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AO SF: Djokovic outmarathons Murray 6-3 3-6 6-7(4) 6-1 7-5

41K views 418 replies 191 participants last post by  Paylu2007 
#1 ·
Was Nadull playing in the first 3 sets? More than 3 hours for these sets.

Djokovic nearly choked the match from 5-2 in the 5th. Murray didn't take the gift at 5-5 blowing mulple BPs.

Hopefully Djokovic is fine for Sunday.
 
#60 ·
Priceless - this will make Novak even more stronger for final and Muzza even more devastating

win-win situation :hearts:
 
#62 ·
Choking talk is ridiculous. Both players went for big shots often in big moments and made them at a very good rate. Clutch from both, Murray played very well but Djokovic is superhuman in the mind at the moment. The forehand down the line at 30-40 5-5 is incredible from Djokovic, that shows just how good he is.
 
#63 ·
kukushkin, nishikori :eek:

hewitt, ferrer :devil:

dedicated to roadmap :wavey:
 
#69 ·
uhh, what a grind. Novak's serve and strokes a tad below 2011, but Andy has shown some improvement too. If he doesn't flip this time (and Ivan won't let him, I am sure), we're in for a hell of a year.
I did not expect Lendl to prepare him for AO, but on the American tour or Euro clay the latest, I expect more improvements.
If Novak can recoup, wins in 4 vs Nadal.
This was the most dangerous opponent and will remain so in 2012
 
#70 ·
Hilarious shit.

Novak was clearly dead by the third set and Murray should have EASED through the rest of the match. Instead, Murray fell apart mentally and played some of the most inconsistent tennis I have ever seen from him, killing his own energy in the process as Novak slowly recovered. The tables were turned in the fourth set and Novak did exactly what Murray couldn't. Murray then embarrassingly tanked the final game (he could have easily stuck his arm out for one of the returns) and Novak serving first came back to bite him.

Credit to Murray fighting back in that fifth set, but as with the whole match, he was great from behind and then bottled it when it really mattered.
 
#71 ·
This is the match last year's final should have been. Started off slow, Djoker showing great fatigue but seems to be Wolverine in the flesh, got physically fitter as the match wore on and Murray getting too careless at crucial points. Both players showed fight and it's too bad only one gets the chance to lift the trophy on Sunday.

well done to Djoker 2.0, balls of adamantium :worship: best of luck on Sunday.
 
#109 ·
This dynamic of fatigue is nothing strange for tennis. You are fresh in the first (won it easily), lactic acid builds by the second and you get fatigued, your metabolism then steps up and you start burning it in the third (for Novak the second is often the one he will drop against his peers in the the top 4). In the third it was close and by the fourth he was flying again, the body in top gear.
 
#72 ·
Played Murray. Good job, getting closer. A serve improvement (woeful today) away from greater success.

Good luck to Nole against Nadal, once again shows his mental resolve.
 
#73 ·
Epic. NOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Murray showed huge balls coming back in the fifth set.

First 3 sets were a bit nervy with a lot of breaks. Both players didn't really want to attack much, probably partly because of the tension and partly because they are so quick that the reward from aggressive play isn't sufficient compared to the risk.

4th set, Djokovic opened his shoulders and Murray seemed gassed. 5th went similarly until Djokovic served from the set, Murray broke with awesome play and caught second wind. Then Djokovic faces 3 break points at 5-5 and saves his serve from 15-40 down. Breaks Murray to 15 with great tennis.

Really hope that Nole can recover, he did recover at USO but he has seemed gassed in the middle of a few matches here, in the Ferrer match and in this match as well.
 
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#78 ·
Novak's song

:singer: I just can't fake enough
I just can't fake enough
I just can't fake enough
I just can't fake enough :singer:
 
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#80 ·
Have to commend Murray for the fight back at the end, that is some progress. However, failing to pull away in the third set, that drive volley at the beginning of the fourth and the following tank and that netted BH on his final break point :eek: Should have got this one done.

Djokovic, well who knows what is going on there? Will certainly be fine for the final, Rafa can't buy any of his nonsense.
 
#82 ·
It was a great match, especially the last set was very high quality level. Very entertaining.

I like Djokovic, but god his antics were so disgusting in the third. I know he had true problems to breath but when you see his body langage in the last two sets, I think he's exaggerating his pain when he is in trouble and has no solutions.

I was very impressed once again with the Djoker's ability to fight. I mean, how many players after the third set would have react as he did ? How many players in the last set, when Murray producted outstanding tennis to came back from 2-5 to 5-5 and got 3 Bps would have save them the way Novak did ? This is just brillant.
I was also very impressed with Murray's heart. He didn't want to give up. Congrats to him for that.

For the game, I am disappointing by the way Novak did play in the 3 first sets. Waaaaaaay too passive. Murray was doing everything. More winners from Murray than from him is quite shoking for me.

Anyway, I never thought before this AO Nadal would stand a chance, now he's my favorite for the final. And I hope he'll win.
 
#85 ·
Djokovic is just not playing as well as last year. I was expecting him to be better this year, but he is not. His serve is very average, his cross court backhand is not as deep as it used to be.

He will need to step it up a notch if he wants to beat Nadal!
 
#92 ·
Novak's play was abysmal for 1,5 set (unable to win a long rally or put a serve in to save his life)and Andy still had to save SPs in the 3rd and was pushed to a tb :tape:
The only positive thing for him is that he didn't give up in the 5th and did a great job to come back from 2-5 but at the end of the day he still had not what it takes.
Don't know what to think of Novak's form but it was a great fight and he went for his shots when it really matters.

PS : Lendl :wavey:
 
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