it's a baseliners tour now. blame it on the surfaces. blame it on the racquets. blame it on the strings. whatever. it is what it is. is it harder to smack winners past opponents now? maybe. maybe it is cos they're fitter and faster. regardless, baseliners come (and have always come) in a variety of flavors.
djokovic is the best of the best, the best of the baseliners. not disputed. but you also can't deny that he stands at the back and can be the most defensive of baseliners. someone with his skill, his power and shot-making should be able to end points a lot sooner . . . with approaches, with angles, with net play, with anything. but he resorts to standing at the back and getting into 30-shot rallies . . . point after point after point. which is why his matches can last 4, 5, 6 hours. which is why he's not the most popular of no 1's.
it's a dull way to play. fans can accept it if it is the best you can do. but not when they think you can do more. not when you're no 1.