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Djokovic Doubles Up In Best Grand Slam Matches Of 2021

  • Posted: Dec 21, 2021

Yesterday, ATPTour.com looked at three of the five best Grand Slam matches of 2021. Now, continuing our review of the 2021 season, we will look back at the top two Grand Slam clashes of the year, featuring hard-fought victories for Novak Djokovic.

2) US Open, SF, Novak Djokovic d. Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
All season long, as the pressure and tension mounted, Novak Djokovic remained remarkably poised as he hurtled toward history.

He had won his eighth Australian Open to open the major season, then taken the titles at Roland Garros — beating 13-time Rafael Nadal along the way — and Wimbledon. Thus, he entered the US Open with almost unimaginable possibilities: a Grand Slam not seen in men’s tennis since 1969 and the chance to pass Roger Federer and Nadal with an unprecedented 21st major championship.

But the obstacle was formidable. For six weeks earlier, Alexander Zverev – in another match laced with historic implications – had beaten Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics. Zverev erased a one-set deficit by winning 12 of the last 16 games (and then continued on to beat Karen Khachanov in the final). That deprived the 34-year-old Serbian of a chance for an exceedingly rare Golden Slam.

And so it was, appropriately, World No. 1 versus No. 4 in the season’s last major semi-final. Djokovic, perhaps feeling the weight of expectation, did not start well in Arthur Ashe Stadium. For the fourth straight match, just as he had against Kei Nishikori, Jenson Brooksby and Matteo Berrettini, Djokovic dropped the first set. Zverev, a decade younger, looked far fresher.

For the 10th time in 27 major matches, Djokovic was forced to rally from a one-set deficit at the start. Elevating his game, he took the next two sets – the third featured a ludicrous 53-stroke rally – before the German leveled the match with an impeccable fourth. It was Zverev’s lethal serve that got him there, even against the man many people view as the best returner ever.

With Rod Laver, the player who had achieved the last Grand Slam in men’s tennis, watching from the President’s Suite, Djokovic displayed the righteous stuff of a champion. A classic drop shot followed by a whistling forehand pass broke Zverev’s serve for a 2-0 lead. A framed would-be overhead gave Djokovic an insurmountable 4-0 lead – and he responded with a roar in the direction of his team.

Novak Djokovic
Photo Credit: Sarah Stier/Getty Images
After three hours, 43 minutes his dazzling quest remained alive. Djokovic had now won all 27 of his major matches for the season and was 4-0 when it went to a deciding fifth set.

“I would like to say thank you, because the atmosphere was amazing, the best atmosphere of the tournament so far,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “These are the moments we live for. These are the kind of unique opportunities that we dream of every day when we wake up and are trying to find motivation to go out there and do the same things over and over again.”

Daniil Medvedev would end Djokovic’s historic pursuit in the final at Flushing Meadows with a comprehensive straight-sets performance.

1) Roland Garros, SF, Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2
The 58th instalment in one of the greatest rivalries of all time well and truly delivered on the hype when World No. 1 Djokovic squared off against 13-time Roland Garros champion Nadal in the semi-finals in Paris.

Esteemed coach and commentator Darren Cahill deemed it “one of the very best matches I’ve seen”, while Andy Murray declared “you cannot play better clay-court tennis than this. It’s perfect”. After four hours and 11 minutes, the Serbian prevailed 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2.

“It was one of these matches you can remember forever. It was one of the top three matches in my life,” Djokovic said. “To win against Rafa on this court you have to play your best tennis, and tonight I played my best tennis.

“It’s hard to find the words to sum up how I feel. You tell yourself there is no pressure but there is. Pressure is a privilege – to test my game and my character in matches like this.”

Only seven months prior, Nadal had allowed the top seed just seven games in the 2020 final – including a 6-0 opening set – and when the Spaniard charged to an early 5-0 lead in their 2021 rematch, there was a worrying sense of déjà vu for Djokovic.

The numbers were already daunting. Nadal had fallen on clay in the French capital just twice before from 107 matches in 16 years. He was a perfect 26-0 once he reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros and had won 35 straight matches there.

Although Djokovic conceded the opening set, he had already steadied the ship as he won three straight games, saved six set points and two break points before his opponent took it 6-3. It was a small but telling momentum shift as the Serbian levelled the match at a set apiece before the showdown reached its shot-making crescendo in a gruelling 92-minute third set, in which the pair shared 37 winners.

Nadal pegged back a 3-5 deficit and held a set point against Djokovic’s serve at 6-5, before being denied in a tie-break. Such was the magnitude of the match, French authorities made an exception to their Covid-19 pandemic night curfew and allowed spectators to stay until the match’s completion.

The clash looked destined for a fifth set when Nadal jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the fourth set, but Djokovic again showed extraordinary mental resolve as he reeled off six straight games to seal a definitive triumph in the pair’s ATP Head2Head rivalry, which he now leads 30-28.

“I had the big chance with set point at 6-5 on his second serve. That’s it. Anything could happen in that moment,” Nadal said. “Then I made a double fault and missed an easy volley in the tie-break. These kind of mistakes can happen. But if you want to win, you can’t make these mistakes.”

It was Djokovic’s first clay-court win over Nadal since the 2016 quarter-finals in Rome and made him the first man to defeat the Spaniard twice at Roland Garros. No player had beaten Nadal in Paris and gone on to claim the trophy, but that was achieved two days later against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Victory meant Djokovic closed to within one title of tying Nadal’s and Federer’s record haul of 20 majors, which he went on to do at Wimbledon.

Read more from our Best of 2021 series here. 

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Djokovic Family Matching Donations In Season Of Giving Campaign

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2021

The Novak Djokovic Foundation is running a Season of Giving campaign for the fourth straight year to raise money for the opening of a new preschool in Nis, Serbia. The foundation is continuing to strive toward its goal of making sure all Serbian children have access to preschool in the next 10 years.

Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena Djokovic, will once again be matching donations. Last year, fans donated €108,000, which the Djokovic Family also matched.

“This and the previous year have further demonstrated how important it is for children to attend preschool, particularly in a situation when parents are forced to work from home, and are not able to adequately dedicate their time to children,” Novak and Jelena said in a statement. “However, it should not be forgotten that there are still those who are not able to go to preschool, even in normal circumstances.

“Nis is a lovely city with unique culture whose citizens have been recognized both domestically and abroad. We have great memories from this city and we are happy that, this Season of Giving, we are raising funds for a new preschool there, thus enabling children and their families to dream big.”

Learn More About Djokovic’s Charity Work

This year’s Season of Giving campaign will last until 8 January. The funds will be put towards reconstructing a community centre, which will allow for the education of 100 children.

“Reconstructing the old building of the local community and turning it into a beautiful, modern preschool will give 100 children an opportunity to get the best possible start in life and it will also help their parents to have more time for themselves and their careers,” Novak and Jelena said. “With love and light, we thank you for your support. Let’s go together for another victory, like always!””

More than 47,000 Serbian children have benefitted from the work done by the Novak Djokovic Foundation. Djokovic received the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in 2012 in recognition of his philanthropic work.

To learn more about the Novak Djokovic Foundation’s Season of Giving and to donate, click here.

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Zverev Named German Sportsman Of The Year

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2021

Alexander Zverev capped the best season of his career by being named Germany’s Sportsman of the Year.

Zverev earned a 59-15 record this season, with his biggest victories coming at the Tokyo Olympics, where he captured the singles gold medal, and at the Nitto ATP Finals.

The German became only the fourth player in event history to defeat the world’s top two players in the FedEx ATP Rankings in the semi-finals and the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals. The 24-year-old eliminated World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals and then defeated World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev for the trophy, his second at the season finale.

Zverev led all players on the ATP Tour in 2021 with six titles, including his fourth and fifth ATP Masters 1000 triumphs in Madrid and Cincinnati. He also lifted the trophy in Acapulco and Vienna.

Did You Know?
The World No. 3 earned at least one victory against every other player inside the Top 10 of the year-end FedEx ATP Rankings. 

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Murray Wimbledon Epic Among Best Grand Slam Matches Of 2021

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2021

Last week, ATPTour.com looked at the best ATP Tour matches of 2021. Now, we will reflect on the best Grand Slam matches from Australia to New York.

An Andy Murray thriller under the roof at Wimbledon and Frances Tiafoe digging deep at the US Open are among three of the top five Grand Slam matches of the season.

5) Wimbledon, Second Round, Andy Murray d. Oscar Otte 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
This is what Wimbledon fans live for: Darkness descending, Sir Andy Barron Murray leaving it all out there on the grass of Centre Court, playing every point as if his life depended on it. Truth be told, that’s what Murray lives for, too.

It’s why the 34-year-old was still playing the second round of this year’s Wimbledon tournament – 16 years after his debut there and for the first time in four years – after a pair of career-threatening hip surgeries. The second, in January 2019, involved two metal implants. And while Bob Bryan had a similar hip resurfacing procedure, playing doubles is a world away from the fearsome wear and tear of singles.

Murray’s season had begun modestly, in a Biella, Italy Challenger (he lost in the final) and he had played only five matches coming into Wimbledon as a wild card. After dispatching 24th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in four sets, he faced German qualifier Oscar Otte, a 27-year-old ranked No. 151 in the world. Otte reached the second round by beating Arthur Rinderknech 13-11 in the fifth set – the match required two days.

Later, Otte would reveal that he shed tears when he watched the documentary that chronicled Murray’s injury struggles.

In 12 previous Grand Slam meetings with qualifiers, Murray had authored 11 victories, but that history seemed irrelevant when he found himself down two sets to one. This one was messy; after winning the first set (and leading 3-1 in the second), Murray suffered numerous unforced errors and bad decisions. The lanky, bearded German kept him off balance with a consistent array of big serves. Murray had a difficult time keeping his feet on the slippery slope that makes Wimbledon so unique. Later, he would attribute that to his lack of match play.

At that point, though, Murray began to channel his previous Centre Court exploits: the finals victory over Roger Federer at the London Olympics in 2012, the major titles in 2013 and 2016. With the score 2-2 in the fourth, the setting sun forced the closing of the roof. That was the end of Otte.

Murray won the fourth set with two winners, a volley and a backhand. The fifth was a Murray highlight film, backed by the unbridled cheers of the spectators. The last stroke was a lob for a winner but that hardly mattered. Murray, against great odds, had survived.

“I enjoyed the end,” he told the crowd, preaching to the choir. “The middle part not so much. What an atmosphere to play in. The whole crowd was amazing but there were a few guys in there who were getting it fired up. I needed everyone’s help tonight.”

Murray
Photo Credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
After his second surgery, Murray said it was for “quality of life” and to decrease the everyday pain he felt. But a return to elite tennis was always his goal. And while he would lose to Denis Shapovalov in the third round, Murray had achieved it.

“It’s been tough,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons why I’m still playing is because of moments like that. Why would you want to give that up? The atmosphere the last – I mean, it was good the whole match, but especially the last hour and a half was brilliant.

“I still enjoy that.”

4) Australian Open, Second Round, Stefanos Tsitsipas d. Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-4
Eight years earlier, the world had been full of possibility for Thanasi Kokkinakis. The 17-year-old Australian reached the final of the Australian Open juniors, losing to countryman Nick Kyrgios. He would later win the Wimbledon junior doubles title with Kyrgios and advance to the US Open junior final, before losing to Borna Coric.

Based on recent performance, however, this shouldn’t have been much of a match. Kokkinakis, coming off his first Australian Open match victory in six years, had a long history of injuries and illness. He found himself at No. 267 in the FedEx ATP Rankings and was playing on a wild card. Tsitsipas, meanwhile, was ranked No. 6, had a semi-finals appearance in Melbourne on his resume (defeating Roger Federer on the way in 2019) and had dropped only four games in his first-round win over Gilles Simon.

At 22, the Greek was attempting to become the youngest Australian Open champion since Novak Djokovic in 2008. He had never lost a Grand Slam match to a player ranked as low as Kokkinakis, but after losing a taut first-set tie-break on a double fault that suddenly looked like a possibility.

It was an ATP Cup-like atmosphere at Rod Laver Arena; Kokkinakis was buoyed by the cheering crowd that included family and friends as well as Kyrgios. Kokkinakis, who had saved his first eight break points, finally cracked on his ninth and Tsitsipas took the second set.

Statistically, Kokkinakis was outplayed in the fourth set but he was phenomenal in the critical moments. Saving a match point, he forced a tie-break, winning it with a backhand winner down the line. The fifth set belonged to Tsitsipas – in his first Australian Open match to go the distance – as his heavier shots and edge in fitness became the deciding factor. Kokkinakis, his serve under siege, was finally broken in the fifth game and Tsitsipas forged a decisive edge.

To a standing ovation, the two swashbuckling, charismatic players met at net, four hours, 32 minutes after they began.

“I just want to go for an ice bath right now,” Tsitsipas said afterward, “That’s all I’m thinking. Thanasi is a great competitor and a great fighter.

“He wasn’t able to play all these years due to injuries that he had, and it was a big shame because we were missing someone who was not there with us on the tour. I’m very happy to see him back competing at a very high level.”

For Kokkinakis, who fired 23 aces in defeat, it was his finest moment in 2021, a year that saw him contest only six tour-level matches. And a reminder of what he is capable of.

In the end, Tsitsipas hit an astonishing 78 winners. He proceeded to beat quarantine training partner Mikael Ymer in the third round, Matteo Berrettini in the fourth and Rafael Nadal in the fourth (in five sets) before falling to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.

“I fought like a real warrior out there,” Tsitsipas said. “It was an amazing ending with lots of emotion and great spirit.”

3) US Open, Third Round, Frances Tiafoe d. Andrey Rublev 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-1

Tiafoe
Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
In a sport with more than its share of extraordinary backstories, consider the unlikely trajectory of Francis Tiafoe:

His mother, Alphina, escaped civil war in Sierra Leone when she received a rarely granted visa to the United States. Frances Sr., working on a construction crew at a junior tennis center in College Park, Md., was eventually offered a job there as a janitor. That’s where their son learned to love the game, and eventually master it.

In 2014, Tiafoe met another precocious 16-year-old in the junior quarter-finals of the US Open, Andrey Rublev. The American prevailed in three sets and they wouldn’t meet again until seven years later at the same venue – with drastically higher stakes. This time, Rublev – ranked No. 5 in the world – was a heavy favourite.

It was no surprise, then, that Rublev had the third set, and a formidable advantage, on his racquet at 6/5 in the tie-break. But rushing a second serve, the Russian double faulted into the net and Tiafoe escaped with the set – sending the Arthur Ashe Stadium late, late night crowd into hysterics. Tiafoe artfully worked the spectators and they helped him build a 4-2 lead in the fourth. Rublev came back, winning four straight games and the match was level.

Friday night had long since passed into Saturday morning when Tiafoe overpowered the Russian, winning six of the last seven games. He played aggressively, with unnatural confidence, hitting 14 winners – an average of two per game – and finished with a total of 69.

It was 2:14 a.m., and what was left of the crowd roared after a three-hour, 45-minute classic. Tiafoe walked stoically to net, congratulated his opponent, set his racquet down – and then ripped his off his shirt. He bounded to the edge of the stands and lifted his arms in triumph, nodding his head.

“You guys are the reason I got it done tonight,” Tiafoe said. “You guys stuck with me all the way through.

“I’ve lost a lot of tough matches on this court. I wasn’t going to leave this court without a win tonight.”

Fun footnote: It was tied for the fifth-latest finish in US Open history. Incredibly, Tiafoe’s coach, Wayne Ferreira, was involved in the other 2:14 a.m. ending, losing a memorable four-set match to Younes El Aynaoui in 2002.

 

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It was the second straight year for Tiafoe in the fourth round of the US Open, but he would lose to Felix Auger-Aliassime four sets.

“I love these matches,” Tiafoe told the crowd. “This is why you work. This is why you put the time in, to play the best guys in the world. These are the matches I get up for.

“I want these guys. I want to put it on my resume. I came out today and I was like, ‘I’m going to beat him.’ I grew up with this guy, I don’t fear any of these guys. Let’s keep going.”

Read more from our Best of 2021 series here. 

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Sebastian Korda Meets Tiger Woods During Memorable Golf Weekend

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2021

After the first round of the PNC Championship on Saturday, LPGA World No. 1 Nelly Korda walked up to PGA legend Tiger Woods and asked him for a picture. Nelly also had her brother, ATP Tour star Sebastian Korda and their father, former World No. 2 Petr Korda, take a photo with Woods. 

When Nelly introduced Tiger to “Sebi”, Woods quickly produced a friendly quip: “What’s up big guy? Aren’t you supposed to be practising?”

“Meeting Tiger was unbelievable. He was so nice,” Sebi, a recent Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals competitor, said. “He’s probably our family’s favourite athlete. Any time he would play a tournament, we were all glued to the TV.”

Nelly and Petr were competing together in the event, in which a member of each team has won at least one major championship or PLAYERS Championship crown. In their debut, the Korda Family finished 12th (-17). They did not make a bogey across the two rounds.

After Nelly drained a lengthy birdie on the 18th hole on Saturday, she celebrated with Petr and Sebi. Currently No. 41 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Sebi caddied six holes for his father during the first round.

“I had the easy job. I only caddied six holes on the back nine and Nelly’s caddy Jason [McDede] was helping me out,” Sebi said. “I’ve never been inside the ropes during the tournament and was really cool to hear what they talk about before each and every shot.“

It was a memorable weekend for the Korda Family. Sebi, who is scheduled to make his 2022 season debut in Week One in Adelaide, enjoys playing golf himself. He had fun alongside his sister and father as they competed on such a big stage.

Sebastian Korda and Nelly Korda
Sebastian Korda takes a picture with his sister, Nelly Korda, on Saturday.
“It was so much fun to caddy for my dad and sister Nelly at such a huge event with some of the best golfers,” Korda said. “I’ve never been around my dad while he’s playing any kind of tournament, so that was pretty special to see as well.”

Petr has thrived under pressure, having won the 1998 Australian Open. But this was a different experience in a different sport. The most important thing for the 10-time tour-level champion was getting to compete with his daughter. Nelly and Petr were quick to tell the media that they would love to play the event again if invited.

“It was very difficult. I was very nervous, I’m not going to hide it, especially before yesterday going around. I called my old coach, Tony Pickard, and asked him not for advice, but to calm me down,” Petr said during his post-event press conference. “It was a great experience. I enjoyed every moment of it.

“It’s easier to walk outside the ropes, which I believe [is where] I belong. But if we have one more chance in the future, I would love to do it again. Just being with Nelly and what she’s bringing to women’s sports and women’s golf and myself to be a part of it, what more can I ask?”

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Thiem Withdraws From ATP Cup

  • Posted: Dec 19, 2021

Dominic Thiem has withdrawn from next month’s ATP Cup and Sydney Tennis Classic, an ATP 250 event, due to a non-Covid-19-related illness, the Austrian announced Sunday.

The 28-year-old, who was due to lead Team Austria at the third edition of the ATP Cup, has not competed on Tour since June when he suffered a right wrist injury at the Mallorca Championships. Austria remains in the ATP Cup despite Thiem’s injury.

“After speaking to my team, we have decided to return to Austria, instead of flying directly to Australia,” Thiem wrote on Twitter. “Unfortunately, I caught a cold (and tested negative for Covid-19) while in Dubai and was unable to practise last week. I will therefore not be in the physical condition required to be able to play the ATP Cup and Sydney ATP 250.

“After not competing for the past six months, I can’t take the risk of coming back too soon and picking up a further injury… My aim is still to play the Australian Open but we will make a final decision about my participation by the end of December.”

Thiem went 9-9 on the season in 2021, with his best result a run to the semi-finals at the Mutua Madrid Open.

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