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  • Serbian Open

    Since no one started a thread, I'll jump into the void ...

    On a cold night in Belgrade (always wanted to start a novel that way), Novak Djokovic struggled but won over the 50th ranked player in the world, who ran him 'from pillar to post' for 3 hours 20 minutes.

    Djere won more points, 135-132, broke Novak's serve 4 times, and had a short forehand to go up a mini-break in the third set tiebreak 6-4. Missed and lost 26 76(6) 76(4). Second prize is a set of steak knives. https://youtu.be/wVQPY4LlbJ4

    Beats finishing third.

    Next up for Novak, countryman Miomir Kecmanovic, former junior world number one over Tsitsipas in 2016.

    For Novak, a win's a win, which is a lot better than his dreary loss in the first round at Monte Carlo to Fokina.

    After that loss, Novak said he was "exhausted". Days later, uber coach Goran said "Novak had been sick". Snarks said: "is that his third case of Covid or his first"". Think about it.

    Dominik Thiem lost again, but it was a better loss, in three sets to John Millman. His movement and backhand improved, but his previously fearsome forehand still lacks velocity. Aussie Millman was gracious at the net, "I'll have trouble handling you when you're fit." Thiem says his glass is half full: "I'm happy [with] how I was fighting, how I was defending, how I was moving." he said. "The backhand was pretty good. The forehand is not there yet, but I know this and I'm practising so that it's getting better."


  • #2
    Djokovic came from behind against Miomir Kecmanovic to advance to the semi-finals in his native Belgrade, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.


    Glass half full: Second straight come back win in 3 sets. And this time Novak won more total points and more first serve points.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by jimlosaltos View Post
      Djokovic came from behind against Miomir Kecmanovic to advance to the semi-finals in his native Belgrade, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.


      Glass half full: Second straight come back win in 3 sets. And this time Novak won more total points and more first serve points.
      Same vs Karen Khachanov, Novak is "winning ugly" but he's winning -- 3 straight come from behind 3 setters. Into final vs Rublev.

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      • #4
        Very curious. Djokovic loses again while basically going away in the 3rd set.
        Rublev wins 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-0


        When that happened in Monte Carlo Djokovic said he was "tired". Much later coach Goran said he had been "ill" without defining it.

        Weeks later Novak again fades in a third set. It's one thing to not be "tournament tough" after a long period without competitive play, but to not be physical fit enough for three sets seems strange - particularly for someone known for grinding out 5 setters. Now, he did win his prior matches at this event in 3, coming back every time.

        Also worrying for Djoko fans, his serve performance: Won only 58% of first serves in the final, when he normally wins 71% on clay, and faced 12 break points.

        Something is funky in Belgrade.

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        • #5
          Yes, agreed, it's strange to watch Djokovic struggling physically. I watched the second set and to 3-0 in third. To be even-handed, Rublev was also struggling at the end of that tough tie break second set, so I think the conditions were demanding. But Djokovic was definitely spent by the third. Something ails him, for sure.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by glacierguy View Post
            Yes, agreed, it's strange to watch Djokovic struggling physically. I watched the second set and to 3-0 in third. To be even-handed, Rublev was also struggling at the end of that tough tie break second set, so I think the conditions were demanding. But Djokovic was definitely spent by the third. Something ails him, for sure.
            I just realized that I said something similar after last year's Belgrade/Serbia final. Karatsev absolutely ran Novak into the ground, wore him out. Then Novak went to Roland Garros and won 2 matches, I believe, from 2 sets down including the final vs Tsitisipas.

            So, not to worry. Perhaps

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            • #7
              Finally, a tiny bit more on Djokovic's health. He blames running out of energy during tennis matches on an unnamed illness that was not Covid.

              Tennis.com by Kamakshi Tandon

              "It was quite severe, affecting me, affecting my body, my metabolism for a few weeks now," he said. "Looking on a positive side, it's progressing in a positive way. I'm playing three-setters back to back to back. But it's a bit concerning to have this kind of feeling on court."

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