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1/26/08 1:34 AM | David Cox
It was the match-up Melbourne had been waiting for all fortnight; the master against the young pretender. After a number of nail-bitingly tight duels during 2007, many expected a tussle of epic proportions but Novak Djokovic stunned the tennis world by ending the Swiss meister’s 3 year Australian Open reign in straight sets 7-5, 6-3, 7-6.
Federer so rarely loses slam matches of such magnitude apart from at Roland Garros, that even though he’s been rather lacklustre at times this fortnight, this defeat will send shockwaves.
Djokovic has spent the fortnight confidently talking up his chances for this one but despite his claims and obvious form, many wondered whether it might just be a repeat of the 2007 semis when Federer found his best when it mattered to send Andy Roddick packing. However unlike Roddick, Djokovic has the knowledge and belief that he can beat Federer when it matters (he won their Montreal masters final encounter last summer) and his game matches up well against the Swiss.
Djokovic started the stronger of the two, forcing two break points in the 4th game as the world no 1 slashed a forehand well wide before netting two routine groundstrokes to go 15-40 down. However, Djokovic got slightly tight on two forehands, sending both long and the danger was averted. It was a curious mix in the baseline exchanges from Federer for much of the opening set. There were moments when the timing was simply glorious, the winners flowing at will and at other times he shanked the ball all over the Rod Laver arena.
Despite his rather patchy play, it was Federer who drew first blood, smoking a backhand down the line before Djokovic fired wide to go 0-30 down. The Serb found two big serves but then blazed wide again to give Federer the crucial break. However, if anything this stoked the Djokovic fires, Federer moved to 5-3 but the Serb found some trademark crunching forehands to hold for 4-5 and stay in touch. At his best, Federer would have found the big serves to close out the set but nerves took hold and Djokovic’s chance came, the Serb content to rally from the back while Federer handed the break back with a series of errors on routine shots. Amazingly a repeat happened two games later, the Federer forehand misfiring again, going long twice to gift Djokovic the set.
Towards the end of the first set, it was clear Djokovic was starting to outpower and outmanouevere Federer in the baseline exchanges, timing the ball sweetly and finding the corners more consistently while the Swiss’ usually reliable forehand broke down. A strong response in set 2 was expected from the world no 1 and it was anything but that, Federer retreated into his shell and began to find the big shots less and less while a confident Djokovic opened his shoulders. The Swiss was in trouble again at 1-2, netting twice to go 0-30 down before ripping a forehand wide to go break point down. He saved that one with a trademark forward surge and athletic smash but Djokovic was not to be denied, clinching a 3-1 lead with an outrageous backhand flick down the line. The Serb’s rampant tennis continued and it became 5-1, two blistering forehands leaving Federer helpless. However, there was a twist left in the 2nd set, Federer had simply been too erratic to create any kind of chances but out of the blue two stunning forehands secured one of the breaks back and suddenly the Federer of old was back - two big serves, a perfectly timed serve-volley and a forehand bang on the line making it 3-5 and all the pressure on Djokovic to try and serve it out again. It was all in the balance at 30-30 but Djokovic found booming serve to get set point but Federer wasn’t giving in, a sumptuous cross-court forehand making it deuce. However, the young Serb is made of stern stuff and two more huge serves gave him a two set lead and the Djokovic camp roared their approval
Both players were just hanging on, on serve at the start of the third, each searching for that crucial break. Each player’s serve proved to be impeccable under the pressure and it stayed level. The tennis was the highest quality of the match, each player finding the lines in some ding-dong rallies, testing each other’s defence to breaking point. Federer was a lot more aggressive, still not middling that much but realizing he had to go for broke to stay in it. He looked close to taking it into a 4th set at 6-5, a brilliant reaction volley brought the Rod Laver crowd to their feet but outstanding serving from Djokovic took it into a tiebreak. It was a microcosm of the match, as in set 1, Federer struck first to lead 3-1 with yet more sublime shot-making, including possibly the rally of the tournament with the world no 1 finding the corner from an impossible angle. However he couldn’t keep it together, shanking one wide and blazing another wide for 3-3. They swopped more massive serves with Federer going 5-4 up and seeming to have the edge. Two Serbian bombs brought up match point and Federer netted. Djokovic slumped to the floor in disbelief.
For many, this will be seen as the changing of the guard in world tennis, the end of the Federer domination which has existed since 2003. However it certainly isn’t the end of an era; as Federer said afterwards, it’s important not to get this loss out of context, he will still win slams and be the favourite for virtually all tournaments apart from the clay. It could be the end of his 3 slam a year streaks though, Djokovic arrived in a big way at the US Open last year and looks set to make it a 3-way tussle for the future majors. It will also give belief to the other upcoming youngsters, the likes of Gasquet, Murray and Baghdatis, the fact that Federer can be beaten when it counts, a belief that perhaps some (like Fernando Gonzalez in last year’s final) have lacked. He may still be a king but an undisputed king no longer !
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Did you know that... Andy Roddick holds the record for fastest serve, 154.7 mph.
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
Roger Federer
Novak Djokovic
Australian Open
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