Djokovic is still signing autographs for his supporters, but it’s time for me to take my leave. What a cool, calm and clinical performance it was from the world No1 today, who’d perhaps like another shot at Federer tomorrow, to make amends for his defeat earlier in the week. That loss certainly seems like a distant memory now. Thanks for reading, please join us later for Federer v Wawrinka. A bit more sledging from Mirka Federer would make things interesting. Bye!http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/21/novak-djokovic-rafael-nadal-atp-world-tour-finals
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Novak Djokovic has leveled his head-to-head with Rafael Nadal at 23-23. Quite a Herculean comeback from his one-time deficit of 4-14.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) November 21, 2015
Djokovic: No break points 24 winners 20 UFE 89% of points won on 1st serve
— Douglas Robson (@dougrobson) November 21, 2015
The victor’s thoughts:
On the match: “It was a great performance. Right from the very beginning I was able to execute the game plan. Rafa was playing some great tennis this week but I was able to pull out my best tennis when it mattered the most.”
On whether he’s bought his coach Boris Becker a birthday present for tomorrow: “I hope I’ll get Boris his present on court.”
On whether he’d rather play Federer or Wawrinka in the final: “I prefer playing against a Swiss player [laughs]. They played a great match last year in the semi-finals. It’s going to be nice to watch, and hopefully I can perform as well as I did today.”
Nadal trudges off court, while Djokovic soaks up the applause and reflects on reaching his 15th consecutive final in what has been one of the best seasons ever seen in tennis. His 2011 season was remarkable; but surely 2015 has beaten it. It’s also his fourth final in a row at the ATP World Tour Finals, where he’s going for a fourth straight title.
Djokovic beats Nadal 6-3, 6-3 to reach the final!
From 15-all, Nadal mis-times a groundstroke which balloons over the net before landing just in. It’s enough to distract Djokovic, who nets. Perhaps that’s Nadal’s best tactic: flummox the world No1 with some park player-style moon balls. But I digress. 30-15 turns into 30-all. Djokovic could be two points from the win ... Nadal holds firm initially, moving to 40-30. But Djokovic has Nadal scampering all over the place on the next point, deuce. Djokovic gets it all wrong on the forehand, which flies well over the baseline. Advantage Nadal. A fizzing forehand down the line from Djokovic, deuce. This time a brutal backhand down the line, just in the interests of balance. Advantage Djokovic, match point. And Djokovic rounds things off with another winner. Three in a row. Talk about finishing in style.
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Second set: *Nadal 3-6, 3-5 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Another bad stat for Nadal: he’s yet to create a break point on Djokovic’s serve. He’s got to start pushing soon, otherwise this match will be beyond him. It’s not so much the speed of Djokovic’s serve that is so dominant; it’s the pinpoint precision, much like Roger Federer’s. A wonderful Djokovic volley while spinning and stretching on the third point draws some admiring sounds from the crowd, but then the Serb, perhaps still a little dizzy, allows Nadal to get to 30-all. A glimpse for Nadal? Djokovic wallops away a winner. 40-30. The pair go cross-court, cross-court, cross-court, before Nadal decides to mix things up with a slice down the middle. But it’s the Spaniard who ends up cutting himself up and Djokovic holds. The world No1 is potentially a game away from the final.
Second set: Nadal 3-6, 3-4 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Better from Nadal. An aggressive forehand allows him to move towards the net, something he’s been increasingly willing to do in recent weeks, but something he’s just not been allowed to do against Djokovic this afternoon. Nadal holds comfortably.
Second set: *Nadal 3-6, 2-4 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
An ominous stat for Nadal: he’s not beaten Djokovic in their three matches this year, and hasn’t even won a set. And two of those meetings were on his favoured clay; this indoor surface is an altogether different beast. His game just doesn’t match up well against Djokovic’s on it. On the fourth point of this game, Djokovic, not even in position, still manages to pull off the winner, just to rub salt into Nadal’s wounds. 40-15. Which soon turns into game. Djokovic has only lost one point on serve in this set.
A long rally reminiscent of this rivalry's past and Djokovic gets the best of it when Nadal pokes a bh wide. Serb breaks for *3-2.
— Douglas Robson (@dougrobson) November 21, 2015
Second set: Nadal 3-6, 2-3 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
A collective sigh from the 17,000-strong crowd as Nadal bludgeons a backhand long. 15-30. A sniff for Djokovic, who stretches and slides and stretches and slides some more, before winning a point that really he had no right to win, as Nadal is caught in no man’s land between the service line and net and dumps into the net. 15-40, two break points. A let-off for Nadal, 30-40. The pair then engage in a tremendous exchange from the back of the court, going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Djokovic, so controlled and assured today, isn’t going to blink and takes the point and with it the break. It’s starting to look daunting for Nadal.
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Second set: *Nadal 3-6, 2-2 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
The bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bouncing of the ball can only mean one thing; Djokovic is getting ready to serve. 15-0. Nadal then opts for all-out attack on the second serve, but he ends up netting. 30-0. 40-0. Game. A second love hold for Djokovic in a row.
Second set: Nadal 3-6, 2-1 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Nadal seems to be finding more of a serving groove in this set. A second ace of the day, 15-0. Djokovic goes for broke with a cross-court return but it whistles wide. 30-0. Nadal then hoiks a forehand, which sits up invitingly for Djokovic, who swats it away with disdain. 30-15. But that’s as far as the world No1 gets in this game. He’s off-balance on the next point – something that’s not said very often – 40-15. And from there Nadal holds.
Second set: *Nadal 3-6, 1-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
But now Nadal must set about trying to make some inroads on Djokovic’s serve. That he can’t. 15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game Mr Djokovic.
Second set: Nadal 3-6, 1-0 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Nadal has to return better in this second set if he’s to turn this match around, but first things first, he must hold serve. Djokovic is pushing and probing, and gets to 0-30 on the Spaniard’s serve. Some Hawk-Eye confusion on the next point – they’ll play it again. Djokovic loops a backhand long – a rare error from that wing today – 15-30. A first ace from Nadal, 30-all. Djokovic makes up for his earlier errant backhand by threading down the line, Nadal can only go wide. 30-40, break point. A one-two straight out of the tennis coaching manual saves it for Nadal. The first deuce of the day. Nadal whips a vicious forehand down the line, from that moment on Djokovic is on the backfoot in the rally. Advantage Nadal, who fist pumps and gees the crowd up with it. He wins three points in a row for a crucial hold.
27 points is all it took for Djoker to win a set 6-3 no duece games or really long rally's so far
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) November 21, 2015
The early break holds up, and Djokovic takes the first set 6-3 in only 33 minutes, which is a blink by Djokovic-Nadal standards.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) November 21, 2015
Djokovic 6-3. Serb dipped slightly in second half of set but at this level Nadal will be hard pressed to do much. #FinalShowdown
— Douglas Robson (@dougrobson) November 21, 2015
Djokovic wins the first set 6-3!
The first sign of a few jitters. Djokovic double faults, 15-all. A chance for Nadal here, he looks competitive in the rally, but he slaps into the net. Nadal grimaces. 30-15 Djokovic, potentially two points from the set. Make that one. 40-15. Djokovic has been commanding on serve today, he’s only lost three points behind his first serve. Djokovic serves to Nadal’s forehand and the Spaniard once again drives into the net. Djokovic skips to his chair, opts for a new shirt, as does Nadal, but Nadal has more to think about here than a change of clothing.
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First set: Nadal 3-5 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Move on, there’s nothing to see here. 15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game. Djokovic already seems to be thinking about closing out this set on serve. He’s no longer soaring at the heights he was early on, but he’s still the more dominant player out there. The winner count is currently 13-5 in his favour. The match appears to be on his racket.
Savour this exquisite backhand lob volley from @DjokerNole #finalshowdown https://t.co/kRsZ9udpkC https://t.co/mKzjWoDQW4
— TennisTV (@TennisTV) November 21, 2015
First set: *Nadal 2-5 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
A third ace from Djokovic sees him take the first point. Nadal wastes a challenge on the second, 30-0. A one-two punch from Djokovic makes it 40-0. And another ace settles matters. It’s Djokovic’s first love service game of this semi-final and Nadal must now hold serve to stay in the first set.
First set: Nadal 2-4 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Nadal gets to 30-0 before Djokovic punishes the short ball, 30-15. Nadal thwacks away what could have been a tricky overhead from the baseline with the minimum of fuss, 40-15. Djokovic – having pulled off that delicate drop shot in the previous game – decides to throw in another. But lightning doesn’t strike twice. The ball trickles into the net and Nadal holds to 15.
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First set: *Nadal 1-4 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic spoke before the match about the need to shorten the points against Nadal, but he’s having few problems in the longer rallies at the moment. He emerges victorious from a lengthy exchange to get to 40-15, and while Nadal edges to 40-30, Djokovic responds by hitting side to side, drawing Nadal in seemingly on a piece of string, before threading a perfect lob over the Spaniard’s head. Djokovic maintains the advantage.
First set: Nadal 1-3 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
The commentators are discussing whether there’s been a better sportsman than Djokovic this year. What are your thoughts? I can’t think of one. But superman proves he’s sometimes human as he throws in his first error, 15-all. Djokovic bamboozles Nadal with an inside-out forehand, 15-30. But there’s a second error, 30-all. And a third! Crisis! 40-30. Nadal with a chance to get on the scoreboard ... and that he does when Djokovic prods his return long.
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Djokovic's backhand right now: penetrating, crisp, fierce.
— Douglas Robson (@dougrobson) November 21, 2015
First set: *Nadal 0-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Remarkable from Djokovic, given that was his first receiving game. To be that tuned into the return so soon in the match perhaps does not bode well for Nadal. But Nadal’s not playing badly here; there’s only been one unforced error so far. Djokovic holds to 15 and it’s three unanswered games for the world No1. A faultless start.
First set: Nadal 0-2 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Nadal looks pumped for this match but Djokovic has a steely determination about it. And what about this: one, two, three successive winners from the Serb and it’s 0-40. The two duke it out from the back of the court, neither seemingly with the advantage, but then Djokovic strikes with his fourth clean winner, a cross-court backhand. That’s a game for the Djokovic show reel, and there have been a few during his career. Djokovic breaks to love.
Djokovic breaks at love, up 2-0 already. Phenomenal backhands. Nadal cant hesitate or Novak can crush him
— Matt Cronin (@TennisReporters) November 21, 2015
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First set: Nadal* 0-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 46th instalment of Nadal v Djokovic, let’s play. Djokovic wins a quick first point, but some piercing forehands from Nadal on the second point and it’s 15-all. Nadal’s forehand has to be firing today to win this match. But he mis-times the next shot and gives himself a bit of a talking to. 30-15. But look, the stinging forehand is back – a winner down the line – 30-all. The crowd liked that. Nadal senses a chance here but he dumps a weak backhand into the net. Game point Djokovic. The longest rally so far and Djokovic does what he does best, turning defence into attack to come up with the winner. Djokovic holds serve but Nadal asked a few questions there.
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Right, Sky Sports it is. We should be under way shortly. So just enough time to talk a few tactics. Nadal’s form this week has been something of a surprise, not only because of his troubles this season, but also because this surface does not favour his game; while it’s fairly slow, his spin just doesn’t get the same vicious bounce on it as it does on other courts. Djokovic has been imperious indoors in recent years. He’s rightly the favourite.
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Tok! Tok! Tokity! Tok! The players are warming up. On Sky Sports, Mark Petchey has got his tactics board out and is pressing lots of buttons. On BBC1, Andrew Castle is wittering on about Andy Murray even though Andy Murray isn’t playing this afternoon. Which to choose?
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Djokovic-Nadal XLVI soon underway. With how slow the court is in London, thank God it's best-of-three.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) November 21, 2015
Rafa Nadal is improving all the time but I would be surprised if Novak Djokovic doesn't win, probably in straight sets
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) November 21, 2015
The coin toss. Nadal calls heads. It’s tails. Nadal loses the first battle; Djokovic opts to serve first.
Djokovic talks too: “It’s been a long season, I’ve had fresher moments in the year but I’m in the semi-finals playing against one of my great rivals so I’m looking forward to it. He’s been playing some very good tennis this week, he’s feeling more comfortable than he has this year. I need to be aggressive.”
And Nadal’s the first to speak: “I’m feeling good and happy to be in the semi-finals. It’s been an important three victories for me. Today is a big challenge for me, I’m excited to play this match. I have to do a lot of things very, very well.”
Here’s Rafa, pacing the corridors, taking a few practice swings, jogging on the spot, probably trying to warm himself up. Not sure I’d want to be playing tennis in a giant tent on such an icily cold day on the Greenwich peninsula.
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The story so far
Djokovic beat Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1
Djokovic lost to Federer 7-5, 6-2
Djokovic beat Tomas Berdych 6-3, 7-5
Nadal beat Wawrinka 6-3, 6-2
Nadal beat Murray 6-4, 6-1
Nadal beat David Ferrer 6-7, 6-3, 6-4
Preamble
Afternoon! Whenever I think of matches between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal my mind goes straight back to that Australian Open final of 2012. All five hours and 53 minutes of it. Just the memory of it triggers cramps, dehydration and general body-ouch. Five hours and 53 minutes! The image of both players slumped on chairs during the trophy presentation, unable to haul their exhausted limbs into a standing position for a moment longer, was an unforgettable picture from an unforgettable final. They had given absolutely everything in one of the most breathtaking displays of endurance and athleticism seen in tennis, the longest grand slam final in history. It was superhuman, Iron Man stuff.
It was the seventh match in a row in which Djokovic had bettered his rival; Nadal was surely sick of the sight of the Serb. But Nadal, despite his injury problems in 2012-13, responded by winning six of the next seven contests, before his body creaked once more and his confidence cracked too. Djokovic comes into this match having prevailed in seven of their past eight meetings (though the world No1 is still behind in the overall head to head, 22-23).
Djokovic has been the stand-out player of 2015 and, but for an inspired Stan Wawrinka in Paris, would be playing in this season-ending event as a calendar and career slam winner. However, while he showed a chink in his armour during his round-robin defeat by Roger Federer on Tuesday (only his sixth loss this season), Nadal has been almost impenetrable this week, winning three out of three and conceding only one set. Having dropped as low as No10 in the world this year, the crisis of confidence may be over.
“I believe the last four tournaments, the positive results, the good feelings on court in terms of enjoying myself, in terms of image, is much better,” Nadal said after his victory over Andy Murray on Wednesday. “But this is just the beginning. I have to keep working hard. Sport in general is quite simple. When I don’t think about how to hit the ball but when I think just about where to hit the ball, that’s good news when all these things happen. Today I feel free. I feel I’m enjoying it on court. That doesn’t mean I am going to play well every match. That means I am happy. I go day by day.”
It’s good to see a glimpse of the old Rafa. Let’s hope he hangs around. It could make this afternoon’s match another one to remember, even if it doesn’t stretch to nearly six hours.
Play begins: just after 2pm GMT. Don’t be late.
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