Djokovic: fall of Fed can serve up a new era
Just like Rafael Nadal in his straight-sets defeat to unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga the day before, Federer was outclassed in a manner which suggests the pair’s duopoly could be over.
Yesterday Djokovic showed why he has been touted as the player most likely to end the three-year dominance by Federer of Switzerland and Spain’s number two-ranked Nadal.
The pair had won 13 of the past 14 Grand Slam titles between them heading into this year’s Australian Open but neither will be on Rod Laver Arena for tomorrow’s final after Djokovic thrashed Federer 7-5 6-3 7-6 (7/5) at Melbourne Park.
The two stunning semi-final upsets mean for the first time since 1998 the Australian Open men’s final will be contested by two players searching for their first grand slam singles title, although Djokovic — unlike 38th-ranked Tsonga — has at least played in a major final before.
Djokovic believes the events of the past two days mark a turning point for the sport.
“I think it is,” he said following his two-hour, 28-minute dismissal of Federer. “Every sport wants to have some new faces (at the top).”
Djokovic added: “I knew I had to believe in myself and be positive on the court and not nervous — just stay with him (Federer) and be aggressive.
“I was more patient (than during the US Open final) and I didn’t allow him be aggressive and control the match.”
Federer suffered his first straight-sets loss at a grand slam tournament since the third round of the 2004 French Open and the Swiss admitted he had not been at his best during the Australian Open after being hit with an illness just before the tournament.
“It’s the first time I’ve been ill before a Grand Slam and it might have had an effect on my movement,” Federer said.
“I don’t know but I definitely didn’t feel as quick as some other times.”
Federer added he is learning to deal with the unique pressure of his constant success.
“Of course I’ve created a monster so I know I need to always win every tournament,” he said.
“I didn’t play my best throughout these championships but I was pretty solid and (reaching the) semis is still pretty good but as soon as I lose a set people say I’m playing bad, so it’s my own mistake I guess.”
Meanwhile Ana Ivanovic says playing in today’s Australian Open Ladies final against Maria Sharapova will be a dream come true.
Ivanovic, 20, who grew up in war-torn Serbia, is playing in her second Grand Slam final while Sharapova is aiming to win her third Grand Slam title.
“Since I was a kid, training in Belgrade, I dreamed about these occasions, when I play in a Grand Slam final,” she said.
“There were so few courts in the city I practiced in an empty swimming pool — it’s hard to imagine we did that.”
Ivanovic said she is looking forward to producing a better display than in her previous Grand Slam final, in last year’s French Open, where she was hammered 6-1 6-2 by Justine Henin.
“It was very overwhelming. The whole atmosphere, everything, was just too big in that moment,” she said.
“So, that’s something I definitely have to learn from and this time, hopefully, deal with it better.”
Sharapova has a ghost of her own to lay to rest after she was thrashed 6-1 6-2 by unseeded Serena Williams in last year’s Australian Open final.
“From the beginning of the tournament, you want to go a step further than you’ve done in the past,” admitted the Russian.
“I know what tennis I’m capable of. I’ve shown it before, I’ve done it in my career already. “I’ve won two Grand Slams, I’ve been number one in the world. I didn’t do it just by waking up and eating ice cream all day.
“I’ve worked for all the things that I have achieved. I know that I’m capable of achieving more.”
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