French Open Tennis Day 15 Picks 2017- Men's Final (June 11th)

Men's Final- Stan Wawrinka vs Rafael Nadal

This is arguably the Final most would have hoped for at the beginning of the French Open as Stan Wawrinka looks for a fourth Grand Slam title which amazingly would see him surpass Andy Murray's number.

Wawrinka has never lost a Grand Slam Final in his previous three occasions being in the Final, but he has to take on Rafael Nadal who is looking for a simply ridiculous TENTH title at the French Open. The Spaniard has won all nine previous Roland Garros Finals and this looks an interesting match between the stand out players of the last fortnight.

Rafael Nadal - 6.5 games v Stan Wawrinka: Once Stan Wawrinka blew the third set of his Semi Final against Andy Murray, I was not convinced he would have the fortitude to bounce back and win that match. To my surprise Wawrinka took a tight tie-breaker in the fourth set before running away with the fifth, although I have questions as to how much he invested both physically and mentally into the Semi Final.

You would have to be foolish to completely ignore it, although I can't have Wawrinka using fatigue as a complete excuse considering the straight sets wins he has had all week. Against most players the Semi Final success wouldn't really be a big factor for me considering how strong Wawrinka is, but the fact he is playing Rafael Nadal in what looks to be peak form does make that a bigger factor than normal.

Wawrinka has chances in this one with the way he has been returning, and he has beaten Nadal on the clay courts before. However there are a lot of 'ifs' around the Wawrinka game which makes it tough to really believe he can cause what would be a big upset in my mind.

If Wawrinka serves at his best and if he is able to recover from Friday's Semi Final and if Wawrinka is able to penetrate the Nadal defences with winner after winner, the Swiss star can win this match. However that feels like a lot of things needing to go right and also Nadal to slip off a level of complete and utter dominance that he has produced for basically the entire clay court season.

Forget about sets, Nadal is barely losing games at the moment and it may be a demoralising experience for Wawrinka if he is not able to get in front early on. The first set feels more important than usual for Wawrinka who might just lose some heart if Nadal is able to take his best shots, while the physical pain may also be revealed at that point.

Nadal has been returning so well and putting constant pressure on his opponents which has seen them crack. He looks focused and I think Wawrinka's run of successes at the Grand Slam Final level will come to an end here.

After a tight first set, I can see Nadal beginning to wear down Wawrinka who tries to hit the ball harder and harder to keep up with what the Spaniard is producing. It has been over twelve months since Nadal and Wawrinka last met, but both will be familiar with what the other is going to do against them.

I will be expecting Nadal to try and blunt Wawrinka early before pulling away with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 kind of win.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

US Open Men's Final Pick 2013- Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal (September 9th)

It was a fascinating Final between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka yesterday and I am expecting no less from Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the men's Final which will take place on Monday afternoon.

Both players will have their supporters in this one and those that backed Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic at the start of the tournament would have a chance to lay off their units, although I am still of the belief that Nadal will come out on top in this one.


Whenever I have watched Rafael Nadal in the last two weeks, I have been impressed with his performances and I  have been reminded of the way he blitzed his way through the draw in 2010 when he won his sole US Open title. In that Final, Rafael Nadal took care of a tired Novak Djokovic in four sets and it will be interesting to see how the World Number 1 responds to his five set match against Stanislas Wawrinka on Saturday afternoon.

Wawrinka gave Djokovic almost everything he could handle and we saw a flat Djokovic come out in the Wimbledon Final off a similar rest period back in July- if he is lacking intensity in this one, he will be given a torrid time by someone like Nadal that will play every point hard and who will not give the Serb an easy way into the match.

Like in 2010, Nadal has looked very effective behind his serve and he is playing with an aggression that could break through the Djokovic defences in this one. The World Number 1 has lost a number of big matches since winning the Grand Slam at the Australian Open last January and that is making it hard for me to shake the belief that Nadal will prove too strong.

However, Djokovic is probably the best fighter on the Tour when things are going against him and he should really have beaten Nadal at the French Open earlier this season, but that loss coupled with the one in Montreal means the Spaniard has begun to get the better of this rivalry again.

The extra aggression that Nadal has shown, plus the protection of his own serve being stronger in the tournament means I have a feeling he will prove too good for Djokovic and win his second Grand Slam since returning to the Tour in February.

If Djokovic's backhand is working, it could be another close match between these two, but that shot has not been at its best in the tournament so far and unless there is a marked improvement in this one then it is hard to see the Serb come through. I hope we see another good Final between the two, but I believe it will be decided in four sets in favour of Rafael Nadal.


MY PICK: Rafael Nadal - 2.5 Games @ 2.14 Pinnacle (2 Units)

US Open Update: 29-39, - 11.22 Units (114 Units Staked, - 9.84% Yield)

Wimbledon Day 2 Picks 2013 (June 25th)

At the beginning of the tournament, all the talk surrounded the fact that this was the first time in twelve months that the best four Men's players in the world were all entering the same Major.

There were some discussions surrounding the fact that Rafael Nadal was 'only' the fifth seed here behind David Ferrer, although John McEnroe made a strong point as to why no one in the British media has spoken about why Roger Federer is seeded below Andy Murray considering he has won 7 Wimbledon titles to none and also has been the World Number 2 up until around two months ago.

All of these issues became a moot point on Monday evening as the big surprise in the Men's draw was the exit of Rafael Nadal, a straight sets loser to Steve Darcis. It was a stunning result, although the immediate concern is the issue Nadal seemingly had with his knee and whether that means he will have another long lay off before the clay court season next year.

I do expect Nadal to stay with the Tour and move on to the hard court season in North America which will start in August for the top players with the back to back Masters in Canada and Cincinnati before the US Open kicks off at the end of the month. However, there has to be concern for Rafa fans that the Spaniard is no longer able to stay clear of injuries to the knees, although the positives is that he will get plenty of chances to rest ahead of the hard court swing and he has won a title on that surface this season already.

How Nadal responds to his first ever defeat in the First Round of a Grand Slam is going to be fascinating viewing over the next three months...


The defeat for Nadal also means one of my five picks made before the tournament started has already gone down, although I had my second smallest stake on the Spaniard to win this event. It has also opened the door for both Andy Murray and Roger Federer, two comfortable winners on Monday, to move through the draw and set up a blockbuster Semi Final in around ten days time.

In better news, the picks went 3-1 yesterday, although the one loss was a little disappointing as Ernests Gulbis had a chance to win his match a little easier than it turned out to be. Hopefully that will be the start of a productive two weeks and these are the picks from Day 2 of the tournament:


Philipp Kohlschreiber - 1.5 sets v Ivan Dodig: Both of these players would probably tell you that they are very comfortable playing on the grass courts, but I do think Philipp Kohlschreiber is a little more consistent of the two and can make his way through to the Second Round.

The German was a Quarter Finalist here at Wimbledon last season and he has a very healthy 25-10 record on the grass courts over the last five seasons. Kohlschreiber can use the surface to really put some bite into his serve and groundstrokes, although he does enter Wimbledon having lost back to back matches against Mikhail Youzhny and Radek Stepanek.

Those two players certainly have the game suited to grass too so Ivan Dodig, a Semi Finalist at Eastbourne last week, will believe he can cause problems for the German. Dodig has a decent serve and likes attacking the net and like many of his Croatian compatriots, he doesn't mind playing with his surface beneath his feet.

My one issue with Dodig's game is that he doesn't give himself a lot of margin for error and that is where I think Kohlschreiber will prove to be a little too consistent. The German does have a 3-1 head to head record against Dodig, including a win in Doha earlier this season, and I think Kohlschreiber will very likely win this one in straight sets or, more likely, in four.


Novak Djokovic - 8.5 games v Florian Mayer: Novak Djokovic is right in thinking that this is not the straightforward First Round clash that a top seed can get in the Grand Slams, but I still think he will be far too strong for Florian Mayer.

The grass courts are actually very conducive to the game that Mayer plays with his slice and variation- on the grass courts, the slice can be deadly as the ball is kept so low, while Mayer is fairly comfortable getting to the net and putting away volleys.

Mayer is 12-6 on the grass courts over the last four seasons, but his biggest weakness is his serve and that is where the best returner on the ATP Tour will be able to take advantage.

Novak Djokovic has won all 3 matches against Mayer, including in the Quarter Final here last season and he has won at least one set in each of the 3 victories by the 61 scoreline that will set him on his way here.

I would not be surprised if we see a similar score to last season when Djokovic beat Mayer 64 61 64 and I'll take him to cover this spread.


Feliciano Lopez - 1.5 sets v Gilles Simon: It has only been three days since these two players contested the Final in Eastbourne that was won by Feliciano Lopez in three sets.

The weather conditions on the south coast were absolutely dreadful and I would have thought that would have suited Gilles Simon more than Lopez, but it was the Spaniard that created the chances to break serve and was probably a little unlucky not to win in straight sets.

Winning the title will surely give Lopez a little more confidence coming into Wimbledon, especially with his game being very suited to the grass courts. He is a former Quarter Finalist in SW19 and should be able to enforce his game a little more in better conditions expected on Tuesday.

Lopez should be able to hit through Gilles Simon's defences a little better on the grass, while he will be the player more likely to get into the net and force the Frenchman to find passing shots. The grass courts haven't been the best surface for Simon as he doesn't have the same aggression that makes players successful on these types of courts.

Simon was beaten in straight sets by Xavier Malisse last year in Wimbledon and I think Lopez will frank the form from last week and win this one in four sets.


Richard Gasquet - 7.5 games v Marcel Granollers: This should be a fairly routine victory for Richard Gasquet at the Grand Slam where he has achieved his best result when reaching the Semi Final.

Marcel Granollers is capable of performing on the grass courts as he has a decent first serve and doesn't mind using his aggression to cut off the net, but the Spaniard hasn't had any grass court preparation this season and could be outgunned by Gasquet.

The Frenchman is certainly playing with more confidence this season than I have seen in the past and he does usually play at a higher level when faced with an opponent he is expected to beat. I would think the first set will be a tight one, but Gasquet should be able to start getting a read on Granollers' serve and this could end being a 75, 63, 63 win for the Frenchman.


MY PICKS: Philipp Kohlschreiber - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Novak Djokovic - 8.5 Games @ 1.92 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Feliciano Lopez - 1.5 Sets @ 2.30 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet - 7.5 Games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 3-1, + 3.84 Units (8 Units Staked, + 48% Yield)

French Open Men's Final 2013- Rafael Nadal v David Ferrer (June 9th)

The Women's Champions was decided yesterday and I still can't quite believe that the score was 'only' 64 64 in favour of Serena Williams- it was by far the most one-sided match I had seen in some time that looked so close on the scoreboard.

To be perfectly honest, Williams did not return serve as effectively as she can and there were far too many unreturned serves, even off the second serve. Her break point conversion rate was poor and if I was watching that match without a scoreboard in front of me, I would have thought Serena had won 62 62.


Now we get to the final day of Roland Garros 2013 and that means it is time for the Men's Final. The weather forecast doesn't look the best and there is every chance that we may have to see the Final conclude on Monday for the second year in succession.

Both Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer have no commitments next week so it won't affect other tournaments if that is the case, but I am sure Ferrer would rather get the match going today when the conditions are set to be cooler than it has been over the last week.


Rafael Nadal - 7.5 games v David Ferrer: The conditions have certainly favoured Rafael Nadal over the last week of the tournament here and even though he is now competing in his eighth Roland Garros Final, I am expecting some nerves on his part. The fact of the matter is that Nadal is playing his first Grand Slam since Wimbledon last June and he is going to be a little nervous being back in this position to win one of the big prizes in the tennis calender.

It will also be interesting to see how much the Semi Final has taken out of Nadal, although his fitness has never been in question in the past. I would look at his response to his five set epic against Fernando Verdasco in the 2009 Australian Open Semi Final when he went on and beat Roger Federer in five sets in the Final.

On the other hand, David Ferrer has made the most serene progress through the draw, yet to drop a set and also spending around six hours less time on court than his compatriot, but the match up against Nadal has not suited him much, especially on the clay courts.

However, in saying that, he has at least made the matches a little more competitive the last two times they have played on the clay courts, with Ferrer picking up a set in both of those matches. The problem for Ferrer is maintaining the level required to hang with Nadal for more than a couple of sets and he also has to remove memories of his crushing defeat here in the Semi Final twelve months ago.

On that occasion, Ferrer won just 5 games as Nadal completely obliterated his game, but I am expecting this one to be a little closer. The conditions should help Ferrer today, but Nadal has looked a man on a mission in the last week.

Nadal had fortune on his side in the final set against Novak Djokovic on Friday and I think he will ride that momentum to a 64, 62, 63 win.


MY PICK: Rafael Nadal - 7.5 Games @ 2.25 Pinnacle (2 Units)

French Open Update: 19-15, + 6.68 Units (66 Units Staked, + 10.12% Yield)

Tennis Picks Indian Wells 2013 (March 17th)

What has been a successful week with the daily picks has been the exact opposite when it came down to the outright picks as both the last two players I had in my book were knocked out in the Semi Final stage last night.

That really concluded a poor end to the tournament as Victoria Azarenka's decision to pull out of the event did me no favours. Novak Djokovic and Tomas Berdych both had chances to win their individual matches yesterday, but came up short and that means it will only be a small profit from the event here.

However, it could be worse as any profit is better than any loss so I won't complain too much.


The two Finals will be played back to back today and while I think Maria Sharapova wins the WTA event, I think the spreads and outright markets have been priced with that in mind and I'll choose to just watch that match. On the other hand, here is my pick from the Men's Final:


Rafael Nadal - 2.5 games v Juan Martin Del Potro: If this match had been played at the Quarter Final or even the Semi Final stage, I would have considered Juan Martin Del Potro having a big chance to beat the Spaniard.

However, Del Potro has had to beat the top two Men's players in the World back to back and I just have a hard time trying to figure how he will have recovered physically from a couple of gruelling battles, particularly the one against Novak Djokovic last night.

And it isn't just the fact that he had a long match- Rafael Nadal is not exactly known for shortening points so Del Potro will be forced to go through the pain of long rallies in this one if he is to to beat Nadal.

Rafael Nadal has looked in good form this week and it is correct to think he is back and ready to play a key part in the rest of the season. He has also beaten Del Potro 4 times in a row, although he hasn't met the Argentine on a hard court since the 2009 US Open Semi Final when Nadal picked up just 6 games in a demolition job.

The positives for Del Potro fans is that he is 3-3 on the hard courts against Nadal in his career, although I think the physical toll of playing back to back tough three setters, plus the knowledge of having to go through all that again will prove too much. By a strange quirk, Del Potro has a Grand Slam title but never won a Masters event, although I think his wait will continue for at least one more event today.


MY PICK: Rafael Nadal - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 20-11, + 17.92 Units (61 Units Staked, + 29.38% Yield)

Tennis Picks Indian Wells 2013 (March 15th)

The tennis programme was disrupted yesterday as both Women's Quarter Finals didn't even get started with withdrawals for both Sam Stosur and Victoria Azarenka.

However, the big match between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer did go ahead and it was very anti-climatic in the end as the latter just wasn't fit enough to get anything going.

It wasn't just the injury, but Nadal playing at a very high level that also saw the match swing the way of the Spaniard. Much like many of their previous matches, the Federer backhand was the weakest shot in the match and he wasn't able to dictate with the forehand which led to an easy win for Nadal.

Unlike the commentators though, I still saw some weaknesses in Nadal's game on his comeback that will likely be exposed by either Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray, but more likely by the former. When Nadal was attacking the Federer backhand, he was still leaving the ball a little short and while that works against the World Number 2, Djokovic will be given time to rip his double hander both down the line and cross-court.

That was the main shot that helped Djokovic begin to dominate the head to head with Nadal over the last couple of seasons and I have little doubt that it will still prove to be the difference when they meet at the moment. However, it is good for the game that Nadal is back and I hope his recovery keeps going in the right direction so we have some big moments to look forward to in the coming months as we approach the French Open and Wimbledon.


One other tough aspect of the Victoria Azarenka withdrawal was that she was my main pick in the outright market from the Women's draw and that means both my picks from that tournament have fallen by the wayside. Roger Federer was another I had onside, but it is not all doom and gloom with both Novak Djokovic and Tomas Berdych both still involved.


Novak Djokovic - 4.5 games v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga showed tremendous resilience to beat Milos Raonic in the last Round considering he was struggling with a knee issue, but I think that will prove to be the difference in this match.

Unlike Raonic, Novak Djokovic is a very effective returner of serve and so Tsonga will not be given too many opportunities to rattle through his own service games and will be forced to earn his games. With a knee issue in his mind, it can be tough mentally to find enough big shots to beat someone with the defence that Djokovic has and it's a tough ask for the Frenchman in my opinion.

I am expecting Djokovic to find a way to grab a couple of breaks of serve in one of the sets and I am expecting the World Number 1 to roll in this one. Tsonga has not been serving that effectively this week and I think this is too much for him at this moment in time.


Andy Murray - 2.5 games v Juan Martin Del Potro: Anyone who has watched tennis for a few years will know there is no love lost between these two players who have known one another since they were kids.

This is going to be a close match, but I do think the conditions will likely favour Andy Murray a little more as he will be able to get more balls back in play and also be able to defend a little more effectively. It will give Juan Martin Del Potro the chance to swing freely on the slower court, but the big man has looked a little short of fitness and it is mentally taxing trying to hit through a player that continues to make you play one more shot.

It is no real surprise that Murray has the 5-1 head to head record against Del Potro, but many of their matches have been fairly close for the most part. I wouldn't be surprised if this one goes to a third set, but I think Murray will likely find a way to get the job done and I do think he will be able to cover this spread with a 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 win.


Angelique Kerber v Caroline Wozniacki: This is a very slow court in Indian Wells and I think a few of the players have mentioned that it is almost 'clay court prepped' and with that in mind, I am not sure why Angelique Kerber is the underdog in a match against Caroline Wozniacki.

If this was on a clay court, I would favour the German and I think the conditions are going to suit her a little better than Wozniacki. It also has to be taken into consideration that Kerber has won three matches in a row against the Dane, including in three different conditions (one hard court, one clay court, one indoor hard court).

This is likely going to be a match where a deciding set is going to be required, but I think the underdog is going to have plenty of bite in this one. Kerber has won 6 of the last 7 sets that they have competed against one another within the last twelve months and she has to be worth backing in this Semi Final.


MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 4.5 Games @ 1.92 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Andy Murray - 2.5 Games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Angelique Kerber @ 2.20 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 19-9, + 20.08 Units (55 Units Staked, + 36.51% Yield)

Tennis Picks August 16th (Cincinnati)

'Speaking of Cincinnati, Rafael Nadal has revealed that he will not be taking part at the tournament despite Toni Nadal saying he did expect his nephew to be back in action at the second Masters of the North American hard court swing.

His absence does make his participation in the US Open uncertain and, further to that, the rest of the season might now see Nadal take a leave of absence in a bid to get ready for the 2013 season.

It also, once again, raises real questions about the Spaniard's knees and whether he has much time left at the top of the Men's game with his grinding out style meaning he is working much harder on his body than someone like Roger Federer.'

The above is what I wrote about Rafael Nadal last week when he made it clear that he was not going to play in Cincinnati this week, despite what Toni Nadal had been telling the press, and it was confirmed yesterday that the Spaniard will miss the US Open.

Toni Nadal has said there are no plans to shut down for the season and he expects his nephew to be a part of the Spanish Davis Cup team that takes on the United States in the Semi Final.

Personally, I wouldn't see the point of Nadal trying to come back this season now that the final Grand Slam is one that he will miss- I would much rather see him take six months to get his knees back in shape as this sounds like a deeper problem than his camp are willing to admit.

This has always been the big concern with Nadal's playing style- the toll it was taking on his body meant it was always an issue that could lead to an earlier retirement from the sport and the lingering nature of this current problem has to worry all of his supporters.

Do I think Nadal can come back? Yes of course, but there is a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that this is a much more serious issue than anyone in his camp is letting on, especially with the constant setback to when he is due back on court, and I would now be very surprised if we see him in action again this year.

The Australian Open would then be probably too soon for Nadal to have a chance of winning it (if he took off 6 months to get in shape), but he would be able to find peak form ahead of the French Open in 2013, a tournament he has dominated, and so he can come back from this.

Nadal's likely to fall down the Rankings if he took time off, but not so far as to drop out of the top 10, so he would get a chance to work his way into draws and it might just be the best thing for his long-term aims.


Andy Murray - 5.5 games v Jeremy Chardy: Andy Murray was in very good form when knocking off Sam Querrey yesterday and he declared he is fully fit after pulling out of Toronto with a knee complaint.

On current form, Murray is probably playing the best tennis on the ATP Tour and he has the returning game to give Jeremy Chardy plenty of fits in this one.

The conditions have been said to be a little quick in Cincinnati this week, but Murray handled the Querrey serve very well and I don't think Chardy is as potent with his serve, particularly not his second serve.

With the pressure of having to hit an extra ball on Chardy, I expect the Frenchman will make mistakes today and that should lead to chances for Murray to find a couple of breaks in a set that should set the cover in motion.

Murray beat Chardy here in Cincinnati a couple of years ago in three sets, although it was easier than that would suggest. I would look for a 6-2, 6-4 win for Murray here this year.


Roger Federer - 5.5 games v Bernard Tomic: Bernard Tomic has had an under-whelming year after his start at the Australian Open and he is now ranked down at Number 49 in the World. He had lost 8 of his last 9 matches before winning 2 matches here in Cincinnati, but he will really need to up his level against Roger Federer if he is to continue the positive run.

Federer missed Toronto last week, but he looked very solid in beating Alex Bogomolov yesterday for the loss of just 5 games and that time off may just have reinvigorated him as he looks to hold on to his World Number 1 Ranking ahead of the US Open.

The Swiss man crushed Tomic in his home tournament in Australia earlier this year and he has the ability to grab a couple of breaks of serve as Tomic's second serve is one of the weaker shots in his arsenal.

The quicker conditions will also help Federer as he will be able to dictate points behind his forehand and I think he will likely grab a 6-3, 6-3 win.


Venus Williams - 3.5 games v Sara Errani: Venus Williams has been showing a bit of life in her form in the last two tournaments she has competed in and I will look for her to continue that when she meets Sara Errani in this Third Round match.

Williams reached the Third Round at the Olympics and was only beaten in two tie-breakers against Angelique Kerber, but she had crushed Errani for the loss of 3 games in the First Round there.

With the added speed these courts seem to have been providing this week, I think Venus Williams will be able to win enough cheap points in her service game, while Errani will have to work that much harder for her points, and that can take it's toll over the course of a match.

I will hope Venus starts much brighter than she did in her win over Chanelle Scheepers yesterday and, if she can, I will look for a straight sets win.


MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 5.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 5.5 games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Venus Williams - 3.5 games @ 1.92 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-5, - 6.90 Units (11 Units Staked)

Tennis Picks August 10th (Toronto and Montreal)

It was a frustrating day for all those that were waiting patiently for the Masters tournament in Toronto to have play, any kind of play, and it ended with a couple of doubles matches being played on an indoor court.

That means plenty of the players left in the draw are due to put in a double shift in the office today, although the weather forecast is calling for another rain-filled day (in fact the next three days looks tough to get any action on the court).

With Cincinnati's Masters Event starting on Monday, there is going to be some pressure on the organisers here to get the matches completed and I would not be surprised if they decide to move the Singles matches indoors as well as they do have access to at least two courts. There is no way they can allow this tournament to extend into next week, but the weather isn't showing any signs of breaking enough to allow play to be completed.

Speaking of Cincinnati, Rafael Nadal has revealed that he will not be taking part at the tournament despite Toni Nadal saying he did expect his nephew to be back in action at the second Masters of the North American hard court swing.

His absence does make his participation in the US Open uncertain and, further to that, the rest of the season might now see Nadal take a leave of absence in a bid to get ready for the 2013 season.

It also, once again, raises real questions about the Spaniard's knees and whether he has much time left at the top of the Men's game with his grinding out style meaning he is working much harder on his body than someone like Roger Federer.

First things first though, let's see how Nadal gets on with his recovery and whether he makes it back to Flushing Meadows having reached the Final in New York in each of the last two seasons.


Sam Stosur - 3.5 games v Lucie Safarova: I am going to take Sam Stosur to win her Third Round match against Lucie Safarova today and I think the Australian will take the match in straight sets to cover this spread on offer.

Stosur didn't play that well during the grass court season, but she has historically struggled on the surface (a surprise considering the serve she possesses) and she should be much more in tune with the North American hard courts having won the US Open last season as well as reaching the Final when this event was held in Toronto in 2011.

The added advantage for Stosur is she is facing Safarova who has been in very poor form recently and has been struggling for any kind of consistency this season.

Safarova does hold the 3-2 head to head edge, but she has lost the last two meetings against Stosur, both on the hard courts and that includes a 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 loss earlier this season in Dubai.


Na Li - 2.5 games v Sara Errani: It has been a great season for Sara Errani as she has already recorded 43 wins on the Main Tour as well as reaching the Final at the French Open and she was also a Quarter Finalist at the Australian Open.

However, she is 3-8 in matches played on the hard courts of North America since the beginning of 2011, including two early losses in Indian Wells and Miami and the extra bounce on these courts makes it a little easier for her opponents to take advantage and hit through the Italian.

Na Li is one of those players that can do that as shown by her 4-0 head to head against Errani, winning the last eight sets, and that includes 2 wins on the hard courts.

The Chinese player does have a 30-11 record in 2012, but she hasn't reached the heights of winning the French Open in 2011. She has been very consistent and clearly favours the hard courts having compiled a 17-4 record so far, including reaching the last eight at both Indian Wells and Miami.

Li didn't have the easiest match in the Second Round against the young Canadian Eugenie Bouchard (who has big things expected of her), but that should have her ready for the conditions here and I think she will be a little too strong for Errani in this one and keep the Indian Sign over the Italian's head.


MY PICKS: Marin Cilic @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units) Advised yesterday and rain delayed
Tomas Berdych - 2.5 games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units) Advised yesterday and rain delayed
Sam Stosur - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Na Li - 2.5 games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 3-5, - 4.64 Units (14 Units Staked)

Wimbledon Day 5 Picks (June 29th 2012)

This has to have been one of the more 'headline-making' days during the course of the entire tennis season so far as news story after news story made the rounds before the surprise exit of Rafael Nadal in the Second Round of the tournament.

The day began with the sports pages all talking about Gilles Simon who had made the comment that Women do not deserve equal pay at the Grand Slams as he felt the Men were bringing in more coverage and thus should be reflected in the payroll scale. It was interesting as the Frenchman has just been elected to join the ATP Player Council for the next two years so is clearly someone that has the respect of his peers.

You got the normal reaction from some who will criticise anyone that is not 'politically correct' in any statements they make (these same people are also the ones most vocal about the lack of characters in sports these days, yet won't want anyone to rock the boat with anything they have to say to the press). Others shrugged their shoulders, while it was obvious that Simon was going to be grilled in his Press Conference following his match with Xavier Malisse.

Simon has also been criticised by some of the female players on the Tour, but he has been fighting his corner and openly stated that every other male player actually feels the same way.

What's my take on the matter? I actually semi-agree with Simon if I am honest... I don't think there should be level pay on the Grand Slam level as the Men play best of five sets and so should be given more money for essentially doing more work. HOWEVER, I do think some of the Masters events, like Miami and Indian Wells for example, that have Men and Women events should actually make the prize money the same as they do the same amount of work.

Some of the players suggested that TV ratings should determine which of the two Tours deserve more money, but that makes no sense as it swings in roundabouts where both have the edge at different times.

I do think the WTA Tour should be pushing for their matches to be extended to best of five at the Grand Slam level though to make this argument moot. I keep hearing how the Women work just as hard as the Men, so I don't think there will be a fitness issue, although it may be tough for tournaments to be completed on time if there are too many matches going the distance and lasting for a few hours.

That shouldn't be an argument against extending the Women matches to best of five though, and I think it would make a lot of sense for them to do so for the Grand Slams. It would differentiate the Slams from the other tournaments, as it does for the ATP Tour currently, and I actually think it would make the Women matches more exciting as more momentum shifts means more drama.

This is just a personal view, but this sounds like an issue that may just be under the spotlight again.


Andy Murray got through to the Third Round today and later drama means there will be growing expectation on the British Number 1 to reach his first Wimbledon Final. However, the biggest story coming out of his match was the Press Conference given by Ivo Karlovic in which he essentially said he was 'cheated' out of a win by a number of foot faults that were called against him.

There were 11 foot faults in all and, as Karlovic told the media, they all seemed to come at big moments in the match and this is a definite controversy that needs to be nipped in the bud immediately if the reputation of the tournament is going to be kept intact.

Someone needs to view the video of the foot faults ASAP and prove that they were made- the big issue is that foot faults are generally ignored these days so something needs to be done as to why so many were called today.

I am sure someone will have checked the video by the time you read this, but the 'integrity' of the tournament will be at stake if it is proved that the line judges were making mistakes in calling them over and over... What can they do if that was the case anyway?

There may be fines and there may be suspensions, but a player has been knocked out of the tournament now and this has to be settled so there are no other issues like this going forward. It was a stunning comment by Karlovic today and one that will need to be resolved- I also cannot wait for the reaction he gets when he goes out to play doubles tomorrow morning.


Finally, the drama I talked about above was the fact that Rafael Nadal has been knocked out of the tournament by a player ranked at Number 100 in the World- this is also the lowest ranked player that has beaten Nadal on the Tour and it was a stunning achievement from Lukas Rosol.

Nadal was outhit by Rosol, but he must have been cursing his misfortune of having to play in an indoor court against an opponent that was hitting monster serves and playing some lights out tennis. It was simply some stunning tennis from Rosol and he didn't seem to think about what he was about to achieve as he served out in the fifth set with two aces to wrap up the game.

The tennis played was once-in-a-lifetime stuff and this was probably the biggest surprise I have witnessed in the Grand Slams (in the Men's draw) since Robin Soderling beat Nadal at the French Open in 2009.

There were plenty of similarities to that match in my mind as I continued to wait for the moment when Rosol would make a couple of mistakes and open the door for the Spaniard, but it didn't come and Rosol was a worthy winner.

The expectations on Andy Murray will have increased as that seems to have opened up the bottom half of the draw, but I think the real beneficiary may be Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who has nothing to fear from his Quarter of the draw.

Murray still has a couple of tough matches to negotiate before he gets to the Semi Finals, while Tsonga seems to have a clear run in all honesty and the Frenchman may just get a chance to prove he was right in saying he can beat Novak Djokovic on grass having pushed him so hard at the French Open.


Random thought: After seeing how the Nadal match finished, how much will Roger Federer be begging for rain on Semi Final day next Friday if he has Novak Djokovic as his opponent?


Day 5 Picks:

Janko Tipsarevic - 3.5 games v Mikhail Youzhny: Janko Tipsarevic has lost his last two matches against Mikhail Youzhny, but the last of those came back in 2010 and I think the careers of these two players have gone in opposite directions since then and the Serb World Number 8 is likely to be too strong this time.

Tipsarevic has been serving pretty effectively during this tournament and I think he is enjoying the faster conditions that seem to be in operation at the moment. He has also played on this court before in the event and should be used to his surroundings unlike Youzhny who has been placed off the show courts.

The Russian is still a tough prospect and has moved through the draw without any real worries so far, but this is a marked rise in quality of opponent and Youzhny has also had an issue in protecting his own serve so far this season.

It wouldn't be a massive surprise if the match did indeed go into four sets, but I do like Tipsarevic coming through 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.


Richard Gasquet - 1.5 sets v Nicolas Almagro: My big concern about this match is the fact that Nicolas Almagro has a 3-0 head to head record against Richard Gasquet and I know the Frenchman can sometimes find it tough to escape the mental aspect of matches.

However, I think Gasquet is definitely the better grass court player of the two and I think he will eventually be able to show that off.

Both have been effective behind serve for much of the tournament so far, but it is Almagro who has been forced to spend more time on the court and that can come back to haunt a player especially if they are to fall behind in the match.

The players are likely to be showing off two of the best backhands on the court (expect the commentators to cream over that fact at least ten times during the course of the match), but Gasquet is a former Semi Finalist here and I think the grass court pedigree he has will be the difference.

This is possibly going to four sets, but I will look for Gasquet to be the player making his way into the Fourth Round on Monday.


Sabine Lisicki - 2.5 games v Sloane Stephens: This is a fascinating match, but it is one that I think Sabine Lisicki can come through.

Sloane Stephens is an up and coming player on the WTA Tour, but the young American doesn't have the same grass court pedigree as the German who reached the Semi Final here last season and that may just make the difference in this one.

Stephens has performed well this season as she looks to get up the Rankings, but I think she has come up a little short against some of the better players and Lisicki, on a grass court, does fall into that category as far as I am concerned.

Some may be concerned that Lisicki had to win a long third set to get to this match, but take a look at what she did last year- Lisicki had to come from a set behind to win 8-6 in the third against Na Li and then went on and comfortably won her Third Round match.

I don't expect it to be that easy, but a 6-4, 6-4 win for Lisicki would not be a big surprise.


Shuai Peng - 2.5 games v Arantxa Rus: I am going for the occasion to be a little too much for Arantxa Rus in this one having caused one of the surprises of the tournaments when she beat Samantha Stosur in three sets.

Shuai Peng is a decent grass court player, reaching the Fourth Round here last season, and I think the Chinese player can be a little too consistent for Rus in this one.

It wouldn't be the first time that a player causing a surprise is then beaten in the next match they play, while Rus has not really had a deep run in any of the grass court tournaments she has previously played.

The lefty serve may cause Peng a few early problems in all honesty, but I think she can get in front once she has the hang of that and come through possibly 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.


MY PICKS: Janko Tipsarevic - 3.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Richard Gasquet - 1.5 sets @ 1.85 BoyleSports (2 Units)
Sabine Lisicki - 2.5 games @ 1.92 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Shuai Peng - 2.5 games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)


Wimbledon Update: 9-7, + 5.72 Units (31 Units Staked)

Tennis Recap (French Open)

The second Grand Slam of 2012 is over with Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal winning the two events and it won't be long until the third Major starts at Wimbledon towards the end of the month.

While the daily picks only produced a small profit by the end of the tournament, catching both winners in the outright markets have really upped the profits at the end of the tournament. I only received a bonus by picking the Men's Champion to lose less than 3 sets at the tournament and Rafael Nadal's serene progress through the draw has also brought that pick in.

Below are a few thoughts from the event and I will also update the profit/loss from the French Open and the overall season results.


Putting Maria Sharapova's Grand Slam in perspective: All of the hype, particularly on the British channels, about Maria Sharapova's completing the career Grand Slam is absolutely ridiculous if you ask me.


It is a great achievement, there is no doubt about that, but it seriously needs to be put into perspective compared to some of her peers including the Williams sisters. First things first, the surfaces no longer have the differences that they used to and that makes it easier for players to make the adjustments when moving from the hard to the clay and then to the grass courts, well at least easier than they used to.


Secondly, this is only the fourth Major that Sharapova has now won and that is far short of the expectations people had when she won Wimbledon at 17. Compare that to players like Justine Henin (7 Grand Slams), Venus Williams (7 Grand Slams) and Serena Williams (13 Grand Slams) and you see there is plenty of room for the Russian before she can be considered alongside the greats of yesteryear.


I also wasn't impressed with some of the commentators comparing Sharapova's achievement to Serena Williams when she won the 'Serena Slam'... The BIG difference is Serena won all 4 Majors consecutively, not over the space of 8 years and that has to be stated- of course, I would revise this whole thing if Sharapova goes on and wins Wimbledon, the Olympics and the US Open and then we could start speaking about this achievement at the same level as Serena's.




Rafael Nadal is the 'King of Clay': Rafael Nadal completed his seventh win at the French Open and he remains the ultimate player on the surface and I think he has underlined his position as the best player to have played on the dirt in the history of the game.


However, he can consider himself a touch fortunate that the match was called off when it was on Sunday evening as he was completely on the ropes despite being up 2-1 in sets... That break gave him the chance to find his place mentally and allowed him to get back to what he wanted to do.


I still think he needed to finish the match in four sets, something he did do in the end, as I would have favoured Novak Djokovic heavily if it had gone the distance. It was a shame that he couldn't have forced a tie-break to prolong the drama, while a double-fault was the most disappointing ending to the Final.


However, there was enough in the match to suggest that Djokovic should be the favourite to win the event at Wimbledon depending on the draw of course.




Is Roger Federer suffering with some sort of injury: I have said during the French Open that Roger Federer has not looked himself and he did mention that he had a niggle before the event in Rome... My question would be how much is actually suffering?


Federer is not the kind of player that will openly say what is bothering him, but it will be interesting to see how he goes at Halle before making any judgements on how he will perform at Wimbledon.


He is still one of the top players on the grass and he is going to be a real threat if he is fit, but I want to see him remove my doubts before he is under consideration to possibly win Wimbledon.




Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could be a real dark horse at Wimbledon: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga surprised many, including me, with his run to the French Open Quarter Finals and he was so close to beating Novak Djokovic that I think the Frenchman could be a real threat at Wimbledon if he has not allowed that defeat to mentally linger.


Tsonga proved last year when he beat Roger Federer in the Quarter Final at Wimbledon that he can really beat the big players on this surface and I think he could take advantage if he gets a decent draw.


His mental resolve will be tested at Queens this week and it will give me an insight into how he is feeling. I also hope Tsonga does not go to Eastbourne as he did last season and instead takes the week off to get ready for Wimbledon and make sure his batteries are recharged... If he does that, I think Tsonga is ready for a deep run.






French Open Daily Picks: 22-23, + 3.36 Units (75 Units Staked)


French Open Outright Picks: + 18.11 Units (14 Units Staked)


French Open 2012: + 21.47 Units (89 Units Staked)




Season 2012 Update: + 57.98 Units (492 Units Staked, 11.78% Yield)

French Open Men's Final (June 10th)

It seems like the two week Grand Slam is going to end on a positive note after Maria Sharapova completed the win in the Women's tournament and it can get a lot better if Rafael Nadal can complete his seventh win at Roland Garros.

It won't be easy for Nadal as he comes up against Novak Djokovic for the fourth Grand Slam in a row having lost the previous three Slams to the World Number 1. However, none of those have come on the clay courts and Rafa has proven himself the king on this surface with some very impressive performances to reach this stage.

The Spaniard has also won two matches against Djokovic on the clay courts this season and I think he has found a little more aggression in his game to pressurise the Serb. He has found a way to deal with the backhand down the line that had been so effective for Djokovic in the 2011 season against Nadal, while I think he is also attacking the Djokovic serve with more success.

With the two wins I mentioned, Nadal has stopped a run of seven consecutive losses to Djokovic, with the previous three all coming in the Slam Finals and it is right that he is the favourite in this one. Therefore, I am going to leave my outright pick alone and hope it will send the profits soaring and make this a very profitable two weeks.


Tomorrow evening, I will recap the French Open tournament and complete the overall profit/loss for the season. I will then put up any outright picks from the up and coming tournaments on the grass courts that begin on Monday and any picks from the first matches that are to take place on June 11th.


FRENCH OPEN UPDATE: 22-23, + 3.36 Units (75 Units Staked)

Tennis Recap (May 13-20, Rome)

It was a horrible week in terms of picking daily winners, but the outright market proved very profitable with both Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal winning the Women's and Men's events respectively.

This is the last real important tournament before the French Open which begins next Monday, although we do have events in France and Germany this week. The problem with those events is the motivation of the top seeded players that may want to reserve some gas for the first week of the Grand Slam next week.

Anyway, below is just a few thoughts from the Rome event that was concluded today:


Rafael Nadal back up to World Number 2: I think Roger Federer would have been secretly hoping that Novak Djokovic could have won this event as soon as he was beaten in the Semi Finals to the Serbian.


Rafael Nadal's win in Rome means they have moved up to World Number 2 and that means, once again, that Roger Federer is likely going to have to beat the two best players in the World if he wants to win the French Open for a second time.


By moving up to Number 2, Federer can at least think he has a 50-50 chance of avoiding Rafael Nadal in his draw and know he could take his chances if Nadal and Djokovic were involved in an epic Semi Final, and those little things can make the difference when winning a Grand Slam or not.


It looks unlikely that Federer can get the Number 2 position back before Wimbledon, something I think he was looking for, unless there is a serious surprise at Roland Garros.




Andy Murray's back injury: Andy Murray exited the tournament in Rome with little fuss against Richard Gasquet and subsequently told the journalists at his press conference that he is suffering with a back injury that has been niggling him since December.


This doesn't bode well for him in an important year with the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics all coming up in quick succession and the US Open to follow. Murray has always made the first few rounds of a Grand Slam event much more difficult than they need to be and this back injury is only going to hinder his chances even more if he is  as uncomfortable as he suggested.


He will always need a nice draw, a bit of luck and the nerve at crucial times if he is going to win a Grand Slam, but an injury is not going to help his cause and I just can't see a breakthrough coming for him this season.




I've changed my mind, Serena Williams is the player to beat at Roland Garros: Last week, I said that Serena Williams was a little short as the favourite to win in Paris this season as the conditions in Madrid helped her win that tournament.


However, she looked imperious this week in Rome and was cruising through her matches and was only prevented from winning the tournament because she had to pull out with an injury. Williams has since said it was a precautionary pull-out and she expects to be fully ready for Paris.


With Victoria Azarenka's participation in Paris in doubt, the only player I would even consider backing to beat Serena Williams is Maria Sharapova, but if the American gets the right kind of draw, I can't look beyond her.


Williams has looked motivated and focused on what has been her worst surface to play on... Pencil her name in for Wimbledon if she stays healthy, especially with the form she has shown in the last month.




The Men's event is not much more open than the Women's: You get these big articles ahead of the Grand Slams that seems to list up to 8 Men that can possibly win the event and, while I don't agree it ever gets to that many, you can understand the excitement about these Slams.


The French Open doesn't exactly inspire me the same way to be honest as I can't look beyond the top two players in the World as to who will win this event.


The likes of Roger Federer, Juan Martin Del Potro, Tomas Berdych and Andy Murray could possibly throw a spanner in the works, but I would almost certainly think the player they trouble is Novak Djokovic rather than Rafael Nadal.


I would heavily favour Nadal against any of the four players listed on a clay court, and I think he has proven that he has the better of Djokovic on the surface after reversing his surprise losses to the Serbian last season including here at Rome.


One year ago, Nadal was a short odds against shot to win the French Open, but there is no chance of getting anything like that this year. Already, I do favour Nadal to take this tournament unless he gets a gruesome draw and even then I would just hope that his price comes out rather than expecting him to lose.




Weekly Update: 9-12, - 6.32 Units (41 Units Staked)
Outright Update: 2-1, + 8.75 Units (8 Units Staked)


Season Update: + 36.51 Units (403 Units Staked, 9.06% Yield)


Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Tennis Recap May 6-13 (Madrid)

It wasn't a great week in Madrid for tennis fans as too many players were not happy about being here and that meant that there were some poor performances and some really surprising results.

I don't think I can remember the last time that both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal had exited a Masters event before the Semi Finals, and both players left with their future participation at the event very much in doubt.

I'll put down a few thoughts from the event below and also update the season profit and loss. I will then have a separate thread with the outright picks from the Rome Masters, which actually began earlier today, and daily pick threads will start from tomorrow...


Roger Federer has reached World Number 2: Over the last 6-8 months, Roger Federer has definitely got back to something like his best and I am not surprised in the slightest that he has overtaken Rafael Nadal in the Rankings and moved back to the World Number 2 position. For the first time in many years, Federer has made it no secret of his desire to return to the Number 1 position when this season began and he is well on the way to getting somewhere near that as Novak Djokovic has plenty more points to defend than the Swiss man.


A couple of months ago, I also made it a point to suggest the move back into the top 2 in the World Rankings may actually aid Federer's chances of winning another Grand Slam as he is could, depending on the draw of course, no longer need to beat BOTH  Rafael Nadal and Djokovic to do so. At the end of the day, in a gruelling Grand Slam event, it is those small differences that can make all the difference.


Now I am not sure when the French Open decides on their seeds but I do know that unlike Wimbledon, they are based solely on the Rankings a player has rather than looking at past results as Wimbledon does. My only question is whether the seedings are taken from Rankings in this week or the previous week?


Federer only reached the Third Round at the Rome Masters last season, so I expect he will likely further increase his lead over Nadal in the Number 3 position and perhaps close further on Djokovic as the Number 1...




Serena Williams may still not be the player to beat at Roland Garros: I have tremendous respect for Serena Williams who I regularly describe as the best player in the World, but I am not jumping on the bandwagon just yet that she is the favourite to win at Roland Garros.


The bottom line is she has struggled at that event throughout her career, only winning it once, and she regularly has to beat the fans as well as her opponent and that has never really sat well with her.


Williams did record a thumping win over Victoria Azarenka, the World Number 1 and the most in-form player in 2012, but the conditions in Madrid favour the American's game so much and are not replicated in Paris. The altitude makes the ball run faster, while the courts have always been quicker than other clay courts so I think it is too soon for people to label Williams as the favourite.


Next week the Tour moves to Rome and I will be interested to see how she performs there (although she may make my outright plan once I look at her draw).




Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic whinging: Normally I would say that the players are being bad losers in their criticisms of the courts in Madrid, but you can't really say too much when the organisers themselves admit that they are slippery and they have made mistakes in the way they have laid the surface.


The problem here seems to be that the courts have been laid too late, meaning there was nothing that could be done once the organisers realised that they were not as playable as they had been making out in the lead up to the event.


I would love to see more contrasts in the courts around the World rather than the way they are at the moment with similar speeds and little variation in the surfaces... However, I don't think the courts in Madrid came under that category, but rather were a little dangerous with players struggling with footing and turning.


With the top two players (in terms of Ranking coming into the event) essentially saying they will boycott this tournament in the future until they return to the red clay, I think Madrid's hand may well be forced for the 2013 event.




Weekly Update: 7-6, + 1.60 Units (26 Units Staked)


Season Update: + 34.08 Units (354 Units Staked, 9.63% yield)


Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Australian Open Men's Final Live Updates

Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal Australian Open Final 2012


Novak Djokovic 1-0* Rafael Nadal
There was a slight chance for Rafael Nadal as he moved into a 15-30 lead on the Novak Djokovic serve, but the Serbian brings out some big groundstrokes to eventually hold to 30.

Novak Djokovic *1-1 Rafael Nadal
A very easy service game for Rafael Nadal, and it will be interesting how he can hold on to serve after struggling against Djokovic at the US Open (broken 12 times in 4 sets there).

It is a routine hold to love, with an ace to open the service game.

Novak Djokovic 2-1* Rafael Nadal
There is an error from Djokovic to open up his next service game, and then a wonderful shot from Nadal down the line to move into a 0-30 position.

A couple of big first serves draws the World Number 1 level, and then a great second serve moves Djokovic to game point.

Djokovic holds to 30 as the last 4 points are won within 2 shots or less.

Novak Djokovic *2-2 Rafael Nadal
Not sure if Nadal has a tactical plan to slice the ball back to the Djokovic backhand when the Serbian uses the shot down the line that has been so effective in recent meetings between the two? He has done it twice already, with success, in the opening exchanges.

Djokovic wins the first point on serve, but Nadal runs through the rest of the game with ease.

Novak Djokovic 2-3* Rafael Nadal
Djokovic wins his sixth point in a row on serve to move to 30-0, but a couple of strong Nadal returns brings the game to 30 all...

Best point of the match so far as Rafael Nadal brings up the first break point of the match as Nadal makes an exceptional return off a volley that eventually opens the court for him to pass- second serve but Nadal hits it WAY long.

There is definitely a more attacking element to the Nadal game so far and he earns another break point- the Serbian misses an easy put away with his patented backhand down the line and Nadal has the first break of the Final.

Novak Djokovic *2-4 Rafael Nadal
Djokovic was furious with himself at the end of the last game and it will be interesting to see what kind of reaction he has to that outward show of emotion.

A couple of longer rallies are both ended by Djokovic, one with an error and one with a pass and it's 30 all. An unfortunate net cord later and Djokovic has his first break point of the Final.

That is saved beautifully by Nadal with a nice first serve and a searing forehand down the line, a perfect one-two combination.

I am 100% convinced that Nadal is using the sliced backhand back to the Djokovic backhand to negate that shot down the line that helped the World Number 1 to 6 straight victories over the Spaniard. Far too many errors from Djokovic at the moment, and it does look like the longer rallies are being ended by him more often than not, with a winner or an error.

A couple of great returns from Djokovic extends the game and earns another break point- he gets to see another second serve, but makes an enormous error to pull the game back to deuce.

Longest game of the match so far as it keeps going back and forth and this looks like it could be the one to determine the set. Nadal has his third chance to put the game to bed, but another superbly constructed point from Djokovic to keep the game going a little longer.

A lot of respect for Nadal's serving at the moment, but he doesn't want to drop the first serve % down in this match. The Spaniard takes the game on his 4th game point.

Novak Djokovic 3-4* Rafael Nadal
Djokovic looks a little tetchy at the moment, a little frustrated... Some very strong match play from him in this game though and he also seems to be hitting the ball a little harder- it's a straight-forward hold of serve to 15.

Novak Djokovic *4-4 Rafael Nadal
This set is still within Djokovic's grasp despite being a break down- he wins the first point on the Nadal serve.

I have been impressed with the way Nadal has started this match, but I still have the feeling that the match is resting on Djokovic's racquet at the moment.

This is a big point as the game is sitting at 30 all- another disappointing return from Djokovic on a second serve as he fails to get it back in play.

After the start Nadal has made, he is struggling to really get a grip in the rallies that Djokovic is beginning to dictate more and more often... the end of another longer rally earns the Serbian a break point.

A lot of credit has to be given to Nadal for another big serve under pressure to give himself the upper hand and save that opportunity... The reprieve doesn't last long as another break point comes up- once again Nadal finds the effective lefty slider into the advantage court.

It definitely feels that Djokovic is the steadier of the two players when the rallies develop on an equal footing and he has a third break point... Another Nadal error this time and Djokovic is back on serve.

Novak Djokovic 5-4* Rafael Nadal
Now the World's best player has to back up that game... An error to start the game is not the best way to begin, before Nadal finally gets back to the form he displayed earlier in the set to move to 0-30.

Djokovic can kiss the top of the net cord that saves him from falling into a triple break point hole, Nadal VERY unfortunate there.

I have to give the Serb a lot of credit as he wins a couple of good points, taking advantage of the luck he was given in the third point of the game and winning the game to 30.

Novak Djokovic *5-5 Rafael Nadal
It has felt to me that there has been a shift of momentum since the 6th game of the match, even though Nadal won that game... Maybe it has something to do with Djokovic changing his shirt from Clark Kent to Superman?

This is an absolutely massive service game for Nadal, especially for his belief in terms of the match as he has thrown a fair bit at Djokovic in this set only to lose it would crush any belief may have.

Very impressive stuff from the Spaniard to open the game, but Djokovic almost rallies all the way back to deuce before Nadal puts away an impressive cross court forehand, one he has become famous for over his career.

Novak Djokovic 5-6* Rafael Nadal
At this stage of a tight set, a crucial set such as this is, the pressure shifts on to the other player after that hold from Nadal... The World Number 2 wins the opening point to up the ante too.

I might be wrong, but my feeling is that Djokovic is the better player here as he wins a couple of points to move ahead... He seems a little more assured in how he is playing, with Nadal perhaps questioning what he wants to do in points?

Huge point coming in terms of the set at 30 all, 5 all... Nadal doesn't question himself there with a huge forehand down the line to earn a break point- a huge miss from Djokovic off his backhand wing and Nadal will be serving for the set.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, *0-0 Rafael Nadal
This is probably a bigger set for Nadal than it is for Djokovic, but that doesn't mean the Serbian will hand it to him on a plate. I just think Nadal NEEDS to show himself that he can win this match, and he can only do it by securing a set he started off so brightly and one that he has had the advantage in twice already.

A beautiful point from Nadal and he brings up two set points- one of those is saved by Djokovic hammering a second serve for a straight winner.

Not sure I agree with the television directors making a couple of spectators look like dicks reading a paper just before the second set point? Anyway, Djokovic forces an error from Nadal and brings the game to deuce.

A ball just goes wide for Djokovic during a rally and that means a third set point for Rafa... The body serve does the damage again and that is the FIRST SET in the bag for the World Number 2.


Novak Djokovic 5-7, 1-0* Rafael Nadal
It's an important game for Djokovic just to settle the match down and he does manage to hold. A special shot on the second point of the game, but a slight lull from the end of the first set as he takes the game to 30... The calm before the storm I am sure in this set.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, *1-1 Rafael Nadal
Hmmmm a slightly tight looking second serve from Rafa to start the game catches the net cord on the way through... No respite as he throws in a double fault to open the game.

At 0-30, Nadal has another second serve that looks really slow, slow enough to catch Djokovic out that he cannot get it back in play... That is something the Serbian needs to take advantage of if he wants to get back into this one.

Well, well, well, the forehand down the line that has done a lot already for Nadal goes wide this time and there are two break points for Djokovic- Nadal saves the first despite having to go to a second serve and there are the first loud mutterings from Djokovic.

What defence from Nadal which is quickly turned into offense from the Spaniard and he has saved both break points.

Very impressive from Nadal after going 15-40 and we remain on serve.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 2-1* Rafael Nadal
It hasn't been a match of great great quality, but a lot of intrigue at the moment. The first point of this game is one of the better points we have seen, won by Djokovic with the backhand down the line after a mini-exchange at the net.

A lot of credit to Nadal as that forehand down the line has been imperious for much of this contest, once again doing the damage to bring the game to 30-15.

Great defence from Djokovic to earn the game, as the set is beginning to warm up.

Not sure I agree that the last Grand Slam winner is considered the best player in the World in the locker room- still think Djokovic will be considered in that position even if he loses, at least until Nadal beats him a second time in succession.

The reason for that is that there are the intangibles of Djokovic maybe feeling a little under the weather or fatigued, so players will want to see more before ruling him out as the best player because he lost in one Grand Slam Final after winning 3 of 4 last year, including the two before this one.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, *3-1 Rafael Nadal
The tennis is definitely picking up in terms of quality now as the first two points are both impressive and shared between the players.

If the first two were good solid points, the third is VERY impressive from Nadal as he hits a scorching backhand winner when in an unenviable position.

Another potentially big moment on the Nadal serve as the game goes back to 30 all... An error from Nadal brought it back to that score and another leads to a break point.

It's a second serve, and this time Djokovic earns the point with a truly wonderful, if a little lucky, volley after approaching the Nadal backhand.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 4-1* Rafael Nadal
Nadal has definitely had a slight let down after winning the first set, even if his level of tennis is still pretty high... He has made some bad errors along with his stunning winners and given Djokovic too many opportunities to get himself involved in the match.

A big forehand error gave Nadal the first point of this game, while another crunching backhand wins the Spaniard the fourth point to leave it 30 all.

Wow, another stunning shot as the match is improving greatly- this time it is the Djokovic forehand to give him a chance to consolidate his break... He does so after forcing an error behind the backhand down the line.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, *4-2 Rafael Nadal
You have to have so much respect for the athletic ability of these players as some of the rallies have been exhausting to watch, let alone actually take part. There has been a slight adjustment by Djokovic on the return of serve as he has cottoned on to the fact that Nadal is trying to keep the second serve into the body for the most part.

Hmmm, Djokovic misses a slight chance to really increase the pressure when missing a volley at 15 all that he should have made... That leads to the first easy service game in this set for Nadal.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 5-2* Rafael Nadal
Gruelling rally to open this service game and it is won by Nadal as Djokovic just puts a backhand outside of the line.

A couple of bad mistakes from Nadal making life a little easier for Djokovic on serve, and then a cheeky shot at the net to hold serve.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, *5-3 Rafael Nadal
Important for Nadal to come out and hold serve, forcing Djokovic to serve out the set... Think it is also important that he gets to serve first in the third set, if Djokovic does serve this one out, and perhaps put a different kind of pressure on the World Number 1.

The eyeball test says that Djokovic is the better player so far, probably since the opening exchanges of the first set... It just seems he is more secure in what he wants to do in every point, with Nadal mixing the sublime with the ridiculous.

And there is one of the rare occasions where a server challenges the fact that his serve had gone in because he was hit with a stunning return winner. Djokovic was a little upset because he thought it meant a replay of the point even if the ball was in, but that is not the case...

We have had a couple of deuce points now as Djokovic looks to press home his advantage... Now he has a chance as he earns his first set point- a lot of respect for Nadal who saves it brilliantly.

He goes on to win the next two points and holds the serve.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 5-4* Rafael Nadal
When you are serving for the set, there is a different pressure on a player, but you wouldn't guess it from the way Djokovic won the first point of the game.

It is the backhand down the line that does all the damage really and Djokovic earns a couple of set points to level the match... Nadal saves both of those, one with a Djokovic error, but the second with some really solid shot-making. Now the pressure increases on the Serbian.

Wow, Nadal has a huge mental lapse when playing a drop shot that should have been put away... But it isn't and it's a break point for the Spaniard out of nowhere.

And a double fault from Djokovic means two set points have come and gone and we are back on serve. How much will he regret that miss on the easy pass at deuce?

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, *0-0
This is huge for Nadal now as he hasn't really had too many easy service games since the beginning of the match. The Spaniard needs to get plenty of first serves in, and really push home the shift of momentum that could have come from that break in the last game.

A tired looking backhand into the net from Djokovic, but that could be down to the disappointment of losing the last game... He follows it by crunching a second serve to move the game to 15 all.

There is a slight chance for Djokovic now at 30 all... This is a huge point- it is won by Nadal with yet another body serve, but it is the first serves that are helping him out of a tight hole.

Deuce at a crucial juncture of this match... You can feel the tension and the crowd are well aware of the significance of this point.

BIG error from Nadal as he approaches the net by attacking the Djokovic backhand, and he is duly passed for another set point- Djokovic is gifted the set with a double fault and that is ONE SET ALL...

Nadal was really struggling on his own serve, and he has been for a while with no easy holds being given to him by the Serbian... The Spaniard has not been able to consistently punch through Djokovic and I think the World Number 1 is showing why he is in that position as he has looked a little better in most aspects of the game.

There is more consistency in the Djokovic game, and more highs and lows from Nadal, and that means the momentum is surely with the Serbian... We will see in an hour whether I am right.


Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 1-0* Rafael Nadal
The feeling for me is that Nadal is having a fight on his hands mentally in this match at this moment, making a few strange decisions... He tries another drop shot in this game with no success, and Djokovic runs away with a hold to love.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, *1-1 Rafael Nadal
Nadal just taking his time now on service games, but he could really do with a couple of easy(ish) service holds to open up this third set. He was under pressure for 4 out of 5 service games in set 2 and that pressure led to the double fault that cost him the set.

A couple of decent serves and a Djokovic error gives Nadal a bit of breathing room this time as he has a couple of game points to hold.

That clearly doesn't mean anything as Djokovic is 100% reading the Nadal serve now and returning it with interest as he ups the pressure again at deuce.

The World Number 1 is playing some absolutely brilliant tennis now as he will not let Nadal out of this game... Even if he doesn't break in this game, this could be setting a mental trap for Nadal later on in the set and match, especially as he is serving second again in this set.

It took 5 game points, but Nadal has kept hold of his serve.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 2-1* Rafael Nadal
That backhand shot down the line from Djokovic, the shot that I thought makes all the difference for the Serb in his head to heads with Nadal, is just beginning to fire with a little more consistency now.

If there is one thing you know you will get from Nadal, it is the fact that he will give it all in EVERY point... He is holding on to Djokovic here and gets to 30 all on the Serbian's serve.

It's not enough though as another really bad error off the backhand releases some of the pressure on Djokovic and he holds to remain on serve early in set 3.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, *3-1 Rafael Nadal
At the moment, Nadal has to keep on the coat-tails of Djokovic who is clearly playing the better tennis... That can change if he stays close and the pressure builds towards the end of the set.

This game is another that is developing into a tough service hold as we get to 30 all again... Nadal is just not getting enough cheap points off his own serve, being forced to dig deep on each point.

A couple of terrible line calls have gone against Djokovic in the last 20 minutes, it has not been a good tournament for the line judges and umpires in all honesty, too many silly mistakes.

Djokovic is furious, but gets his mind together to earn a break point and a chance to really grab this match by the scruff of the neck- what a tough, tough point from both men, but it is Djokovic who forces Nadal to blink first and he takes a strong position in the set.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 4-1* Rafael Nadal
Unsurprisingly, Djokovic has shortened massively in the markets to win this match now... He wins the first three points in this service game with Nadal unable to return the ball into play.

Easy hold to love as Djokovic hits the ball 5 times in that game.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, *4-2 Rafael Nadal
Djokovic just has all the answers to the Nadal game at the moment and it is tough to see how the Spaniard will reverse this momentum that has built up in the last hour and a half.

The Serb earns a break point, but that is saved thanks to a big serve from Nadal... It is imperative he holds and see if Djokovic gets tight as the set closes in.

Nadal does hold thanks to a couple of Djokovic errors.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 5-2* Rafael Nadal
It's just far too easy on serve for Djokovic at the moment, winning points on serve without having to do a lot, while Nadal is pressed for everything he wins on his own serve.

Another hold to love for the best player in the World.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, *0-0 Rafael Nadal
Has Djokovic learned from set 2 and wants to take this game and not have to serve out the set? He wins the first point as Nadal is getting a little more frustrated and annoyed.

More errors from Nadal leaves Djokovic needing two more points to secure the second set... Another backhand error from the Spaniard brings up three set points.

Djokovic doesn't need too many more opportunities and WINS THE THIRD SET with a stunning forehand winner.

Djokovic dominated that second set and looks to have broken the Nadal spirit with the World Number 2 looking annoyed, frustrated and a little lost on the court at the moment. The Serb has looked better in almost every aspect of this game, including movement, and it is going to be tough for Nadal to recover as he will be playing catch up again in this set.


Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 1-0* Rafael Nadal
It is so funny seeing someone do to Nadal what Nadal has done to so many people in the past... I feel a little sorry for the guy, but this is how he makes Roger Federer feel when they play one another.

Djokovic continues earning enough cheap points in his service games, the best way to relieve any pressure and tension in an arm and that has been a big difference in the match between the players.

That doesn't mean Nadal is allowing Djokovic an easy time in this game though as he pulls it back to deuce... Big miss on the forehand side from Nadal, a shot he had been making regularly and effectively earlier in the match, but he still stays in the game.

Nadal is putting in a huge effort to stay with Djokovic, a real testament to his character here... He has been really outclassed in the last hour and a half of this match, but he keeps working hard and trying to force a change in momentum.

Not to be this time for the Spaniard, and a massive service game coming up for him next.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, *1-1 Rafael Nadal
It's a great backhand shot to win the opening point for Nadal, but how often can you do that? He is working so hard and has to play shots like that to win points on his own service games, while Djokovic is picking up errors and making unreturnable serves in his own.

The game goes back to 30 all as Nadal tries to replicate the shot that wins him the first point in this game, only to go long... This could be a vital game for Nadal to hold as we to get to deuce- the reason for that is that there is rumours of rain in the air and that could stop the Djokovic momentum that he has picked up so far.

A 6 minute game, but Nadal shows a lot of guts to hold serve.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 2-1* Rafael Nadal
We get a couple more demonstrations to the 'cheap' points that Djokovic is able to pick up on serve that Nadal isn't- he gets a short ball for the first point, hits two aces, and then Nadal hits the serve straight out for the error.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, *2-2 Rafael Nadal
Everything Nadal tries, Djokovic is seemingly able to counter, including a defensive lob that lands on the line at the back of the court to move the game forward to 15 all.

Lots of credit to the Spanish player as he wins 3 points in a row to level the set.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 3-2* Rafael Nadal
Nadal has done the first thing he needed to by staying in the set early by holding a couple of service games. He now wins the first point on the Djokovic serve with an impressive forehand that lands on the back of the line.

The World Number 2 is pumped as he wins the point with a great forehand across the court, and is now in a decent position to pressure Djokovic... Credit to the level of play both have shown at different times under pressure though as the Serb levels the game at 30 all... Big point this one for Nadal.

The serve has been one of the crucial differences and it earns Djokovic another cheap point before he holds to 30.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, *3-3 Rafael Nadal
It is on these occasions that Champions can show the reason why they are what they are... The pressure is on Nadal to keep holding serve, but he hasn't won 11 Grand Slam titles before without dealing with this. A solid opening serve is much appreciated I'm sure.

He doesn't want to give too many points away as a double fault brings it back to 30-15... And now the pressure has increased ten-fold with a Nadal error leaving him a perilous position at 30 all.

Lovely stuff from Nadal to survive that game from a tough position and we remain on serve.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 4-3* Rafael Nadal
A bit of a mental lapse from Djokovic perhaps as he opens the game with a drop shot into the net when in control of the point.

The pressure must really be immense on both players as we close in on the latter part of this set, but Djokovic showing what has taken him to 3 of the last 4 Grand Slams by winning the next two points to the frustration of Nadal who continues to make too many basic errors.

Silly mistakes really from Nadal at this stage of the match and I think his return of serve has really let him down. Still on serve, but one break of serve could end this match now for Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, *4-4 Rafael Nadal
Nadal comes out now and I am wondering if they will sit down again in this match for a change of ends? First serves are crucial I feel if Nadal wants to stay in this match.

Great start from Djokovic with a backhand that hits the outside of the line to win the first point of the game.

Nadal has served two first serves to open up this game, but he has lost both and it's a very pressure filled moment for the Spaniard now at 0-30.

Crunching winner from Djokovic on his forehand and it's three break points for a chance to serve for the Championship... The first of those are saved behind some thumping Nadal forehands, but that is tough to do for another couple of points in all honesty.

Big first serve which is not returned and we are down to the final break point at this moment... What a shot off the backhand and Nadal has SAVED all three break points... AND THE RAIN HAS COME!!

What a time for the rain to come down, and now Nadal serves an ace to move to game point... What a Champion Nadal is, and what guts and bravery has he shown.

He gets out of the game with 5 unbelievable points, I bow down to Rafa Nadal... And it looks like we are going to have a 20 minute break for the rain delay until the roof is closed.

How much momentum will that take out of Djokovic?

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 5-4* Rafael Nadal
This is a huge game for Djokovic after what happened before the rain delay... He must feel this should have been the last game of the match, but has to focus else he may have another couple of hours to go.

Very smart match play from the Serb and he wins the first two points behind the serve... An error from Nadal gives him 3 game points and he then holds to love with maybe the shot of the match as he hits a forehand winner from outside the tramlines.

Tremendous temperament from the World Number 1 and now the pressure is truly on Nadal.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, *5-5 Rafael Nadal
Nadal just cannot afford to come out and make mistakes as the pressure is going to be extremely taxing after the emotional highs of a couple of games ago.

Unfortunately, he goes long with the first point of the game, but shows more of the famous belief by toughing out the next to take us to 15 all.

Hmmm a couple of bad errors on Djokovic's part now and Nadal can level the match with two game points.

What defence from Nadal again and this set is still alive.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-5* Rafael Nadal
Now how does Djokovic respond to this mini-revival from Nadal who is playing better than he has for most of the last couple of hours?

It's getting tense, you can tell that both players are beginning to feel the fact they have been out there for over 4 hours already... Djokovic faces a huge moment, perhaps for the whole match, as we get to 30 all, 5 all...

Eye of the needle stuff from Djokovic to move to game point... My respect for these players has gone up a couple of notches today, especially in the big moment changing points, particularly for Novak Djokovic.

Another hold of serve, and once again the pressure is on Nadal to hold serve and force a tie-break in this fourth set.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-6 Rafael Nadal
Nadal has found a new lease of life and belief since going 0-40 down in game 8 of this set, and he starts off by winning the first point in this service game.

This is probably the best tennis Nadal has produced on a consistent basis since the start of the match and he is two points from a tie-break situation.

Brilliant serving from Nadal, truly brilliant under the pressure he must have been feeling and it is tie-break time.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7) Rafael Nadal
They say 75% of tie-breaks are won by the person who wins the first point... Djokovic earns that point with an unreturned serve.

Point 2 is magnificent as Nadal hits a ball right on the baseline and then buries Djokovic with a huge forehand that effectively won him the point as he puts a simple volley away.

Best serving of the match from Nadal in the last 20 minutes or so and he wins an easy enough point to move ahead 2-1 in this breaker.

That was an absolutely big chance for Nadal to win the point, but he has gone long with a backhand... That has to be considered a real chance, tie break is tied at 2-2.

Tight forehand from Djokovic on the next point at the first mini-break goes to Nadal who leads 3-2 with two serves to come.

Oh no... Bad net cord for Nadal there which sees the ball fly out and it's 3-3 at the change over.

Has Djokovic won that point? We get to a challenge and Nadal has just put the ball wide of the line and it's Djokovic who now leads 4-3 with two serves to come... Big, pressure filled moments.

This is why these two are the best players in the World right now- great defence from Nadal for so long, only for Djokovic to slap a winner off his forehand right on to the line... Great stuff, 5-3 World Number 1.

Oh my goodness, Djokovic has just hit the ball wide of the line when in control of the rally and we are at 5-4*, with now Nadal having to serve twice... How big is this set for Djokovic now?

Unbelievable defence from Rafa again, but Djokovic should not be missing that ball from there... Still not sure how Nadal managed to get the ball over the net though if I am honest, 5-5.

Biggest point now, set point, or match point... Big first serve, set point Nadal, 6-5.

That is tremendous stuff from Nadal, I have absolutely no idea how he has won that set from the positions he has been in... Djokovic hits the ball wide, again, of the sidelines and we are level at TWO SETS ALL


How much can Djokovic have left in the tank after blowing 3 break points in a row during the middle of the set and then losing 4 straight in the tie-breaker to drop from 5-3 to 5-7... This will show the heart of a Champion now.

Great from Nadal who has had a Lazarus style comeback when seemingly well out of the match and coming back out of nowhere. He finished that set playing the best tennis he has all day.


Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, *0-1 Rafael Nadal
It's a shift in pressure too as Nadal will get to serve first in this final set... Personally I think he has all the momentum and it is his tournament to lose.

Some more great shot-making and Nadal holds to 30 in that one.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 1-1* Rafael Nadal
It's a fairly routine hold for Novak Djokovic as he quickly moved 40-0 up and eventually holds to 15... It has gone a little quiet at the moment after all the excitement of set 4.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, *1-2 Rafael Nadal
How many bad line calls have gone against Djokovic today? He has yet another one off a solid return and is rightly unhappy.

Tennis is a funny sport- around an hour ago, Nadal was finding it almost impossible to win easy service points and games... He has been serving massively straight through the tie-break and opening up the first couple of service games in set 5.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 2-2* Rafael Nadal
This is a dangerous time for Djokovic as it is him who now needs to hold on to the coat-tails of a Nadal playing as well as he has in this entire tournament.

Those danger levels have just gone up another level as Djokovic falls into a 15-30 hole... Next point is absolutely huge, so Djokovic decides to throw in an ace, 30 all.

Another real chance for Nadal to make a pass and force Djokovic to come out with a volley, but he fails to make it. And Djokovic gets the hold.. What a tennis match.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, *2-3 Rafael Nadal
The World Number 1 should be sitting in the changing rooms with another trophy in his cabinet having finished this match around 40 minutes ago and he looks extremely tired now.

A tired backhand allows Nadal to move up to 30-0, and he goes on to hold to love with little to no problems. We have seen Djokovic come back from the dead before, but this looks really tough for him here.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 2-4* Rafael Nadal
It's getting to that point where holding serve becomes more and more difficult when you are serving second. This will tell us a lot about the state of mind that Djokovic has now.

The errors are coming off the Djokovic racquet now, but he continues to show tremendous heart and moves into a 30-15 lead.

Big pressure now though as another error gives Nadal a slight chance to put his foot on the throat at 30 all.

Another error and this could the match right here as Nadal has a break point- he takes it thanks to another error from the World Number 1 and I think this is just about it for the Serb in a match he really should have won.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, *3-4 Rafael Nadal
It really is the best tennis Nadal has played all tournament as he has cut out his unforced errors and started to hit more winners.. There is still some fight left in Djokovic as he pulls the game back to 15 all, but it does feel he has been ground into submission here.

It looks like the game is going to Nadal with a bit of space, but he has somehow put a ball wide from a position I think I could have put it away and it's 30 all.

And out of absolutely nowhere, Djokovic earns a break point... That miss is looking even more silly now!! And Djokovic does break back, I cannot believe this match, some ridiculous turns of momentum when it looked like the World Number 1 was finished.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 4-4* Rafael Nadal
The question is how much did Djokovic expend, energy wise, in getting back into this? His body language is languid and he looks completely out of it, but he is summoning some unbelievable levels out of himself.

You can totally see why he is the World Number 1 player, both players have been amazing and showed real resilience in this match and there have been some massive momentum shifts.

Djokovic lost the first point on serve, but has fought back and moved into a 40-15 lead... Absolute epic of a match, and some real credit to Djokovic just days after another long match with Andy Murray.

The World Number 1 holds and now the pressure is on Nadal after it looked like he was going to cruise in this set.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, *4-5 Rafael Nadal
Djokovic collapses in a heap after a ridiculous point in the opening point of this game... Have these guys really been out there for over 5 hours? I cannot believe this, I really cannot!!

That first point took a lot out of Djokovic, but he is once again undone by a terrible line call, that must be the 5th or 6th time that has happened to him now... What are the line judges doing?

Well well, Nadal makes a couple of bad errors there and all of a sudden, after looking out on his feet, Djokovic is back to 30 all.

Unbelievable stuff from Djokovic, he wants this and forces the game to deuce... This is his moment I feel, I don't think I like his chances of having to serve to stay in the match if he fails to break here.

And just as I finish typing that, it is indeed a break point for the Serbian- big serve, big heart and big belief as Rafa saves that point.

Nadal gets his chance to get out of the game and a Djokovic error allows him to do so... Now how is your tension Djokovic?

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 5-5* Rafael Nadal
I just don't know how much more I can say about Novak Djokovic... He is rightly the best player in the World and he is showing why he is in that position by finding this energy from within.

I would probably tell Serbia that he won't be ready to compete for his country in the Davis Cup in a couple of weeks time though, he will need a month to recover from this.

Superb tennis from the World Number 1 and he holds to 15... We are in the position now where we need a two game differential to separate the players, no tie break in this set.

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, *6-5 Rafael Nadal
I am left shaking my head as Nadal somehow hooks a forehand down the line to win the first point... Great tennis.

He tries something similar on the next point, but is not so accurate and it's 15 all.

It's 15-30, and Djokovic has a real chance to do something as he reads the Nadal approach as he comes to the net... But the lob is wide and it's 30 all.

WOW... Djokovic had won that point about 4 times but Nadal keeps retrieving and scrambling, but he can't do much more and it's break point, a huge moment now.

Big mistake from Djokovic in trying to return the second serve, bad footwork really and Nadal has the easy put away... Back to deuce...

Not to matter now though as he has another chance with a second break point- it sounds like someone shouted out on the shot and put Nadal off... Djokovic will not care as he earns the break and now will get a chance to serve for the Championship!!

Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5
What kind of physical shape must you be in to perform the way these two are? Imagine how long it would take on a clay court if they meet at Roland Garros?

After winning a gruelling first point, Djokovic moves up 30-0 and is two points from the Championship...

Oh my goodness- Nadal shows incredible defence but Djokovic puts a smash into the bottom of the net. Think he should have let that bounce and played another shot, but now it's 30 all.

Seriously, I am going to fall out of my seat here- how in all the World did Nadal survive that point and then create a break point? Superbly saved from Djokovic and he remains just two points from the title. GREAT TENNIS all round!!

It's another unfortunate net cord, but here we go... Championship Point for Novak Djokovic.

And there it is... Congratulations to Novak Djokovic, the Australian Open 2012 Champion


The man deserved to win that Final, but I have to say I want to give Rafael Nadal all the praise in the World for making this as good a contest as it was.


Djokovic should have won almost 90 minutes ago, but congratulations to him... I'll be back for an Australian Open Recap later this evening, I need a beer now... Thanks for reading