Posted: 22.03.09 14:29. Post subject: НовоСМИ (1)

Статьи, ПК и проч. высказыания о Ноле

 Posted: 08.04.09 08:59. Post subject: Quarterly Report Th..

Quarterly Report

The tennis season is long, but like anything else that doesn’t involve your own daily 9 to 5 labor, it passes with disconcerting speed—“Time is a jet plane,” Bob Dylan sang, “it moves too fast.” Maybe it’s the scattershot, peak-and-valley nature of the early-year schedule—massive tournament to start, nothing for a month, followed by two big events in rapid-fire succession—that catches us off guard. We’re not worn down by weekly results yet. By the time the players get to Europe and that grind begins in earnest, a quarter of the year—one Slam, two Masters/Premier events, a round of Davis and Fed Cup—is gone.

With that in mind, the time seems right to take stock of how the game and its players have measured up to expectations so far in 2009.

Victoria Azarenka

Just when it appeared as if the WTA would never give us another girl with the fortitude and irrational desire to be a champion, we get this 19-year-old Belarusian beanpole. Granted, Serena was hurt in the Key Biscayne final, and Azarenka did throw in a couple of anxiety-ridden double faults when she was trying to serve out the match. But instead of panicking when things go wrong, she gets mad and tries her best to figure out how to fix the problem. And if I don’t love the bird-like whoo-ooo she makes when she swings, I do like the swings themselves, especially the graceful punch she gives the ball on her backhand side. A

Juan-Martin del Potro

The gently brooding giant has bounced back nicely after his Davis Cup debacle last winter. He won in Auckland to start the year and reached his second Slam quarterfinal in Melbourne. While he suffered an embarrassing two-bagel loss to Federer there, del Potro bounced back again to make a Masters semi in Key Biscayne. Biggest of all, he recorded his first win in 14 attempts over one of the Big 4 when he came back to beat Nadal in Miami. That’s important—he had looked utterly lost and overwhelmed against the top guys until then. DP's development, after last year’s breakthrough, remains on track. He may take his losses hard, but he can forget them. A-

Novak Djokovic

We learn more and more about the wacky Serb every few weeks. When we first met him, he was quick to call it a day if events weren’t proceeding in a manner that favored him. Then he was serene and sure of his destiny to become No. 1. Then, when destiny was derailed, he was a ball of frustration ready to immolate itself at the first sign of trouble. Now, he’s starting to seem like a guy who can throw in an unmitigated clunker one week—see his dismal Indian Wells quarterfinal loss to Roddick—and bounce back a week later to beat Tsonga and Federer and make a Masters final. Djokovic lets his anger get the best of him, but he lets his pride pick him back up. Do you have any idea what he’ll show us next? I don’t. But I want to find out. B

Roger Federer

From a performance point of view, you’d have to say this is his worst start since he became No. 1 in 2004. At least last year he had a debilitating illness as an excuse. While Federer still knows how to work the majors, he looks more and more lost at the Masters events. Watching him self-destruct against Murray in Indian Wells, I began to think that his version of tennis artistry, defined by a 0-to-60-in-two-seconds-flat transition game, was looking a little dated compared to Murray’s side-to-side, slice-and-scramble approach.

But from an emotional standpoint, Federer has been the most compelling figure in tennis. He provided, to his chagrin, the signature moment of the year by bawling in Melbourne, and then he made our jaws drop with his stoically savage destruction of his racquet in Key Biscayne—it was like watching a magician destroy his wand. None of this should surprise us: Tennis players, whatever their outer selves communicate, are deeply emotional. Why wouldn’t Federer, the best tennis player, have the deepest emotions of all? B+

Indian Wells/Key Biscayne

These tournaments offered plenty to the fan willing to (a) attend one or both of them; and (b) seek out and stick with FSN as it stumbled its way toward covering both events. But for someone tuning into the semis and finals on the weekend, both tournaments left a lot to be desired. Federer was entertaining and revealing in one sense, but only in a negative way. The two women’s finals were ruined by wind and injury, respectively, while the two men’s finals were uninspired and only marginally competitive. What would the casual viewer of Key Biscayne have made of a Saturday spent watching Serena hobble and a Sunday spent watching Djokovic narrowly avert heat exhaustion? And as much as I like Murray’s style, I can’t view it as a good sign for the game that he won more matches than anyone by taking fewer risks then ever. C+

Ana Ivanovic

I know she says she’s happy with her new coach and back on track with her attacking game. And I hope it’s true. But even in her run to the Indian Wells final, Ivanovic was excessively up and down, not just from match to match, but from game to game. As of now, her confidence can still be blown away in the desert wind. B-

Jelena Jankovic

Poor JJ. Is her sudden and precipitous decline a product, like she says, of overtraining? Or is it an inevitable market correction for a woman who never belonged at No. 1 in the first place? Now that’s she fired her in-house fitness guru, Pat Etcheberry—he may have neglected to consider the finer points of Jankovic’s finesse game before trying to add 10 pounds of muscle to her—we’ll find out. JJ has bounced back from worse slumps before; but she wasn’t 24 then. D

Andy Murray

When did the game’s resident miserable brat become its most upstanding citizen? While Federer was smashing, Djokovic was staggering, and Nadal was blowing a seemingly insurmountable lead, No. 4 kept his head and body intact and left the U.S. with the best overall record of any player who was in Indian Wells and Key Biscayne. On a small scale, he weathered bad patches of play against Monaco and Djokovic with just the barest amount of testiness, before quickly reasserting his low-key control over both matches. Whether it’s a match or the season at large, he’s clearly thinking long term. My only reservation, as I said earlier, is that he has found a way to win that requires minimal risk. Good for him, but potentially bad for us. Murray has the variety to do much more, and eventually we’re going to want to see him use it again. A

Rafael Nadal

He’s extended his turf while tightening his grip on the top spot. As the champion in Melbourne and Indian Wells, Nadal is now the favorite to win any hard court tournament he plays. You might chalk this up to the sport's long-running move toward slower surfaces. But I’m going to chalk it up to Nadal’s dogged expansion of his own game. By now, his rallies can consist of anything—drop shots, low chips, stealthy forays to the net, exclamatory overheads, and, of course, the meat and potatoes, uncannily accurate topspin drives. There’s something for any tennis fan to like, which is no more and no less than what we want from the new face of the sport. Rafa is taking No. 1 in stride; he’s comfortable there without acting entitled about it. Why would we have expected anything else? A+

Andy Roddick

Like Murray but unlike Nadal, Roddick has assessed the modern game and found that less is more. Fewer risks, more balls in play, lots of running, and a big serve to back it all up is the recipe du jour. And as it is for Murray, it’s a winning recipe for Roddick, but it may not taste all that good to us in the long run. Roddick has won a lot of matches in 2009, but I’ve enjoyed watching him most during the few games where he let his strokes fly—à la 2003—against Federer in Key Biscayne. Of course, he lost that one, so chances are we won’t see it again. He's gotten too smart for that. A-

Dinara Safina

I like her story, her personality, her persistence, her intensity, her emotion, her mid-career surge— everything, in other words, other than actually watching her play. I’ve tried, but at Indian Wells and Key Biscayne Safina's game looked very labored, as if she and her strokes and especially her serve just didn’t want to be out there. I want to see more from a player who is at least nominally fighting to become No. 1 for the first time. B

Serena Williams

With her 10th Slam coming a full decade after her first, you might say this is a time to celebrate Serena, her longevity, and her apparently effortless dominance. And it is. There are many things to enjoy in Serena’s game—the coolly lethal serve, the exemplary racquet extension, the indomitable fight. It’s just that when I turned on the TV to watch her in Key Biscayne, I didn’t see those things. I saw her spraying shots, slumping her shoulders, acting like she couldn’t believe this was all happening to her, and standing still and hitting all-or-nothing shots because she had suffered another injury. The physical problems may not be her fault, and the erratic play and flamboyant frustration can be filed away in the “Serena being Serena” department—that’s just how she is sometimes. But when you’ve seen her focused and at her best, the way she was for most of the U.S. and Aussie Open finals, this version of her isn’t much fun to watch. I hope she gets better in all ways for the rest of the year.

 Posted: 08.04.09 20:33. Post subject: Up Close with ... No..

Up Close with ... Novak Djokovic
The Sportskids interview Novak Djokovic
Tennis star Novak Djokovic is interviewed by the Sportskids at the Sony Ericsson Open.
Posted on Sunday, 04.05.09
For the Miami Herald

Editor's note: Neuman brothers Danny and Pacey, both 13, and Mikey, 15, are sports fanatics and Miami Beach locals, who interview a different professional athlete each month and Sports Scene features their Q&As. Visit www.CBS4.com/sportskids and www.youtube.com/sportsbrothers to watch this and previous interviews.

This month, the Neuman brothers interview tennis player Novak Djokovic.

Q: What was you first big purchase after you received your first big paycheck?

A: I think was sixteen when I got my first paycheck. It was not much, probably around 100 dollars. I went and bought lunch for all of my friends and celebrated.

Q: Who did you look up to as a kid and why?

A: As a tennis player, I had my idol and it was Pete Sampris. I remember the picture I had of him holding up the Wimbledon trophy and I imagined myself in that position.

Q: What’s the most meaningful gift you’ve ever received?

A: I think my brothers.

Q: What was your biggest fear as a kid?

A: Animals probably. I was just afraid of some animals like snakes and spiders.

Q: As a kid, what was one of the funniest things that ever happened to you?

A: I was maybe 7-8 years old and I went with my school somewhere south of our country and we went camping. We went early in the morning and came back in the evening and I came back without underwear! Because there was no toilet and we were in the middle of the forest and I couldn’t go anywhere so unfortunately I was in the towel for the rest of the trip!

Q: What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you on the court?

A: I think when I did impersonations of the other players, that’s probably the funniest thing that’s ever happened to me. I really surprised myself. I didn’t think I was able to do that, but I think most of the people liked it so I’m really happy.

Q: What was your most meaningful moment as a kid?

A: When I started playing tennis, I was four years old and I played in front of the restaurant that my parents still own.

Q: Can you tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to know?

A: I’m a sports guy. I really like sports besides tennis. I like to ski. I like snow.

Favorites:

Cartoon Character: Bugs Bunny

Ice Cream Flavor: Strawberry

Movie: Slumdog millionaire

Toy as a kid: Any cars

Animal: Dolphin

Video game: Virtua Tennis with my brothers.

Drink: water or energetic drinks

Ride at Disney world: I was afraid of going on Tower of Terror.

 Posted: 08.04.09 22:19. Post subject: Tatiana Спасибо htt..

Tatiana
Спасибо

 Posted: 09.04.09 08:47. Post subject: Djokovic To Possibly..

Djokovic To Possibly Pose Naked For Playgirl (humour)

An often shirtless Novak Djokovic has been approached by Playgirl to pose naked for an upcoming issue. A spokesman for Playgirl confirmed that the offer is in the works.

"We are negotiating a generous offer. Not only did we offer a sweet compensation package, we also gave him a choice to pose in a clay, grass, carpet or hard court setting," The spokesman confirmed.

There have been rumours that the negotiations have been ongoing and challenging because Djokovic insisted that his father should have his own issue or at least pose along with Novak.

Djokovic himself stated a few possibilities.

"I have spoken with Playgirl. I have proposed a naked Djokovic Calendar. Each family member would have their own month. Also, I would like to pose with my new racket just to work it in."

Djokovic emphasized that although his family enjoys being naked, they would still be showing up at his tournaments fully clothed.

Djokovic's childhood friend Anna Ivanovic was not surprised on hearing the news.

"Ever since we were kids, he always equated winning with taking his shirt off. A couple of times, he got hypothermia in the winter months."

Djokovic admitted he was excited about his first photo shoot.

"I want to try this thing where I balance my racket without using my hands."

 Posted: 09.04.09 09:36. Post subject: Глаз-алмаз Джоковича..

Глаз-алмаз Джоковича

Третья ракетка мира серб Новак Джокович оказался единственным теннисистом в мире, который более чем в половине случаев был прав при использовании системы Hawk-Eye.

АТР и WTA провели исследование после того, как на прошлой неделе в рамках турнира в Майами число обращений к «соколиному глазу» перевалило за 10 тысяч. Выяснилось, что, начиная с 2006 года, мужчины почти в два раза чаще прибегали к услугам электронной системы, которая призвана проверять, попал мяч в площадку или нет.

Они сделали 6 тысяч 279 попыток, и только в 35% случаев были правы. Женщины использовали Hawk-Eye 3 тысячи 693 раза и процент успешных попыток составил 36%, сообщает РИА «Новости».

Джокович в 55% случаев оказывался прав, став единственным теннисистом среди мужчин и женщин, у которого этот показатель перевалил за 50%. Второй номер мировой классификации швейцарец Роджер Федерер пользовался системой Hawk-Eye с 50-процентным успехом, а, к примеру, недавний победитель турнира серии «Мастерс» британец Энди Маррей попадает в точку один раз из четырех.


www.eurosport.ru

 Posted: 10.04.09 14:26. Post subject: Clay Court Forecast ..

Clay Court Forecast

By Pete Bodo

This one is pretty easy: cool in the mornings, with periods of sun mixed with clouds and a 40 per cent chance of light showers. But when that thunder starts to roll in from Spain. . . Run for your lives, it's women and children first, stay out from under the trees, and if there are any men left, dial 1-800-Save-Us-From-Rafa!

That's pretty much how it's been for about the past three years, with Rafael Nadal going on perhaps the greatest run of clay-court tennis every put together by a male player. The only guy who might hold his own in that conversation would be Bjorn Borg, whose prowess on red dirt was comparable to Nadal's, but who played in an era that generally had less depth-of-competition, especially on clay. So why should things be any different this year? Well, because things change - maybe not on a predictable or annual basis, but everyone embarking on that red clay road is different from the person and player he was 12 months ago (How Zen is that?).

But seriously, let's look at some of the top clay-court contenders and evaluate their chances in the upcoming season on clay.

No. 1, Rafael Nadal:

You know what I'd like to know? Whether Rafa is at that point in life when he can look at the spring clay-circuit in Europe and think: Same crap, different year. How many more danged times do I have to win Monte Carlo? It says a lot for Nadal that he's entitled to think that way, even though he's nowhere near the third stage of greatness, which is when most great players begin to experience the equivalent of metal fatigue, fall prey to ennui, or simply start looking to re-order their priorities as they exhaust their non-renewable mental resources.

This sudden appearance of a blue-chip event in Madrid on the calendar may come at a good time for Nadal, because his indecision about playing the event (the last I heard, my sources said it was "fifty-fifty" that he'd wind up in the Magic Box) introduces an unknown into a scenario ruined only by the fact that it has lacked unknowns. And Nadal is too aware and experienced a competitor not to go on Stage 2 alert when the customary order has been disrupted.

Nadal left Miami enveloped in some mystery, alluding to "personal" issues that may have prevented him from playing his best, most fully focused tennis. I didn't get the chance to write about this before, but I will now: In his quarterfinal loss to Juan Martin del Potro, Nadal seemed mostly to be going through the motions. The sure sign was that his shots lacked their customary depth; most of his groundstrokes landed closer to the service lines than the baseline. That made del Potro look awfully good, much like Andy Roddick made Roger Federer look good in that unfortunate Australian Open semifinal of 2007 (Roddick got just six games).

In Roddick's case, the issue was execution - he fed balls right into Federer's strike zone, begging for punishment that Roger was all too happy to provide..Nadal last week seemed less a victim of over-eagerness or thoughtless impetuousity than distraction. He went through the motions, waving at all those forehands and backhands like a man swatting flies while his mind was on other things. That's what happens when the ideal, total degree-of-focus is absent. You put on a game face and try to make a match of it. But even your most prodigious swing often leaves the ball six or eight feet short of its intended mark.

So Nadal goes onto the clay with unspecified distractions playing on his mind (although they may be banished by the time the first major event [Monte Carlo] rolls around) and some doubts about whether or not he ought to play Madrid, where the high-altitude may be an impediment to ideal preparation for the French Open (there's a mere one-week break between the Madrid Masters event and Roland Garros).

It may seem counter-intuitive, but these two challenges (and it's impossible to quantify the potential impact of the first one) could stimulate Nadal rather than trouble him. His rivals will find themselves thinking, I hope he's just not that into me. . . . But I don't believe Nadal is the type to fall asleep at the switch, so I look for him to have another outstanding year.

No. 2, Roger Federer:
He may have been relieved that the hard-court swing is over, but it's hard to imagine how the world's second best player on clay can find a whole lot to get fired up about as the tour moves to clay. There's this little matter of Nadal. Just how many more times does Federer need to lose to Nadal before what was once a wake-up call becomes a requiem? And how does Federer turn around his growing habit of losing interest, or focus, or confidence, or determination, or (fill in the blank) as a match progresses toward crunch-time? And then there's that bad back narrative. . .

I never thought I'd find myself writing this, but the same talented rivals who once were given to thinking, Sheesh, I've got to find a way to stay with this guy before he hits the afterburners. . . can now be justified in thinking, I've just got to stay with him and keep the pressure on, because there's a chance he might crumble.

Federer fans undoubtedly will be outraged to read that. But that's exactly what any ATP guy who's prepared to man-up will be thinking. You might as well get used to it.

However. . .let's remember that one of the nice things about clay is that it gives a player a chance to feel around and find his game. On clay, both in practice and matches, you hit enough balls to get in whatever groove is available to you, and you can get into intimate contact with some of the more artful and delicate weapons at your command. Federer knows how to have a conversation with the ball. Inside every container of tennis balls sit three Mr. Wilsons, or Miss Penns, hoping they'll be extracted from the tube by Federer, thinking, Me talk pretty one day. . .

To me, this clay-court season will tell us something about how much Federer really wants to play, how much he still enjoys what Andre Agassi would describe as "the process." His big enemies will be impatience and a low tolerance for frustration, along with the temptation of skipping work on clay in order to better plot his ultimate revenge in a few months time at Wimbledon.

My feeling is that the impatience will win out.

No. 3, Novak Djokovic:
The Djoker is in a situation comparable to Federer's, if that can be said of a guy who's got one Grand Slam title, a dozen short of Federer. But Djokovic also has far fewer miles on his odometer, and (presumably) greater reserves of ambition, youth and stamina. So the clay season is a great time for him to embark on a makeover of his game, which has gotten stuck in the twilight zone of incertitude. Lately, the guy simply doesn't seem to know what kind of game to play, and whether to attack or dig in and trust his considerable ability to change the direction of the ball, exchange savage groundstrokes, and cover his flanks. I don't think he needs to attack, at least not by the traditional definition (rushing the net). But he does need to be aggressive and to trust his strokes, following where they lead.

In this regard, the nature of clay-court tennis will work in his favor, even though it doesn't exactly reward the most common attack strategies. But the number of balls he'll have to hit may help him get back in touch with the bold quality missing lately from his game. He doesn't have to dive around, spearing volleys, but setting himself up get a ball that he can whale on off either wing in the mid-court will serve the same purpose - which is rekindling his sense of purpose.

With Djokovic, you always have to factor in strange physiological reactions and issues, all of which makes me unwilling to predict that his results will be unpredictable.

No. 4, Andy Murray:
He's perhaps the biggest question mark of the clay-court season. According to Djokovic, Murray's ability to transition from defense to offense is as good as that of any player. He's the best counter-puncher since LLeyton Hewitt in is heyday. But if you look at Hewitt's record on clay, you'll see that exploiting those strengths may be harder on clay than any other surface. The transitions just can't be pulled off that quickly, because you know how it is on clay - there's always that extra moment for the other guy when you turn the tables on him; there's always that extra ball to hit.

On the other hand, Murray's quickness and inventive use of court space will enable him to do a lot more than react, and he's superb at mixing up pace and spin. In recent years, Nadal has been able to hit right through guys who have those talents, and Federer has been able to match them, short-angle for short-angle, drop shot for drop shot, and use other elements in his formidable arsenal to end the conversation with Mr. Wilson. But few of those guys have had the range of Murray, or a wingspan that makes it difficult to slide the ball by.

Murray's short-term problem may be motivation and enthusiasm. Given the hard-court season he's just finished, you can understand why he might want to coast a bit, biding his time as he feels around for just the right balance between dictating and exploiting his great skill as a counter-puncher. My feeling is that he'll be more dangerous as the weeks roll on, and use the warm-up tournaments as a way to seek out his best strategy for Paris.

No. 5, Juan Martin del Potro:
Delpo doesn't have a single win in a Masters Series on clay; he's strictly a hard court hombre. In three years at Roland Garros, he's won exactly one match. He's got an awful lot of body to lug around in endless clay court matches. On the other hand, he obviously has a chance to pick up a bushel of ranking points if he can win a few matches here and there on clay, so I wouldn't write him off entirely. A guy with a huge serve and groundies can come up big on clay, because the slowness of the surface will enable him to get to more balls, and draw a bead on them, than he might reach on a faster hard court. He could be a pleasant surprise.

Best of the Rest: Jump all over me if you like, but remember that a young Andy Roddick (he's no. 6) leapt onto the tennis radar off of clay courts, and had a pretty nice little run in Paris the first time he played there (2001), taking down Michael Chang in five sets in the second round. Given the way he's ramped up his commitment, and the new pride he takes in his fitness, he could make an impact, especially on the Grand Slam stage, where his abilities as a competitor have the greatest value.

Gilles Simon (no. 7) has RGAS (Roland Garros Aversion Syndrome, a strange disease that afflicts players of French extraction at the French Open). Simon has won exactly one match in four outings at Roland Garros, but hey - they also play in Monaco, Rome, Madrid. . . He's definitely better suited to hard courts, but I wouldn't write him off. Fernando Verdasco (no. 8) has good clay-court credentials, his game is on the upswing, and he should be in nice comfort zone for the next few months. Nikolay Davydenko (no. 9) is still out with injury, and Gael Monfils - no. 10 and a semifinalist at Roland Garros last year - has plenty of potential, but someone needs to remind him that he's not Olivier Rochus - he's 6-4 and packs a wallop, so maybe it's time to junk the rope-a-dope and hit the gas.

 Posted: 10.04.09 14:29. Post subject: Стихийное бедствие ..

Стихийное бедствие
тебя всё равно не опередить, я только собралась запостить часть этой статьи про Джокера, а она у тебя уже полностью тут висит.

 Posted: 10.04.09 14:41. Post subject: Алёна и в общем раз..

Алёна
и в общем разделе тоже

 Posted: 13.04.09 10:33. Post subject: MC: Sight of Spring ..

MC: Sight of Spring
Spring is the season of rites. There’s the Masters. There’s Opening Day. There’s the Kentucky Derby. There are leaves out and windows down. There's the family dog getting into the kids' Easter baskets and making himself sick on chocolate (maybe that was just a rite of spring at my house). All of these are events that we anticipate happily, the same way we look forward to spring itself—it’s no accident that you’ve never heard of a “rite of winter.”

Tennis has its own symbolic seasonal curtain-raiser. Where the others are mostly colored green, our sport’s comes in reddish orange and pale blue. That’s the combination you see from the top of the Monte Carlo Country Club. Closest to you is the gritty, textured red of a clay court, one of the game’s most historic, and beyond that is the wave-dotted blue of the Mediterranean. We've seen this sight many times, but I for one never get tired of it. I’ll take the sparkling contrast of that expansive vista over the stuffy, over-groomed dogwoods and azaleas at Augusta National any day.

In 2009, Monte Carlo, to the distress of a few European players, has been moved a half-notch down the ATP totem pole. It’s no longer a mandatory Masters event, but it still offers 1000 ranking points to the winner. That makes it just as valuable to the top players, as a title in its own right and a tune-up for the French Open, as it has always been. This fact has been borne out by the draw, which includes all of the tour’s current name brands: Nadal, Federer, Murray, and Djokovic.

Tennis’ rite of spring began a day early in 2009. In an experiment that seems not to have caught on in most places, Monte Carlo staged a few first-round matches on Sunday. But the name brands are still being held in reserve—one of them even spent the early part of his weekend getting married. Let’s see which of their spring starts looks the most promising.

First Quarter

There’s another tennis ritual at this time of year, of course: The dominance of Rafael Nadal. Over the last four years, he’s lost a total of two matches in the lead-up to the French Open, while winning eight Masters events. Every spring we wonder if he can run the table again, and every year he comes out like a new man on clay, his recent losses forgotten, and does it again. Even those two losses, to Federer in Hamburg 2007 and Ferrero in Rome 2008, seemed fortuitous for his French Open aspirations.

There’s another element to Nadal’s dominance. He tends to use this time of year to avenge earlier hard-court losses and stop players from gaining any momentum against him. This year his quarter may afford him a chance to do this again. The top two seeds after Nadal are Juan-Martin del Potro and Gael Monfils, both of whom have beaten him in 2009. Those two are slotted to the play in the fourth round for the right to face Nadal in the quarters.

Other worthy names, but likely losers to Nadal: Hewitt, Monte Carlo resident Marat Safin, and Stepanek

Semifinalist: Nadal

Second Quarter

Andy Murray brings his 26-2 season record into Nadal’s half of the draw. With him are . . . well, not a whole lot. Davydenko, Nalbandian, and Cilic are the other three seeds here, and the only guy I can find who even remotely qualifies as a dangerous floater is Monte Carlo resident Tomas Berdych (he and Murray are 1-1, though they haven’t played since 2006).

Murray’s results on clay have been the biggest disappointment of his career so far—he trained on the stuff as a kid and has developed the patience and stamina for it in the last year. His draw in Monte Carlo gives him an excellent chance to get his clay legs underneath him and make some long-awaited strides on the surface.

Semifinalist: Murray

Third Quarter

This section is the province of the ever-more-unpredictable Monte Carlo resident and No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic. He reached the semis last year, and while these days it’s hard to tell from week to week what kind of patience level he’ll bring to the court, he should benefit from the lack of intense heat and humidity, which staggered him in Indian Wells and Key Biscayne. Djokovic’s strongest competition will likely come from one of a mini-Spanish Armada: Verdasco, Ferrer, and Almagro are all in this quarter, and all could outlast or outhit Djokovic on a good day. While Verdasco is more comfortable on hard courts, Almagro had a solid start to the year on dirt, winning in Acapulco, and Ferrer beat the Serb on the stuff in Davis Cup last month.

Semifinalist: Ferrer


Fourth Quarter

The name-brand player who got hitched over the weekend was, of course, Roger Federer. It’s been a topsy-turvy year for Federer, both professionally and personally, but in taking an 11th-hour wild card into Monte Carlo he seems to have decided that the best place for him at the moment is on the tennis court. It's hard to argue: Judging by his total lack of consistency in the U.S. last month, the more balls he hits, the better.

His quarter is not a frightening one. He could be pitted in a third-rounder against his countryman Stan Wawrinka, provided Stan can get past Igor Andreev and his vicious clay-oriented forehand. After that, Federer’s most likely quarterfinal foes will be Simon or Robredo. It’s hard to say how the world No. 2’s form will be on clay right now. He’s had his ups and downs and his share of happy distractions so far in 2009. While his backhand remains a major question mark—Simon, who beat him in Toronto last summer, could make him hit a lot of them—Federer survived many a grinder over the last three clay springs. He has been the runner-up in Monte Carlo three straight times and hasn’t lost to anyone not named Nadal here since 2005.

Semifinalist: Federer

Semifinals: Nadal d. Murray; Ferrer d. Federer

Final: Nadal d. Ferrer

 Posted: 15.04.09 20:43. Post subject: N. DJOKOVIC/O. Herna..

N. DJOKOVIC/O. Hernandez
6-1, 6-2

Q. You must be reasonably pleased with that. A good start.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, really good start. I didn't quite expect to perform that good, considering the fact that I didn't have any matches, singles matches, on this surface, and I had very little time to make this transition.
But I was really playing aggressive and patient at the same time. This combination is really important for this surface. So hopefully I can continue.

Q. How long does it normally take you to adjust?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it all depends. It all depends from which surface are you coming. I think from hard court to clay is easier than vice versa because it's a slower surface, and then the ball's coming a little bit slower than on the hard courts. So it's easier to adjust.
But it's probably the physical preparation which is priority for each player.

Q. Physically how are you feeling?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I felt quite good. I felt quite good. I was working. I was working quite hard, you know, last four, five days. I will continue on even throughout this tournament to pay attention on the physical strength 'cause I am aware that I have a lot of important events coming up on this surface.

Q. Will you be doing anything different in that sense?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I might focus myself a little bit more on endurance and running so I can have more air on the court. I can say that I can be more confident that I can play long rallies.

Q. I'd like to talk about it's a long time since we didn't see the joking side of Djokovic. We have the impression we lost this part of you since two years. What do you think about this advertising from this morning with Head? Do you think you're going to go farther and farther?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That's bad news what you're saying, that you lost (laughter).
But I don't think so, no. I'm still really enjoying whatever I do. It's just that now you play more matches, you have more commitments. It's really difficult to have an outside life, you know, next to the tennis matches.
But this morning it was something really interesting, something really new. Head brand is known that it's representing young players, which is really good. And the video, I don't know if you had a chance to see it, it was really fun. I made it in Miami. It was a day long shooting, but it was worth it.
You know, it's something new with all these animations and all these monsters attacking tennis players. You know, it's good. I think it's good for the sport because tennis needs it.

Q. Could you imagine Roger Federer making the same advertising?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he's playing in our position, so I don't think so.

Q. When you say give yourself a new air or aura on clay, what do you mean by that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I mean just more look, it's really important in today's tennis because we have so many commitment tournaments and we have to play so much. In order to be one of the top players, you have to keep up because you have Murray, Nadal, Federer, all these guys who are doing so well on different kind of surfaces. So in order to keep up with them, you have to do the same.
And to do that, you know, to do the same thing, to be successful, you have to be physically fit. So, you know, I got a lot of difficulties with the health the last couple of years. The tempo is really growing and growing. So I have to pay attention to that.

 Posted: 16.04.09 10:57. Post subject: HEAD & YOU BREAT..

HEAD & YOU BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO CONSUMERS’ PASSION FOR THE GAME

HEAD has announced the launch of a brand repositioning effort designed to put an increased focus on individual athletes’ personal interaction with the game of tennis. The new marketing campaign showcases the passion for the game of tennis with its claim “The Power of You”.

To support the repositioning campaign, HEAD recently signed tennis great and World No. 3 Novak Djokovic, giving the brand three players in the top 10 and a renewed emphasis on the brand’s junior tennis program. These young stars, along with many others in the top 100, will be more deeply integrated into HEAD’s marketing activities as part of its HEAD & You campaign.

In addition, HEAD will continue to lead the industry with trend-setting products and integrate the latest technologies and materials to find the best solutions for athletes on the court. These advances will be incorporated in the HEAD’s latest racquets and will be packaged under the umbrella brand concept YOUTEK™. YOUTEK™ combines different superior technologies to perfectly match the consumer’s individual playing style.

“Our goal with HEAD’s repositioning is to shift focus back on the consumer and bring more emotion to our customer,” said Johan Eliasch, CEO of the HEAD N.V Group. “We have a strong foundation of young talent in the ATP that will help carry out our message moving forward to ensure the HEAD brand meets consumer need and has continued success.”

As part of YOUTEK™, HEAD will be incorporating d3o™, a revolutionary, smart material into its racquet line and will be located in the shaft of a racquet. d3o™ senses the need of the player during different strokes and adapts accordingly to provide the best approach. For slower hits and slices, the material absorbs the impact to provide a softer touch and greater feel. For fast strokes, d3o automatically locks together to provide maximum power.

HEAD recently launche their new positioning at the Masters 1000 event in Monte Carlo, together with new racquet series named Speed, which incorporates YOUTEK™. To support the launch of the Speed Series, HEAD recently announced the launch of “Speed Lessons” by Novak Djokovic. A preview to the launch of HEAD’s newest line of racquets, the Speed Lessons are making waves online touting the company’s “most powerful tour racquet ever created.”

A fully interactive Web site, www.speedlessons.com, is drawing attention from around the world with visitors looking to see what HEAD’s top professional player has to say about his new racquet.

 Posted: 18.04.09 22:47. Post subject: N. DJOKOVIC/F. Verda..

N. DJOKOVIC/F. Verdasco
6-2, 4-6, 6-3

Q. Totally different conditions between last night and today. Was it difficult for you to adjust your game?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, thank you, first of all, for not making any press conference last night. It was quite late (smiling).
We had a very strange match. I could have finished the job in two sets, but then he came back. I was lucky, you know, I get to finish the match yesterday, because you have some guys who are having a really difficult schedule today, having to play two singles, even doubles. Verdasco, if he wins doubles now, he's going to play against us another doubles match, so it's three matches in a day.
But, you know, these are the conditions you have to adjust on. The courts were really wet. Even today you could feel it. The balls were getting bald and really fast. It was you tough to control. But overall I played really well.

Q. You talked about your fitness; wanting to improve your endurance.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes.

Q. Is it kind of helpful in some way to have to back up very quickly like that and test yourself?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It is. I think every single tournament, every single match is a test. I've said before that the priority on this surface would probably be the physical, you know, preparation and physical strength, if you are able to commit yourself to the long rallies, long matches.
I think today was a really good test, a really good match for me, that I can see if I'm able to do that. That's what I did. I hang in there, just waited for my chances.

Q. Were you impressed by yourself today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I've been playing quite good in the first two matches, as well. Feeling well in doubles, as well.
I got four matches prior to today's quarterfinal. Got a lot of practice and worked a lot. I just knew that I am feeling the ball quite well. I just need to repeat that again today.

Q. Did you think you would be able to do so well, so early in the clay season?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it wasn't really a lot of time to get used to that. But it was not just me; it was a couple of players who have played really well in the States and didn't have a lot of time to get used to this surface.
But this is tennis. This is the schedule. You just have to go with it.

Q. We have been talking a lot about the rankings, how you are close to Federer, Murray is close to you. How much do you think about that? Not at all? Does it worry you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Look, I try not to think about it, you know. But, of course, it's part of your life. It's part of your job. You always get that. Of course, you think about it.
It's really important to keep the balance and really not think about it too much because then you keep your focus away from something you need to do on the court. You need to win every single match you play. You need to believe in that. And that's it.
If you think about rankings, who's going up, who's losing points, then you lose your priorities.

Q. Weren't you afraid to lose your concentration playing the role of Hugh Hefner last night?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Two nights ago (smiling). Unfortunately, public I think will not see that. It was quite interesting.
Actually, I think that this ATP player show is the best thing that they have entertainment wise in the year. They should have it more.

Q. 'More', you mean in different tournaments?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. I think it's a good idea for tournaments to have that, because there's a lot of players that want to show themselves in a different light, if you know what I mean.

Q. What did you enjoy more to perform?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I started this as a stripper and I then I finished as Hugh Hefner. So explains it all.

Q. No video on YouTube in the next day?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Last year, players show got on YouTube. Maybe is going to be the same.

Q. Did you impersonate players?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes.

Q. Which ones?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I can't say (smiling).

 Posted: 18.04.09 22:51. Post subject: ыыыыыыыыыыыыыыы Ноли..

ыыыыыыыыыыыыыыы Нолище до чего же ты кайфовый парень
Хочу видео на ютюбеееееееееееееееееее

 Posted: 19.04.09 08:36. Post subject: Новак Джокович: «Над..

quote:

Новак Джокович: «Надеюсь, моя победная серия на грунте продолжится» Серб Новак Джокович, обыгравший в полуфинальном матче турнира в Монте-Карло швейцарца Станисласа Вавринку со счетом 4:6, 6:1, 6:3, перед финальным поединком с Рафаэлем Надалем настроен оптимистично. «Думаю, что я полностью адаптировался к покрытию за довольно короткое время, что очень важно, учитывая плотный график грунтового сезона. Я очень рад тому, что сыграю в финале. И надеюсь моя победная серия на грунте продолжится», – цитирует Джоковича официальный сайт турнира.

http://www.sports.ru/tennis/7674912.html



Независимо от исхода сегодняшнего матча мне понравилась формулировка Ноля "моя победная серия на грунте" Интересно, как звучал оригинал, переведенный таким образом на спортс.ру?

 Posted: 19.04.09 10:22. Post subject: хруня Пожалуйста ор..

хруня
Пожалуйста оригинал:

quote:

"I think I've done my adjustment to this surface quite fast and quite well in a very short period of the time, which is important of course, considering the fact that tennis season is that, you know, packed," said Djokovic. "Week after week you have to basically change continents, time zones and surfaces. "I'm very happy with my final tomorrow. Hopefully I can continue with good results on this surface."

 Posted: 19.04.09 10:51. Post subject: Стихийное бедствие ..

Стихийное бедствие
Спасибо. Как всегда, переврали

 Posted: 19.04.09 11:27. Post subject: хруня А как иначе, т..

хруня
А как иначе, тогда бы нечего было бы публиковать на спортсру

 Posted: 19.04.09 11:55. Post subject: On the Edge: Djokovi..

On the Edge: Djokovic Struggles to Win Our Hearts and Reach the (Very) Top
by Matthew Cronin

Novak Djokovic is controversial, but he doesn’t want to be.
The world No. 3 has a strong desire to be his sport’s superior player, but he can’t yet stomach everything that comes with it — to be in the spotlight every waking moment, good and bad.
In public, the 21-year-old Serbian can’t be the funny guy anymore. There will be no more hilarious impressions of his friend Maria Sharapova’s serve, of his rival Andy Roddick’s twitches, of a frenetic Nadal tugging at his wedgies and especially of his locker room nemesis Roger Federer, flicking his hair or clapping his racket in celebration.
“I’m in the transition,” Djokovic told IT. “It’s not easy because I’m very emotional. Some things really hurt me, and maybe I express myself a little bit too much — people didn’t get used to that. But at the end of the day, you sit and think to yourself, ‘I’ve reacted the way I felt that’s right.’ Maybe it’s wrong, but you learn from your mistakes. That’s why life is testing us all the time.”
Djokovic has gone from being the tour’s boy wonder after winning his first Grand Slam title at the ‘08 Australian Open, to the most vulnerable member of the sport’s so-called Big 4, which also includes Rafael Nadal, Federer and Andy Murray.
Since winning his first major, Djokovic has been a trademark up-and-down player. After winning the ‘08 Indian Wells title, he could surely claim the unofficial moniker of best player of the first quarter of last season, and the relentless baseliner looked like he might be prepared to knock Federer and Nadal out of the two top spots.
But then he began to wear down, partly due to the tremendous pressure he put on himself to snag the No. 1 ranking. A title run at the Rome Masters Series was followed by a brutal loss to Nadal at Roland Garros, which was followed by an upset at the hands of Marat Safin at Wimbledon. Then Nadal stepped on him again in a terrific Olympic semi.
Nearly spent but still determined, the Serbian reached the U.S. Open semis, but after confronting a hostile (“Andy’s our man”) nighttime crowd after his quarterfinal victory over Roddick, he didn’t have the will to defeat Federer again and was buried.
Before his match against Djokovic, Roddick had been asked about his foe’s latest injury. By that time, Djokovic had developed a reputation for retiring too frequently, and the American wondered in a joking manner if his foe might have the “bird flu or SARS.”
Roddick’s typically caustic comments were well publicized and cycled right back to Djokovic, who was enraged. After he won the quarterfinal, he went right at the crowd and well lubricated boos reigned down from the rafters.
“Maybe the experience from the U.S. Open with Andy was something that I really didn’t wish for and really didn’t look for,” Djokovic said. “But it hurt me. His comments hurt me in that moment, and it was a misunderstanding. Unfortunately, there was a lot at stake; it was the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, lot of emotions, lot of frustrations going on. At the end of the day, maybe if you could turn back things, maybe you wouldn’t do something like that, but I just felt emotion in that moment.”
Even before he won his first major, he was criticized for bouncing the ball too much before serving and for saying that the then untouchable Federer was vulnerable. His parents, father Srdjan and mother Dijana, were said to be overly enthusiastic while watching their son courtside. Last year, an irritated Federer even hushed them (“Quiet!!!”) during a Monte Carlo match.
But the Djokovics are from a different part of the world - Serbia, where beating one’s chest while celebrating the righteousness of the homeland is part of every day life. There are outspoken Serbs like the Djokovics, who attend political rallies supporting their country’s controversial claim that Kosovo is part of its territory, and others, like Ana Ivanovic’s family, who tend to speak more to peace than to confrontation.
But despite their personality differences, Ana and Novak remain close, having known each other since they were four, as Ivanovic’s father and Djokovic’s uncle went to school with each other.
One day at a 12-and-under tournament in Serbia, the two went out to warm-up prior to one of Ivanovic’s matches. “I had quite an easy opponent and I warmed up with Novak and I gave 100 percent and I couldn’t move in the match and I lost,” recalled Ivanovic with a laugh. “I wanted to beat him but he’s a boy and stronger and I was running crazy and it was unbelievable hit, but afterward I was gone.”
Djokovic clearly recalls the contest and the days he spent laughing with his childhood friend, long before she won the French Open and became No. 1.
“I remember her parents coming up to me and saying, ‘Wow, what a serve you have!’ It’s fun because we have great friendship all our life. We’ve been through a lot, and it’s fantastic to see somebody that you’ve grown up with doing so well. We talk and remind ourselves of stories and situations we have before - matches, and practices, makes you laugh, makes you say - ‘Wow, it was so long time ago.’”
Then, there was no discussion of Serbia climbing to the top of the tennis world. Novak and Ana lived middle-class existences, and even their driven parents had no idea that they would excel, not when they were scratching out livings in war-torn cities and mountain areas. But the kids had an inkling of better days ahead.
“You could see that desire in her and myself, that there was this hunger for success, this hunger to succeed and that’s exactly what brought us here,” Djokovic said. “We didn’t have good conditions at all to grow up, to practice. We got coaches, we were lucky to have some people that really were good for us at certain stages and taught us. But it’s more parents who really helped us out a lot. Her parents and mine are very strong personalities, very active, very helpful. They were never pushy — on my side, they never pushed me to play because nobody played tennis in my family. But they were just supporting the fact that I love playing so I’ve been grateful for that.”
Djokovic isn’t sure that after he retires, whether he’ll go into politics, but credit him for not putting his head in the sand like a lot of 21-year-olds do by joining the ATP Players Council, where he sits with his rivals Nadal and Federer. He’s also become an active businessman, as he and his family bought an ATP tournament and will run the first time event in Belgrade in May, an accomplishment he is most proud of.
He’s not committing to a second career in Serbia’s political hotbed, but he’s not counting it out, either.
“You don’t know where the holy path will take you,” he noted. “But for now I love being in sport and love this surrounding. But on the other hand, traveling, meeting new people, you can learn so much from this sport, from this way of living.”
Djokovic learned a big lesson last year, when his impersonations - those wildly entertaining, near perfect characterizations that had the crowds in stitches. But some top (slightly up tight) players weren’t exactly chuckling, especially Federer. And when Roger talks, people listen.
“It’s not just players,” Djokovic said. “It was a lot of speculation, and I just didn’t like the fact that people thought I’m doing that to make fun of somebody…I don’t blame anybody, but it’s all in the circle of positive, and laughing and smiling and enjoying life.”
“I don’t want to do it more because I don’t want to create unbalance and turn the people against me for no reason. I’m really in a good relationship with most of the players. I’m an honest guy, I open up and I say what I need to say. And this is the philosophy of my life - be what you are.”
Unfortunately, some other things were beyond his control. There was the conclusion of Djokovic’s extraordinary ‘08 Aussie Open title run, which included a remarkable upset of Federer in the semis and beat down of big Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final.
A couple of hours after that match, Dijana was approached by IT and, full of celebratory fervor, issued a line in reference to Federer that still haunts her son to this day: “The king is dead. Long live the new king.”
When reminded of the comment, Novak spoke of his mom’s honesty and openness. “I think you can see that in me as well. You can see the connection.”
But outright honesty and a win-at-all-costs attitude can be costly, which is why Djokovic is still trying to fashion a personality that will allow him to be liked on court and off.
After the U.S. Open fiasco, Djokovic scraped for much of the fall, but he finally picked himself off the canvas and won the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.
Then came his Aussie Open title defense and his body failed him miserably, as he retired in the quarters against Roddick due to heat exhaustion when many felt he should have played on. He won the Dubai title, but at Indian Wells, he fell to Roddick again, admitting he played miserably.
At this point, going up against America’s top player in the U.S. appears too much for him, not because Roddick has a larger skill set, but because Djokovic has essentially psyched himself out, thinking that crowd is out to get him.
Djokovic is certainly good enough to eventually grab the No. 1 ranking and win more Slams. He’s a tremendous defensive player who is capable of going on the offensive when his foes least expect it. When his head is in matches, he’s a master of point construction. He’s extremely fast and sturdy and has improved his first serve and volleys a great deal.
But the Serbian — who shares a PR manager with Nadal — has slipped behind the Spaniard, owning a 4-11 record against him (all those wins coming on hard courts). If he can’t start taking bites out of Rafa’s legs, there’s no way he’s going to reach No. 1.
“Rafa’s improved drastically on hard courts and fast surfaces,” Djokovic said. “It’s amazing, his dedication. It’s fantastic the way he’s motivated, the way he behaves on the court, so focused, sportsmanship, and everything in general. No bad words for this guy. But look, we are rivals at the end of the day. I’ve beaten him a couple of times on [hard courts] which is encouraging. But even on clay I don’t think he’s unbeatable. No one is unbeatable. Physically, everybody is very fit, hard workers, focused. The difference is mental ability. The difference from the five to six guys on top and the rest, in these certain moments, you know how to play, how to behave, how to act on court. That’s the advantage.”
A pretty intelligent and privately thoughtful guy, Djokovic knows how to win and has the tools to do so, but if he’s unable to successfully negotiate a personal transition that he’s comfortable with, he may never achieve his goals.
“Everybody is different,” he said. “It depends from which part of the world you are coming. I’ve been through some things that people never will, probably. I came from a country, which is going through a lot of tough times — wars. I’m going to say to myself, ‘Look, maybe these things were meant to be, and these things help me know to appreciate the life much more. I know that being positive and enjoying the life is something that everybody wishes for.”

 Posted: 19.04.09 12:44. Post subject: N. DJOKOVIC/S. Wawri..

N. DJOKOVIC/S. Wawrinka
4-6, 6-1, 6-3

Q. The singles semifinal, it was a tough match. You really had to fight, didn't you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I knew it was going to be a struggle for both of us. He likes playing on clay. He's physically very strong player. He was on the roll, winning against Federer and many other good players.
So, you know, I had this slow start, meaning I wanted to wait for his unforced errors more than I wanted to step up to the court and take, you know, balls early. I didn't do that. He used his chances wisely.
Then second set, it's a totally different story. I really started playing well, aggressively, serving high percentage. It all paid off in the end.

Q. In terms of your week so far, have you surprised yourself at how well you have made the adaptation?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I think I've done my adjustment to this surface quite fast and quite well in a very short period of the time, which is important of course, considering the fact that tennis season is that, you know, packed. Week after week you have to basically change continents, time zones and surfaces.
I'm very happy with my, you know, finals tomorrow. Hopefully I can continue with a good results on this surface.

Q. Tomorrow is it 'Mission Impossible'?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. If I think 'Mission Impossible,' then I shouldn't go to the court, like with the white flag. But I understand.

Q. He's on a winning streak.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, you can't win against him if you don't believe that you can win.

Q. So you believe?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I will try to win because this is finals and I think I have chances. This is the only behavior that is acceptable for winning against Nadal on this surface.

Q. You remember Hamburg. You were very close.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. So the game plan could be to do the same but a little bit better?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. The fact is that he has improved even more from last year. His backhand was maybe a weakness where players were searching for their chance. But now he's stepping in and he's basically not making a lot of mistakes on backhand, making the player run all over the court. He's improved his serve. His physical strength and mental strength we already know. You know, generally he's a very complete player.
But everything is possible in tennis. It's a finals. I'm motivated. It's gonna be a lot of pressure on him because he's obviously a favorite to win it again. So that's it.

Q. Do you have any special strategy against him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just said. Look, I'm going to have to play an aggressive game. That's the way it is. That's my style.

 Posted: 20.04.09 08:38. Post subject: R. NADAL/N. Djokovic..

R. NADAL/N. Djokovic
6-3, 2-6, 6-1

Q. You made a superb effort to break back in the third set, and after that you scored only three points.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I would look on the brighter side: I think I've played a very good match actually one of the best I have played against him on this surface.
It's really unfortunate that in the certain moments I didn't play the way I was supposed to play, with a little bit more patience. I went for too much. I went for too much shots. He was just right there.
He used his strength and his experience playing in the big matches and just waited wisely for his chances, then he used them.

Q. How difficult is it? It seems like it's almost impossible to know when to be aggressive or when to stay back. Is that the real challenge?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it is a challenge, I think. Just playing against Rafa on this surface is challenge by itself. And then you have to figure out the way that you can actually, you know, get the right tactic so you can win against him on this surface.
As I said yesterday night, I really believed that I can, you know, I can really get a close match and might win in our encounter, because I have played a lot of good matches against him and I know the way he's playing. I know that he's been very dominant on this surface. The strength and mental ability of course is his advantage on the clay courts.
But, again, you know, I needed to step it up. That's what I did. And it was a very impressive second set. And then that probably breakpoint in the first game when he got incredible dropshot and he made a winner, the other angle was just incredible. I think that's what kind of lifted him up, and I probably didn't participate that much anymore.

Q. Can we say it was a little bit similar to the match in Hamburg?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes, yes, we can say that. But here I felt that I have more chance because the conditions are faster than Hamburg. Hamburg was quite slow. But here the ball was going really fast, and it was all suitable for my game against him.
It was just unfortunate, again, to miss some opportunities in the start of the third set because if I was break up, then things would probably look different.

Q. Does this performance give you hope in terms of Rafa on clay?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, for sure. I mean, I have played couple of great matches. Even at Roland Garros I have played some close sets. So it certainly gives me a lot of confidence playing against him. Hopefully I can have another chance this season.

Q. What was the problem with the back?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's probably because of the serve, and I just made some quick move. The muscle got tight, really tight. After, I was really okay after the medical timeout.

Q. If it is so tough to win one set off of Nadal, how difficult is it to win possibly two or three?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We are coming back again to the story of believing in yourself. I think there is where the key of playing him. You just have to be focused every single point because you have a player on the other side of the net that doesn't really give you any points. I mean, you could see him on 5 1 in the third set, he played like it's 5 All. He really doesn't care about the result. He just wants to give his best every single point. That's why he's very unique and that's why he's the best now.
So you probably will have to be physically really fit in the first place, because long rallies and long points are waiting for you. That's no secret.