The five points that doomed Federer against Djokovic at the US Open 2015 final
Roger Federer lost his third straight
Grand Slam final to Novak Djokovic as the Serbian defeated him 6-4
5-7 6-4 6-4 in the 2015 US Open final. Neither of the players
performed at peak level although both of them offered a strong
argument to prevail at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic's historically great consistency showed up during the greater part of the match, but it was gone for a quite long stretch from the end of the second until midway the third set. After an all-out-attack Federer succumbed in the introducing stages of the evening, the more balanced version of the Swiss was being the superior player during the plot. By a mile. The momentum was way closer to Basel than to Belgrade. But then...
1. Federer is up 4-3. Djokovic serves. Advantage Federer #1.
After climbing back up from 40-0, the Swiss Expresso has a break point in his favor. Djokovic makes a legit serve down the middle to which Federer replies with deep neutralizing forehand. Djokovic realizes that he should work the point rather than try to finish in two shots. He decides to abide by the tactic that has worked so well for him over his career. Move the opponent side to side. Punish the weaker wing. “No dumb mistakes” must be tatooed in his heart. Federer takes the bait and starts rallying against the most solid player in the world. He does not go for the winner, stays passive, a couple feet behind the baseline until he fires an ill-advised inside-in forehand in the middle of the net. Deuce.
2. Federer is up 4-3. Djokovic serves. Advantage Federer #2.
Federer faces now a golden opportunity to gore his Serbian nemesis, who misses the first serve. Some people were expecting the über-aggressive SABR (Sneaky Attack by Roger) return. Others (including me), were not that fond off that strategy at that point, but anticipated an attacking Roger coming. Didn't happen. “Let's just beat this Serbian dude grinding,” said no one ever (except peak Rafa on clay). Federer decides to defy logic and plays one semi-offensive shot, two neutral ones and three straight up weak shots. Result: Nole steps in and hits a low-risk winner. Deuce. Ad Djokovic. 4-4.
3. 4 games all. Federer serves. Advantage Djokovic.
After squandering away three game points, Federer is now under pressure. I'm being unfair here to say the truth. Djokovic got loose when he was down in this game and played lights out to reverse the situation: hit the corner down 40-15 to set up a comfortable service line forehand winner; became the Serbian version of Justin Gatlin to counterattack a huge approach by Federer and hit half an inch of the sideline with a backhand from the farther border of Yugoslavia. Federer would have already won this game 99 times out of 100. But he didn't. And then he messed up. Down a break point he went for a Hail Mary. Huge serve down the T, Djokovic struggles to return and next up brainless Federer decides it is a very good idea to take a gamble and try to hit the edge of the sideline with a hard crosscourt backhand approach, which he misses. Break Djokovic, who stares at his team pointing at his head and will serve for the third set.
4. Djokovic leads 5-4. Djokovic serves. 30-40.
Federer played a hell of a game. He put himself in a position to level the match at a high-leverage situation. The father of two pairs of twins had again a pair of break points. Unable to secure the game in the first point, Federer gives his best at 30-40. Djokovic hits a superb second serve to start a 20-shot rally which only his Alien defense prevents Federer from winning twice. Exhausted, the Swiss tries to adjust too much with a neutral backhand and misses it by a hair. This is the match clincher for Djokovic. The Fedfans know it. Mirka knows it as well. This match is unofficially over. Deuce. Ad Djokovic.
5. Djokovic leads 5-4. Djokovic serves. Advantage Djokovic.
Does anyone here think Djokovic likes to forgive his victims? A trophy-hungry Djoker does not let his prey escape alive. The second set tiebreaker at Wimbledon earlier this summer was the exception. Not the rule. 1-2 punch. Quick and easy. Bomb serve to the backhand, thunderous forehand approach to the weakness (backhand). Fearing Nole's much improved volley, Federer had to attempt a low percentage forced passing shot. Wide. Djokovic leads two sets to one.
Those five points three games decided the outcome of a Grand Slam final. Federer was missing for the next seven games. His mind was in the Swiss mountains or perhaps in the Dubai desert. Not in New York. Meanwhile, Djokovic cruised to a double-break 5-2 lead. When the genius came back into Federer's racket, it was too late, although he had just enough time to of course waste a couple break points to level the fourth set at five all. Djokovic sealed the battle obviously on his first championship point.
Tennis is a mental game. Federer is the most gifted player I have ever seen; by far. However, he is not on Djokovic or Nadal's level when it comes to being mentally tough when he plays against them.
On Sunday, Federer only capitalized on 4 of the 23 break point chances he had. Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg made that number look even worse with the tweet at the bottom on Sunday night.
I've been doing lots of research regarding Federer's break point conversion and...that will be the second part of this post.
@burraparda is back in the sports writing game.
Djokovic's historically great consistency showed up during the greater part of the match, but it was gone for a quite long stretch from the end of the second until midway the third set. After an all-out-attack Federer succumbed in the introducing stages of the evening, the more balanced version of the Swiss was being the superior player during the plot. By a mile. The momentum was way closer to Basel than to Belgrade. But then...
1. Federer is up 4-3. Djokovic serves. Advantage Federer #1.
After climbing back up from 40-0, the Swiss Expresso has a break point in his favor. Djokovic makes a legit serve down the middle to which Federer replies with deep neutralizing forehand. Djokovic realizes that he should work the point rather than try to finish in two shots. He decides to abide by the tactic that has worked so well for him over his career. Move the opponent side to side. Punish the weaker wing. “No dumb mistakes” must be tatooed in his heart. Federer takes the bait and starts rallying against the most solid player in the world. He does not go for the winner, stays passive, a couple feet behind the baseline until he fires an ill-advised inside-in forehand in the middle of the net. Deuce.
2. Federer is up 4-3. Djokovic serves. Advantage Federer #2.
Federer faces now a golden opportunity to gore his Serbian nemesis, who misses the first serve. Some people were expecting the über-aggressive SABR (Sneaky Attack by Roger) return. Others (including me), were not that fond off that strategy at that point, but anticipated an attacking Roger coming. Didn't happen. “Let's just beat this Serbian dude grinding,” said no one ever (except peak Rafa on clay). Federer decides to defy logic and plays one semi-offensive shot, two neutral ones and three straight up weak shots. Result: Nole steps in and hits a low-risk winner. Deuce. Ad Djokovic. 4-4.
3. 4 games all. Federer serves. Advantage Djokovic.
After squandering away three game points, Federer is now under pressure. I'm being unfair here to say the truth. Djokovic got loose when he was down in this game and played lights out to reverse the situation: hit the corner down 40-15 to set up a comfortable service line forehand winner; became the Serbian version of Justin Gatlin to counterattack a huge approach by Federer and hit half an inch of the sideline with a backhand from the farther border of Yugoslavia. Federer would have already won this game 99 times out of 100. But he didn't. And then he messed up. Down a break point he went for a Hail Mary. Huge serve down the T, Djokovic struggles to return and next up brainless Federer decides it is a very good idea to take a gamble and try to hit the edge of the sideline with a hard crosscourt backhand approach, which he misses. Break Djokovic, who stares at his team pointing at his head and will serve for the third set.
4. Djokovic leads 5-4. Djokovic serves. 30-40.
Federer played a hell of a game. He put himself in a position to level the match at a high-leverage situation. The father of two pairs of twins had again a pair of break points. Unable to secure the game in the first point, Federer gives his best at 30-40. Djokovic hits a superb second serve to start a 20-shot rally which only his Alien defense prevents Federer from winning twice. Exhausted, the Swiss tries to adjust too much with a neutral backhand and misses it by a hair. This is the match clincher for Djokovic. The Fedfans know it. Mirka knows it as well. This match is unofficially over. Deuce. Ad Djokovic.
5. Djokovic leads 5-4. Djokovic serves. Advantage Djokovic.
Does anyone here think Djokovic likes to forgive his victims? A trophy-hungry Djoker does not let his prey escape alive. The second set tiebreaker at Wimbledon earlier this summer was the exception. Not the rule. 1-2 punch. Quick and easy. Bomb serve to the backhand, thunderous forehand approach to the weakness (backhand). Fearing Nole's much improved volley, Federer had to attempt a low percentage forced passing shot. Wide. Djokovic leads two sets to one.
Those five points three games decided the outcome of a Grand Slam final. Federer was missing for the next seven games. His mind was in the Swiss mountains or perhaps in the Dubai desert. Not in New York. Meanwhile, Djokovic cruised to a double-break 5-2 lead. When the genius came back into Federer's racket, it was too late, although he had just enough time to of course waste a couple break points to level the fourth set at five all. Djokovic sealed the battle obviously on his first championship point.
Tennis is a mental game. Federer is the most gifted player I have ever seen; by far. However, he is not on Djokovic or Nadal's level when it comes to being mentally tough when he plays against them.
On Sunday, Federer only capitalized on 4 of the 23 break point chances he had. Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg made that number look even worse with the tweet at the bottom on Sunday night.
I've been doing lots of research regarding Federer's break point conversion and...that will be the second part of this post.
@burraparda is back in the sports writing game.