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5/18/08 2:48 PM | Cheryl Murray
This is the match that was hyped since the Hamburg draw was announced. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, with the number two ranking on the line. So often these kinds of matches do not live up to expectations - this one exceeded anyone's wildest imagination.
Rafael Nadal came out of the blocks slowly, which is often the case with the world number two when he is nervous. Djokovic broke early and went up 3-0, in a fantastic display of tennis. The Serb was hitting winners all over the place, and Nadal could do nothing but watch helplessly. Until game four of the set.
Djokovic had two game points to go up four love, but he tightened up and hit his first two errors of the set. Nadal was quick to pounce on this first sign of weakness. He held for 3-1, the proceeded to reel off the next two service games to level the set. Any weakness in Nadal's game evaporated at this point in the first set. The Spaniard began to play the kind of clay court tennis that is sure to make him legendary. He blasted Djokovic with his forehand and ran down everything the Serb could think of to throw at him. To add insult to injury, Nadal also began to draw Djokovic into net only to send utterly brilliant passing shots past him. The Spaniard broke Djokovic again at 4-4, but he was unable to serve out the set.
Djokovic played a brilliant game to break back and level the set 5-5 and everyone braced for the inevitable tiebreak - except it never came. Nadal did what Nadal does better than any other player in the world - he kept his cool. Just when things were looking promising for the Serb, Nadal broke again and served out the set for 7-5.
The second set was all about Djokovic and it proves exactly what he's capable of on clay. He completely stopped making errors and he played as he had in the first three games of the first set - flawlessly. Another fact became glaringly obvious in the second set as well - Djokovic no longer struggles at net. In 2007, Djokovic could not hit a proper volley to save his life. But on Saturday in the middle set, he was showing Rafael Nadal how it is done. Djokovic was able to take the second 6-2 and Nadal looked like he was in real danger of losing his ranking. Until the third set.
Nadal came out firing on all cylinders and broke Djokovic right away. Once again, he had upped his playing level at just the right moment. Djokovic had chances at 0-1 to level the set again, but Nadal dug deep to hold. It was at this point that Djokovic seemed to tire, if not physically, definitely mentally. The stress of keeping stride with Nadal over the course of a two plus hour match took it's toll, and the level in the third set dipped just the smallest bit. Nadal rolled all the way until he was serving for the match at 5-2. Djokovic so badly wanted to win the match that he fought off four match points before Nadal finally prevailed.
This may very well go down as one of the best clay matches ever played and certainly the best match of the year so far. Djokovic put everything he had into the match - and his everything was quite a bit more than most would have anticipated. He pushed Nadal until the Spaniard was forced to bring out his very best tennis to win. It was, perhaps the best tennis Nadal has ever had to produce. If anyone ever wonders why Nadal is considered one of the greatest clay courters of all time, this match should answer any question they might have. The kind of tennis on display on Saturday was the kind fan dream about being a part of. And it will probably also scare the rest of the tour, because if Novak Djokovic could not beat Nadal playing the way he did on Saturday, it makes one wonder precisely what it WOULD take.
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Hats off to Novak, he played so well he would have won against any player even Federer the way he did. But, unfortunately for him it was Nadal on the other side of the court. Rafa has proven once again that EACH point counts and his determination is at the highest level at any time no mater what the score board says.
agf25agf , 5/19/08 12:00 AM
Hoot!!!!
gO RAFA!
ilr , 5/19/08 11:09 AM
Did you know that... Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clement fought during 6 hours and 33 minutes in the longest match ever played, in French Open 2004.
Avalaine, Dec 4, 2008 4:32 AM
ravikiran, Dec 4, 2008 3:49 AM
kaitepai, Dec 3, 2008 10:59 PM
kaitepai, Dec 3, 2008 10:02 PM
janhavi, Dec 3, 2008 2:51 PM
Avalaine, Dec 3, 2008 10:15 PM
Casper, Dec 2, 2008 8:23 PM
Casper, Dec 2, 2008 8:02 PM
Novak Djokovic
Rafael Nadal
ATP Masters Series Hamburg
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Brilliance! Even Djoker deserves props for that. VAMOS RAFA!
RafaelNadalGirl20 , 5/18/08 10:26 PM