This ALMOST Kept Novak Djokovic In The French Today

((HT: Seth Rosenthal's Vine))

The HQ isn't sure this is the kind of motivation we would need to stay in a major tennis tournament, but it may be enough motivation for us to get something done a little quicker than we would normally need or want to get something done...

We're showing this on a couple of different fronts:


Rafa Nadal won the French in four sets and it did look like Djokovic wanted to get out of town and have quick points to get to a fifth and deciding set.

But the other question is: Was the slo-mo too much for the average viewer or did you dig it...???

54 Or 55 Stroke Rally At Flushing Meadow In Men's Final

((HT: EuroSport/USTA))

Okay, this is either a 54 or 55-stroke rally...

The HQ is guessing that, if we're talking 55, the serve is included...

Regardless, this is ridiculous in the first set...


Djokovic and Nadal may play until Thursday...

Djokovic Survives Down Under

((HT: EuroSport/ATP/WTA))

And a lot of people have a newly-found level of respect for Stan Wawrinka after this match in the Round of 16 at the Australian Open...

Djokovic needed just over 5 hours to beat Wawrinka 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (7-5), 12-10. Remember, last year at the Australian Open final, Djokovic needed almost 6 hours to knock off Rafa Nadal.

Here's some of the highlights... if we ran the whole match down below, we'd run out of space (or memory- whichever applies...)


"I just had flashback of 2012," Djokovic said afterwards in the post-match interviews. "It was maybe 45 minutes less this match than the one 12 months ago, but still it was still as exciting. I tried to enjoy the moment and couldn't ask for more. What a match point ... unbelievable."

And don't think Tomas Berdych wasn't watching this match, either...

Djokovic-Nadal Goes Monday Morning On Us

((HT: TennisAustralia/EuroSport/youtube))

For those of us who follow tennis regularly, and admittedly the HQ only does it around the time of the majors, Novak Djokovic is the man- currently.

And after a five-hour roll in the semis against Andy Murray, Joker had to go 5:53 in the final against Rafa Nadal- just to finish...

And, no that was not a misprint...

For those of you on the east coast, you got a bit of a "Breakfast At..." bonus. The match coverage started a little after 3AM eastern time and didn't finish until 10AM eastern time.

Here's how it ended...


The match was the longest final ever for a grand-slam event. The previous record was Mats Wilander's win over Ivan Lendl at the U.S. Open in 1988, which lasted 4 hours, 54 minutes.

The longest Australian Open final also involved Wilander when he beat Pat Cash in 1988. Today's match was also the longest in the tournament's history.

Not a shock...

But the best part was when, in the longest self-important thank you at the end of the tourney, aides had to bring chairs for both finalists to sit down in- since they were the last part of the ceremony and their bodies were locking up.

Four-letter play-by-player Chris Fowler had it right when Patrick McEnroe asked "What else do you say...?"

his response: "Thank you, Rafa. Thank you, Novak."

Here's last analysis from ESPN...