Djokovic surrenders
‘Obviously nothing was going my way and everything Thiem’s way’
WHEN the time comes, proud champions are supposed to relinquish their crowns after fighting and snarling to the last moment. Novak Djokovic effectively waved the white flag, bowing out of the French Open with a whimper yesterday.
The 30-year-old Serb, who has prevailed in some of the sport’s epic battles on the way to 12 major titles, was barely recognisable as he capitulated in a 7-6(5) 6-3 6-0 defeat by Austrian Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals.
After squandering two set points in the opener on a blustery Court Suzanne Lenglen, Djokovic’s renowned fighting spirit ebbed away quickly and he surrendered the third set in 20 minutes.
The result was all the more remarkable as in five previous matches with the 23-year-old he had lost one set and last month thrashed him 6-1 6-0 in Rome – a result that suggested Djokovic had found his mojo, missing since he won the French Open last year.
Sixth seed Thiem, who to be fair played superbly in the first set but must have thought he was facing a Djokovic impersonator thereafter, is yet to drop a set at this year’s tournament but his next task is a daunting one.
“It doesn’t get any easier,” Thiem, beaten by Djokovic in last year’s semi-final, said on court when asked to comment on the prospect of facing favourite Rafa Nadal in the semis.
While Thiem’s part in Djokovic’s downfall should not be overlooked, it was the Serbian world number two’s astonishing collapse that was the talk of Roland Garros.
Double French Open champion Jim Courier, commentating on the match, said the Serb had shown “no fight”.
That was certainly true after the first set as Djokovic, whose new coach Andre Agassi had already flown home, appeared lost and listless, misfiring a succession of lame backhands.
“Obviously nothing was going my way and everything his way. Just (a) pretty bad set,” said Djokovic, who split with his long-term coaching crew last month and announced shortly before the French Open that he would be working with eighttime major winner Agassi.
“It was decided, I think, in the first set today. I tried. I lost that crucial break in the beginning of the second, and he started serving better, backing it up with the first shot. He deserved to win. He was definitely the better player.”
It was Djokovic’s first defeat before the semi-finals in Paris since 2010 when he was also beaten by an Austrian, Jurgen Melzer, in the quarter-finals.
The danger signs were already there in the early stages when Thiem broke the Djokovic serve in the third game. However, Djokovic responded to break back twice in a row, only to drop his own serve at 4-2 with a forehand error.
Djokovic piled on the pressure when Thiem served at 4-5 and he had his man in trouble at 15-40. Thiem saved the first set point with a volley, then forced a backhand error on the second.
The tiebreak was nip and tuck with a succession of points against serve, but Thiem took it when Djokovic shovelled a tight backhand into the net.
Djokovic dropped serve at the start of the second set and the expected backlash never materialised, as Thiem smartly marched towards the last four.
Djokovic raised his fist to the crowd after winning a point early in the third, but it was a hollow gesture. He did save one match point, but was already walking towards the net to shake hands when Thiem sent a backhand fizzing past him a few seconds later.
The Austrian said his “toughest opponent ever” awaits. Spaniard Nadal, the fourth seed, is in ominous form, having dropped just 22 games so far.
Thiem is the only player to have beaten Nadal on clay this season, but he is under no illusion about the size of the task that awaits him tomorrow.
“I mean, it’s a joke how tough it is to win a slam,” Thiem told reporters after the quarter-finals.
“Because obviously now I beat Novak. On Friday is Nadal. In the finals there is another top star. That’s why it’s a slam because it’s such a tough achievement.”
Thiem, who plays with a single-handed backhand, said he needed to improve the defensive side of his game after struggling against the top-spin on Nadal’s forehand during their last few encounters.
“I just have to watch that I’m not giving him his favourite positions on the forehand,” he added. “I mean, it’s one of the best shots I think ever in tennis. So anyway, you cannot avoid it all the time. I will concede some winners on Friday.”
“I like the conditions,” he said. It’s a fast clay court which fits my game very well.”
Nadal reached the semi-finals after compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta retired due to injury in their quarter-final. – Reuters SA v Pakistan ODI: See Late Final edition for match report