- funches
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Offline - Registered: 12/07/2012
- Posts: 251
Re: 2015 French Open contest
Hey, that was better than I wrote elsewhere, assuring someone Djokovic could not lose on the day of the final. At least I wrote here that I considered picking Wawrinka in all four slams because of his shot-making ability.
If there had been a third entrant, I would not have won.
- Forehand_lob
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Re: 2015 French Open contest
I am not generally a fan of the saying that a player deserves a Slam title. Didn't believe it with Roddick and Wimbledon, didn't believe it with Federer at the French Open, and didn't believe it with Mauresmo at Wimbldeon. So, while I feel sorry for Djokovic, I'm sticking to my guns and continuing to believe that he'll deserve it when he wins it. Federer and Mauresmo went out and won those slams, Roddick never managed Wimbledon.
At this point, Djokovic may never win a French Open. He's 28 and his playing style, while not as physically wearing as Nadal's is, is not one that is particularly suited for an older player. He's good enough to win it, but he hasn't managed it yet. Next year might realistically be his last chance (and that's dependent on how he's playing then).
Is Nadal done with winning slams? With the way he's playing, he's not going to make the final of a non-clay slam. He might be able to turn things around, but he's 29. Unless something changes, I don't think he's going to make a run at Federer's record number of slams.
With Wawrinka, it astonishes me that he can hit the ball so deep when he's standing 6-10 feet behind the baseline. Is it fair to say that he's the new Safin? A talented player who can beat anyone when he's on, but whose inconsistency will prevent him from dominating the tennis world?
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Thread Starter- funches
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Re: 2015 French Open contest
The difference is Federer never came close to winning Roland Garros until the year he won, and he was very close to losing to Haas and del Potro even that year, while Roddick came close at Wimbledon only once, benefitting from a day when Federer could not return his serve to save his life.
Djokovic came up against by far the greatest clay court player of all time in his prime and still almost won two years ago (no way he would have lost to Ferrer in the final). He didn't need any good fortune to get to the final last year or this. Things just aren't as clear cut in sports as you suggest. Sometimes players win when they don't deserve it, and sometimes they lose when they deserve to win.
Djokovic definitely blew a golden opportunity by playing too passively against Wawrinka, but that's been his game for the past two years when he's dominated the tour most of the time. He can win Roland Garros playing exactly that way and should get at least three more chances.
- Forehand_lob
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Re: 2015 French Open contest
I certainly think that Djokovic is good enough to win the French Open. I just don't like the phrase "so and so deserves this title."
While I am very glad that Bartoli won Wimbledon, I am not sure I ever heard anyone say that she deserved to win it. The thought never crossed my mind, and I like her.
If he continues to play at his current level, then he should get more chances. I just question whether he can continue to be at that level. Nadal is only a year older at 29, and his level has dropped considerably in the past year. Federer's level dropped in 2010 when he was 28/29. Djokovic is going to be 29 next year. He may follow their trend or he may not; it's too soon to tell. It may also be that another player could elevate themselves and knock him off the number 1 spot. I can't think of anyone who it would be, but then again, I would not have predicted that Nishikori would beat him at last year's US Open.
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