1 Response to olymp2021carreno_djokovic

1. Voo de Mar says:

   February 26, 2025 at 9:56 pm

   Points won by each set: | 38-30, 36-40, 34-27 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   27 % Carreno – 33 of 118
   27 % Djokovic – 24 of 87

   The 34-year-old Djokovic [1] miscalculated his physicality in Tokyo. He had an ambitious plan to get two Gold medals, thus he entered not only the singles draw, but the doubles-mixed as well. Competing two matches three successive days in ~30° degrees at full physical and mental commitment proved to be beyond his capabilities even though he wasn’t involved in any long battle. Simply in the semifinal he got a physical crisis in the 2nd set, and paid for it because he was dealing with his arguably toughest opponent among those ~10 years younger (Zverev). Eight matches within seven days caused Djokovic stepped onto the court to play the bronze match not looking particularly well – his movement was sluggish from the first points. In the 1st set he lost three games having break points, and changed his tactics as the 2nd set began: he was trying to shorten the points either attacking the net or risking his ground-strokes directly after Carreno’s returns, being actually focused only on holding. It was the right tactics: in the tie-break he led 4:1* and withstood a match point at 5:6 with a service winner to take it 8/6. Following the dramatic set both players took a toilet break which lasted 8 minutes in total. After the resumption Djokovic created a break point, putting a lot of energy into running, but failed. He threw his racquet into the stands being lucky that the umpire didn’t give him the warning. The effort in the opening game contributed to his weaker serving, and Carreno [11] established a 3:0* lead – Djokovic broke his racquet into two parts hitting it against the net-post. Serving to obtain the medal, the Spaniard seemed tense, there were four deuces, but every time at ‘deuce’ Carreno was getting points directly with out-wide serves, and converted his sixth match point as Djokovic netted a forehand. Carreno was emotionless throughout, but when the 2-hour 47-minute contest was over, he celebrated on his back; afterwards he was crying while sitting at his chair. “I gave it all – whatever I had left in the tank, which was not so much,” Djokovic admitted. “I felt it out on the court. The consequences physically hopefully will not create a problem for me for the US Open. That’s something that I’m not sure about right now. But I’m not regretting giving it all because when you play for your country that’s necessary.” The Serb decided not to play the Bronze medal match in mixed-doubles later that day… “This is amazing, I’ve never felt something like this,” said the 30-year-old Carreno. “I haven’t won the tournament but it’s like the best title of my career.” The Spaniard played in Tokyo also in doubles, but lost his first match.

   [ESP] Carreno’s route to the Bronze medal:
   1 Tennys Sandgren [USA] 7-5, 6-2
   2 Marin Cilic [CRO] 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
   3 Dominik Koepfer [GER] 7-6(7), 6-3
   Q Daniil Medvedev [RUS] 6-2, 7-6(5)
   S Karen Khachanov [RUS] 3-6, 3-6
   3rd place: Novak Djokovic [SRB] 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3

   Serve & volley: Carreno 0, Djokovic 4/6

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