Djokovic and Nadal in the giants' final match: "This will be a super show!"
Novak Djokovic continues to win - and unpacked his best tennis against Lucas Pouille.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Jan 26, 2019, 05:27 pm
A year ago his career seemed to be in ruins. At that time, Novak Djokovic was still in the middle of a major sensory and performance crisis, in Melbourne he was already eliminated in the round of 16 against the seeded Korean Chung Hyeon. And as soon as he had said goodbye to the Melbourne Grand Slam venue in frustration, he also had to endure an operation on the right elbow. "It was very unlikely that I would stand here and today," said Djokovic on Friday in the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, after his clinical pure 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 semi-final demonstration against Frenchman Lucas Pouille.
Even that appeared to be an understatement. Because hardly any of the greats of world tennis has experienced such a roller coaster ride like Djokovic: First the all-important dominator of the industry, the all-round winner, then the superstar in free fall - unsettled, demotivated, a question mark on two legs. And now, for about seven months, the man who has no way to get to any title, not even at the Australian Open of 2019. There you can experience Djokovic in all his smooth brilliance, a miracle of movement, an artistic athlete, the none of his rivals could get close on the way to the final.
53rd match between Djokovic and Nadal
From changing the guard, from changing generations: In the final, in the very last duel for the Melbourne crown, there is a familiar fight between number 1 and number 2, and the evergreen comparison between Djokovic and the Mallorcan matador Rafael Nadal. Quite simply to play the two best of this tournament, but also two dominant figures for more than a decade.
Djokovic vs. Nadal, on Sunday morning in European time, from 9.30 a.m., the 53rd edition of the match between the Serbs and the Spaniards - there has never been a match in the professional era of this sport. And also none that has disappointed so rarely. "I would definitely buy a ticket for this game," Djokovic joked after his sixth win in the current competition, a walk against the overwhelmed Frenchman Pouille in just 83 minutes.
Memories of Djokovic / Nadal in 2012
Surprisingly enough, but documented in black and white: In Melbourne, at the most imponderable of all four Grand Slams, right at the beginning of the season, Djokovic and Nadal met only once, in the final seven years ago. It was, however, a game that every eyewitness has burned into their minds. For five hours and 53 minutes, the two superstars fought to absolute exhaustion and until early Monday morning before Djokovic triumphed 7-5 in the fifth and final act . The final of 2012 is immortalized in the tennis annals as the longest match in history, it was the "maybe best game" of his career, said Djokovic.
Before the 53rd encounter with Nadal (27:25 for Djokovic), the world number one saved valuable energy. Against Pouille, the brave and combative French so far, his superiority was almost striking, the game was never a real duel. On the way to the seventh Melbourne title, a new historical record, Djokovic can almost only be slowed down by one, the old companion Nadal, as expected. Also, according to TV expert Boris Becker, is in "the shape of his life on hard court": "It will be a fight of the giants, a super show."