https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv5CpunToFA
In 2010, Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic to win his first US Open title and cap off the best Grand Slam season of his career. In 2011, Novak Djokovic took the tour by its throat and won 3 major titles while defeating Rafa in 6 consecutive tournament final matches. 2012 saw the rivalry shift again. Nole won a classic 5 set marathon against Rafa to take the Australian Open crown. The 2012 clay court season saw Rafa reverse the course of the rivalry with 3 victories over Nole including a four set final at Roland Garros played over two days. Since that time, Novak Djokovic has been the most consistent performer on the men’s tour winning 1 Australian Open, 2 World Tour Finals, and logging two US Open and 1 Wimbledon runner-up finishes. Still, the loss to Nadal in the 2012 French Open final ended Nole’s reign as dictator of the men’s tour. Rafa has had a lot of ups and a few downs since that 2012 match. He picked up 2 Grand Slam titles in 2013, but also suffered 2 early losses at Wimbledon and missed the 2012 US Open and 2013 Australian Open with injuries.
The War of 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvO4rSaSTEU
Nole was playing with purpose last year as his childhood coach passed away. He dedicated his tournament to her memory. Rafa led two sets to one and took a break lead in the fourth set. The match seemed to be over. Nole took his game to a higher level and broke serve, eventually forced a tiebreak and took the tiebreak to force a fifth set.
The fifth set saw Novak take a break lead, and Rafa looked to be in serious trouble. Nole had a mental lapse and ran into the net to put a ball away. Things turned around after that point. Nadal got the set back on serve. Eventually he took the match. Nadal went on to win his 8th Roland Garros title. Nole lost in the Wimbledon final to Andy Murray and then lost the US Open final to Rafa. Each man suffered a loss at the hands of Stanislas Wawrinka in Melbourne. The winner will either take his 9th (!) Roland Garros title or complete his career Grand Slam and reascend to the top of men’s tennis.
Novak’s Reassertion?
After his US Open loss, Novak did not lose another match in 2013. His wins included two straight set victories over Rafael Nadal. 2014 did not include a 5th Australian Open for Nole. Novak did beat Rafa in straight sets again to win Miami. The clay court season did not start perfectly for Nole. He hurt his wrist in Monte Carlo and lost to Roger Federer. This injury led to Nole skipping Madrid. The two faced off in Rome with each aiming for momentum heading into Roland Garros. Nole dropped the first set, but then took the next two sets 6-3 and 6-3. Novak has 4 straight wins over Nadal and has won 8 of the 9 sets in these 4 matches. Winning the World Tour Final, Miami and Rome over Nadal has to give Novak a lot of confidence, but winning Roland Garros over Nadal would return tennis to a state resembling that of 2011. Novak can move from being tennis’ most consistent performer to once again becoming the top champion on tour.
Rafa 9 and 14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wHPMqCGpnY
A ninth Roland Garros title would keep Nadal at #1 in the computer, and it would further cement his status as the greatest clay court player to ever live. His excellence on clay is so otherworldly that it may propel him to the status of Greatest of All Time across the board. A ninth Roland Garros title would also mean a 14th major tying Rafa with Pete Sampras for 2nd all-time in terms of Grand Slam singles titles. With 14 Grand Slam Titles, an Olympic Gold Medal, and great head-to-head records against most all of his peers, Rafa’s case for GOAT would get stronger.
The Prediction
The build to this match is a great deal like the 2006-2008 Wimbledon duels between Federer and Nadal. In 2006, Roger won in 4 sets. In 2012, Rafa beat Nole in 4 sets. In 2007, Roger turned back Rafa in 5 sets. In 2013, Rafa beat Nole in 5 sets. In 2008, Rafa turned the tables and beat Roger in 5 sets. In 2014, I predict that Novak Djokovic will turn the tables and win Roland Garros in 4 sets. Rafa will dig as deep as he can in this match. So long as Novak is willing to pay the price physically, I think his return game and ability to hurt Rafa’s court positioning will make the difference. Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Tennis Abides: Dan Martin on Tennis and Life 
please be right please be right!!! 😉 thanks dan
I think both men can win this match, but I think in general Novak has had the better of Rafa as of late. Last year when Rafa was winning everything in North America I picked him to beat Nole and was right. I think that trend has reversed so I am picking Nole.
@jane, I thought you won’t post again. Glad to read you.
The other evening, we left a few links for Wogboy and you, and all the others ex-xfans. TL then posted again. TF76 posts too, from time to time. Contador still posts, Alison is there, skeezer, and the Vamos brigade will be nice if Nadal loses tomorrow.
Come back. We miss you, at least, I do. There’s no poetry on the site any more. Change your moniker if you want.
@Dan:
You’re last posts were very interesting. I think you don’t have to post predictions, you have such interesting articles about coaching, training…
Matt – I intend to do more and more on coaching, player development and growing the sport. In terms of traffic, predictions do drive up my readership, but I want to diversify. I have two product reviews coming up shortly. I will see what I can do to keep adding pieces with my voice in them. Predictions are not easy to present a point of view unless one adopts a fanboy approach, and I don’t want to do that.
hi mat4, in fact, i have been searching for victory poetry, hoping it could fill my yearning in the meantime. unfortunately i found emily dickenson “victory comes late” which i love but which isn’t exactly exalting. but only one thing will satisfy, after all is read and done.
nice to “see” you my friend. i do sometimes read your funny, intelligent, and optimistically-pessimistic posts. as well as daniel’s always-right ones. and contador’s infectiously-lovable ones.
maybe… maybe someday.
Did I tell you that I found the astro pages where Jamie finds his astrological predictions?
I needed some time to find that source, which, unfortunately, as I read the previous pages, seemed to be quite accurate. The guys there seem very serious and knowledgeable.
But for today’s match… what a mess! while the man that made the chart is absolutely certain that the player in the first house will win… he is not certain who he is !?! although he believes it is Novak, this time.
They predicted that Novak would win Wimbledon this year.
The initial forecast was this would be the last Rafa’s slam victory, and that he would lose only next year, in 2015.
Can’t say that I believe in this, but won’t say that I don’t, since I read part of the previous record. They seem to be pretty accurate… But in that case, total confusion.
hugs to you mat4. nole lost today but he won the hearts of the crowd. i sure hope those predictions are right. nole needs a big win soon or the time-window will close. quite sad. but slightly hopeful. cheers my friend.
I think if he did have an illness then he should feel good moving forward and moving to surfaces with surer footing.