US Open: The Novak Djokovic phenomenon - explained in two games
Novak Djokovic was once again invincible in the semi-final match of the US Open against Alexander Zverev , despite the usual dropouts. But also because he can flip the switch again and again.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Sep 11, 2021, 09:00 am
If you want to find out more about the Novak Djokovic phenomenon, you don't even have to watch the entire semi-final against Alexander Zverev repeatedly. Two games are enough.
Zverev and Djokovic shared the first two sets of their highly anticipated semi-finals fairly on Saturday night, and in the third set they were tied 2-2. And suddenly Djokovic seemed out of place again. He did what he regularly does in such cases and what confuses viewers, fans and opponents alike: Djokovic plays serve and volley, which rarely works, and he tries daring stops in absurd situations, which just as rarely works. In this case, even Eurosport commentator and ex-Djokovic coach Boris Becker was on the false alarm again: "He's got something," mused Becker, as did Matthias Stach.
Djokovic, however, was initially lucky, he saved himself with good serves, otherwise he apparently had nothing, at least physically. His dropout lasted only a short time, and while as an opponent you are now usually watching him more closely and are often distracted from the essentials, Zverev stayed cool this time. Becker later analyzed that Djokovic was only psychologically stuck, the whole situation (the Grand Slam in mind!) Might have overpowered him.
Zverev wins 53 strokes rally
The second game to understand the Djokovic phenomenon took place shortly afterwards: Djokovic was 5: 4 in the front, so Zverev struck against the loss of the set, and Djoker had apparently firmly resolved not to make any more mistakes. Absolutely none. He played at an extremely moderate pace, with an unusually large amount of backhand slice and let Zverev do it.
But Zverev did not "do", Zverev played along, from his safety position far behind the baseline, which he still takes too often in crucial phases. The safety skirmishes went to Djokovic after long rallies, he came to 0:40. Two points later, the most absurd rally of the match followed, 53 times (!) The ball flew back and forth before Zverev actually took heart to become the forehand winner. Both men then went down on their knees, exhausted, Zverev looked into his box as if to say: "You can't be serious!"
Djokovic controls to win the set
But it was like that. The point after that, Djokovic played again in a controlled-offensive manner, an attack stroke after a nice combination exactly so that there was enough space over the net and next to the line, but there was no chance for Zverev of a successful passing ball. Zverev's emergency praise threw Djokovic safely home to lead the sentence.
The match lasted a little longer, Djokovic left round four after a fast deficit in order to save strength (without giving away, but with quick attempts to get to the point), physically the best decision for set 5. Where he quickly took a 3-0 lead and this no longer submitted. 4: 6, 6: 2, 6: 4, 4: 6 and 6: 2 it was said at the end.
Here you can read the match in the ticker
Djokovic on final: "As if it was the last match of my career"
"Zverev is playing at the limit," said Becker. And put the matter in a nutshell: "The problem is: He plays against someone who has no limit. He is limitless."
Djokovic himself was asked about the 53 rally by Patrick McEnroe in an on-court interview, something that goes through your head. "You don't even want to know," joked Djokovic, simply saying that he had learned a lot about mind and body over so many years.
He still lacks a victory for history, for the Grand Slam. The opponent is called Daniil Medvedev, he should go to the final on Sunday (from 10 p.m. CEST) more rested after his clear three-set win against Felix Auger-Aliassime. Actually. His opponent is called Novak Djokovic, the limitless. "I will approach the match as if it was the last of my career," promised Djokovic.
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