Just Who's Revolution Is It Anyway? - US Open Men's Final-Djokovic v. Nadal

Hi to everyone! I've been immersed in the epilogue for 'The Life Cycles Revolution', so I haven't been very active with the blog. However I want to change all that and give you this post as a bonus extra for September-the main story will follow. This is really by way of showing you 'Life Cycles' theory in action. My attention was originally drawn to a comment by Most Profound (who has one of my favourite blogs and is also one of my favourite people on Blogoshere), when he left a comment on my post on Djokovic saying :- "It will be interesting to see how the future goes for him". Because I often take the long view, I was thinking of his next 'significant year', which was seven years away. Of course the comment was made post-Wimbledon, but pre-US Open, so I along with many others took a close look at this prestigious tournament.

In order to understand anything from a 'Life Cycles' perspective you have to ask what happened to the person in their last 'significant year'. This is very straightforward. When I saw Nadal cruise his way through to the final by brushing aside World No. 4 Andy Murray, I asked myself 'How old is he?'. The answer was 'he was 25' (born 3rd June, 1986). So what were things like for him when he was aged 24 (3rd June, 2010 to 3rd June, 2011)? The first fact I noticed, is that in this year he regained the World No.1 ranking by winning his 5th French Open title. This occurred when Federer lost to Soderling in the quarters, so things were working for him. He held it for the rest of this 12 month period, in spite of his losses to Djokovic. He next won Wimbledon and the US Open, clinching the year end No.1 title. He ended the year winning 3 Slams, 3 Masters and edging out Roger Federer for the first time for the Sportamanship Award (which he had held for the last 6 years). It was described by commentators as 'an incredible season'. Will history see it as a high-water mark? Too soon to tell, but it was a career peak and he was on top. This was all in his 'Year of Revolution'. Where was 23 year-old Novak Djokovic then? It was all Nadal and Federer.

Now you all know that Novak turned 24 in May, 2011 and I already covered what happened to him in the Wimbledon Final. He was now indisputably World No.1 and he simply outplayed Rafa that day. It was now his 'Year of Revolution'. His turn in the sun. So now to Flushing Meadow. Things did not look good in the semi-final against Roger, who had been playing superb tennis and had the crowd behind him. He won the first two sets and was leading 5-3 in the fifth with 40-15 and 2 match points. What chance Novak? You'd have no takers on Sportsbet I'd reckon. Then in Novak's own words :- "I decided to gamble it all on a service return. These shots go out as much as they go in." He returned a Federer 180km first serve with a crashing forehand to win this critical point. Roger went on to lose the game and the set and the match from here. This is the power of the 'Year of Revolution'. This is the fateful turning point, when the tide is at its fullest. He had such a moment at Wimbledon as well if you remember.

So now to the Men's Final. Just who's 'Year of Revolution' was it anyway? Rafa tried supremely hard throughout this scintillating final, full of tennis at the very highest level. He rallied and won the 4th set tie-break, but it did him no good at the end of the day. Novak had his measure. He is now talked of as the better all-round athlete (something Rafa held unopposed last year). He is agile and tough and his attitude is solid. Stay in the moment and don't get temperamental. There is no doubt it's Novak's year. He's on top. Yes it's his Revolution.

If you think I'm just lucky or I only point out the good stuff, just wait till you read my devastating evidence in 'The Life Cycles Revolution'. I actually lay an open challenge to the sceptics to prove me wrong! No other theory can or would be able to do this, I'll be back soon so don't go away.