Djokovic, after winning the first set with a score of 6-4, was no longer himself. He broke the game all three times. So, Thiem led the opposite in sets 2 and 3 with the score 4-6 and 2-6.
And Thiem, from that advantage of 2-1 and the strength of youth (27 years old, and 33-year-old Djokovic) lost in the last two sets 3-6 and 4-6, missing the opportunity to win for the first time. Grand Slam in his career.
Rod Laver, the first and only so far to win all four Grand Slams in the same year 50 years ago, summed up the “broken law” after hanging the racket, and became absolutely accurate with modern tennis in 5-set matches in Grand Slam tournaments.
Djokovic saw how Nadal became unfavorable after losing to Thiem in set 1 in the semi-finals. The reason for age requires those over the age of 30 to solve specific problems. If you have to race in terms of mentality and fitness, here is the need to take the lead from the beginning.
Djokovic himself lost to Thiem in the semi-finals of Roland Garros 2019. This happened after 5 sets from losing at the first set.
What about the state?
The medical timeout Djokovic used before going into set 4 was not for him to be taken care of by the doctors but for the “monster” inside him to return. And maybe it was for Thiem to have time to lose concentration, determination, and sublimation. This was because he thought he can become the first of the future generation to step on the podium of Grand Slam.
Indeed, Thiem had lost himself, just like set 1, had failed himself in decisive shots, first backhand, and then forehand.
The backhand line 5 to 5 lost to push Thiem to the point of losing the lead advantage. Then the last forehand to go out at the end of the match can be considered risky but can also be surrender.
The strategy
The strategy chosen by Djokovic after 3 minutes into the tunnel was to play persistently, well-prepared, not risky, and forced Thiem to self-destruct to achieve the maximum effect.
In the set of 5 decisions, Djokovic does not have more direct points (only 5 compared to 9 of Thiem, and 13 of himself in set 4) but make fewer mistakes (12 compared to 16 of Thiem).