While he started the match by finding his areas with free shots, Novak Djokovic gradually faced a problem that seemed progressively insoluble against an Italian with an exceptional level of play. But he raised his head, his back to the wall when he was down two sets to one in the middle of the night. Incredible scenario. Irrational night session.
“Novak is looking very far,” commented Camille Pin at the time of the rebellion. We no longer thought he was capable of raising the level to this point…” And yes. What a challenge, though. Helpless in rallies, often passed when he was riding, physically mistreated, the Serb had long suffered the law of Musetti which varied and hit hard. “Him the metronome, we wonder if he doesn’t do cushioning because he doesn’t feel up to the task of long rallies,” says Camille Pin. I liked the way he held the mental and physical fight. It didn’t come apart. » “He’s on cloud nine,” adds Golovin. It’s just crazy. With incredible relaxation… He plays points as if he were world number one! » “You have to appreciate the variety of shots he can produce,” McEnroe gushed to NBC.
Lacking matches and tournaments after a reduced schedule since the start of the season, the Serbian seemed not to have the desirable rhythm at this stage for a Grand Slam tournament. As GOAT as he is, he surely needs more benchmarks to set up a machine capable of winning the biggest titles… Well, that’s what we thought. This Sunday very early in the morning, we often saw him doubled over after very demanding exchanges, in postures that were quite rare at home. The late schedule certainly didn’t help. If he tried to call the supervisor, it was because he didn’t feel at all calm. “It’s frustration,” explains Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Amazon Prime. He had a chance to lead two sets to nothing, then the match turned around. Djoko is still solid, he doesn’t miss that much. But Musetti is at the peak of his tennis. »
But Djokovic manages to pull himself together, and continues to move forward, sensitive to his wife Jelena who sends him hearts and the support of the public. “I’m glad people are behind Novak,” Santoro said. We are talking about a sacred monster that is not often supported. He’s 37 years old, he has 24 Grand Slam titles, it’s two in the morning, and he fights like a warrior…” “That’s exactly what he needed to find courage and play fair” , validated Golovin. Between the Italian “hand” and the newfound percussion of the courageous Serb, the match took on incredible heights. “Dantesque,” breathes Pin. “They are inhabited,” Santoro smiles. We wondered about Novak’s preparation and motivation. He gives us a lot of answers this evening…”
In the fifth set, the two men can’t take it anymore and can no longer hide their fatigue. But this is what the world No. 1 was looking for, again in the zone. “Nadal had the record for the latest match at 1:26 a.m., now Novak holds it but he has to ask himself: did I need that? It’s a shame for people who love tennis in Europe, how many of them watch a match between a GOAT and a talented player? Djokovic is like Lebron James at 39, he fights until the end, he gives everything and he loves it, it’s incredible to see. I’m not kidding, this guy looks better physically than he did at the start of the meeting…” Signed McEnroe.
