Patrick Mouratoglou analyzes how Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal pushed their limits at the marathon 2012 Australian Open Finals
Mouratoglou reveals the mental strength both Nadal and Djokovic possessed during the finals of Australian Open 2012.
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Novak, Rafa, and Patrick
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have engaged in several historic battles since 2006. However, their rivalry reached its zenith in the 2012 Australian Open final, where they pushed each other to their limits like never before. The famous French tennis coach, Patrick Mouratoglou recalled the finals of the Australian Open in 2012 and elaborated on how both Djokovic and Nadal pushed their limits in that epic encounter.
After five hours and 53 minutes, Novak emerged victorious with a score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5-7), 7-5, marking the longest Major final to date. Mouratoglou has stated that it was the most physically and mentally demanding match in the history of tennis. He commended their mental fortitude that enabled them to go beyond their limits and push each other for six hours. Despite having opportunities to win in the fourth set, Novak failed to seal the deal and gave Rafa momentum.
Answering a student’s question, the French coach said, “Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal went beyond their physical limits. They are probably the best players in the game’s history when we talk about mental strength. It helped them to maintain a high level and go over their limits. It was one of the most mental matches in tennis history. They refused to surrender, and their minds brought them over the edge.”
He further continued talking and said, “They were at their best physically, but that alone would not be enough to keep them on the court for almost six hours without dropping the pace. Two other physically prepared players would have cracked earlier due to the lack of mental aspect. Novak and Rafa had it, and it allowed them to go that far and challenge each other.”
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In this marathon finals, Rafael Nadal started well by winning the first set 7-5 by breaking the Serbian’s serve in the 11th game. However, Djokovic did come back immediately and won the second set 6-4 where he broke Nadal’s serve in the ninth game. He further carried the momentum into the third set and won it comfortably breaking the Spaniard’s serve twice with a score of 6-2.
The fourth set led to a tie-breaker as Nadal held his nerve to save several match points. He finally won the set 7-6(7-5) and pushed the game into a fifth set. Djokovic had a chance to close out the match, but Nadal fought back and won the set in a tiebreak.
However, Djokovic was able to regroup and eventually win the fifth set 7-5 after breaking Nadal’s serve in the final game of the match. Despite losing the match, Nadal put up an incredible fight and showed remarkable resilience and determination throughout the contest. This final is considered to be one of the best finals to date and fans had a lifetime experience to witness the two greatest players giving all they can.
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Santhosh Tenneti
(308 Articles Published)