For the last year, men’s tennis has had a shadow cast over it by Novak Djokovic. His 2015 season was legendary: 17 finals in a row, winning three out of four grand slams.
He extended his lead as world No. 1 to roughly double the ranking points of world No.2 Andy Murray. There is no question he is one of the greatest of all time.
Over the past few years, Djokovic has turned himself into a lethal weapon. His serve is infallibly precise. His return game is unparalleled. He cuts seemingly impossible angles with his ground strokes, and puts balls back into play you’d think were long gone.
On top of this rigidly workshopped array of skills, he is unbelievably fit, flexible, and moves like lightning.
But above all else, Djokovic genuinely believes he is going to win every tournament he enters.
It goes beyond confidence; it’s a sort of existential certainty. There’s not much you can do against him. He has every key ingredient.
After his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Rafael Nadal at Doha in January, it seemed inevitable Djokovic would repeat last year’s dominance easily.
However, of late, although you have to look very closely, there has been a very uncharacteristic fraying around the edges.
After Doha came the Australian Open. Djokovic whizzed through the first three rounds, and there seemed to be nobody strong enough to challenge another lethal run to the final. But along came fourth round opponent Gilles Simon, then world No.15; a small-in-stature Frenchman with a surprisingly big game.
The match began with Djokovic easily taking the opening set 6-3, as expected. Set two, however, was a different story.
People are still scratching their heads as to what Simon’s game plan actually was (he declined with a grin to reveal it in the press conference), but the strategy seemed to involve, among other things, taking all the pace off the ball. This prevented Djokovic from using his terrifying baseline defence, causing his returns to fall short, most notably his usually foolproof drop shots.
Simon pushed Djokovic to a five set thriller in which the Serbian made 100 unforced errors and was broken while serving for the match. Yes, it proves just how skilled Djokovic is to win in five while giving away 100 free points, but the fact of the matter is he was completely flummoxed by the Frenchman.
Why? Because he was presented with someone who refused to adhere to the usual script.
This is the difference between Djokovic and the Federer-Nadal duo; Djokovic does not handle anything that deviates from an expected game plan.
Take the 2015 French Open final, when Djokovic expected Federer but got Stan Wawrinka. He played like a demon with nothing to lose; hitting Djokovic off the court with his extraordinary backhand. Rather than react as Nadal and Federer would, by adapting to the situation and (usually) finding another way to win, Djokovic came undone.
He kept looking to his coaching team for guidance, not knowing how to fight back. Even the commentators were in disbelief, saying they had never seen a number one player so completely bamboozled.
Djokovic couldn’t handle the Stanimal, and lost in four.
Although Djokovic pummelled through the rest of 2015, this year has been a slightly different story. After the Australian Open, he was pushed to five sets in the Davis Cup against Mikhail Kukushkin, world No.90.
In the second round of Indian Wells, he suffered a first set thrashing at 6-2 by 22 year-old American Bjorn Fratangelo, world No.149. He expected no resistance, but got a keen competitor with a clear game plan, no fear, and nothing to lose.
This strange collapse in form continued in round three. Djokovic squandered four match points on his own serve against world No.30 Phillip Kohlschreiber. He came through in straight sets, but needed 7-5, 7-5 to do it. Although these may seem like minor hiccups, the standard Djokovic set in 2015 makes them stick out. More to the point, they’ve been quite consistent.
Could it be simply a wobble? Maybe. However, while Djokovic is brilliant, he does not have superpowers.
Last year’s phenomenal run of 17 finals in a row saw him play more tennis than anyone else. His training regime is punishing, and his work ethic is second to none. But there is only so much the body and mind can take.
Djokovic will crack. Probably soon. His opponents are figuring out in order to beat him you have to confuse him.
In addition, it’s simply not humanly possible to continue pushing such physical and mental extremes. The chinks in the armour are there, and soon enough, somebody is going to exploit them. It’s only a matter of time.
djokonole
Guest
you were saying something about crumbling
Rutherford
Guest
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh man, this was posted two weeks too early, it would've made a nice, wishful-thinking April Fools Day story... Doha. Australian Open. Indian Wells. Miami. 28-1 on the season (with the lone loss due to an eye infection). Really crumbling.
Gajko
Guest
http://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/novak-djokovic-on-most-dominant-run-in-tennis-history-incredible-stats-compared-to-rivals--chase/news-story/c4ed563984d7f578baaaecf53d3d840d
clipper
Guest
Can't believe all the negative replies this article has received. It's just an opinion, and it's fine if you don't agree with it. A few valid points were made, but on the whole I don't think a solid case was made that Djokovic will collapse anytime soon, can see him dominate for another couple of years, although he might slow down by then, depends if any up and coming players can step up. A remarkable area in men's tennis where you have 3 of the top 5 players around at the same time.
popopopo
Guest
Everybody knows Federer was getting ill from mononucleusis virus in 2008. Federer dominated Nadal before he got sudden illness. Nadal benefited a lot from Federer's illness since 2008.
joe
Guest
Nonsense. Federer did not have a poor 2008 season, Nadal just had a great one. Just as Nadal didn't have a poor 2011, Djokovic just happened to have one of the very best seasons ever. And it's hard to justify saying Djokovic had a lousy 2012 when he finished the year ranked #1. But you are right in one respect: after winning 3 out of 4 tournaments so far, all signs do indeed point to Djokovic reverting to the mean in 2016, if the mean is being #1 and winning almost everything. In regard to slam count, I don't care what the final tallies will be, it is a fact that Federer profited from a relatively weak opposition early in his career. Djokovic already passed Federer in Masters titles, which I find amazing considering he is almost 6 years younger!
i miss sampras
Guest
Good points. It's become very convenient to forget the horrendous losses suffered by Roger, including the freshest Aussie Open semifinal drubbing by Djokovic. Federer wins one set and the earlier two whitewashed sets are forgotten. The match suddenly becomes an escape from defeat for Djokovic. Tired of media and Social media trying to keep lifting up Federer even when he is outplayed by Nole. After being written off in 2009 as a joker (even by Federer) it is commendable that Djokovic the underdog has managed to win not just a handful of slams, but eleven. He is close on Nadal's heels, which itself is a fabulous achievement, considering just a few years back we were all speaking of Nadal as chasing down Roger's records. it's time for tennis fans and tennis pundits to give Djokovic his due. Even Andy Murray with his one plus slams gets more respect than Novak does for Christ' sake.
Roger S.
Guest
This article looks particularly silly after the Indian Wells final. Who's going to beat Djokovic? Possibly a resurrected Bill Tilden. That's about it.
Vladimir
Guest
Hi Daisy, Another Indian Wells title with 6:2, 6:0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Could you please write another article or stop writing about tennis! Thanks
Vladimir
Guest
I'm sorry but your knowledge of tennis and comments are very poor and without any grounds! Let's see how many more years we need before Novak's crumble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Steve
Guest
Djokovic hasn't lost a single match this year (aside from one retirement), he just wiped Nadal in straight sets, passed Borg for top spot in ATP career winning percentage and is into another final. Most of the matches you refer to in making your point ... he won them? And he's fraying? #garbagejournalism #clickbait You are a goose love.
Steve
Guest
Bet she's crying about novak straight setting nadal just now, to me novak is the best ever, unfortunately he's going to have to do more than he should to be gain that title, this article is proof. Cant wait to see all the excuses the fedboys use to not acknowledge him.
Yonnah
Guest
Let's not kid ourselves, except the other top 9 players on the ATP list, every single player that plays against Djokovic will try to confuse him and do something unexpected, throw caution to the wind or play unexpected and weird shots all the time. That's what happens when you're number one in the world, there are no secrets and everyone knows they're bound to lose if they play their usual game. This article assumes very few players try a novel approach when they play a #1, and it's just not true, all of them do.
popopopo
Guest
This sounds like article written by typical natard...why natards keep hating other players and keep producing this kind of nonsensical articles....natards are satanic clearly...
King Kong Trainer
Guest
Daisy, I dont know if you played tennis or any other sport professionally, but I think you're missing quite a bit here. There are few factors that impacted Djoker in the past 3 months: 1. Saturation - If you look at the past 3 years, and count the number of titles, finals, semi-finals that Djoker made - you'll see unprecedented record of playing top tennis week after week, month after month. Given that the field was/is packed with some exceptional talent and matured competitors - the level of Djoker's tennis is unbelievable. If we didn't witness it - we probably would not believe that it happened. 2. Fatigue (common cycle of peaks and lows in physical fitness) - This is a common knowledge. No player can keep his fitness at the peak level all the time. However, I think that the team behind Djokovic and Djoker himself, as he matured into a very mentally strong person - is managing these cycles almost perfectly. 3. Periodic smaller or not so small health/injury issues - Djoker had few issues with his shoulder, back and the eye infection recently. Again - one more area where Djoker's team is managing it thru perfectly - None of these issues, aside from the drop in Dubai, even surfaced to public. 4. Separation from the field - I dont think Fed is going to repeat the 2014-2015 season and I dont see Nadal getting to the top again. With Murray still dwelling between his own ears and with Stan being completely inconsistent - next 2 years do not look challenging to Novak. This is probably the biggest problem. I've seen Novak today live in IW and what I've seen is a guy who's preparing his form for RG and W. Even if result looked close - it looked as a well planned and executed practice match. It's scary how Novak matured and improved in the past 18 months and I see improvements continuing in the right areas. He'll stay on top for at least 3 more years, that's how strong he is right now.
Rosalie Wright
Guest
It's difficult to respond in any clear way to this kind of wandering article. Yes, Novak had a legendary year in 2015. Yes, he lost the French to an inspired Wawrinka. She dismisses the rest of the year using the word "pummeled" and jumps to 2016. She seems to think that because Novak is pushed by somebody across the net that he's "crumbling," "fraying," "flummoxed," "wobbling." The people who truly understand his game, his countrymen and women in particular - certainly not this young woman - have seen that happen quite often, not just in this new season but last year and before that. They understand, as she does not, how he develops points, games, sets, matches, tournaments, whole seasons. She doesn't understand the mental game of the man at all, while they understand the warrior's discipline and the street-fighter's guts that he exercises mentally every time he serves and returns serve. He knows that these matches turn on a dime and that the margins for winning or losing are very slim indeed at the top of the game. He isn't afraid to lose. He is determined to win. And finally, she is TOTALLY wrong about his inability to figure out a pusher Goffin, or a paceless Simon, or a Wawrinka or K. Anderson or Fratangelo or Dolgopolov playing out of their heads on any given day. He has definitely figured out Federer, Nadal and Murray. Of course eventually he will go the way of Federer, Nadal and Murray and stop winning Slams. But that ain't anytime "soon."
Roger fed up
Guest
Tennis is a game where players have to keep winning every week, year after year. Though I hate the ridiculous domination by roger and then Rafa and now Novak, we must appreciate that these are superhuman players able to bring the rest of the field down on their knees week after week, failing just here and there. The here and there failures are a natural part of the game and it's format. Surprising that such a puerile and amateur piece has been published here because it lacks any nuance and makes extreme statements. The word "crumble" can be used against Roger or Nadal or Murray. The more appropriate term against Djokovic would be to say "a matter of time before he slips up. And he will. Any and every player at the top will. Time to start writing with more understanding of this game, Novak's game and the fact that when and if he crumbles, this year he already has a Slam. Nobody else does. ; ) Well done Nole.
Roger fed up
Guest
Well said.
Mark
Guest
Oh sorry forgot to add Who won the Australian Open convincingly?
jman
Guest
The author makes good points, namely that we see exhaustion seeping into his game and that 2016 will be very, very difficult to repeat. Trivia question: Who was the last person to win 3 SLAMs in consecutive years? Federer, and recall that he followed it up with a poor season in 2008. Nadal won 3 in 2010 but followed it up with a very poor 2011. Djokovic won 3 in 2011, but had a lousy 2012. All signs point towards Djokovic "reverting to the mean" in 2016. To be blunt, the commenters attacking the author here are quite dumb. Also remember that on an age-adjusted basis, Djokovic still has fewer SLAMs than EITHER Federer or Nadal had at the same age. Contrary to the delusions of many fans here, Djokovic will not pass Federer in SLAM count, and will be hard-pressed to pass even Nadal. The commenters here frankly do not know their tennis or statistics.