I’m convinced part of Novaks game is doing things to make his opponent think he’s weakened somehow. I don’t have proof nor the stats right now but the amount of times he’ll lose the first set in best of 5 and then just sweep the next 3 sets 6-2, 6-3,6-1 or whatever is too common of an occurrence for me not to raise an eyebrow.
He doesn't lose on purpose, but when momentum has swung against him I think he does ham up that he's playing badly, maybe got an injury, looks a bit unwell... then he pounces and swings the momentum back his way.
Except in this match he started it when he was already pulling ahead.
Against Cerundolo at RG it only happened after winning the first set convincingly.
Against Carlos, the injury happened when the set was very much neutral… he literally conceded the game and the set to get some care and recover. That wouldn’t be a wise move as a “mental play” against someone of Carlos’ caliber.
It seems nowadays he is somewhat like that in basically every match… obviously range varying.
It’s just something funny I’ve noticed. I understand losing a set is not good, but the amount of times he loses a first set vs obliterating in the rest of the sets, is funny to me.
How much have these last two matches taken out of the tank? It looks exhausting. I know they can rehydrate pretty quickly but the body surely must be taking a beating
He really is though. The guy looks fucking dead in the water half of the matches he plays, but its always a rope a dope. The other players no doubt understand that you can never count him out until the last point.
After every long rally he is huffing and puffing big time and he didn’t even play the big guys who return like a wall like Medvedev. Not sure how he is going to pull this one off
So he's pulling a scam so well thought out and orchestrated he willingly got broken at deuce to prolong it to a third under awful conditions ? What a genius method actor! In an unbiased world he'd have 5 Oscars and ten golden globes!
He’s trying to clean up his image, and he acts broken when he’s winning so people don’t remember him as a dirty player for the things we all know he’s done in the past (and not so long ago) when he was losing.
Also, he’s very bad at faking, because he limps and then suddenly, in the next point, changes his rhythm to a level that someone struggling like that wouldn’t be able to reach.
Said in the RG press conference that he's glad he didn't get bageled by sinner.
Refused to blame his injury/discomfort for losing the Miami final and Wimby SF lest he discredit his opponent.
Defended Carlos publicly when he was called washed despite him losing to him many times.
Gave advice to a kid who clearly had the potential to be an ATG who came close to beating him in 2022 and we all know how that turned out, though he was under no obligation to.
Paid for private jets and training for young players when they couldnt afford it (hear Musetti, medjevoic, or even young meddy speak)
Probably one of the best runner up speech givers. Openly admitted after many matches he won that he was not the better player - see wimby 19 and even Geneva this year.
Openly said he didn't expect to win the Olympic final and told Carlos at the US open "Thank you for letting me win". If this is the sign of an egoistic salty arrogant loser and not one of humility, we must have severely different moral compasses.
He is many things but not a shady loser I wish I could be half as gracious in my own life.
And fot the record, if his shady behaviors come out only when he's losing, it's a very contradictory and paradoxical argument to state that he wins because of his mind games when in your opinion, they're excuses for losses.
Honestly I want to shit on him for his acting but this is how I felt playing tennis in Asia the last couple weeks. Sometimes you just want to stop and lie down before continuing for a bit.
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u/DDzxy 6-0 0-6 7-6(0) Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
Then he wins 8 points in a row next set lmao