Play-By-Play Of a Nadal Vs. Djokovic Instant Classic

Djokovic 1-0*
Djokovic won the toss and chose to serve–somewhat rare. But he knew what he was doing and I guess he wanted a quick lead. He got it with an easy service game. Errors from Nadal are already a minor concern.

Djokovic 3-0*
Djokovic breaks and then holds, as Nadal comes out of the gates in dismal form. The world No. 1 threw his service game away with a flurry of errors and after blowing a game point, he double-faulted (in the bottom of the net) on break point. Djokovic held without too much trouble at 2-0, playing great defense on game point before Nadal sent a forehand at least five feet over the baseline. Dreadful stuff from Nadal so far. A few more games and it will be time to be concerned.

Djokovic 4-1*
Nadal finally gets on the scoreboard, but Djokovic is still in complete control. Djokovic’s service game at 3-1 was much easier than Nadal’s at 0-3. The Serb has continued to dictate rallies, setting up points nicely with both his serve and return. The only real reason that Nadal held is because he got two free points on serve after going to deuce. Nadal also faced a big deficit yesterday against Verdasco (0-4 in the second set), but this deficit–though not as big–feels a lot different.

Djokovic 5-2*
Nadal holds with difficulty and Djokovic holds with ease. Djokovic is doing to Nadal what Juan Martin Del Potro did to Andy Murray in the quarterfinals–being the aggressor and running his opponent all over the court. Even for Nadal, it’s hard to imagine him coming back in this set.

Djokovic wins first set 6-3
Same old story. Nadal barely stays alive in the set with a tough service hold at 5-2, then Djokovic holds in routine fashion to finish off the opening frame of play. Nadal played his best point down set point at 2-5 and ended up holding, but he made no dent in the Djokovic serve. The set ended appropriately, with Nadal sending a wild forehand way long. He finished with a ridiculous 16 errors in the set, including 11 off the forehand side. Nadal will start serving the second in what has to be the most important game of the afternoon. An immediate break to Djokovic and this match could be over in a hurry.

Nadal 1-0*
With a clean slate, Nadal looks a bit more inspired and earns his first easy service hold of the day, to 15. Still, it means nothing and won’t gain him any momentum if he does not break. The crowd is itching to come alive, but they still don’t have much to go on. It was dead silent throughout the first set in the Magic Box.

Nadal 2-1*
According to announcer Robbie Koening, we just witnessed a “monumentally huge” point. Nadal usually wins “monumentally huge” points, and he did once again here. But all he had to do on break point at 1-1 was put in a first serve, as Djokovic sent a forehand return long. Nadal survives for 2-1, but any momentum ends in a hurry as Nadal is now taking a medical timeout.

Nadal 3-2*
At this point in the match Nadal normally could not be satisfied with exchanging hold after hold, but right now he can. After the injury timeout to get knee taping, Nadal responds to a Djokovic hold with a hold of his own. But how long can he keep it up?

Nadal 4-3*
Djokovic cruises on serve then gets 0-15 on Nadal’s serve. It looked like a huge chance, but Nadal won the next four points to stay head in the set, albeit on serve. Nadal is sending some rackets to get re-strung…apparently he is more confident about sticking around in this match than his play would suggest.

Nadal 5-4*
The King of Clay is on life support, but neither he nor Djokovic will pull the plug. Djokovic holds at love and gets two break points at 4-4, 15-40 that might as well have been match points. But Nadal uses two clutch serves to save both of them and ends up holding. He even gives his biggest fist pump of the afternoon after winning a deuce point with an overhead smash. Djokovic is starting to get frustrated, but most likely because it’s only the inevitable that is being delayed.

Nadal 6-5*
For the first time all day, Nadal seemed to have a real chance. He was two points from the set on two different occasions with Djokovic serving at 4-5, but never saw a break point. Then it was Djokovic who had chance on Nadal’s serve at 5-5, but Nadal survived yet another tough service game. The 5-5 game ends with a mis-hit Nadal forehand that landed in followed by a Djokovic backhand in the net. Djokovic did not seem to like the crowd’s applause after that, but it would not be a good idea to rile up the fans right now.

6-6
Djokovic goes down set point but saves it by playing an awesome point. A few points later and we have come to a tiebreaker.

Nadal wins second set 7-6(5) to force a decisive third (tiebreaker starts from bottom)
7-5 Nadal: Djokovic misses a return long. The crowd is freaking out. LET’S PLAY THREE!
6-5 Nadal: Another set point erased with a Nadal forehand error. Only one left!
6-4 Nadal: Djokovic saves one with a massive forehand in the ad corner.
6-3 Nadal: Djokovic sends a forehand way past the baseline and Nadal has three set points.
5-3 Nadal: Point of the match! Nadal wins a furious baseline exchange and Djokovic applauds the final forehand winner.
4-3 Nadal: Djokovic stays in it by dictating a rally, forcing Nadal into a long error.
4-2 Nadal: First mini-break to Nadal with a forehand winner off the sideline. It PAINTS the line!
3-2 Nadal: Ruthless baseline point by Nadal forces Djokovic into an error long.
2-2: Service winner by Nadal keeps things on serve.
2-1 Djokovic: Big serve and forehand is too much for Nadal.
1-1: Big serve by Djokovic, Nadal scrambles and returns it long
1-0 Nadal: Hits a backhand off the net cord that lands on Djokovic’s side.

Djokovic 1-0*
Djokovic does not look happy and it feels like one break to Nadal will all but finish Djokovic off, but for now the world No. 4 stays strong. He holds to 30 with a huge forehand; pressure back on Nadal to hold.

Djokovic 2-1*
Both players held relatively easily, although Nadal has a minor opening at 30-30 on Djokovic’s serve at 1-1 when a grueling baseline rally ensues. Nadal loses it with a bad forehand error long and Djokovic takes care of the next point. Djokovic is still playing very well despite a major edge to Nadal in terms of body language.

Djokovic 3-2*
Amazing momentum swings here! Nadal hits a double-fault that doesn’t even get to the net to give Djokovic 0-30 and Djokovic takes the game on his second break point with a huge forehand. But the underdog gives it right back in the next game, after the point of the match comes at 30-30. Nadal finishes a furious rally with a mis-direction drop-shot and Djokovic begins cramping. Nadal takes the next point on a wild Djokovic forehand. Now Djokovic takes a medical timeout. This match is not off the charts in terms of quality, but it is epic in terms of drama!

Djokovic 4-3*
More of the same. Nadal continues to play worse than Djokovic, but he looks mentally stronger, as always. Nadal is fighting his game and Djokovic is fighting his mind and both are just barely hanging on.

Djokovic 5-4*
Nadal holds a relatively tough service game after two forehand errors by Djokovic throw away any break chance. Djokovic then holds to 30 when Nadal nets a routine forehand. The points are decent right now, but almost all of them end with errors. Drama remains high, but crowd looking for something to get truly energized about.

Djokovic 6-5*
Two of the easiest service games of the entire match right there. Djokovic needs to go for broke in this return game and try to finish Nadal off. The worst that can happen for him is a 3STB.

6-6
Down 15-0, Djokovic comes up with a massive return then Nadal DFs. Djokovic, two points from the match, hits a forehand just long in response to a big Nadal forehand. Djokovic then dumps a backhand return into the bottom of the net to give Nadal game point. Djokovic saves it with a shocking backhand cross-court winner. Again two points from defeat, Nadal finishes an awesome rally with a put-away volley. The game ends and a 3STB is forced when Djokovic sprays a forehand 10 feet out.

Rafael Nadal d. Novak Djokovic 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(9) – saves 3 MPs (tiebreaker starts from bottom)
11-9 Nadal: A final huge forehand forces a lunging Djokovic to return it in the net. It’s over, somehow.
10-9 Nadal: shocking forehand winner by Nadal
9-9: service winner by nadal saves 3rd MP.
9-8 Djokovic: service winner.
8-8: Djokovic dares to hit a drop shot down match point and it pays off.
8-7 Nadal: Nadal forces Djokovic into an error.
7-7: Beyond belief by Nadal. Saves a second MP.
7-6 Djokovic: Djokovic dictates play and forces Nadal into a backhand error.
6-6: Unbelievable save by Nadal. Just unbelievable.
6-5 Djokovic: backhand error by Nadal gives Djokovic match point on serve.
5-5: Nadal service winner.
5-4 Djokovic: Nadal misses a decent opportunity at a forehand pass.
4-4: Djokovic throws it away with a terrible forehand error long.
4-3 Djokovic: first mini-break to Djokovic on Nadal forehand error.
3-3: Nadal ends a nice rally with a cross-court backhand angle winner.
3-2 Djokovic: Nadal backhand return long off first serve.
2-2: big serve-forehand combination by Djokovic.
2-1 Nadal: decent rally ends with Djokovic forehand wide.
1-1: Djokovic backhand return long off first serve.
1-0 Djokovic: ace out wide.