Talking about Novak's adaptation skills... His legs were taken both in Melbourne and New York and they are both hard courts. But in Australia he adapts by employing a mind-blowing forhend and in the US he adapts by playing serve and volley. Go figure! I mean, the range of what that man can do and tap into when needed is amazing.
“His legs were taken” does people still believe his tired/sick/ injured/ having heat stroke theatrics? It’s kinda getting old at this point, especially when he seems to be “ recovering Miraculously” each time. He is known as one of the fittest players ever so it just seems like a mental play more than anything else
@@ranrabi9381 the coping is just extreme in relation to djokovic. Like playing tennis in 100 degrees in Cinci and suffering from heat is "made up". We saw Medvedev saying that similar conditions vs Rublev would end up with someone being ended!
I guess you've never play any physical sport seriously. The energy is never in constant form, it goes up and down during the hours of continuous exhaustion. Novak was the best grinder when was younger but not anymore so he has changed his game so much since in order to be successful. What are you implying doesn't make any sense bc his level in those energy dips times drops significantly.Unforced errors, first serve pct, bad choices of shots in order to shorten the points etc all goes extremely high for his standards. So don't be just a hater and educate yourself about the sport before you comment it @@ranrabi9381
You've got that right, I mean it's going to take close to 2 decades to accumulate that many for anyone in the future you'd assume. Averaging 2 slams a year is a pretty tough ask...
Scary to think that: 1. Novak in 2023 somehow looks even more impressive than 2021. 2. It took Alcaraz winning a five-set Wimbledon final to stop Novak from having the chance to hold all four slams at once. Congrats to Novak, really pleased for him. He’s an example of how a continuous desire to improve and redefining yourself gets you past all sorts of obstacles in life.
1. By that same account he was more impressive than in 2015 too, the other year he was 3/4 in GS Finals, that year Wawrinka defeated him in 4 sets at the FO. And also better than the 2 times Federer was 3/4 in GS Finals, on both occasions losing to Nadal in 4 sets. 2. He only lost 3 sets in GS Finals this year, this is the best performance set-wise in GS finals in a calendar year ever only behind Rod Laver's in 1969 (who lost only 2 sets on route to his second Gramd Slam). Another link with the year 1969 is that these are the only years were a player who won >3/4 GS finals, faced 4 different opponents (in 2021 he faced Medvedev twice and in 2015 he faced Federer also twice; Federer in 2006 and 2007 faced Nadal twice, and Laver in 1962 faced Roy Emerson three times)
@@zy9662 Apples to oranges comparison. In the 2015 Djokovic played full schedule, as did Federer in 2006 and 2007. In 2023 he only has 1 masters so far. If we compare years, it should not be limited to slams only.
@@tennishistoryandresultsdat4540Yup. Nole is managing his schedule to maximize his Slam output. He is almost 10 years older than he was in 2015, he was virtually unstoppable that year, winning 10 out of 13 big finals in 14 big tournaments (Slams, M1000s and ATP Finals).
@@tennishistoryandresultsdat4540 1. We are discussing only Grand Slam performances (that's why I wrote: "By that same account ") and 2. Not playing many tournaments could well be a disadvantage, even if he can save energy he could have lost rythm and match practice
It really does not work that way though. If he had won Wimbledon, he would have been number 1 before US and would have had Alcaraz’s draw. I highly doubt he beats Zverev-Medvedev-Alcaraz b2b at his age no matter how great he is.
He already did it in the 2021 AO final against Medvedev toi, but that tome Medvedev got stunned due to the surprise strategy. This time Medvedev was just as prepared as Nole, but Nole's superior problem-solving skills prevailed, just like Gill said.
I'm not a Đoković fan but the fact that he won AO, RG and USO this year is a perfect way to close the cycle after everything he had to deal with during the pandemic. Every one of those 3 titles has symbolism to it. He deserves all of this.
@@steviejohnson378 Đoković era has been going on for 12 years now. He has faced different generations of rivals and always maintained his level of success.
That second set was brutal, the third set of Djokovic-Nadal Roland Garros 2021 is probably the best I've ever seen, but that second set yesterday wasn't far off and was definitely more brutal.
I said this during the match and I’ll say it now, that 2nd set was baseline defending and shotmaking perfection. Absolutely mesmerizing rallies from both players.
Set 2 was crucial, but not a must win for Djokovic. How many times have we seen Djokovic lose a grueling second set to prime Murray, only to find a way to still win. And prime Murray was better than Medvedev btw.
@@jacobschmidt2709 true, but that was also prime Novak playing against Murray, not the 36yo Novak. All i could think about was the Wimby final where he won the 1st set and lost the second in a tiebreak and went on to lose the match, but honestly that match could've gone either way in the 5th too, so while i think it was a very important set for Nole, i agree it wasn't a must win for him or anything
I actually thought that whoever won the second set, Novak was going to win the match either way. Novak had his dip in the 2nd, but found his best game again after that and I don't think that was gonna change.
Great analysis, Gill. I generally agree with what you said about Novak's physicals, but I think the humidity and not mileage had a significant effect on Nolet's legs.
@huzcer #1 for YE is not guaranteed u act like Nole in the race to Turin leads by 4600 points it’s only 770 with 4500 points available and Novak only playing Paris and Turin let’s see what the race points look like going into Paris
Well Alcaraz only had 7000 because Wimbledon points didn’t count and Shanghai wasn’t played. That’s not really his fault. He was also injured for the Tour Finals so literally that’s 4500 points not available to him. I don’t understand Djokovic fans’ obsession with hating other players. Get a life
@Sj-di5zu they can’t be happy there man won a 24 GS they gotta disrespect fans and Carlos and other player instead of enjoying life embarrassing if u ask me
Novak just keeps on getting better. Though they were 3-setters, this one had plenty and set 2 had moments that could have gone either way. This one healed 2021. Great great stuff Gill as always. 2021 & 2023 are years to be remembered. 2011, 2015, 2021 & 2023 are just AMAZING. Love the breakdown. Thought Meddy could have taken set 2 and we have a different match. Cheers Gill. Many thanx & cheers! Milan
But, like the Tom Cruise movies, you already know he will win, no matter how bad the situation. After the 1st set, it was clear Nole would win, despite all the sick moments, he did the same in Cincinatti and defeated Alcaraz handily. At USO, his lead was never in question, perhaps he could've dropped a set, but he was in control and demolished Medvedev after the 2nd set.
Great take on his volley game 10 years ago. Imagine this Novak vs 2012 Nadal in AO final. Kinda feels like this one would have prevailed much easier and in half the time...amazing improvement in serve, volley and serve + volley. Nobody was ever as complete as Novak is. GOAT
@@ashleythomas4112 of course, he was a beast, only lost to prime Djokovic in those years. Just saying that serve+volley on Nadals backhand with his similar return position as Medvedevs would be some easy points for Djoko and he had no easy points in that match
@@MA-rq6ieNo, it wouldn’t. Watch Nadal at AO2012 vs Berdych where he moved up to the baseline and put on a fantastic return performance. He’s not scared to return from the baseline at all. In fact, Federer tried serve and volley in the semifinal and just got passed over and over again by Nadal. Nadal may be the hardest player to serve and volley against because of the precision, power, and spin on his passing shots. The reason Nadal and Djokovic didn’t try to go to net against each other was because it was suicide. They were way too athletic and fast on the passing shots. Neither would benefit from serve and volley in 2012. If you want more proof, watch Roddick try it at US Open 2011. Nadal hit like 40 passing shot winners that match I swear. Final score was 6-2 6-1 6-3.
@@MA-rq6ie Nadal’s 100x harder to S&V well against compared to Meddy because of his elite passing shots (see the 2012 SF Vs Federer) and massive topspin which is hard to control on the volley compared to Meddy’s flat shots
Great analysis Gill! Djokovic is truly so amazing and intelligent on court his execution was perfect. I do hope Daniil learns from this he is more than good enough to win another major but he really needs to fix the obvious flaws which you pointed on return position and 2nd serve quality.
That second set was a championship set indeed! Props to Novak for staying clutch and not falling through in clutch moments, that was the key for the victory. Great journey for Meddy as well as he didn’t only win Alcaraz which was incredible, but also Rublev, De Minaur, which is his kryptonite, and even Baez who was on a 12 match win streak. He fought through brutal conditions like no one else and not anyone pointed that out how all of that could’ve affected the Daniil’s physique and his mental state. It’s a much tougher situation that he was in any of the deep runs he’s pulled off in the past. He could’ve also made some history by beating Carlos and Novak at the same tournament and especially on a grand slam. Insane path and he should be proud of himself and learn the corresponding lessons. It will help him boost his confidence too as he’s realized he can beat anyone on tour, no doubt. He will be better next time for sure!
I said it to the slice guy, Novak, in 3 80/20. Novak in 4 60/40 Novak in 5 20/80. Novak's tennis is maybe the best as it has ever been, but his legs are not. It also reminded me a bit of a last US Open final, where Carlos had no legs, and still won the match. it comes down to a question: Do you have other weapons to implement and execute? Novak proved, just as Carlos the last year, hell yeah! And in Novak's case, it is even more surprising, because it is not his 1st. plan game. it is his emergency mode, but he still was able to execute well enough. I'm impressed. On that particular shot (cross or down the line for Medi) I beg to differ because even though Novak's volley was not good, Daniil was in a defensive state of mind and what he does 99.9% of the time when he is in defensive? going cross. So in my eyes, it was not 50/50 it was just Novak reading his signature well. another thing is: it appears to me as if Novak took a lesson from Rafa in Australia and how he was able to beat this Medvedev machine. Slicing a ton, net a ton, drop shot a ton... ultimately it came down (at least for me) to one simple aspect of the game. Novak was able to adjust his game, but Medvedev was not. it is one thing to be stubborn when your plan is working, like in 2008 Wimbledon's final Rafa hitting Roger's backhands again and again, and it is another thing when your go-to plan doesn't work and you are not able to change it anyway. Daniil's tactic was correct, but Novak didn't allow him to do it, basically by winning the 2nd set. Novak was a smarter player in this match, which is not usual in Medi's matches, he was more flexible, and adaptable which is very usual in Novak's matches. 24? Are kidding me?
Gill, I'd like to address (even though it didn't make up much of the point) the baseline dinamic where Novak was trying to attack with the backhand down the line early on in order to shorten the rally, but kept hitting the net and struggled a lot. The moment the backhand down the line started working as it did with vintage Novak, the match was basically over with Daniil not having a weapon to match the exhange from the baseline.
Gill, I think the point from a previous match you were talking about was Djokovic vs Tsitsipas in the PAris Masters, when Tsitsipas tried to go back where the forehand came from, rather than inside-in.
This match was very tight, the 2nd set was brutal, whoever won that would win the game. Djokovic was up against the ropes fighting from his corner and barely got out. That one set was more intense that many full matches.
Set 2 was crucial, but not a must win for Djokovic. How many times have we seen Djokovic lose a grueling second to prime Murray, only to find a way to still win. And prime Murray was better than Medvedev btw.
@@jacobschmidt2709 playing a wall like Medvedev at 36 is not the same playing Murray when he wasn't even yet 30. That's why he has adapted his game in general to shorten points and come to the net more. If Medvedev won that 1h44 set he would have been favourite and I'm a djokovic fan
@jacobschmidt2709 we are talking about 36 year old Djokovic here and more recently it reminded me of Alcaraz and how Djokovic at wimbledon looked visibly the more fatigued athlete.
@@jacobschmidt2709it would still be a toss up because Meddy was dominating in the 2nd set and it could’ve gone the other way around as Daniil would’ve likely caught the momentum
@@huzcereven novaks coach talked about the importance of that second set. That's was a war of attrition and it would have absolutely hit reset button on that matc… with the momentum being with daniil
Your analysis makes my head crystal-clear about tennis matches, all the time. This means that Nole had a bit of luck winning the second set despite his savvy adaptability to exploit Bear's weaknesses. If the latter went down the line or lobbed that easy ball to win the set point, I don't think the former could have endured the longer match to win. Bear would have had better chances against Nole's serve and volley as the match wore on. Anyway always thanks to your presence, which makes my life more interesting and enjoyable!!!
Set 2 was crucial, but not a must win for Djokovic. How many times have we seen Djokovic lose a grueling second to prime Murray, only to find a way to still win. And prime Murray was better than Medvedev btw.
Great analysis Gill! I was going to write a comment about Medvedev's returns, but you covered it all in the video. I am not disappointed with the "missed" passing shot opportunity that Medvedev had, but I am disappointed that he didn't try to do something different on Novak's serve. Many things were going Medvedev's way in the second set, so it feels like he might have had the margin to experiment a bit with his return position. Too bad that never happened (even though I'm happy for Novak).
2011 & 2015 he was better. He had huge obstacles in 2011, pretty much prime versions of Rafa & Roger as well as a good version of Murray. 2015 : Australia he beat prime versions of Wawrinka & Murray back to back then a very good Federer at Wimby & the US. Tsitsipas, Medvedev & Ruud aren’t in the same class as his 2015 opposition. 2015 Federer a much better player than Ruud or Med & Murray/Stan are way better than Stef.
Hey Gill, don't know if you will see this comment or if you ever thought about this idea, but I think it would be cool if you did some analysis of old matches to go and really show how players have changed over the decades, what were their weapons at the time compared to now and consequently what were their game plans: I was thinking of maybe a Djokovic vs Murray wimby final 2013, even some Safin, Roddick and Nalbandian from back in the day, some Tsonga or even older going back to Agassi and Sampras, I think it would be really cool for most of us tennis enthusiasts to really remove the nostalgia and use your analystical eye to see how tennis has changed.
Thanks for the endurance explanation. I understood something like he can run a marathon at good performance, but not so competitive at a 3 consecutive 400m run.
Flushing meadows Karen was watching while feeding her 7 cats. The last to defeat a fresh djokovic at the us open lol safe in the knowledge that she finished off the us line judge industry along with Hawkeye!
Patriot and human being at level never seen before. First Nikola Tesla then Novak Djokovic then Nikola Jokic Serbian's undeniable super humans in science and sports.#1♥️🇷🇸👌👏
Amazing, in australia 2023 he won with a partial tear to his left hamstring unveiling a wicked forehand, i mean he was ripping the forehand and it carried through to the French open, but he lost wimbledon..(cant win them all)....goe's to Cincinnati and win masters title, comes to us open facing a great hardcourt specialist in Medvedev. As you can see, very hard to get the ball past Daniil, What does Nole do, he serves and volleys drawing Med into the net... amazing how he can adapt, he will find a way, the greats always do. Bravo Nole!
Yes, and I feel like when Djokovic had the heat stroke in Cincinnati vs Alcaraz, that victory might have been just as important as any of his 24 Grand Slam victories. That Cincinnati win basically erased his tough loss to Alcaraz at Wimbledon (from a mental standpoint). You could tell Djokovic really really wanted that Masters win in Cincinnati. That Cincinnati win in my opinion was the beginning of what we saw in New York yesterday.
If Novak has treatment like Roger this would be his 27-28 GS , but it doesn't matter because 2024 might be his best year in terms of GS and Olympic games , from 2025 to 2028/9 one or two GS per year would be just fine. 2030 he should be retired even if he's still in top 5.
Meddy gave it all in the semis, there was only so much he could have done in the final. He made a heck of an effort in set#2 to take out Novak's legs, but still with the S&V Novak came through. If Medvedev had changed his return position, Novak would have countered with faster serves or body serves which Medvedev would have struggled with given that he is at 198cms.
What is the key to Djokovic’s very long term success? Flexibility that has kept building throughout his career in multi-faceted ways. Intelligent genius.
To me, that second set was a championship set and a deciding factor in the math. Props to Novak for staying clutch and not falling through in clutch moments, that was the key for the victory. Great journey for Meddy as well as he didn’t only win Alcaraz which was incredible, but also Rublev, De Minaur, who happened to be his kryptonite recently, and even Baez who was on a 12 match win streak. He fought through brutal conditions like no one else and not anyone pointed that out how all of that could’ve affected the Daniil’s physique and his mental state. Yet for some reason, everyone came down to the argument that Novak was tired and exhausted after the match against Zverev at US open 2021 and couldn’t perform at his best in the final. Daniil’s path to the final was much tougher as he had to play through harsher conditions and much harder opponents throughout the entire tournament. Also how mentally he gave it all out against Carlos, where he performed impeccably well and yet was still able to put up a great fight in the final against this version of Novak. He could’ve also made some history by beating Carlos and Novak at the same tournament and especially on a grand slam. Especially given that no one expected him to go that far, he was written off, but he proved that he’s a real deal. Insane path and he should be proud of himself and learn the corresponding lessons. It will help him boost his confidence too as he’s realized he can beat anyone on tour, no doubt. He will be better next time for sure!
Gill, first, as always, thanks for video clips! I think Djokovic did good in everything except when he tried to hit winners, especially from the BH, he flattened the ball out a little bit using some changes in the wrist that he shouldn’t. I noticed he sunk those balls in the net a few times at key points and it got to the one at 4-4 in set 2, Med serving and Djo missed the BH that gave Med 30-0, camera showing Djo’s box, both Ivanisevic and another coach using their hands to show Djo how he should hit the BH properly to spin the ball up. I thought it was special because with players at this top level coaches usually only coach them on court with strategies but not specific techniques. But I think this time it helped him because a few rallies later he seemed to fix the small technique error by hitting 4-5 consecutive hard BHs in the same rally to win an important point.
That's true Gill, very important thing that Novak will probably outlast any other player if they let's say played for 5 hours, his problem is next point after 30 plus rallies..
😂exactly... it says "Novak equals Court with 24" ???😅 He didn't equal anything, he surpassed everyone long time ago. In 1960 women were played with 30 players in draw, and only Australians, and only best of 3...😅😅
Daniil had the hardest draw and came out amazingly. I think your analysis is accurate, but you also need to take a look at the draws here. If someone comes out from these hard matches/inhuman conditions, well at some point, his strength will abandon him. There is no comparison between Daniil's draw and other players draw.
Fractional Novak - Exactly ¼ (24) of Novak’s 96 ATP titles are majors. Novak has played in 72 majors, and in exactly ½ of them (36) he has made the finals. And in exactly 2/3 (24) of the finals, he has won the trophy.
Well expressed. Carlitos needed to press home his first set s&v success, so that Daniil would never get rhythm against his serve. Even if Carlitos were reduced to a 2/3 chance of winning each s&v point, that would win him almost all his service games. (And then Daniil would not feel so continously in the groundstroke zone to back up his tough serving)
I read somewhere that Djokovic has largely been just as successful at the US Open as AO, he just has lost more finals and has had more random stuff happen to him there. Ironic that his worst and his best slams are so similar.
You bring up a great point, and I've been basically saying the same thing as you. But when you dig deeper and look at the history of the Australian and U.S. Open, since 2008, it seems like the winner of the U.S. Open from year to year, is so unpredictable for whatever reason I do not know why lol. The U.S. Open is the only major that you can't really just make an easy prediction on who will win. I don't know if it's because maybe New York City is a major distraction lol, or it is because of something else. In theory, Djokovic should own the U.S. Open like all the time, but for whatever reason, it doesn't work that way. Maybe the court speeds in New York are a different speed than the courts in Australia? Just like the courts in Cincinnati are faster than the courts in New York.
@@justinexplainseverything1554I think in part because it's at the end of the tennis season when most are tired physically & emotionally. That's why it's the only slam with a revolving door of winners every year. The fresher players seem to do better there.
@@justinexplainseverything1554 Like the other guy said, it’s the physicality. US Open is always burning hot and it’s the last slam of the season coming off a GRUELING summer season. I mean, you have the whole clay season, then RG in June, straight into grass with Wimbledon, then right back to North American hard courts and the US Open is here. It’s such a fast paced stretch of the season, and the issue in men’s tennis is that the same 3 guys basically win everything and it’s usually just 5-6 guys who are consistently making semifinals, so naturally they will be much more worn down than the rest who take a lot of early exits. Alcaraz and Djokovic basically made at least the semis everywhere in the summer stretch. But I also think the surface itself is fairly neutral. Nadal always loved the US Open conditions, Federer played well on it, and as I said Djokovic has a similar win/loss record at the US Open but just has had some weird stuff happen (similar to Nadal at AO actually). It makes sense that this would be the most competitive surface. Alcaraz, Wawrinka, Thiem, Medvedev, Zverev, Del Potro, Cilic all seemed to love this surface and that makes it tougher as the top talents outside the main guys are playing super well. Look at this year: Medvedev, Zverev, Rublev, Alcaraz, and Sinner all played extremely well and were on the same side of the draw. It was a bloodbath. Reminds me of RG2022.
@jonathanchen1026 he won’t ever win CYGS especially not at 36 and half to 37 years old if he couldn’t do it in 11/15/21/23 u expect him to do it in 2024 when there are Olympics how much money ya wanna bet
@@pdehaan2004 I highly doubt he will win a CYGS while Djokovic is still around and thst might be 3-4 years. In that time anything can happen, new talent shows up, current players improve, injuries, etc...
Agree with you on the down the line shot Novak looked like he was shaping to cover the line shot and stayed put , o actually think the lob would have been the best option but you have literally seconds to decide
seconds to decide would be an eternity.. these are fractions of a second. BAck in 2017/18 Kobe was interviewed at the US OPen and he was talking back then how he and Novak had talked at length about the mental prep for big matches - as in, anticipating your opponent mentally because you know your body isn't quite the same as years before. Agree the lob would prob looks like the best choice but of course this is after the fact and they're in a 'blink and its over' scenario. Truly amazing point.
Hi gill. I was thinking about winner mentality, or lack of it, while watching the u.s finals. Medvedev had novak on the ropes in the second set, but refused to make the necessary adjustment to the serve and volley. I am pretty sure that nadal, federer or even alcares you not let novak off the hook that easily. Could you adress this aspect of the game? Is it a matter of courage? Awareness ? Experience? For me it was frustrating to see medvedev being so unclutch. Thank you for the great content
To me, i feel like medvedev’s forehand was wayy better before 2022 than currently. Idk if it’s the racket change or technical changes, maybe both but I remember when he said he likes it when he’s on the run on his forehand side and trying to hit passing shots. It just feels like the precision and quality isn’t the same
To me, that second set was a championship set! Props to Novak for staying clutch and not falling through in clutch moments, that was the key for the victory. Great journey for Meddy as well as he didn’t only win Alcaraz which was beyond great, but also Rublev, De Minaur, who happened to be his kryptonite recently, and even Baez who was on a 12 match win streak. Let’s not forget that he fought through brutal conditions like no one else and not anyone pointed that out how all of that could’ve affected the Daniil’s physique and his mental state. Everyone seems to fail to acknowledge that while making arguments for the previous US open final against Novak and how he was tired after Zverev’s match. Daniil’s path to the final was much harder and in more harsh conditions and he still was able to put up a great fight against that version of Novak. He could’ve also made some history by beating Carlos and Novak at the same tournament and especially on a grand slam. Insane path and he should be proud of himself and learn the corresponding lessons. It will help him boost his confidence too as he’s realized he can beat anyone on tour, no doubt. He will be better next time for sure!
@@marchvertochko0056 Outplaying? Roflmao. In what sense exactly? He was barely managing to get the balls back, Djokovic had been pressuring him throughout the whole match and had control of 99% of the points from the baseline. It's just that he started to feel tired in the long rallies towards the end of the second set and couldn't last for a few more strokes in those rallies physically. Not to mention other aspects - how Djokovic was all over him with backhand slices, serve & volleys, mixing it up throughout. If you meant that Medvedev outplayed him by being a one-dimensional brick wall, then yes, by all means he was.
@@stefannedeljkovic4395 99% of the points? What are you smoking? Is it just you speculating or you’re going to at least back it up with stats? Daniil won more points of 9+ shots and this is the fact. After the second set, their winners were pretty much equal too. In the second set, which was a deciding one, he was dominating and was a better player, that’s what Novak admitted himself. You clearly have zero clue about tennis then
@@stefannedeljkovic4395 not sure how’s that you came up with 99% to be honest, just an argument you pulled out of your ass. There were tons of points where Daniil dominated and he was just making unforced errors in those rallies, not that Novak was dominating him whatsoever. There will be only a handful of rallies where Novak won with him dominating the rally and following it up with a winner. It was mostly Daniil missing the lines. Drop shots didn’t work for Novak either so I don’t really get the versatility other than his serve and volley. His slicing didn’t do much damage either, where Daniil would’ve missed right after those slices.
@@marchvertochko0056 'His slicing didn’t do much damage either, where Daniil would’ve missed right after those slices.' - you're contradicting yourself bro. Not sure why I waste time with this (it's not like you're gonna change your argument even if presented with the absolute truth), but here it is. The Shot Quality stats are not up yet, but even the basic ones from ATP will do. Here are the percentages for 0-4 and 5-8 shots, which accounted for 75% of the rallies: 0-4 Shots: Djokovic 63/Medvedev 50 5-8 Shots: Djokovic 29/Medvedev 18 Total: 92 Djokovic - Medvedev 68 Even in the 9+ shots department, it was pretty even: 9+ Shots: Djokovic 26/Medvedev 28 Net game: Medvedev 72% points won Djokovic 84% Baseline Points Won Djokovic = 48.8% (59/121) Medvedev = 38.0% (52/137) Djokovic won higher percentages on both first and second serves, and won the return game on both first and second serves. If you're a tennis guru as you're claiming to be, you know full well that some stats are misleading and that there's much that stats don't show. The point is that Medvedev was mostly on the back foot, with Djokovic producing more depth and pace from both wings. For most of the points, Medvedev was trying to get into a neutral position, and Djokovic dictating until he got tired. If he had the 2011 stamina, he would have been able to stick around for a few more shots and produce even more winners off the ground. Cheers mate
…and have you noticed how those guys that defeat Alcaraz often go on to lose their next match? Sinner lost to Meddy in Miami23, Tommy Paul lost to Sinner in Toronto23, and now Meddy lost to Novak in USOpen23. It’s tough to defeat Alcaraz, and like he said, those who beat him will suffer.
The hard part with facing someone as good as Alcaraz and then Djokovic or someone right after is the game planning and mental fatigue, even if you can recover physically which Medvedev did. Medvedev had to game plan tirelessly for Alcaraz, and then once he beat him, he had to turn around and game plan for Djokovic, who is about equally good but plays a completely different style. It’s a hard position to be in. Djokovic probably didn’t have to game plan that hard considering his last three opponents were Gojo, Fritz, and Shelton. Medvedev had Rublev and Alcaraz before Djokovic.
Not sure whether anyone has had this take yet: Joker is now one French Open championship from a FOUR TIME career grand slam. He sure keeps racking up the evidence that he's the GOAT.
(Gil should be coaching pro tennis). Small subtleties on timing and position can make a world of difference on a S&V. Some days, as a serve and volleyer you can look like a God, and some days you're not there at all.
The one weakness with Novaks game imo has been that he's too much of a perfectionist & he treats it too seriously, this might sound good on paper but this induces some strain, that it becomes self sabotaging. That is why he gets mad a lot of times, because you feel like you are owed something after you put so much work into something. But in reality you actually want to inject some fun into anything & have a child like spirit, it actually relives a lot of strain and allows you to play much more freely. That's what Alcaraz imo has been doing so well. But his story about seeing his daughter, he might've adopted something subconciously from his daughter, he said it melted him & that might have taken him to another universe & gear.
Djokovic said that in the second set for him the ground was spinning and the sky was spinning and he could barely even see the ball so he prayed and relied on instinct. He credited him winning that set to God and guardian angels.
at 36 years old, Djokovic is still getting to the finals of the grand slams. mind blowing. Hard enough to do it at 26 let alone 36. Had he played a full season, the year end #1 would be wrapped up by now. So..lets revist. Is it too early to call Djokovic the player of the year? or can Alcaraz claim it with a year end #1 and YEC title?
@puzzlite Djokovic is Player of the year regardless if he end YE #1 or not he won 3 slams Carlos 1 debate over for it honestly it been over if it was 2 each because Nole would been in finals of all 4 slams Carlos 2
I will implement Djokovic and Kobe’s mental techniques and beliefs related to being successful at the highest level. Saying that, we need a mega prodigy beyond all the GOATs… Anyone close to entering ATP like that?
I really thought Medvedev would at least win the 3rd set after just so narrowly missing to get the 2nd and seeing Novak all fatigued after these long rallies (and Medvedev seemingly not)
No way. The third was closer than it seemed but it was a wrap. Novak had that match mentally locked after the 2nd - Daniil fought hard and I give him all his due respect (actually he's prob my #2 favorite player now) but he was broken.
One more thing that gill missed is this time novak was sometimes able to get out of bh to bh exchange but hitting offensive bh. If he gets better at med is completely solved. His bh doesnt have the venom it used to have back in 2011. Thats why he is struggling.
Gil you're the hardest working person in tennis analysis.
🩸💉☠💉🔝👀🚫❌👈🏿👏🏽👏🏽🙏🏾👑🌟🗽🙏🏾NOVAK DJOKOVIC🌟🥎🎾🌍🗽🗽🗽🗽🌟🗽🗽🗽🗽🌍
Talking about Novak's adaptation skills... His legs were taken both in Melbourne and New York and they are both hard courts. But in Australia he adapts by employing a mind-blowing forhend and in the US he adapts by playing serve and volley. Go figure! I mean, the range of what that man can do and tap into when needed is amazing.
Amazing Serb and volley 😂
@@huzcer😊😂
“His legs were taken” does people still believe his tired/sick/ injured/ having heat stroke theatrics? It’s kinda getting old at this point, especially when he seems to be “ recovering Miraculously” each time. He is known as one of the fittest players ever so it just seems like a mental play more than anything else
@@ranrabi9381 the coping is just extreme in relation to djokovic. Like playing tennis in 100 degrees in Cinci and suffering from heat is "made up". We saw Medvedev saying that similar conditions vs Rublev would end up with someone being ended!
I guess you've never play any physical sport seriously. The energy is never in constant form, it goes up and down during the hours of continuous exhaustion. Novak was the best grinder when was younger but not anymore so he has changed his game so much since in order to be successful. What are you implying doesn't make any sense bc his level in those energy dips times drops significantly.Unforced errors, first serve pct, bad choices of shots in order to shorten the points etc all goes extremely high for his standards. So don't be just a hater and educate yourself about the sport before you comment it @@ranrabi9381
Gill we all are fortunate enough to watch this great moment live, winning 24 GS isn't joke and not gonna happen every decade ....
It’s literally never happened before, in the open era. And most probably won’t. We are living through history!
@@Peighter😊
You've got that right, I mean it's going to take close to 2 decades to accumulate that many for anyone in the future you'd assume. Averaging 2 slams a year is a pretty tough ask...
Scary to think that:
1. Novak in 2023 somehow looks even more impressive than 2021.
2. It took Alcaraz winning a five-set Wimbledon final to stop Novak from having the chance to hold all four slams at once.
Congrats to Novak, really pleased for him. He’s an example of how a continuous desire to improve and redefining yourself gets you past all sorts of obstacles in life.
1. By that same account he was more impressive than in 2015 too, the other year he was 3/4 in GS Finals, that year Wawrinka defeated him in 4 sets at the FO. And also better than the 2 times Federer was 3/4 in GS Finals, on both occasions losing to Nadal in 4 sets.
2. He only lost 3 sets in GS Finals this year, this is the best performance set-wise in GS finals in a calendar year ever only behind Rod Laver's in 1969 (who lost only 2 sets on route to his second Gramd Slam). Another link with the year 1969 is that these are the only years were a player who won >3/4 GS finals, faced 4 different opponents (in 2021 he faced Medvedev twice and in 2015 he faced Federer also twice; Federer in 2006 and 2007 faced Nadal twice, and Laver in 1962 faced Roy Emerson three times)
@@zy9662 Apples to oranges comparison. In the 2015 Djokovic played full schedule, as did Federer in 2006 and 2007. In 2023 he only has 1 masters so far. If we compare years, it should not be limited to slams only.
Novak really threw that Wimbledon away... he was strangely very nervous.... Sad we will never see the CYGS
@@tennishistoryandresultsdat4540Yup. Nole is managing his schedule to maximize his Slam output. He is almost 10 years older than he was in 2015, he was virtually unstoppable that year, winning 10 out of 13 big finals in 14 big tournaments (Slams, M1000s and ATP Finals).
@@tennishistoryandresultsdat4540 1. We are discussing only Grand Slam performances (that's why I wrote: "By that same account ") and 2. Not playing many tournaments could well be a disadvantage, even if he can save energy he could have lost rythm and match practice
unbelievable, incredible, excellent congratulations for 24th grand slam title winning 🏆🎉
Novak djokovic🐐🏆👏❤️
Technically this is the closest anyone has come to a calendar slam in 50 years . 3 slam wins and another lost in 5th set final
In 2021 he won the first 3 and was stopped by Medvedev in 3 sets.
It’s even closer than you say, it was only two games away!
@@pwash474 even closer than that, it was single a point away. He threw a set point in the second set tie break (which he eventually lost)
@@pavlenikacevic4976 Or that overhead smash/slice into the net in that second game break point 5th set
It really does not work that way though. If he had won Wimbledon, he would have been number 1 before US and would have had Alcaraz’s draw. I highly doubt he beats Zverev-Medvedev-Alcaraz b2b at his age no matter how great he is.
10 years ago I never thought I’d see Novak play serve and volley as well as Federer does, but he did in this final
He already did it in the 2021 AO final against Medvedev toi, but that tome Medvedev got stunned due to the surprise strategy. This time Medvedev was just as prepared as Nole, but Nole's superior problem-solving skills prevailed, just like Gill said.
@R that was bercy final not AO
Easy, Joker's volleys are not quite as good as Federer's were!
@miletomlin6040 exactly
@@colethomas903 He did it also in the AO final, unless I'm misremembering like crazy.
I'm not a Đoković fan but the fact that he won AO, RG and USO this year is a perfect way to close the cycle after everything he had to deal with during the pandemic. Every one of those 3 titles has symbolism to it. He deserves all of this.
Totally made the point that the real end boss was back in town in both Australia and New York. Could not have made the point more emphatically 💥
Cause it’s a weaker era compared to 10 years ago. Only guy that can mentally compete is Alcaraz.
and why do u repeat u are not his fan? we understand u are idiot but why keep talking about it??!??
@@steviejohnson378 LOL - remember to ease off the copium.
@@steviejohnson378 Đoković era has been going on for 12 years now. He has faced different generations of rivals and always maintained his level of success.
That second set was brutal, the third set of Djokovic-Nadal Roland Garros 2021 is probably the best I've ever seen, but that second set yesterday wasn't far off and was definitely more brutal.
You know that something truly special is going on when the inflexible French don't dare stop it! 😆
If you wanna see a brutal tennis set , go watch again 5th set AO 2012. That was brutal
I said this during the match and I’ll say it now, that 2nd set was baseline defending and shotmaking perfection. Absolutely mesmerizing rallies from both players.
Yeah, half way through the 2nd set i felt like whoever won it is going to win the match, it was so mentally intense
Set 2 was crucial, but not a must win for Djokovic. How many times have we seen Djokovic lose a grueling second set to prime Murray, only to find a way to still win. And prime Murray was better than Medvedev btw.
@@jacobschmidt2709 true, but that was also prime Novak playing against Murray, not the 36yo Novak. All i could think about was the Wimby final where he won the 1st set and lost the second in a tiebreak and went on to lose the match, but honestly that match could've gone either way in the 5th too, so while i think it was a very important set for Nole, i agree it wasn't a must win for him or anything
I actually thought that whoever won the second set, Novak was going to win the match either way.
Novak had his dip in the 2nd, but found his best game again after that and I don't think that was gonna change.
Novak still would have won
No matter the outcome Goatovic would still won. 400 weeks as #1 is for a reason. 💯👍👾👽👾
Djere 2nd best player on the planet
True
Keep living in the de-lu-lu land :) 😂
😂😂😂
Lol
Who is Djere?
Great analysis, Gill. I generally agree with what you said about Novak's physicals, but I think the humidity and not mileage had a significant effect on Nolet's legs.
Finally US Open's title for Novak... Long overdue. Also you didn't mention that backhand to backhand exchange in the tie-break!! Crucial
400 weeks at number 1. 8 year end number 1's. The real 11,300 point world number 1. The 2022 7000 point number 1 was an artificial situation
Exactly 👌
@@Weityki 418 weeks DOUBLE Nadal's weeks up next...
@huzcer #1 for YE is not guaranteed u act like Nole in the race to Turin leads by 4600 points it’s only 770 with 4500 points available and Novak only playing Paris and Turin let’s see what the race points look like going into Paris
Well Alcaraz only had 7000 because Wimbledon points didn’t count and Shanghai wasn’t played. That’s not really his fault. He was also injured for the Tour Finals so literally that’s 4500 points not available to him.
I don’t understand Djokovic fans’ obsession with hating other players. Get a life
@Sj-di5zu they can’t be happy there man won a 24 GS they gotta disrespect fans and Carlos and other player instead of enjoying life embarrassing if u ask me
Novak just keeps on getting better. Though they were 3-setters, this one had plenty and set 2 had moments that could have gone either way. This one healed 2021. Great great stuff Gill as always. 2021 & 2023 are years to be remembered. 2011, 2015, 2021 & 2023 are just AMAZING. Love the breakdown. Thought Meddy could have taken set 2 and we have a different match. Cheers Gill. Many thanx & cheers! Milan
The score was not close…the match was. I was on the edge of my sea until the end.
But, like the Tom Cruise movies, you already know he will win, no matter how bad the situation. After the 1st set, it was clear Nole would win, despite all the sick moments, he did the same in Cincinatti and defeated Alcaraz handily. At USO, his lead was never in question, perhaps he could've dropped a set, but he was in control and demolished Medvedev after the 2nd set.
Winning 3 slams at 36 is insane
His 36 is more like a real 26.
Yeah it’s insane. He’s not even in his prime anymore.
@Xxxs8309 it’s 2 not 3 lol
He won 2 GS at 35
He won 2 GS at 36
@@colethomas903 I meant in a calendar year
@@steviejohnson378 he is.
Brilliant detailed analysis, the best I have heard. Thanks Gill. I hope Meddy listens!
Great take on his volley game 10 years ago. Imagine this Novak vs 2012 Nadal in AO final. Kinda feels like this one would have prevailed much easier and in half the time...amazing improvement in serve, volley and serve + volley. Nobody was ever as complete as Novak is. GOAT
2012 AO Rafa would still have given this Novak a great fight.
@@ashleythomas4112 of course, he was a beast, only lost to prime Djokovic in those years. Just saying that serve+volley on Nadals backhand with his similar return position as Medvedevs would be some easy points for Djoko and he had no easy points in that match
@@MA-rq6ieNo, it wouldn’t. Watch Nadal at AO2012 vs Berdych where he moved up to the baseline and put on a fantastic return performance. He’s not scared to return from the baseline at all. In fact, Federer tried serve and volley in the semifinal and just got passed over and over again by Nadal. Nadal may be the hardest player to serve and volley against because of the precision, power, and spin on his passing shots.
The reason Nadal and Djokovic didn’t try to go to net against each other was because it was suicide. They were way too athletic and fast on the passing shots. Neither would benefit from serve and volley in 2012.
If you want more proof, watch Roddick try it at US Open 2011. Nadal hit like 40 passing shot winners that match I swear. Final score was 6-2 6-1 6-3.
@@MA-rq6ie Nadal’s 100x harder to S&V well against compared to Meddy because of his elite passing shots (see the 2012 SF Vs Federer) and massive topspin which is hard to control on the volley compared to Meddy’s flat shots
Congrats to No1e on#4🏆at the US Open.
Medvedev brought back Serve and Volley all by himself, what a legend ❤️
Great analysis Gill! Djokovic is truly so amazing and intelligent on court his execution was perfect. I do hope Daniil learns from this he is more than good enough to win another major but he really needs to fix the obvious flaws which you pointed on return position and 2nd serve quality.
UNDISPUTED tennis GOAT
That second set was a championship set indeed! Props to Novak for staying clutch and not falling through in clutch moments, that was the key for the victory. Great journey for Meddy as well as he didn’t only win Alcaraz which was incredible, but also Rublev, De Minaur, which is his kryptonite, and even Baez who was on a 12 match win streak. He fought through brutal conditions like no one else and not anyone pointed that out how all of that could’ve affected the Daniil’s physique and his mental state. It’s a much tougher situation that he was in any of the deep runs he’s pulled off in the past. He could’ve also made some history by beating Carlos and Novak at the same tournament and especially on a grand slam. Insane path and he should be proud of himself and learn the corresponding lessons. It will help him boost his confidence too as he’s realized he can beat anyone on tour, no doubt. He will be better next time for sure!
25:35 it was vs Rudd on second point of the 1st set tiebreak in RG final 2023
I said it to the slice guy, Novak, in 3 80/20. Novak in 4 60/40 Novak in 5 20/80. Novak's tennis is maybe the best as it has ever been, but his legs are not. It also reminded me a bit of a last US Open final, where Carlos had no legs, and still won the match. it comes down to a question: Do you have other weapons to implement and execute? Novak proved, just as Carlos the last year, hell yeah!
And in Novak's case, it is even more surprising, because it is not his 1st. plan game. it is his emergency mode, but he still was able to execute well enough. I'm impressed.
On that particular shot (cross or down the line for Medi) I beg to differ because even though Novak's volley was not good, Daniil was in a defensive state of mind and what he does 99.9% of the time when he is in defensive? going cross. So in my eyes, it was not 50/50 it was just Novak reading his signature well. another thing is: it appears to me as if Novak took a lesson from Rafa in Australia and how he was able to beat this Medvedev machine. Slicing a ton, net a ton, drop shot a ton...
ultimately it came down (at least for me) to one simple aspect of the game. Novak was able to adjust his game, but Medvedev was not.
it is one thing to be stubborn when your plan is working, like in 2008 Wimbledon's final Rafa hitting Roger's backhands again and again, and it is another thing when your go-to plan doesn't work and you are not able to change it anyway.
Daniil's tactic was correct, but Novak didn't allow him to do it, basically by winning the 2nd set.
Novak was a smarter player in this match, which is not usual in Medi's matches, he was more flexible, and adaptable which is very usual in Novak's matches.
24? Are kidding me?
Game, Set, Best Ever!! 🐐
Thanks heaps for so many memories Djokov1c! 👍GS🏆#24!👍
Well done; love your analysis. And don't EVER stop doing your 'pauses' they are great.
Gill, I'd like to address (even though it didn't make up much of the point) the baseline dinamic where Novak was trying to attack with the backhand down the line early on in order to shorten the rally, but kept hitting the net and struggled a lot.
The moment the backhand down the line started working as it did with vintage Novak, the match was basically over with Daniil not having a weapon to match the exhange from the baseline.
Always like listening to your analysis! Keep it up!!!🎉
Was waiting for this... Shud be good
Gill, I think the point from a previous match you were talking about was Djokovic vs Tsitsipas in the PAris Masters, when Tsitsipas tried to go back where the forehand came from, rather than inside-in.
Totally agree with you Gill great analysis Felt sorry for Novak he look so tired but he came back so happy for him ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏👏🥇🇬🇧
Novak has made winning a habit and he is always hungry for more and more. This insatiable appetite keeps him going.
This match was very tight, the 2nd set was brutal, whoever won that would win the game. Djokovic was up against the ropes fighting from his corner and barely got out. That one set was more intense that many full matches.
Set 2 was crucial, but not a must win for Djokovic. How many times have we seen Djokovic lose a grueling second to prime Murray, only to find a way to still win. And prime Murray was better than Medvedev btw.
@@jacobschmidt2709 playing a wall like Medvedev at 36 is not the same playing Murray when he wasn't even yet 30. That's why he has adapted his game in general to shorten points and come to the net more. If Medvedev won that 1h44 set he would have been favourite and I'm a djokovic fan
@jacobschmidt2709 we are talking about 36 year old Djokovic here and more recently it reminded me of Alcaraz and how Djokovic at wimbledon looked visibly the more fatigued athlete.
@@jacobschmidt2709it would still be a toss up because Meddy was dominating in the 2nd set and it could’ve gone the other way around as Daniil would’ve likely caught the momentum
@@huzcereven novaks coach talked about the importance of that second set. That's was a war of attrition and it would have absolutely hit reset button on that matc… with the momentum being with daniil
Your analysis makes my head crystal-clear about tennis matches, all the time. This means that Nole had a bit of luck winning the second set despite his savvy adaptability to exploit Bear's weaknesses. If the latter went down the line or lobbed that easy ball to win the set point, I don't think the former could have endured the longer match to win. Bear would have had better chances against Nole's serve and volley as the match wore on. Anyway always thanks to your presence, which makes my life more interesting and enjoyable!!!
Set 2 was crucial, but not a must win for Djokovic. How many times have we seen Djokovic lose a grueling second to prime Murray, only to find a way to still win. And prime Murray was better than Medvedev btw.
Thanks Gill. Great Stuff
Djokovic played AMAZING. He ANHILATED Medvedev.
Great analysis Gill! I was going to write a comment about Medvedev's returns, but you covered it all in the video. I am not disappointed with the "missed" passing shot opportunity that Medvedev had, but I am disappointed that he didn't try to do something different on Novak's serve. Many things were going Medvedev's way in the second set, so it feels like he might have had the margin to experiment a bit with his return position. Too bad that never happened (even though I'm happy for Novak).
you're the best in the business Gill. Keep up the great analysis
Novaxx, the ultimate GOAT on and off the court.
That's right Mtf no vaxxed, 60% stupid sheep took it, now complications.
great analysis, Gill! the point that comes to my mind with Djokovic guessing right ist against Tsitsipas third set tie break in Paris Bercy last year
2011 & 2015 he was better.
He had huge obstacles in 2011, pretty much prime versions of Rafa & Roger as well as a good version of Murray.
2015 : Australia he beat prime versions of Wawrinka & Murray back to back then a very good Federer at Wimby & the US.
Tsitsipas, Medvedev & Ruud aren’t in the same class as his 2015 opposition.
2015 Federer a much better player than Ruud or Med & Murray/Stan are way better than Stef.
Thanks Gil- great analysis.
Novak’s Adaptability astounding- as u put out his get off of jail card- serve and volley🎉
Hey Gill, don't know if you will see this comment or if you ever thought about this idea, but I think it would be cool if you did some analysis of old matches to go and really show how players have changed over the decades, what were their weapons at the time compared to now and consequently what were their game plans: I was thinking of maybe a Djokovic vs Murray wimby final 2013, even some Safin, Roddick and Nalbandian from back in the day, some Tsonga or even older going back to Agassi and Sampras, I think it would be really cool for most of us tennis enthusiasts to really remove the nostalgia and use your analystical eye to see how tennis has changed.
Thanks for the endurance explanation. I understood something like he can run a marathon at good performance, but not so competitive at a 3 consecutive 400m run.
Great breakdown and analysis; thanks!
Gill's analysis makes everything clear even to someone who has never hold a racket in his hands, like myself
Flushing meadows Karen was watching while feeding her 7 cats. The last to defeat a fresh djokovic at the us open lol safe in the knowledge that she finished off the us line judge industry along with Hawkeye!
lol
🎯🎯🎯 🤣🤣🤣
What did you broadcast at the US open ?
Great Analysis !!
Nice analysis
What a splendid match….. N❤LE…. 24….. idemo! Yayyyyyy
Patriot and human being at level never seen before. First Nikola Tesla then Novak Djokovic then Nikola Jokic Serbian's undeniable super humans in science and sports.#1♥️🇷🇸👌👏
Hi, are your audio and video in sync? It feels like there's a slight mismatch.
Wait, you broadcast at the US Open?!? What channel? Always love your analysis and commentary… 👍
Amazing, in australia 2023 he won with a partial tear to his left hamstring unveiling a wicked forehand, i mean he was ripping the forehand and it carried through to the French open, but he lost wimbledon..(cant win them all)....goe's to Cincinnati and win masters title, comes to us open facing a great hardcourt specialist in Medvedev. As you can see, very hard to get the ball past Daniil, What does Nole do, he serves and volleys drawing Med into the net... amazing how he can adapt, he will find a way, the greats always do. Bravo Nole!
Yes, and I feel like when Djokovic had the heat stroke in Cincinnati vs Alcaraz, that victory might have been just as important as any of his 24 Grand Slam victories. That Cincinnati win basically erased his tough loss to Alcaraz at Wimbledon (from a mental standpoint). You could tell Djokovic really really wanted that Masters win in Cincinnati. That Cincinnati win in my opinion was the beginning of what we saw in New York yesterday.
@@justinexplainseverything1554 Excellent point, i agree... 👌👍👍👍🤜👏
@@justinexplainseverything1554Well said.
Wow, no Spoiler shield with the title! Love it! Live sports don’t have spoilers
If Novak has treatment like Roger this would be his 27-28 GS , but it doesn't matter because 2024 might be his best year in terms of GS and Olympic games , from 2025 to 2028/9 one or two GS per year would be just fine. 2030 he should be retired even if he's still in top 5.
Why retire before 2040?
@@lawdogwales5921 🤣🤣
@vladimircukoski1455 lol
Meddy gave it all in the semis, there was only so much he could have done in the final. He made a heck of an effort in set#2 to take out Novak's legs, but still with the S&V Novak came through. If Medvedev had changed his return position, Novak would have countered with faster serves or body serves which Medvedev would have struggled with given that he is at 198cms.
Novak's achievements are incredible. What records will he set when he reaches his peak in a couple of years? 😊
What is the key to Djokovic’s very long term success? Flexibility that has kept building throughout his career in multi-faceted ways. Intelligent genius.
A historic feat. The great Djokovic: One of the very greatest sportspersons to ever live, on this earth. The stuff of myths and legends.
Medvedev almost won the second set but he didn't really deserve to be equal at that point, Djokovic was the better player throughout.
Same scoreline as 2018 final 6:3, 7-6, 6:3
Delpo is a visionary 😅
@@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266 it was also his 14th slam title in 2018...this time it's 24...both times he beat a tall 1 time former Us Open champ
Where's the "enjoy with friends and family" guy now? 😂😂
He is crying in silence like all Nole's haters now 😂
@@catspaw7366who is he?
To me, that second set was a championship set and a deciding factor in the math. Props to Novak for staying clutch and not falling through in clutch moments, that was the key for the victory. Great journey for Meddy as well as he didn’t only win Alcaraz which was incredible, but also Rublev, De Minaur, who happened to be his kryptonite recently, and even Baez who was on a 12 match win streak. He fought through brutal conditions like no one else and not anyone pointed that out how all of that could’ve affected the Daniil’s physique and his mental state. Yet for some reason, everyone came down to the argument that Novak was tired and exhausted after the match against Zverev at US open 2021 and couldn’t perform at his best in the final. Daniil’s path to the final was much tougher as he had to play through harsher conditions and much harder opponents throughout the entire tournament. Also how mentally he gave it all out against Carlos, where he performed impeccably well and yet was still able to put up a great fight in the final against this version of Novak. He could’ve also made some history by beating Carlos and Novak at the same tournament and especially on a grand slam. Especially given that no one expected him to go that far, he was written off, but he proved that he’s a real deal. Insane path and he should be proud of himself and learn the corresponding lessons. It will help him boost his confidence too as he’s realized he can beat anyone on tour, no doubt. He will be better next time for sure!
Gill, first, as always, thanks for video clips! I think Djokovic did good in everything except when he tried to hit winners, especially from the BH, he flattened the ball out a little bit using some changes in the wrist that he shouldn’t. I noticed he sunk those balls in the net a few times at key points and it got to the one at 4-4 in set 2, Med serving and Djo missed the BH that gave Med 30-0, camera showing Djo’s box, both Ivanisevic and another coach using their hands to show Djo how he should hit the BH properly to spin the ball up. I thought it was special because with players at this top level coaches usually only coach them on court with strategies but not specific techniques. But I think this time it helped him because a few rallies later he seemed to fix the small technique error by hitting 4-5 consecutive hard BHs in the same rally to win an important point.
That's true Gill, very important thing that Novak will probably outlast any other player if they let's say played for 5 hours, his problem is next point after 30 plus rallies..
No one is comparing sports across genders but in Djokovic case they are doing it.
😂exactly... it says "Novak equals Court with 24" ???😅 He didn't equal anything, he surpassed everyone long time ago. In 1960 women were played with 30 players in draw, and only Australians, and only best of 3...😅😅
OMG even worse it's totaly not comparable@@vultur311
This dude made all 4 slam finals, winning 3. At 36. It seems routine, but when you think about it...
24 🏆 Bravo Nole 👏🇷🇸
Daniil had the hardest draw and came out amazingly. I think your analysis is accurate, but you also need to take a look at the draws here. If someone comes out from these hard matches/inhuman conditions, well at some point, his strength will abandon him. There is no comparison between Daniil's draw and other players draw.
Fractional Novak - Exactly ¼ (24) of Novak’s 96 ATP titles are majors. Novak has played in 72 majors, and in exactly ½ of them (36) he has made the finals. And in exactly 2/3 (24) of the finals, he has won the trophy.
Well expressed. Carlitos needed to press home his first set s&v success, so that Daniil would never get rhythm against his serve. Even if Carlitos were reduced to a 2/3 chance of winning each s&v point, that would win him almost all his service games. (And then Daniil would not feel so continously in the groundstroke zone to back up his tough serving)
Djoker was 1 volley away from the CYGS… damn
I read somewhere that Djokovic has largely been just as successful at the US Open as AO, he just has lost more finals and has had more random stuff happen to him there. Ironic that his worst and his best slams are so similar.
You bring up a great point, and I've been basically saying the same thing as you. But when you dig deeper and look at the history of the Australian and U.S. Open, since 2008, it seems like the winner of the U.S. Open from year to year, is so unpredictable for whatever reason I do not know why lol. The U.S. Open is the only major that you can't really just make an easy prediction on who will win. I don't know if it's because maybe New York City is a major distraction lol, or it is because of something else. In theory, Djokovic should own the U.S. Open like all the time, but for whatever reason, it doesn't work that way. Maybe the court speeds in New York are a different speed than the courts in Australia? Just like the courts in Cincinnati are faster than the courts in New York.
@@justinexplainseverything1554I think in part because it's at the end of the tennis season when most are tired physically & emotionally. That's why it's the only slam with a revolving door of winners every year. The fresher players seem to do better there.
@@justinexplainseverything1554
Like the other guy said, it’s the physicality. US Open is always burning hot and it’s the last slam of the season coming off a GRUELING summer season. I mean, you have the whole clay season, then RG in June, straight into grass with Wimbledon, then right back to North American hard courts and the US Open is here. It’s such a fast paced stretch of the season, and the issue in men’s tennis is that the same 3 guys basically win everything and it’s usually just 5-6 guys who are consistently making semifinals, so naturally they will be much more worn down than the rest who take a lot of early exits. Alcaraz and Djokovic basically made at least the semis everywhere in the summer stretch.
But I also think the surface itself is fairly neutral. Nadal always loved the US Open conditions, Federer played well on it, and as I said Djokovic has a similar win/loss record at the US Open but just has had some weird stuff happen (similar to Nadal at AO actually). It makes sense that this would be the most competitive surface. Alcaraz, Wawrinka, Thiem, Medvedev, Zverev, Del Potro, Cilic all seemed to love this surface and that makes it tougher as the top talents outside the main guys are playing super well. Look at this year: Medvedev, Zverev, Rublev, Alcaraz, and Sinner all played extremely well and were on the same side of the draw. It was a bloodbath. Reminds me of RG2022.
Next year we’ll see him go for his 28th grand slam, he’s getting closer and closer to the calendar year grand slam
@jonathanchen1026 he won’t ever win CYGS especially not at 36 and half to 37 years old if he couldn’t do it in 11/15/21/23 u expect him to do it in 2024 when there are Olympics how much money ya wanna bet
@Pdehaan2004 absolutely agree
@@pdehaan2004
I highly doubt he will win a CYGS while Djokovic is still around and thst might be 3-4 years. In that time anything can happen, new talent shows up, current players improve, injuries, etc...
Agree with you on the down the line shot Novak looked like he was shaping to cover the line shot and stayed put , o actually think the lob would have been the best option but you have literally seconds to decide
seconds to decide would be an eternity.. these are fractions of a second. BAck in 2017/18 Kobe was interviewed at the US OPen and he was talking back then how he and Novak had talked at length about the mental prep for big matches - as in, anticipating your opponent mentally because you know your body isn't quite the same as years before. Agree the lob would prob looks like the best choice but of course this is after the fact and they're in a 'blink and its over' scenario. Truly amazing point.
Hey GILL that match was Tsitsipas vs Djokovic 2022 Paris Masters Semi Final
Hi gill. I was thinking about winner mentality, or lack of it, while watching the u.s finals. Medvedev had novak on the ropes in the second set, but refused to make the necessary adjustment to the serve and volley. I am pretty sure that nadal, federer or even alcares you not let novak off the hook that easily. Could you adress this aspect of the game? Is it a matter of courage? Awareness ? Experience? For me it was frustrating to see medvedev being so unclutch. Thank you for the great content
To me, i feel like medvedev’s forehand was wayy better before 2022 than currently. Idk if it’s the racket change or technical changes, maybe both but I remember when he said he likes it when he’s on the run on his forehand side and trying to hit passing shots. It just feels like the precision and quality isn’t the same
To me, that second set was a championship set! Props to Novak for staying clutch and not falling through in clutch moments, that was the key for the victory. Great journey for Meddy as well as he didn’t only win Alcaraz which was beyond great, but also Rublev, De Minaur, who happened to be his kryptonite recently, and even Baez who was on a 12 match win streak. Let’s not forget that he fought through brutal conditions like no one else and not anyone pointed that out how all of that could’ve affected the Daniil’s physique and his mental state. Everyone seems to fail to acknowledge that while making arguments for the previous US open final against Novak and how he was tired after Zverev’s match. Daniil’s path to the final was much harder and in more harsh conditions and he still was able to put up a great fight against that version of Novak. He could’ve also made some history by beating Carlos and Novak at the same tournament and especially on a grand slam. Insane path and he should be proud of himself and learn the corresponding lessons. It will help him boost his confidence too as he’s realized he can beat anyone on tour, no doubt. He will be better next time for sure!
tbh, i feel if med was able to win the second set he would have either won or pushed nole to 5
Oh yeah, 100%. He was outplaying Novak and that would skyrocket the confidence for Meddy and who knows what would happen
@@marchvertochko0056 Outplaying? Roflmao. In what sense exactly? He was barely managing to get the balls back, Djokovic had been pressuring him throughout the whole match and had control of 99% of the points from the baseline. It's just that he started to feel tired in the long rallies towards the end of the second set and couldn't last for a few more strokes in those rallies physically. Not to mention other aspects - how Djokovic was all over him with backhand slices, serve & volleys, mixing it up throughout. If you meant that Medvedev outplayed him by being a one-dimensional brick wall, then yes, by all means he was.
@@stefannedeljkovic4395 99% of the points? What are you smoking? Is it just you speculating or you’re going to at least back it up with stats? Daniil won more points of 9+ shots and this is the fact. After the second set, their winners were pretty much equal too. In the second set, which was a deciding one, he was dominating and was a better player, that’s what Novak admitted himself. You clearly have zero clue about tennis then
@@stefannedeljkovic4395 not sure how’s that you came up with 99% to be honest, just an argument you pulled out of your ass. There were tons of points where Daniil dominated and he was just making unforced errors in those rallies, not that Novak was dominating him whatsoever. There will be only a handful of rallies where Novak won with him dominating the rally and following it up with a winner. It was mostly Daniil missing the lines. Drop shots didn’t work for Novak either so I don’t really get the versatility other than his serve and volley. His slicing didn’t do much damage either, where Daniil would’ve missed right after those slices.
@@marchvertochko0056 'His slicing didn’t do much damage either, where Daniil would’ve missed right after those slices.' - you're contradicting yourself bro.
Not sure why I waste time with this (it's not like you're gonna change your argument even if presented with the absolute truth), but here it is.
The Shot Quality stats are not up yet, but even the basic ones from ATP will do.
Here are the percentages for 0-4 and 5-8 shots, which accounted for 75% of the rallies:
0-4 Shots: Djokovic 63/Medvedev 50
5-8 Shots: Djokovic 29/Medvedev 18
Total: 92 Djokovic - Medvedev 68
Even in the 9+ shots department, it was pretty even:
9+ Shots: Djokovic 26/Medvedev 28
Net game:
Medvedev 72% points won
Djokovic 84%
Baseline Points Won
Djokovic = 48.8% (59/121)
Medvedev = 38.0% (52/137)
Djokovic won higher percentages on both first and second serves, and won the return game on both first and second serves.
If you're a tennis guru as you're claiming to be, you know full well that some stats are misleading and that there's much that stats don't show. The point is that Medvedev was mostly on the back foot, with Djokovic producing more depth and pace from both wings. For most of the points, Medvedev was trying to get into a neutral position, and Djokovic dictating until he got tired. If he had the 2011 stamina, he would have been able to stick around for a few more shots and produce even more winners off the ground.
Cheers mate
…and have you noticed how those guys that defeat Alcaraz often go on to lose their next match? Sinner lost to Meddy in Miami23, Tommy Paul lost to Sinner in Toronto23, and now Meddy lost to Novak in USOpen23.
It’s tough to defeat Alcaraz, and like he said, those who beat him will suffer.
Yeah Novak had a really easy path to a championship
The hard part with facing someone as good as Alcaraz and then Djokovic or someone right after is the game planning and mental fatigue, even if you can recover physically which Medvedev did. Medvedev had to game plan tirelessly for Alcaraz, and then once he beat him, he had to turn around and game plan for Djokovic, who is about equally good but plays a completely different style. It’s a hard position to be in. Djokovic probably didn’t have to game plan that hard considering his last three opponents were Gojo, Fritz, and Shelton. Medvedev had Rublev and Alcaraz before Djokovic.
@@SJ-di5zu Alcaraz has the potential to become the next all time great but it’s going to take a while cause he’s still young
@SJ I don’t think anyone on a HC in a major or anywhere for that matter major wise will beat both Carlos and Djokovic back to back
Not sure whether anyone has had this take yet: Joker is now one French Open championship from a FOUR TIME career grand slam. He sure keeps racking up the evidence that he's the GOAT.
(Gil should be coaching pro tennis). Small subtleties on timing and position can make a world of difference on a S&V. Some days, as a serve and volleyer you can look like a God, and some days you're not there at all.
Gill, just admit it, man. Novak is the GOAT! Stop fighting it.
The one weakness with Novaks game imo has been that he's too much of a perfectionist & he treats it too seriously, this might sound good on paper but this induces some strain, that it becomes self sabotaging.
That is why he gets mad a lot of times, because you feel like you are owed something after you put so much work into something.
But in reality you actually want to inject some fun into anything & have a child like spirit, it actually relives a lot of strain and allows you to play much more freely. That's what Alcaraz imo has been doing so well. But his story about seeing his daughter, he might've adopted something subconciously from his daughter, he said it melted him & that might have taken him to another universe & gear.
But even in 2nd novak had break points & meddy had tough holds you cant forget that
How do you beat the S&V out wide on deuce side? Throw up deep lobs?
Brilliant analytics thank you
Djokovic said that in the second set for him the ground was spinning and the sky was spinning and he could barely even see the ball so he prayed and relied on instinct. He credited him winning that set to God and guardian angels.
at 36 years old, Djokovic is still getting to the finals of the grand slams. mind blowing. Hard enough to do it at 26 let alone 36. Had he played a full season, the year end #1 would be wrapped up by now. So..lets revist. Is it too early to call Djokovic the player of the year? or can Alcaraz claim it with a year end #1 and YEC title?
@puzzlite Djokovic is Player of the year regardless if he end YE #1 or not he won 3 slams Carlos 1 debate over for it honestly it been over if it was 2 each because Nole would been in finals of all 4 slams Carlos 2
Medvedev looked bad on the return because Novak served excellent. Let's give Novak credit for his great serve.
Novak's placement and pace were excellent, but his 1st serve percentage was mediocre at best.
I will implement Djokovic and Kobe’s mental techniques and beliefs related to being successful at the highest level. Saying that, we need a mega prodigy beyond all the GOATs… Anyone close to entering ATP like that?
I really thought Medvedev would at least win the 3rd set after just so narrowly missing to get the 2nd and seeing Novak all fatigued after these long rallies (and Medvedev seemingly not)
No way. The third was closer than it seemed but it was a wrap. Novak had that match mentally locked after the 2nd - Daniil fought hard and I give him all his due respect (actually he's prob my #2 favorite player now) but he was broken.
@Tuzz94 Medvedev set to win was set 2 set 3 it was a wrap Nole was gonna win that set
Interestingly 2nd set set point also won after a blocked return
One more thing that gill missed is this time novak was sometimes able to get out of bh to bh exchange but hitting offensive bh. If he gets better at med is completely solved. His bh doesnt have the venom it used to have back in 2011. Thats why he is struggling.