[blueberryhill]

I would still put Andy favourite for the AO as well, if he is against Novak in the final sure I would put Novak as a bit of a favourite but on the flip side I think Novak is a lot more likely to stumble before the final than Andy is.

Andy's playing better than Nole against everyone, except against Nole himself. Damn!

[ST Essex]

Well that's a shame. I feel Andy could've won that. His court position in the first set was rubbish tho., two miles behind the base line ain't gonna beat Nole Much better in the 2nd when he was more aggressive and then quite even in the 3rd until....His court position against Berd was so much better. Am beginning to feel Nole gives him the heeby jeebies.
Hope they really analyse that match.

The problem is that there is so much past baggage in Andy's head with regards to previous matches between them. At some points he was playing not to miss.

But the cramping antics were the most disappointing. Novak was serving, and Andy should have broken him in that game. Andy wasted the chance, then allowed Novak to hold. Andy loses focus and is broken to love. Next game, Novak is moving like a spring chicken. Maybe Andy will always lack that killer instinct at certain times - just too nice a guy sometimes.
I

[Ghostbuster]

i know a lot of people on here don't really think much about past matches but it's just so frustrating for those of us who have seen this entire script time after time after time. yet again he loses after losing the first set. so what now when he loses the first set in the australian open final? or hell, the first two?

it's just knowing that there's that 1/2% between them. murray serves for the match (rome) or has multiple match points (shanghai) only  to see djokovic come back; you know djokovic has got it wrapped up. he breezes through the third in shanghai, the tiebreak in rome. the opposite way around (here) and you know djokovic still has every chance in the third and he takes it thanks to a self-inflicted break. the amount of times murray will be in a decisive set and have break points early on only to quite easily miss them and end up getting blown away (or simply losing) ie rg15, rg16 (break point at the start of the second). or the typical break points / 0-30 when djokovic is serving it out (here, rg, madrid).

then you have djokovic blowing a 5-2 lead in the 5th set of australia 2012. murray gets back to 5-5, 15-40 and djokovic STILL digs it out. murray does this all the time... except against djokovic. you might say i'm reading too much into a 250 final but it feels like the same old story. the difference is so minimal yet so often decisive in djokovic's favour. maybe i thought murray would have even more belief now he's number one. maybe i thought djokovic was still slumping. murray's game was ultimately fine, bar one game in each set (of course). but that tiny, tiny difference between them is the same as it ever was.

[ST Essex]

i know a lot of people on here don't really think much about past matches but it's just so frustrating for those of us who have seen this entire script time after time after time. yet again he loses after losing the first set. so what now when he loses the first set in the australian open final? or hell, the first two?

it's just knowing that there's that 1/2% between them. murray serves for the match (rome) or has multiple match points (shanghai) only  to see djokovic come back; you know djokovic has got it wrapped up. he breezes through the third in shanghai, the tiebreak in rome. the opposite way around (here) and you know djokovic still has every chance in the third and he takes it thanks to a self-inflicted break. the amount of times murray will be in a decisive set and have break points early on only to quite easily miss them and end up getting blown away (or simply losing) ie rg15, rg16 (break point at the start of the second). or the typical break points / 0-30 when djokovic is serving it out (here, rg, madrid).

then you have djokovic blowing a 5-2 lead in the 5th set of australia 2012. murray gets back to 5-5, 15-40 and djokovic STILL digs it out. murray does this all the time... except against djokovic. you might say i'm reading too much into a 250 final but it feels like the same old story. the difference is so minimal yet so often decisive in djokovic's favour. maybe i thought murray would have even more belief now he's number one. maybe i thought djokovic was still slumping. murray's game was ultimately fine, bar one game in each set (of course). but that tiny, tiny difference between them is the same as it ever was.

Great post. It is so frustrating the way he played a lot of the break points. Ok, he broke Novak twice, but there were opportunities where he had 0-30, and made bad errors on shots that were t even that aggressive. I'd rather be went for it, and if he loses some of those pounts, then so be it. Passive play has never worked against Novak, and I hope that Lendl can find a way to change the mindset.

[Aileen]

^^ I was about to say is anyone watching and seeing the creepy as f**k real life statues?!

Goodness knows what that was supposed to be all about, but trust Djoko to see the funny side of it!  lol

[ST Essex]

How can you watch him hold that trophy? I'd probably launch something at the TV . 

[blueberryhill]

I don't mean nastier, no. But more ruthless, yes.

I wasn't serious, but certainly more ruthless. Can he change now tho?
Agree too, "Passive play has never worked against Djokovich." Not sure about Lendl , it was Amelie who addressed that.