[Gaskan]

I think people are forgetting that Joker will have to play best of 5 all the way to the final as well. Whole different beast. Not that he can't still win, but playing Nadal best of 5 after a tourney like that is MUCH different.

[delpiero7]

I think people are forgetting that Joker will have to play best of 5 all the way to the final as well. Whole different beast. Not that he can't still win, but playing Nadal best of 5 after a tourney like that is MUCH different.

This is a valid point, especially given some fitness issues that have arisen with Djokovic in slams.

However, looking at his form through the whole season, he has brushed aside every player in the early rounds of tournaments, meaning he has more energy in the tank for the later rounds.

Djokovic of the past 2 or 3 seasons would reach the final 4 in a slam more often then not. However, on those occassions he:
a) lacked the slight extra bit of class to beat either Federer or Nadal
b) had been kept on court longer than expected in earlier rounds, being taken to 4 or 5 sets by players that he should routine.

This season, Djokovic has been bagelling players for fun in early rounds. If he does that through the first week, then he'll be prepared to launch an assault in the second week where he could face very tricky players like Ferrer, Soderling and Murray from the QF onwards.