Novak Djokovic: Witch?

I needn't remind readers alert to the goings-on of professional tennis that Novak Djokovic is currently on the brink of becoming the first man in over 40 years to win four Majors consecutively; weather-allowing, he will in a matter of hours complete the 2012 French Open final against Rafael Nadal, and should he manage to win the two remaining sets necessary, the task will be complete.
What does need further exposition, I think, is the utterly surreal character of this situation. Within these last four Grand Slam events, Djokovic has been:

-down two-sets-to-none, and later two match points, against Roger Federer, but rallied to win 7-5 in the fifth set

-down two-sets-to-one against Andy Murray, who later had break points to serve for the match, but rallied to win 7-5 in the fifth set

-down 4-2, *30-15 in the fifth set against Rafael Nadal, but rallied to win it 7-5

-down two-sets-to-none to Andreas Seppi in the current French Open, but rallied to win in five

-down two-sets-to-one and four match points against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the current French Open, but rallied to win in five

-down two-sets-to-none and a break against Rafael Nadal, the greatest clay-court player in history, having lost the last six consecutive games, but rallied to turn the match on its head, winning eight straight to put himself up a break in the fourth...

Now, one might rightly attribute much of this to determination, to will-power, to fighting spirit-- attributes Djokovic certainly possesses in richest abundance-- but this alone does not seem to me sufficient to account for the unprecedented set of data before us. Heart may enable you to pull off a remarkable comeback every now and again, but in a world-elite tennis match, it simply isn't all in your own hands; players on that level are capable of hitting tennis balls in such fashion that no human can return them. Generally, when one is down two sets to none and/or facing multiple match points, it is because his opponent is simply better at doing so on that particular day, and there is nothing he can do about it-- the very fact that one has fallen so desperately far behind is a strong indication that he is not capable of winning the match as things stand. This is why even a bona fide embodiment of will-power such as Lleyton Hewitt, though he has pulled off many a stunning comeback in his day, usually does not do so. Generally, when a world-elite professional tennis player, especially a Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, leads by two sets to none or is up a break in the fifth and holds multiple match points, he is going to end the match, and there is more or less nothing his opponent can conceivably do about it.

I would say all of the above seems obvious to most any reasonable observer of the sport, easily logically deduced and empirically proven by decades of evidence. Yet it seems of late that Djokovic no longer exists within the boundaries of logic; no matter how close to defeat he is taken or how many times he is taken there, he wages a successful comeback in absolutely every instance. Other players have won or come close to winning four Majors consecutively before, but they have done so by simply dominating the rest of the field; I do not think there is anything remotely close to a precedent for doing so while winning six five-set matches, mounting three different rallies from two sets to none-- two of those against men who are themselves winners of 10 or more Major titles-- and three different rallies from breaks down in potentially or assuredly match-deciding sets, saving a total of (at least) six match points in the process. It is as though the laws of nature and of logic bend themselves into conformity with Novak Djokovic's title aspirations.

So how, precisely, is this happening? Has Djokovic struck a deal with the devil? Does he (or his parents?) call on some form of occult magic to conjure victory where it appears lost to the agency of mortals? Insofar as I am aware, there is no rule prohibiting witchcraft in tennis, but I do suppose that support for such a regulation might gather momentum in the event of the discovery that the world's number one was dabbling in such methods to maintain his edge. Take heed, Djokovic; should you somehow pull this one off, my suspicions will only be strengthened.

UPDATE: It appears Mr. Djokovic is exonerated, or at the least that Nadal's Grand Slam clay-craft trumps his witchery.

Grassy Miscellany

In the aftermath of the historic events of the 2011 French Open, the ATP has turned its attention to the brief-but-crucial grass-court swing, wherein tournaments at London and Halle offer the major warm-up opportunities to the world's finest players. The top performers from the clay-court season seem to be experiencing a bit of burn-out, as Federer and Djokovic both withdrew from their scheduled events, while Nadal, having once more done just enough to maintain his tenuous hold on the exclusive world's number-one ranking (an immediate exit would have created the unique situation of co-number-one status, as Nadal and Djokovic would each have held 12,025 points to their credit come Monday) bombed out in a lackluster showing against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga yesterday afternoon.

I have been pleased to see my countryman, Mr. Andy Roddick, back in strong form this week at Queen's Club; he has dispatched three consecutive potentially-dangerous opponents, each more dominantly than the last, and in so doing set up a semifinal rematch of his gripping encounter with Andy Murray at Wimbledon two years ago. If he brings the same level of play to the Wimbledon championships later this month, he may once more find himself in contention for the greatest prize in tennis.

Djokovic Denied

Upon serving one last ace up the tee to complete what will go down in history among the greatest victories of his momentous professional tennis career, Roger Federer gently wagged a forefinger at his conquered foe. "Not yet," he seemed to say.

For the first time in over seven years, it appeared likely that the next week's world ATP singles rankings would show neither Roger Federer nor Rafael Nadal in the number one position. Novak Djokovic, reigning Australian Open champion and winner of 43 consecutive matches, took to the court Friday afternoon but one more victory from seizing the mantle currently held by Nadal, and a clear favorite to accomplish the task; it seemed to many, as pundits had often- though always incorrectly- speculated over the years, that the Federer-Nadal era was at long last coming to an end. In characteristic fashion, however, the Swiss legend came up with a touch of magic at the moment he most needed it, while Djokovic showed what have of late been rare signs of humanity in his sometimes-uneven performance. In one fell stroke, Federer both thwarted Djokovic's immediate number-one hopes and set up the first Grand Slam final meeting between himself and Nadal since the 2009 Australian Open, as if to broadcast the message that their ship still sails.

Powerful heartache surely awaited Djokovic, who fell a single match short of securing the number one ranking and one short of equaling John McEnroe's record start-of-the-year unbeaten run of 1984, but hope still remains. Just as many Nadal fans undoubtedly found themselves in the unusual position of rooting emphatically for Federer Friday, so I expect that Djokovic's supporters will now rally behind their man's conqueror. A Federer win Sunday would enable Djokovic yet still to take the number one position from Nadal, who is defending a championship run from last year.

The Final Peak

As of mid-season 2010, Novak Djokovic of Serbia scarcely seemed a serious contender to claim any Grand Slam titles within the foreseeable future. His second serve was dodgy, his forehand was shank-prone, he was exhibiting a disturbing trend toward passivity from the baseline, and his long history of on-court illness-and-injury treatments and retirements had inspired abundant conjecture to the effect that he was either a hypochondriac or a drama queen. All told, the standard of his results had receded since his then-watershed moment at the 2008 Australian Open, and the question hanging over him was not, as it had once been, whether he could advance his ranking further, but rather whether he could so much as maintain the world's-number-three position to which he had so long been wedded.

One year later, all of these faults appear to have vanished without a trace; his service game is rock-solid, he reliably delivers the most consistent and assertive baseline play in the business, he has neither called forth a trainer nor retired from a match even once to my knowledge over the intervening 12 months, and he stands now potentially mere hours from the fulfillment of his lifelong ambition to attain the coveted number-one ranking. His final obstacle will come in the form of Switzerland's Roger Federer, whom he is set to face in the French Open semifinals Friday night. To depose a legend such as Federer- who is the all-time Grand Slam record holder and last man to defeat Djokovic, that coming at the World Tour Finals last November- on a stage such as this would seem a nigh impossible task to most, but Djokovic has already performed the feat on three past occasions, including each of the last two Grand Slam events, and has defeated Federer three times this season alone.

One cannot rule out altogether the possibility that Roger Federer, even in the latter stages of his career, will find some of his old magic now, when he needs it most, but it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the outcome of this contest will, in all likelihood, rest ultimately on the racket of the Serb. It may be pointed out that Djokovic has, in the past, shown tension when faced with the opportunity to reach a new high-water-mark in the rankings, as in 2009 when he failed in his first three attempts to claim the number two ranking, including once in a shocking upset to unheralded Finn Jarko Nieminen- yet, as I have described, Djokovic seems by now to have long since risen to a new and higher plane, casting off like an infant's swaddling cloths the physical and mental constraints which once seemed to bind him. This, then, is the moment of truth; will we see a glimmer of Djokovic the man on the red clay at Roland Garros, or will Djokovic the tennis demi-God complete his ascent to the summit of Mount Olympus?

Nadal-Soderling III

Now, my title is not strictly accurate; their Wednesday evening French Open quarterfinal encounter will actually mark the eighth time Rafael Nadal and Robin Soderling have met in an official ATP match. In fact, this won't even be the third, but rather the fourth time the two have met at the French Open itself. However, following up as it does upon historic clashes at both the 2009 and 2010 Opens, it will represent the third installment in what is becoming one of the most compelling rivalries since the days when Federer and Nadal were contesting two Grand Slam finals a year against one another, and with it will come a crossroads of sorts between several compelling supblots, the most notable among these involving Nadal's tenuous hold upon the world's number-one ranking.

In Rafa's favor, it may be pointed out that he soundly defeated Soderling in last year's final, that he holds the 3-1 career head-to-head advantage on clay, and that Soderling has not so much as claimed a set off him in any of their clay-court meetings aside from the 2009 shocker which saw the Spaniard suffer his first- and, thus far, only- defeat at the French slam. Nonetheless, Soderling's backers may rightly point out that Nadal's form throughout the 2011 clay court run has been significantly inferior to the standard he set last season; for example, Nadal lost only 14 games en route to the 2010 Monte Carlo title, but dropped more than double that total in another title-winning effort this year at 34, and had lost only 34 games (and zero sets) prior to the quarterfinals of last year's French Open, compared with 53 games and two sets this year. Furthermore, the Swede would be continuing the pattern he has established over the last two years were he to once again pull off a shock upset over a legend midway through the tournament.

So, how will this all turn out? Will Nadal keep his hopes alive to retain the title and number-one ranking, or will Soderling once again upset the apple cart at Roland Garros, protecting countryman Bjorn Borg's all-time French Open title record in the process? Truth be told, I really haven't the foggiest.

Federer, Soderling and Semifinals in France

Before delving into more pressing matters, I would like to point out an odd little observation I've made:

Last week in Paris, the two semifinals (Soderling vs. Llodra and Federer vs. Monfils) were veritably remarkable, not only for their tremendous drama and entertainment value, but for their congruency- each match ended most unusually, with one man saving several match points while serving at 5-6, then roaring back to claim victory in a decisive tiebreak. Seeing this most unusual phenomenon take place and reflecting on it in its aftermath, I was reminded of an eerily similar occurrence which transpired at last year's French Open, when Federer and Soderling, competing on the same national soil, also participated in back-to-back epic semifinals which were distinguished by their uncanny similarity to one another; first Federer squeaked past Juan Martin Del Potro 6-4 in their fifth set, then Soderling rallied to overcome Fernando Gonzalez by precisely the same finishing score- 6-4 in the fifth- in a match with the same net duration time, to the minute.

This compels me to wonder: do Roger and Robin have some kind of bizarre pact to faithfully imitate one another's semifinal showings on French soil, are they psychically linked, or- to close out this little post with a nauseatingly cheesy pun- is it just something in the cheese?