{"id":4397,"date":"2021-04-16T09:19:28","date_gmt":"2021-04-16T09:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/?p=4397"},"modified":"2021-04-16T09:19:28","modified_gmt":"2021-04-16T09:19:28","slug":"expected-points-april-16-a-bump-in-the-road-for-novak-djokovic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/2021\/04\/16\/expected-points-april-16-a-bump-in-the-road-for-novak-djokovic\/","title":{"rendered":"Expected Points, April 16: A Bump in the Road for Novak Djokovic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Expected Points<\/strong>, my new short, daily podcast, highlights three numbers to illustrate stats, trends, and interesting trivia around the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Up today: Djokovic loses early in Monte Carlo, Linda Fruhvirtova reaches her first WTA quarterfinal, and it\u2019s a good day to remember the contributions of Dr Robert Walter Johnson.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scroll down for a transcript.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"castos-iframe-player\" src=\"https:\/\/601b036c283f30-50244448.castos.com\/player\/419033\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can subscribe on <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/expected-points\/id1552064903\">iTunes<\/a>, Spotify, Stitcher, and elsewhere in the podcast universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Music: <a href=\"http:\/\/dig.ccmixter.org\/files\/admiralbob77\/63197\">Love is the Chase<\/a> by Admiral Bob (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. Ft: Apoxode<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Expected Points podcast is still a work in progress, so please let me know what you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> <iframe allow=\"autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"450\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.podcasts.apple.com\/gb\/podcast\/expected-points\/id1552064903\"> <\/p><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rough transcript of today\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n\n\n<p>The first number is 6, the number of years it\u2019s been since <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=NovakDjokovic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Novak Djokovic<\/a> reached the semifinals in Monte Carlo. His straight-set loss yesterday at the hands of British #33 Dan Evans ensured that the losing streak would continue, and it was a far cry from his performances in the first half of the last decade, when he won two titles at the event and lost only to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=RafaelNadal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rafael Nadal<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=RogerFederer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Roger Federer<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=FernandoVerdasco\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fernando Verdasco<\/a>. Djokovic\u2019s poor showings at his adopted-hometown tournament date back to 2016, when he crashed out of an opening round match against <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=JiriVesely\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jiri Vesely<\/a>; since then, he\u2019s lost to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=DavidGoffin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">David Goffin<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=DominicThiem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dominic Thiem<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=DaniilMedvedev\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daniil Medvedev<\/a>\u2014the last being a worse defeat than it sounds, since the Russian was ranked #14 and no better on the clay than he is now. It was only Evans\u2019s 7th career victory on dirt, but it would be mistake to worry too much about Novak\u2019s immediate future. In 2016, he won the Roland Garros title less than two months after losing to Vesely, and he\u2019s reached at least the semifinal in Rome every year since 2014. While he can\u2019t stop Nadal this week, he\u2019ll likely be in position to keep the Spaniard honest at the other marquee events this spring.<\/p>\n<p>Our second number is 2, the number of 15 year olds to reach a WTA quarterfinal in the last 15 years. One is Coco Gauff, who qualified for Wimbledon and upset <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=VenusWilliams\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venus Williams<\/a> in 2019, then won the Linz title that fall. The second is Linda Fruhvirtova, who added herself to the list with a routine win over American teen <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=EmmaNavarro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Emma Navarro<\/a> in Charleston last night. The young Czech has been on prospect-watchers\u2019 radar for some time, after winning the prestigious Les Petits As event in 2019. In 2021, she has done little but win, going 14-1 with two titles in adult ITF events. The tour-level quarterfinal carries a bit of an asterisk, as she got here via <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=AlizeCornet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alize Cornet<\/a>\u2019s first-round retirement and a defeat of 404th-ranked Navarro. Today\u2019s challenge is a little stiffer, in 165th-ranked <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=AstraSharma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Astra Sharma<\/a>. Should Fruhvirtova reach the semis, she\u2019ll face another teen\u2014the winner of a blockbuster match between last week\u2019s Bogota winner <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=MariaCamilaOsorioSerrano\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Maria Camila Osorio Serrano<\/a> and rising Danish star <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=ClaraTauson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Clara Tauson<\/a>. It\u2019s tough to say which is more crowded: The field of young stars currently atop the WTA rankings, or the gang of teenagers right behind them.<\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s third and final number is 122, the number of years since the birth of tennis Hall of Famer Dr Robert Walter Johnson. More than anyone else, Dr Johnson was the force behind the rise of both Althea Gibson and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/cgi-bin\/player.cgi?p=ArthurAshe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arthur Ashe<\/a>, the stars who proved that African Americans could compete at the highest levels of international tennis and forced open the doors of the whites-only clubs where prestigious tournaments were played. The founder of the American Tennis Association\u2019s Junior Development Program, he not only served as talent-spotter, but also as coach, mentor, administrator, and more\u2014all while operating his medical practice in Lynchburg, Virginia. It\u2019s no wonder his nickname was \u201cWhirlwind.\u201d He was an enthusiastic player, as well\u2014he won mixed doubles titles into his 50s at the annual, predominantly Black ATA championships, but he would probably admit that most of the credit was due to his usual partner, Althea Gibson. The tennis establishment wasn\u2019t much interested in celebrating Dr Johnson\u2019s birthday for most of his life, so 50 years after his death, the least we can do is honor his accomplishments as we reap the benefits of a more inclusive sport.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-thumbnail\"><a href=\"https:\/\/159.203.141.169\/tennisabstract\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/epts_logo.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/159.203.141.169\/tennisabstract\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/epts_logo-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/epts_logo-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/epts_logo-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/epts_logo-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/epts_logo-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/epts_logo-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/epts_logo.jpg 1662w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Expected Points, my new short, daily podcast, highlights three numbers to illustrate stats, trends, and interesting trivia around the sport. Up today: Djokovic loses early in Monte Carlo, Linda Fruhvirtova reaches her first WTA quarterfinal, and it\u2019s a good day to remember the contributions of Dr Robert Walter Johnson. Scroll down for a transcript. You &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/2021\/04\/16\/expected-points-april-16-a-bump-in-the-road-for-novak-djokovic\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Expected Points, April 16: A Bump in the Road for Novak Djokovic<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-expected-points-podcast"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4397"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4397\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennisabstract.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}