How aces fare in epic 5setters
MARATHON MEN Djokovic has the best winning percentage in five sets over his two nemeses — Nadal and Federer
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.
NEWDELHI:Rafael NADAL’S RECORD IN FIVE SETS IS SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN THAT OF ARCHRIVAL ROGER FEDERER, WHO HAS PLAYED 51 FIVE SETTERS IN A LONGER CAREER MELBOURNE:Shubhankar LOS ANGELES: NOIDA: HONGKONG:
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 five-set 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.
“To have the opportunity to represent India at a prestigious event like this is truly an honour and I will be give it everything to try and win the World Cup for my country. We don’t get too many opportunities to play for our nation, so it’s going to be fun with whoever I pick as my partner Rafael Nadal WON LOST
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SUCCESS% when we get down to Australia.”
The 22-year-old has recent wins at the 2017 Joburg Open and 2018 Maybank Championship, and this week sits at No.105 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
He also carded a pair of top-25 finishes on the PGA TOUR this season, most notably a tie for WON LOST Novak Djokovic SUCCESS%
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feels the advantage of playing on a course regularly used for European Tour events could give the home team the edge over a talented US team.
“It can’t do any harm on a golf course that we’ve all played on quite a lot,” said Fleetwood, who won the French Open at Le Golf National last year. “Last time it was in America and the way they set the golf course up was massively in favour of the USA and that’s just the way it is.”
On that occasion the Europeans suffered a heavy 17-11 defeat at Hazeltine National, but Fleetwood is expecting a much more competitive contest this time after Europe captain Thomas Bjorn selected Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to bolster his squad.
“I think both teams look great this year,” he said. “I honestly think it could be one of the greatest Ryder Cups ever. We do have a really good team spirit.”
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