How aces fare in epic 5setters
Djokovic has the best winning percentage in five sets over his two nemeses — Nadal and Federer
NEWDELHI:RAFAEL Nadal’s storming win against Austrian Dominic Thiem in the quarterfinal was possibly the most enthralling game of tennis at this year’s US Open.
Despite suffering a ‘bagel’ in the first set, the top-seeded Nadal clinched the five-set contest 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(4), 7-6(5). The fourhour and 49-minute battle rekindled memories of the five-set battles the Spaniard has fought in his 17-year long professional career.
For stat geeks, this was just the fifth time in 1,107 matches that Nadal lost the first set 0-6 but only the second instance he won after a first-set bagel.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion is known for pushing his physical limits. Ever since his teenage days, Nadal would go for a shot no one else would, he would retrieve a ball that would seem impossible to most. Though his never-say-die attitude has brought him much success, it has also hampered his body and consequently his career.
RECURRING INJURIES
And that was evident in the semifinal when he retired after losing the first two sets, against Juan Martin del Porto, citing knee pain. The knee has been a recurring problem for Nadal along with his foot, shoulder, hamstring, back, wrist and hip!
But such is his prowess that despite the injuries, the 32-yearold has a superb record in five setters.
Out of the 32 five-set matches he has played, the world No 1 has won 20 with a success percentage of 62.5.
This is slightly better than his arch-rival and Swiss master Roger Federer, who has played 51 five setters in a much longer career, notching up 30 victories at an average of 58.82 per cent.
Nadal’s style of play (typically long rallies) makes one feel that he probably has played more and has a better winning record in five sets. Perhaps it is Federer’s effortless approach that makes fans feel that he is likely to finish off matches quickly.
But Federer’s methods have helped him massively.
At an age when most tennis players retire, the 37-yearold is still winning Majors and was recently world No
1. His decision to skip the clay court season, including the French Open, over the past two years has seen him win three of the eight Grand Slams in that time – the joint-highest with Nadal.
NO RETIREMENTS
Federer’s processes have also ensured that he has never retired from a match while
Nadal has been forced to give up on as many as nine occasions!
Novak Djokovic, winner of the last two Slams at Wimbledon and US
Open, has a far better record than his other two nemeses in five setters.
The 31-year-old not just equalled Pete Sampras in the list of most Grand Slams won (14) but the two also share the same record in fiveset contests.
Both the Serb and the American have been part of 38 five-set matches, winning 29 with an incredible success rate of 76.31 percent with nine losses.
Djokovic and Nadal were also part of the longest Major final at the 2012 Australian Open when the Serb got the better of the Spaniard in an excruciating fivehour and 53-minute battle to win 5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7(5), 7–5 at Melbourne Park.
But perhaps the real marathon man of tennis is the bigserving American John Isner who has been involved in several long matches including the longest in history when he beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 6–4, 3–6, 6–7(7), 7–6(3), 70–68 in the first round of men’s singles at 2010 Wimbledon!
Isner was also part of the 2018 Wimbledon semi-final where he lost to South African Kevin Anderson in another epic clash that lasted six hours and 36 minutes – the third longest ever singles contest. Anderson eventually came out winning 7–6(6), 6–7(5), 6–7(9), 6–4, 26–24.
Apart from the US Open, no other tennis Major employs the tie-breaker in the fifth set as the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon use the twogame advantage to decide the winner.
Five-set contests are now typically played in Grand Slams and Davis Cup after they ceased to be a part of ATP Masters events in 2007. Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic