Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in the fourth final of the year too that was played on Sunday, the fifteenth May at Internazionali BNL D’Italia at Rome. For the second time in succession, the victory came in straight sets, the scoreline reading 6-4 6-4.
The combination of precision and power is more for Djokovic recently than Nadal. He is having the best control over his aggression. Djokovic does not make unforced errors while making deep shots as much as other players do. He is able to stay longer in the long rallies and able to induce errors from the opponents racquet. His speed of service and ground strokes has increased over the last one year. His movement is faster. He is hitting with gay abandon and the ball is finding the inside of the court on most of the occasions. With such a constant barrage of hard shots, the opponents are crumbling. He is taking risks with confidence and is able to expose flat footedness of even the best movers. Other top players pull trigger whenever they are in good position, but Djokovic appears to pull trigger on three - four consecutive shots. His defence has become impeccable.
The audience was chanting Nole Nole and it appeared to be having some effect on Djokovic game too. It is the power on his ground strokes which has made even Federer’s game anachronistic. Only Nadal appears to be having some capability of meeting his power, that too barely. Djokovic has the power of the players like Soderling, Del Potro on his ground strokes and the consistency of Nadal.
Djokovic is hitting winners like never before. The winners come at such speed and angle that Nadal was left stranded even in the middle of the court.
Nadal’s top spun forehand shots coming with higher net clearance were giving more time to Djokovic to return the ball. Djokovic was consistent even with a lower net clearance and since the ball was hit with such power, it was consistently landing deep in Nadal’s court inducing a shorter reply which was banged by Djokovic on the other corner of the court. With the low net clearance, Djokovic was able to create acute angles even from the middle of the court. Nadal was moving from side to side whereas Djokovic was made to move just a few steps in either direction. He was always in a position to hit the winner. Djokovic played all shots better than Nadal whether forehand or backhand or return of serve.
Nadal’s confidence was slowly but surely destroyed by Djokovic. All his winning shots were returned by Djokovic but when Djokovic suddenly turned defence into offence, Nadal could not return the winners.
All the evidence is there to suggest that Djokovic is playing like number one player of the world and he will attain that position this year. Both the players were playing similar type of game which abounded in long baseline rallies with Djokovic coming on top more often than not. On some points when Nadal varied the pace, he was able to induce errors from Djokovic racquet. It appears that Djokovic is invincible in power hitting from the baseline and there is no point in locking horns with him in that. Djokovic has become so familiar with the stock forehand cross court of Nadal that he was not even moving from that side, anticipating the return correctly. Rafael Nadal was moving from side to side whereas he was not able to move Djokovic likewise. Nadal’s shots were falling in the middle of Djokovic court making shot making easier for Djokovic.
Djokovic has surely emerged as Nadal’s nemesis. Nadal’s game has become rather predictable for him. No other player seems to be a match for him. He is looking almost invincible this year. His unbeaten saga in 2011 continues.
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