Djokovic Has Mental Edge Over Nadal But Must First Battle Fatigue
The Australian Open men’s final is all set to begin on Sunday, January 29, 2012, between the world’s top ranked players. When world no. 1 Djokovic clashes with world no. 2 Rafael Nadal at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, he will have the mental edge over the Spaniard whom he beat six times in a row, in 2011. But the main question is, will have the legs to stay the course in a long-drawn out encounter?
The Serbian star came through a five-set marathon in the semi-finals against Andy Murray, and before that was involved in a tough quarter-final encounter with David Ferrer, in which he sustained a hamstring strain and had breathing issues.
In contrast, Nadal has had an extra day’s rest after a relatively easier semi-final against Federer, and that could prove the decisive factor in what is likely to be a no-quarters-given affair, on Sunday.
Djokovic’s best hope would be to win the first set and blunt Nadal’s advantage. Incidentally, Nadal has a 133-1 record in Grand Slam matches in which he won the first set; in other words, he has lost just one of 134 matches in which he took a one-set-to-love lead. Additionally, Nadal will be fired up with the thought of revenge over Djokovic who beat him in the finals of three grand slams last year. In the process, Djokovic dethroned Nadal from the number one spot, at Wimbledon before going on to snatch his US Open crown.
A win by Djokovic will make him the fifth player in the open era to win three grand slams in a row, while Nadal will hope to get level with Borg and Laver by winning his eleventh grand slam. Were Nadal to achieve the feat, he would become the second youngest player after Borg to do so.
Despite his six losses on the trot to the Serb, in 2011, Nadal holds a head-to-head advantage of 16-13 over Djokovic. But that lead could count for little and the result of the match could hinge on whether Rafa’s top-spinning forehand can trump Djoko’s double-handed backhand, on the night. That said, the state of Djokovic’s fitness could prove to be the crucial factor, trumping every other consideration.
Category: Australian Open, Tennis
About the Author (Author Profile)
Jinxatious is the Chief Editor of SportingAttitude.com
An avid writer, on an eclectic range of subjects, he brings to bear editorial experience garnered with a national newspaper in South-East Asia. He also has sportscasting experience, as a cricket commentator, and his passion for sport extends beyond Cricket, to Football, Tennis, and Olympic Sports.
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