final is absolutely insane! If this was a Slam final, there's no way either of them go 5-sets or finish under those conditions!
Also, on your analysis about age and endurance- I've weight trained since I was 13yrs old. I do extensive sets and reps! My endurance and conditioning was VASTLY SUPERIOR in my 30's than in my 20's! Your muscles, heart, lungs, etc. become much more hardened and developed from all the work you've put in over-the-years!
This Novak is still great and technically superior to the earlier versions of himself. However, there is no way this Djokovic has better endurance than 2011 to mid-2016 Djokovic. Djokovic played and won back to back 5+ hour thrillers against peak Murray and prime Nadal at the 2012 AO. There's no way the 2023 version could do something like that. As an example, 2021 Djokovic played many 4 set matches and a 5 set semi vs. Zverev at the USO. He fizzled vs. Medvedev in the final.
Exactly what I mean on the endurance point! And in your case, you started early but still peaked in your 30s. For most other people, we don’t start lifting until 16-18 years old. So how would our peak be at age 20? And for Alcaraz, he needs time and experience of playing 5 hours straight at the highest level, speed, and intensity. It takes every tennis player time to get used to it. Rune and Sinner are a prime example of this, and Djokovic at 20 was the same as them.
@jacobschmidt2709 The focus of my comment was more about Alcaraz! I probably should have been more clear about that. I was connecting to when Gil was pushing back against the equation "youth= superior conditioning," when that is not always the case. A 20/21yr old Novak would have never completed the match yesterday! Like Alcaraz is doing now, he had to learn how to fine-tune his conditioning and endurance, and he did. There are the interviews with Roddick and Federer where, they are mocking and alluding to Novak having the reputation on the tour for not finishing matches and withdrawing.
Even though their reasons are different, there are parallels between the two players when they were 20. Eventually, Alcaraz will have this figured out.
Also, whatever differences that exist between Novak's conditioning now at 36, versus say 2012 at 25 are virtually negligible or trivial! Yesterday's conditions were absolutely brutal! As Jim Courier alluded to during the telecast, the quality of tennis in that 3rd set, considering the conditions and fatigue, was next-level! The younger player gave-out physically, which was basically Gil's point!
@SJ-di5zu Bodybuilding is somewhat of an outlier as far as reaching maximum potential! Hadi Choopan finally won his first Mr. Olympia at 35 last October. You will never see a Mr. Olympia winner in their early 20's because it takes some years to develop the necessary lean muscle-mass to even acquire your pro-card- even with supplemental steroids!
Your peak years as a bodybuilder are generally from about 30-40 years old! Ronnie Coleman won the O at 41yrs old in 2005 and Shawn Rhoden won it at 43 in 2018!
@@jacobschmidt2709 you make good points but I doubt that the final vs Meddy was due to exhausting of playing too much.. he was just nervous, out of balance the whole time. it got to him, I believe he even mentioned that he was fine physically.
I do believe this Novak could match the fitness of the younger Novak, the only difference was the amount of work and focus put into that. Novak gets often tired nowadays in long matches, reason being is that he doesn't train as much for that, you lose endurance if you don't keep up with it.
On court to being the greatest athlete of all time Novak, you champ❤
Yes.
The fact that Novak can win a match despite his physical issues and such disadvantage conditions against someone like Alcaraz who's playing good, dominating is simply crazy.
Not crazy, he has mental control over his rivals and forces tham to make silly mistakes.
Not crazy, what is it in his drinking juice 🥤???
Alcaraz wasn't by far playing his best
@@gremsa - Niether was Djokovic playing his best!🤣
@@jonasbertilbellander you are idiot , he have God im juce
Never seen a better example of a player using all their experience to win. Djokovic knew that he had to weather out the storm and wait for his moments. He didn't get down on himself when he fell behind, or when he lost those match points.
Novak's experience came through - not often he has to draw on that to win - normally his level is so superior
Great match to watch and was waiting for your analysis because I definitely missed so much tactical nuance during the match. And you didn't disappoint Gill! You broke down and articulated the numerous complexities well and gave very balanced views. Looking forward to your coverage at the US Open!
The drama and excitement in this match was through the roof. Give credit to Carlos despite the loss; it’s easy to forget that a lot of us wrote off his chances to even be competitive in this match, yet he was inches away from winning it multiple times. I hope this lights a fire under him for the US Open.
I think there were a lot of keys here. Djokovic, top-to-bottom, had the better tennis when both were healthy. But in the first set and a half, he was just clearly dehydrated and suffering from the heat. It reminded me of the AO2020 final, and I knew Carlos couldn’t let him off the hook. Djokovic is also very much willing to sit at the changeover and play a little possum, hold his head in his hands, spread cold towels all over, yell at his team. I think this lulled Alcaraz into a false sense of security, even though Djokovic really wasn’t playing bad tennis for the first set and a half. By the third set, Djokovic was clearly the better player in my eyes, but Alcaraz put up a ridiculously clutch performance on break points and match points, mixed with some poor Djokovic double faults/overhead misses on big points. The rallies were incredible for how tired the two were.
One thing I’ve noticed across the surfaces: Carlos’s backhand does not like high bouncing conditions. He had so much trouble going down the line here, and the slice doesn’t really bite as much on high bouncing conditions. Alcaraz likes using the cross court backhand into a down the line backhand to win points, but it just led to a lot of errors for his backhand. Djokovic was trading backhands with him a ton rather than rushing his forehand. Seems to be a much safer play against Carlitos, as his one the run forehand is so potent. We saw against Nadal, going at his forehand only really worked well once his speed declined a bit, and then when he shortened his back swing a lot, Djokovic was forced to just avoid his forehand and go to the backhand. US Open 2013 was a great example of this; Djokovic wanted no part of that forehand.
I forgot to mention, the backhand struggles also hurt Alcaraz on passing shots a lot. He was very predictable and often went for safer shots straight down the middle. In a lot of positions, he should’ve been getting sharper angles or going down the line, so Djokovic began exclusively approaching to his backhand side. This is an area Alcaraz will improve over time.
Alcaraz could not find a good second serve return position. If he moved back, Djokovic was open for serve-and-volley, and he had a great volley day. If he moved forwards, Djokovic’s pure pace on the second serve seemed to overwhelm him especially on forehand side. He stuck with moving forwards in the third set, probably because both players were low on energy, and to force Djokovic to go for more on the second serve which likely led to the double faults.
Overall, I think everyone should be hoping for a rematch at the US Open. This is very evenly matched. Alcaraz has an advantage from the baseline on every surface, as Djokovic has really struggled to hit through him. Alcaraz can also match him on the return a lot of the time, but Djokovic gets more free points from the serve. The margins are very thin and there’s a lot of adjustments to be made still.
Excellent summary. If I may add, novaks volleying and net play was excellent and he attacked the net a lot more than Carlos. But Carlos served quite well at least for two sets and returned really well especially novaks first serves. But as you correctly point out he was all over the place on Novaks second serve. Lot of errors and unsure of what should deploy
Thx for taking the time. Good analysis
@@z1az285 Yup! I did mention he had a great volley day in the comment, but maybe didn’t go over it enough. He was rock-solid at net, which isn’t always the case with Djokovic. His hands were incredibly fast and he covered it well. But I did think Alcaraz should’ve done more with a lot of those backhands. Djokovic was approaching on his backhand side a ton, and Alcaraz would hit straight at Novak. This might be an effective tactic against some players, but Djokovic was volleying way too well. Alcaraz needed to get the backhands lower and angle them better/aim down the line. Force Djokovic to guess.
I think he’ll make the adjustment next time, unless he just doesn’t have the ability to hit good passing shots on the backhand side, in which case I’m sure he’ll practice it. These are small adjustments that a great talent can fix quickly. For prime Nadal and Djokovic (both of whom are the closest comparisons for Alcaraz’s movement), the backhand pass was absolutely automatic. Alcaraz can improve his defense overall.
But it was also just a match where Alcaraz wasn’t as sharp as he is capable of being. Makes sense as he’s struggled all week.
@@SJ-di5zu Yes, that's exactly it. He did that at Wimbledon (angled passes and spin) and I'm surprised he didn't do it here, but while his 1st serve returns were potent he slipped up on second serve returns at crucial moments. He will definitely look at this match and make adjustments
@@SJ-di5zu Funny how you jumped on Alcaraz bandwagon and write long wishfull essays now. Nadal fanboys are so insecure, they desperately search for some consolation.
Excellent analysis..I have never watched match in 3 sets like this...almost died rooting for Nole....yesss
Djokovic never fails to amaze me with his incredible performances against tough opponents! He kept his concentration and cool and I’m so proud of him. I hope to see more wins from him. Alcaraz is on a roll but I’m not ready to group him with the GOATS because I’ve seen other young promising players break out big and then fade away with injuries.
You will see many Novak victories, Alcaraz is over now.
Sweet revenge! And what a match from this post Big 3 era great new rivalry between the last remaining actively playing legend from the previous era and the best of the new generation of challengers to the throne!
It's amazing how you always dig deep in the analisys. I've always thought that sport at this level it's not only a sport. It's a way to learn about yourself, to grow. You're one of the few that understand that. I'm italian but I only hear your comments! P.S. amazing match, I'd like this rivarly last many years...
When those two crossing their paths u know is gonna b brutal.
You have included videos, that's great, thank you, much more interesting.
very good analysis, always interesting to listen to you. learned many things from you, fantastic job and keep it up.
I enjoyed this epic match.
I think that Alcaraz is losing a lot of energy because of his excessive use of power in so many shots. Novak is so much better in controlling his aggression, what makes a big difference after like 1000 shots 🤷🏻♂️
If he wasn't explosive on court, he would be just like everybody else, and Novak would defeat him easily all the time.
@@blackkitty9054 of course, but my point is on the shots when it is unlikely to make a winner. There he should sometimes just extend the play and wait for better chance to hit the big shots.
Alcaraz lost because he lost focus in the second set and made some wild errors.
Alcaraz wasn't playing his best this tournament and must be feeling fatigued after all these tough matches.
Alcaraz was more measured in the Wimbledon final, he seemed more emotional and erratic last night
You absolutely RIGHT!!!
Djokovic has looked vulnerable many times physically during matches. I agree he usually comes back and wins these matches after somehow gaining a second wind or playing possum to wait for a dip in his opponents form but most recently, Wimbledon final, fourth set.
I do not remember Cinci to be so high bouncing in last 15 years since I have been watching in. Like clay court.
@V agree
man, reliving the match by your story telling is so good !
Love the game. Love to see these two guys play. Most of all ..Loooove them for their individual genius!! They are living examples of super humans!!
GILL!!!! Wow! The quality. The drama. The pivot points. Novak does not serve up to par. Double faults @ crucial in 3rd set. Nole heat exhaustion in 1ST SET after 4-2! Then, Carlos up 4-2 in 2nd and then has a match point in 2nd. Third set was pain on pain. Novak has 4 MP's/CP's late in 3rd. Then the tie-break. WHOA! GREAT STUFF Gill. Epic. RG-23 & Wimby-23 & Cinci-23 AMAZING finals. Again WHOA-WOW! Thanx Gill. Cheers, Milan
Gill I observed the forehand backhand dynamic all match. So simple yet so true. It was applicable every rally!
This was an epic match and "Sunset meant Novak rise" is exactly right. The moment Djokovic started to be able to play on a mostly shaded court is when he started getting better, which makes sense when you're 36 and temperature + humidity = 99 degrees. The see-saw nature of this match was similar to the Djokovic-Federer 2019 Wimbledon final, both extremely dramatic matches.
For me djokovic-thiem at atp finals 2019 and 2020 would be right up there . I recommend peopel watching its highlights . I have never seen temnis ball being brutalized like that on a tennis cpurt .insane ball striking
Thiem/Nadal 2020 was awesome too. I know it was only 2 sets, and was technically a meaningless round robin match where both of them made it out of the group anyways, but the ball-striking was among the best I’ve ever seen and the quality was through the roof. The other 8 players at the Finals were watching it in the break room and laughing at how high the quality was.
@@SJ-di5zuyup that was great too . Do you have any video link for other players watching it ?
Gill
The thing is not to doubt nole's endurance. Ita to appreciate what a 36 year old is doing in a physical young men's game. And its time to credit the work nole is putting behind the scenes to maintain his physicality and recover.
I’m still tired from watching that match….and analysis videos at 5 AM 😫
Yep.
Hahahaha love you man for that you r mollto sumpatico.. Greetings from serbian...
Amazing match.
Both are so mentally tough.
Will be interesting at the USO.
I say ,Alcaraz wins his 2nd USO.
Lets see.
Thanks Gill for great analisys quite a fantastic match
As a big Novak fan, I must say Carlos playing unbelievable tennis. I do not remember any player of his age to be so complete and play at all surfaces.
Novak was dialled in both tiebreaks to avenge the Wimbledon final tiebreak turnaround!❤
Spot on with your discussion about Alcaraz's endurance vs. Djokovic and age not really being a benefit to Alcaraz. Even Federer's endurance was good at 37-38 years old. His career only ended when he couldn't stay healthy. Hell, Federer beat Cilic in a 5 setter in Australia at 37. Also beat Nadal in a 5 set marathon in Australia at 36. Players don't fade due to a lack of fitness or stamina. They fade with age because injuries creep up, and it takes longer to recover from injuries. Nadal is going through it now. His fitness was perfectly fine, but not he's being hit with injuries. Djokovic will last as long as his body can hold up to injuries. Endurance wont be an issue.
The only player I can remember not having endurance issues as a youngster was Nadal. It's even a non-issue for the most part for Alcaraz. He played an unheard of 3 sets for 5 consecutive days and still held up in extreme heat for almost 4 hours. Also won 5 straight 5 set matches and a 4 set final in last years U.S. Open with no issues. I think the cut on his hand was possibly causing him to grip his racket a little differently which caused the issues.
I honestly feel that Djokovic's body at 36 and at 37 will be be in better condition than Rogers.
@@sonicmoj1 Agree, that's most likely. The question is, can he avoid injuries. Sometimes there's nothing you can do about that. Father time comes for everyone. He might just come for Novak later than most. Poeple don't heal/recover in their late 30's like they did in their 20's and early 30's.
Nadal is a madman. He had freakish endurance at 18 AND 35. No one else can claim that. Federer and Djokovic developed their endurance over time. Nadal won a 5 hour classic against Coria in 2005, and won a 5 hour classic against Medvedev in 2022. Who else can say that?
Federer was never tired on the court..never! Young, old, doesn't matter. After 40 hit rallies, never out of breath! Use your brainstorm why.
Just two elite guys playing at a very high level and keeping us entertained.
Former college tennis player here. I think there are multiple elements to endurance. The key to long match endurance is management. Never too high, never too low. That's an area where experience helps endurance. We can argue back and forth about nutrition and pre-match workouts and post match recovery, but if all of those things are equal then the advantage goes to the person who manages better.
As I've aged, my level of aggression has decreased, but that's not necessarily endurance and more so explosiveness. Again, it's how you manage that aggressiveness that can be the difference. You can hit a 90 mile an hour forehand and great defense can put that back on you at the same speed which makes you try to hit the same thing again. So using aggression wisely i's a great management skill
Supernovak Goatovic became Hulkovic. Simply unstoppable. Carlos is a sheep dresses up as a goat.
❤
That final set was absolutely bonkers! I was sweating just watching it!
Great analysis Gill. What I said on your preview was whoever wins Set 1 wins the match. It should have been Carlitos in 2 but the kid lost his killer instinct. Weirdest match ever. Can't wait for the next match between those 2.
20 years old. Think about that. He’s probably 5 years away from his prime!
What we witnessed yesterday was tennis history
In 2012, Rafa and Novak played arguably the greatest match in history in that 5:53 AO final. They took tennis to a new level that day and yesterday we just saw another one of those moments where Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic elevated the game of tennis to new heights
We’ve seen Novak fight off match points against Federer several times in majors. Until now, we have not seen anyone else in tennis - much less any sport - that is so clutch in the pressure moments. Alcaraz literally plays better as the pressure increases
Call it ice in his veins or huge “onions” as Jason Goodall put it calling the match but this kid does things that shouldn’t be possible and he does it on a regular basis!
Pressure. Fatigue. Break point. Match point. It doesn’t matter. He’s just going to go for it and hit the ball harder!
In 2011, Novak Djokovic went 43-0 to start the season and didn’t lose until the semis of the FO
We saw Rafa win 81 straight matches on clay
I think we’re going to see something ridiculous like the above with Carlitos in the near future
To put a bow on this. The USO will decide #1 for the year. Carlos must defend his title to secure #1 and Novak must win the title because he has about 2600 points to defend after the ISO while Carlos has next to zero. He has to have a 2500 - 3000 point lead when he leaves NY. Otherwise, it will be next to impossible to secure his 8th YE #1
Novak has served notice!
I agree with Gill about this match bringing great surprises and being shocked. I watched yesterday the Rome final 2009 and although that match was more epic, in the sense that both players didn't spare themselves and were hitting that ball as if it was the last match of their lives, this one was more trilling.
Excellent, fair ananlysis, delighted Novak won. Thank you.
With how many players from different generations will Novak have amazing rivalries? From Federer to Alcaraz, and Novak is still here, competing and winning. Fire still burning. Still creating epic matches.
G.O.A.T.
He might still be there when Carlitos retires.
The fact that Djokovic can beat and dominate the Next Gen people like Zverev, Tsitsipas, and Medvedev who are 10 years younger than him, is amazing. But beating Alcaraz, who is a generational talent and 16 years younger, is unreal. I don't understand how he is doing it.
I wonder why people are so suprised that Djokovic won I mean how can we forget that although Djokovic lost wimby final but it was a really close battle and had Djokovic not made that over head mistake in last set, he could have won that.... right now these 2 are best players by far and any one of them can win a match given whose day is better.
Incredible mach and more incredible win for Nole. He need it. He has to show who was the best and he did. Now we must way for the US and see what happen there. I Carlos is without any question the one to follow the steeps of the 3bigs. We must hope he can keep going with any kind problems.
Great match! Great comment.
Respect to both players, an incredible match, constant back and forth, both showed great mental strength.
My thought after the second set: That was completely unnecessary. This game should have ended long ago. It strongly reminded me of the AO 21 final when Medvedev, after winning two sets against the physically compromised Nadal, had break points and ultimately squandered them, allowing Nadal to get back into the game. That's exactly what happened here too, because the break in the second set was definitely not Novak's merit.
This is a lesson for Carlos: No matter how physically compromised your opponent is, you must play ruthlessly, relentlessly, and stay focused, never taking your foot off the gas - just like Novak did against Carlos at the French Open.
On the other hand: If Carlos had indeed pushed through in the second, we would have never experienced this fascinating game...
Great commentary and analysus
This loss could be the blessing that Carlos needed. There's a whole lot of work and improvement needed before the US Open starts and I'm sure that he will be working on all of them ready to defend his title.
He can lose early too
@rasjesh Carlos losing early in BO5 u lost ya mind if u think that early means he’s doesn’t make qtrs I take that bet
If he runs into Tommy Paul, you never know. Tommy isn't afraid of CA anymore.
@@sonicmoj1bruh, it’s so hard to take 2 sets away from this kid, u think someone rather than Novak, can take 3 sets against him? Tommy will get his ass whooped and slept if they face each other in the US, remember this kid is like big 3, they get better in a best of 5.
@@karanabhi761 Tommy Paul has a better change in best of 3 than 5 like he did in Toronto. Other than Novak, Sinner is the only one but he has to have the game of his life to beat CA
Nole SIMPLY THE BEST. What a match ❤❤❤ that's why i still love tennis🏆
Great match full credit to both... Djokovic adding to his legacy all the time a 95th career title ( 3rd ) also his 1069th career win (3rd ) now he just overtook both Nadal and Lendl who are on 1068.
Po običaju, odličan Gil
I was there, unbelievable experience.
Alcaraz ends up with 14h31 on court time for this atp 1000 vs only 8h49 for Djokovic.
With the US open in less than a week, will that affect the performance of fitness and performance of Alcaraz knowing that he was been playing a lot since the beginning of the clay season ?
Excuses for defeat have already started. LoL 😢😢😢
And Novak is 36 with a lot of mileage on his body and yet......
@michael8597 simply a questions, there were many injured this week and this is usually a very physically challenging time period for most players
I don't think so. Alcaraz is young and a hell if an athlete. He will be in peak condition when us open arrive. And that match was also a big learning experience for him. So he will take that valuable experiences with him to the open and to me he is the nr 1 favorite
Carlos wont even enter on the US Open. Luckily he injured his fingers
Without Alcaraz in the picture, Djokovic would face a lack of true challengers. It's great to witness this rivalry emerging.
Strength and endurance are at top level deep into 30s, and even 40s, but speed and recovery time are the problems
Agreed it was a fantastic 3 set match. I wouldn't call it the best level of tennis I've seen in a 3 set match because of Djokovic's period of heat exhaustion and Alcaraz's subsequent lapse in form that let Djokovic back into the second set. But it may have been the best from an emotional rollercoaster perspective.
I remember a Dojokovic vs Nadal semifinal on clay about 10 years ago that went over 4 hours ..but yeah this is up there.
How can you say endurance hasn't been a factor in Novak's career post-30 yo?? I just can't agree with this statement. There were many matches when he clearly looked cooked physically. RG vs Nadal 2022, many matches vs Medvedev, vs. Rune, or in general last fall he looked out of breath mid-rallies many times. Also him shortening points means he does not trust his legs anymore. Even going back to his meeting with Alcaraz in Madrid, Novak was slapping FHs in the third set as he didn't have anything left to run. Just because there are still matches when despite those issues, he wins, doesn't mean he doesn't have them at all, right? I think his ageing has become way more apparent ever since 2021. It's insane that he *still* wins so many matches
Agreed. 2023 Novak is still a great player and has technically improved some things that his former self did not have. However, there is no way this Novak comes even close to the endurance and baseline prowess, which 2011- mid-2016 Djokovic possessed. For example, Novak won 5+ hour thrillers back to back against peak Murray and prime Nadal in the 2012 AO. No way could 2023 Djokovic do something like that. As another example, 2021 Djokovic played several 4 setters and a 5 set semi vs. Zverev leading up to the USO finals. The Serb was clearly gassed against Medvedev in the final. 2020 AO finals comes to mind as well, when Djokovic had a strange energy dip late second set through the entire 3rd set. Being the mentally tough and resilient player that he is, Novak found a way to come back and win.
Not every 20 year old is the same physically. I am sure Djokovic at 20 got earlier tired than Alcaraz at 20.
Focus should not be on 20 yo who is weak.. Focus should be on a certain 36 year old who is playing ARGUABLY THE MOST ENDURING physical young men"s sport and still beating the beat at it at this age.
INCREDIBLE 💪
at 20 you have the most energy, Djokovic struggled because of his allergy and diet. You are most physicaly durable 20-25
haha h weak 20 yr old couldn't keep up with the 36 yr goat
@@gurukI would argue the 20 year old doing what he’s doing is just as impressive if I’m being honest.
You can have much better endurance being 36 than 20. You lose speed and dynamic with age and your recovery process takes more time when you are older.
True… the temp was 33-36 degrees celcius…and yes he had been playing eve sessions.. so it is tough no matter how tough or fit u are..
Great content as usual. How different is flushing meadows surface vis a vis Cincinatti. How does it change the tactics from Cincinatti?
Exactly what Alcaraz did on 2nd set getting lose and donating those points to Djokovic did also at third set vs Tsitsipas in RG QF. But there his superiority over Tsitsipas gameplay is so huge that he could prevail at the end only being solid in TB.
Also 3rd set vs Medvedev in Wimby SF, and 3rd set vs Hurkacz in Toronto. It’s becoming a bit of a worrying pattern
I just couldnt understand why - esp in that heat, Carlos was letting Novak control the court so much. At Wimby he was running Novak ragged, didnt give him a chance to catch his breath and set up. This match it was Novak running Carlos around, and for some reason he was just returning the ball. Other than the high bouncing balls and the returns to the body which were v effective, it seemed to me Novak was in charge of the rallies.
Wimbledon was really windy, and Novak's low spin shots aren't that effective in those conditions. Also Novak can't seem to adapt to the changing trajectory of the ball when there is wind, which is what resulted in him being less in charge in the last final and not having his serve as a weapon.
I think Alcaraz’s mentality was to keep the ball in play to get the rallies to be longer. Part of it was also just Alcaraz not having as much conviction in his shots. He was a bit sloppy yesterday relative to Wimbledon; a ton of highlight shots but also a lot of issues he had to overcome. Alcaraz does not like the high bounce very much imo.
Lsb&sj - don't be so disappointed, little Fedal fanboys. It was only masters 1000 final - and only slam matches really count. Just calm down, definitely too much stress for you, not healthy at all. Grandpa Novak was playing like sh..t but he's a real warrior and proffesional. And Alcaraz played below his level the whole tournament. It wasn't the real test of strenghts, at all. Too much excitement about this match and too much stress for you.
I'm gonna be honest despite the goats being active for last 20 years or so I don't think tennis has been this competitive for the last 10 years. I mean Nadal has dominated on clay and Djokovic everywhere else. Federer had that hot year in 2017 outside clay and a bit in early 2018 but Djokovic was playing poorly during that time. WImbledon 2019 Final was a chance event but outside it you could almost guess who the favorite was gonna be for a slam since 2013 USO where Nadal and Djokovic were kind of competing for that favorite to win position. Only now 10 years since has Alcaraz revitalized this sport imo. It was still exciting to watch but now atleast in the next 2 yrs or so until Djokovic retires we'll have that old Federer-Nadal / Nadal-Djokovic rivalry era type excitement all yr round ... fingers crossed
Facts
Very well said. I’m a huge Djokovic fan, but man oh man is Alcaraz already so, so good. This match truly could have gone either way. Love the respect they both have for each other too. This new rivalry just continues to produce. I hope we get at least another 2 years of this, but Father Time will catch up to Djokovic. In that time, I hope we see Rune, Sinner, etc step up Alcaraz’s level.
Djokovic was injured in 2017 I think that’s why
Yes is true. This was a bad era worse than Fed era with players that are stars before they earn it.
Alcaraz is first proper serious player in some time.
@innosanto agree, last 5 years has been the weakest ever.
Boy Alcaraz is as good as Novac is now (after years of improving his game). What's he going to be like in his prime?!? Best player of all time? Maybe.
He’ll end up as Nadal, too strong and heavy body, after couple of more years and injuries will start
Nole now is 80% the player he was in his prime.
Nole's physicality, return and baseline games arent elite anymore. His improved serve didnt help him at wimby nor here. He won due to his mental resolve ONLY.
@@guruk And that's why you need to have all aspects of your game on your toolbelt. Novak won exactly the way he should have with his mental resolve that was formed over the last 15 years playing the Big 3 because eventually he would need it for the next next next gen players.
A 20 year old is struggling to beat a 36 year old. Not to mention look at the competition Novak had to face who were in their primes Vs the competition Alcaraz is facing right now
alcatrash af
I agree this match surprised me more than most I've seen. But I don't think twists and turns require massive mental strength. I've seen club matches that twisted like corkscrews. I think matches like this sit on a spectrum between two opposite extremes. One extreme is both players discovering their best whenever their back's to the wall. The other extreme is both players faltering whenever the finish line comes close.
Good learning experience as you said for Carlitos. Stay focussed and finish the job. Novak was there for the taking. Once the sun went down, Novak recovered.
Nothing guarantees that If Carlos focused on Djoko's forehand, Djoko would return on Carlos' forehand... if you don't play on djoko's backhand, he will find a way to make it happen anyways, regardless of opponent strategy. He is more consistent and strong on his backhand.. While Carlos' strategy to play high balls was a good one I agree
Stunning match, Carlos bringing his electricity. He has reinvigorated a boring stretch of mens tennis with too many grinders.
Theres been a bit of a pattern in that Novak being watertight, and Carlos lapsing and fighting back, and that lapse cost him the match against someone as good as Novak. Because without that he would have never got to that testing third set - and the hand cramping. Also that strategic long toilet break gave Novak time to recover.
Agree Gill, that the final tie break was a drop off from Alcaraz. I actually thought Carlos would edge it after he saved those match points so brillantly.
Age is not the issue. The only issue between them is pro tennis experience. Djokovic has 20 years, Alcaraz has 5. That kind of difference should get Djokovic easy straight set wins every time.
My 2 cents:
1. Had the game started half an hour earlier, Carlos would’ve won. I was there and I can tell you, it was a pretty hot day and Novak was clearly struggling.
2. I agree with you about the fitness topic. Being younger does not necessarily mean better fitness. Fitness can also mean how you preserve and distribute your energy throughout the match, which can come with experience.
3. I think Novak’s vast experience in clutch moments, especially games where he’s come back, helped him in this game. Novak and Rafa are the two most clutch and tenacious players, mostly due to them always playing catch up to Federer (and Nadal too in Novak’s case). I think this game as well as the French open will be two of the best lessons for Carlos.
This is a lot like Roger and Rafa except the fact that no one has an advantage on any surface over the other making it the greatest rivalry of all time. How many times we get to see these two battle it out against each other depends on Novak's longevity, hoping for another 4-5 classics atleast❤
Alcaraz did not learn from mistakes in the past, he is underestimating his own body, not Djokovic, his own body. He is running for loose balls, he is hitting too strong when its not needed. He will indeed need time to learn these things
You mean overestimating
This is such a crap narrative. If Alcaraz had converted on one of those match points, you definitely wouldn’t say this. Alcaraz’s play style is perfectly fine. He spent 14 hours on court in one week in 90 degree heat but looked relatively unfazed. At his first US Open title, he set a record for most time spent on court. At Wimbledon this year, he beat Djokovic in a 4+ hour match, and won their 20 minute game. Alcaraz’s stamina is nothing to worry about.
You guys never learn anyways. Everyone said this about young Nadal, yet he won 22 grand slams. People who push boundaries are always criticized until it works.
Man I think he mentions some point.not disregarding carlitos fitness and skill but running after every single tough gets make him really vulnerable at times.his chances of getting injured gets even higher.just let some balls go will help him regenerate on important points and less physically tiring
Its the humidity that kills you. Dry desert heat is better. Age wise you've got 2 things against you relative to young guys: response time, agility and post match recovery time. F1 drivers are really young. Professional video game players are all very young because of the response time. It took Federer 5 years to win a GS once he got in his 30's. I think only because Novak was injured. And that was it. So in almost 10 years Roger won 1 GS. Novak trains harder than anyone and supplements and uses cutting edge science and nutrition and thats why he's still winning. For tennis someone else needs to crop up to be worthy of competition against Alcaraz because Djokovic is nearing the end of his career. Alcaraz will eclipse him unless he collapses mentally for some reason. So Djokovic has a window of a few years max to give it his top level best.
Yeah, Novak only has 5 to 10 years left in his career.
Novak will probably retire at the end of the next year under the condition that Rafa doesn't win more slams. If by any chance Novak is still on 23 next year and Rafa wins RG I feel Novak will keep going until the record is in his hands and Rafa is finally retired. I think it all depends on Rafas comeback
Rafa is done, his body is done and he knows it so he is looking for honourable retirement opposite to Federers who lost very early in every tournament of his last year. Rafa hopes he’ll make semis at best in RG band maybe quarters in Wimbledon. After wimby he will retire
Djokovic only has one year left before the other young guns catch up with him.
@@christheprophet6583 I think Novak can get to 25 before he retires.
Hi Gill, will you upload this also on Spotify?
Yes!
I agree the age thing doesn't mean too much.
For instance, federer won 3 five set matches at the AO 2017 when he was 36
Don't forget Federer had knee surgery and had a long break prior to that(Post Wimby till AO). This no doubt played a factor. Moreover, Feds tennis is offensively minded and is much less taxing on the body than Nadal and Djokovic's.
C'mon! Almost every match between Nole and Rafa is like this one. Even more tense. Look at the history, if you don't believe me. And there were over 50 matches between the two all time greats.