Djokovic, Alejandro Davidovich, Tennis discussed on The Tennis Podcast
Automatic TRANSCRIPT
Let's come on to talk about that because there was there was one moment where he dived for a ball that even if he had made it, I don't think he had any chance of winning the point. It was just, I don't think he did it for performative theatrical purposes, but it was, you know, with the benefit of a split second hindsight, it was really silly. And he ended up drawing blood and having to get treatment on his chest. It's just an instinct that I think your eye, Catherine, our instinct, is to not die for a tennis ball. His is just to do it. No matter the consequences. Do you think somebody once said to him, you've got a hair a bit like Boris Becker? Do me a do me a dive volley? Let's see what you've got. But we're not talking about just at the net here. He's not opposed to doing it, doesn't it? But we're talking about the back of the court. He will be gymnastic, hurling himself towards a tennis ball, at the baseline. He did one on return of serve. I mean, yeah, he actually drew blood against Novak Djokovic. That was the extent of the drama in that match. It looked very much like Alejandro davidovich for kina was going to win that in straight sets and there was a bit of a mental let down from the Spaniard to not do so and then Djokovic went into lockdown mode in that second set tiebreak, which was very reminiscent of Djokovic of old wins the tiebreak quite convincingly and lets out just one trademark Djokovic guttural roar to the crowd really extended chest beating all of that jazz and I was thinking 6 one third set quite honestly. I thought, you know, okay, the tidal waves in flow now Djokovic is if not producing the tennis of a world number one just the force of the man will take over from this point and and it was a 6 one set. It was a 6 one set in Alejandro davidovich for his favorite and it was favor rather and it was a really arresting site quite frankly and Djokovic said after the match that he collapsed physically. And that he didn't like the feeling and that he's going to speak to his team about it. Which, look, it's his first tournament back. I know you played Dubai but this is, I suppose for a mere mortal, it's really understandable, but I found it quite alarming to see, he obviously found it alarming to experience. And he obviously wasn't prepared to struggle that much. Physically. Now, whether that's because he just has never really been in this position before, I don't know, but you'd think he'd be physically fitter than after his previous comebacks from injury because presumably he's been able to train at full pelt. This whole time because there's been nothing physically wrong with him. So from that perspective, I found it, I found it quite bizarre actually that site and look, there's plenty of time for him to get that fitness back, the muscle memory is there, but you know, he didn't say, gosh, I collapsed physically. I've got work to do. Don't worry, I'll get there, but I just need to get it back out on the practice call or whatever it is. He said, God, that was awful. I don't know what's going on. I'm going to have to have a chat with my with my team. What did you make of it all met? The same as you, really. David put in our WhatsApp group that it was like an old smartphone that you think's got half an hour, 45 more minutes of power left, and suddenly it just goes and you can't use it anymore. And that was like Djokovic with his own body. Maybe, you know, like you said, that second set reaction was not the reaction of someone who felt they had nothing left to give in the third set. And clearly that was pretty much the case because the last few games that match he had nothing left. And yeah, you're right. It is early in this comeback. It is early stood in this clay court season, obviously Roland Garros is his priority, but it does put a lot of pressure on the upcoming tournaments. You know, he needs to get better physically quickly and he needs to start winning matches because I think on clay more than anything, it's the surface which doesn't suit him quite so much. And obviously it's all relative. He's a two time French Open champion. He's beaten Rafael Nadal twice at the French Open. He's very, very good on this surface, but I think it does take him a bit more time when he's not quite so attuned to the clay, he can, he can seem a little bit frail, a little bit more vulnerable. I think, for example, there are players like davidovich for kina. Okay, he's a pretty unique character, but there are players of his sort of ranking who were back themselves more against Djokovic on clay in the early rounds than they would on hardcourt or grass court. So yeah, it certainly makes the next few weeks for Djokovic, particularly interesting because there's a pressure to get results now. Belgrade this week, where he's obviously the top seed, home favorite. Is that coming at a perfect time or a tricky time, given that pressure you just referred to. I mean, the pressure will be greater there than anywhere else you could argue. And he's got to draw which could see him, face cats manage, I think, in his second match and obviously we know the form he's been in. That's an interesting match from a pressure perspective. I think for both of them actually, Djokovic playing a younger Serb, get to manovich, trying to face Djokovic, I think, is an interesting, slightly awkward dynamic, probably for him as well. I would think it's a good time. I would think he would enjoy playing at home, but like I said, there's so much intrigue around Djokovic at the moment. Yeah, the next few weeks are going to be fascinating for many reasons, but definitely from a Djokovic perspective. A couple of other bits to tidy up from Monte Carlo..