AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2012
Can Nadal Solve Djokovic Riddle?
Melbourne, Australia
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal
will play each other for the third
Grand Slam championship match
in a row.
Can Rafael Nadal solve the Novak Djokovic riddle? That is the question going into Sunday’s Australian Open final, which will feature the top two players in the South African Airways ATP Rankings for the third Grand Slam championship match in a row.
World No. 1 Djokovic held Nadal’s number in 2011. In their six meetings, all in tour-level finals, Djokovic prevailed, including upsetting the King of Clay in the Rome and Madrid title matches, and prevailing in their clashes at Wimbledon and the US Open.
"I know that I maybe have a mental edge because I won the six finals we played in 2011 and I've had lots of success against him," said Djokovic, who still trails 13-16 in the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head standing, despite his success last season.
"On the other hand, it's a new year," continued the Serb. "It's a new challenge. It's a different situation. He has maybe a day advantage over me for recovery and for getting ready for the finals."
Indeed, while Nadal defeated Roger Federer in four sets on Thursday night in the first of the semi-finals, Djokovic was extended to 7-5 in the fifth set by Andy Murray, in a match lasting four hours and 50 minutes on Friday night.
"That's going to be my main priority and concern the next day and a half, to physically be able to perform my best and be ready to play five sets," said Djokovic after his battling win over Murray. "There is no secret it is going to be physical again. I think that's going to be crucial for me to recover and to be able to perform my best, because Rafa is fit. He's been playing well. He had an extra day. He definitely wants to win this title. If I am able to do that, then I can believe that I can win."
The 24-year-old Djokovic is bidding to win his fifth Grand Slam championship and third at the Australian Open, having previously triumphed in 2008 (d. Tsonga) and 2011 (d. Murray) at Melbourne Park. Should he succeed, he would become the fourth man in the Open Era to win three or more Australian Open titles, joining Andre Agassi, Federer and Mats Wilander.
World No. 2 Nadal is looking to regain the Australian Open trophy he won in 2009 with victory over Federer. The Spaniard has lost just two sets en route to his 15th Grand Slam final, also beating Tomas Berdych in four sets in the quarter-finals, and is bidding to win his 11th major title at the age of 25 years and 240 days. Should he succeed, he would become the second youngest man in history to lift 11 major trophies, following Bjorn Borg, who was 25 years and one day old.
"I am in the final of another Grand Slam, fourth in a row," said Nadal, who won a record-equalling sixth Roland Garros title last year before his final defeats at Wimbledon and the US Open. "
happy for that. The opponent is the best player of the world today, so that's why I played the last few finals against him.
"So it will be a really tough match for me. He is the favourite after being No. 1 in the world and after playing fantastic and beating me the last six times. So just happy to be there. For me, the tournament is really, really good. Right now I am going to try to play my best tennis and fight every ball knowing that is going to be a tough one.
"It's a fantastic way to start the season," said the left-hander. "Now is another big, big test. I don't know if I am enough ready to win the match of tomorrow, but I believe that I can do it and I am going to fight for it."
The Mallorcan is the fifth man in the Open Era to have reached the final of every Grand Slam tournament at least twice, joining Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Ivan Lendl and Ken Rosewall. Uszczypliwości, ironie. Zaraz pewnie ktoś napiszę, że nieprawda, Roger już swoje wygrał i pogadamy jak Rafa lub Novak będą mieć 16 WS, ale jednak trzeba się trochę ponaśmiewać nie?
" Gdyby tylko Roger był w swojej najlepszej formie..."
.