SIX HUNDRED AND sixty-two days have handed since Novak Djokovic final gained a serious title.
That day, in September 2023, was a history-clinching efficiency on the US Open, by which he defeated Daniil Medvedev to tie Margaret Courtroom’s long-standing report for essentially the most Grand Slam singles titles of all time with 24.
It appeared all however sure that Djokovic would finally declare the outright report.
Since then, Rafael Nadal, his biggest rival, has retired from the game, leaving Djokovic because the lone remaining member of the Massive Three. (Roger Federer, the opposite member, retired in 2022.) The now 38-year-old Djokovic has reached a Wimbledon ultimate, made three different main semifinals and even gained Olympic gold, however the coveted report stays elusive. After dropping to Jannik Sinner within the semifinals on the French Open final month, he was emotional as he walked off the courtroom. He later instructed reporters it “may have been the final match ever” he would play on the match and hinted at his personal retirement.
Even with out mentioning his inevitable finish within the sport, there already was a looming query mark over each main he performed. However by making it clear that he knew it too, there’s virtually a countdown clock on his dream and his likelihood to safe tennis immortality. And now at Wimbledon, an occasion by which he has gained seven occasions, lots of these across the sport have publicly speculated that this fortnight is his finest — and maybe ultimate — alternative to win main title No. 25.
Now into the third spherical after clinically defeating Dan Evans, 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 on Thursday, and after wanting principally dominant in his first two matches, the No. 6-seeded Djokovic’s play has supported this declare. And he hasn’t hidden that he is aware of it too.
“Whether or not it might be my final dance, I am undecided, as I am undecided about Roland Garros or every other Slam that I play subsequent,” Djokovic stated throughout his information convention earlier than the match acquired underway.
He added he wished to maintain taking part in, however admitted he was uncertain he would be capable of.
“And sure, I might in all probability agree that Wimbledon might be one of the best likelihood due to the outcomes I [have] had, due to how I really feel, how I play in Wimbledon, simply getting that further push mentally and motivation to, yeah, carry out one of the best tennis on the highest degree.”
For now, 5 matches — and doubtlessly his two largest rivals of the second in Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz — stand in his approach. If he have been to do it, he would turn out to be the oldest participant within the Open period to win a Slam, and he would match Roger Federer for essentially the most males’s singles titles on the All England Membership. Twenty years after making his debut on the match, a lot is in his favor and the stakes are greater than ever. Can he do it?
TO BE CLEAR, Djokovic doesn’t must win one other match to safe his spot among the many sport’s biggest.
His résumé already speaks for itself. He has extra main titles than any man in historical past and has spent an ATP report of 428 weeks ranked at No. 1, together with holding the year-end distinction eight occasions. He has 40 Masters-1000 titles and 100 ATP trophies total, gained the ATP Finals crown seven occasions, has two Olympic medals, together with a much-desired gold he secured final summer season in Paris, and the listing goes on and on. For a lot of, Djokovic firmly cemented his standing as one of the best ever after the victory in New York two years in the past.
“There’ll at all times be watercooler debates, however it may be robust, and far more troublesome, for anybody to argue in every other path exterior of Novak being the best of all time with him at 24,” James Blake, the previous world No. 4 and present analyst, instructed ESPN on the time.
However even when others did not want any extra convincing, Djokovic made it clear he wished to proceed taking part in and profitable as many titles as doable. After he completed the 2023 season with one other ATP Finals title and the year-end high rating, he instructed reporters he had even loftier objectives for 2024.
“Properly, you possibly can win 4 Slams and an Olympic gold,” Djokovic stated. “I’ve at all times the very best ambitions and objectives. That is not going to be completely different for the following yr … Motivation, particularly for the most important tournaments in sport, remains to be current. It nonetheless evokes me to maintain going.”
After all, destiny — and Sinner and Alcaraz — had different concepts. Djokovic misplaced to Sinner within the semifinals on the 2024 Australian Open and needed to withdraw forward of the quarterfinals on the French Open to endure surgical procedure for a torn medial meniscus in his proper knee. He returned to Wimbledon and even made the ultimate — his sixth in a row — however misplaced, for the second consecutive yr, to Alcaraz. He achieved his lifelong dream of profitable Olympic gold with an electrical victory over Alcaraz after which was surprised within the third spherical of the US Open by Alexei Popyrin.
Djokovic seemed to be in near-peak kind on the Australian Open in January, beating Alcaraz in 4 units within the quarterfinals, after which needed to retire after the opening set of his semifinal attributable to a hamstring harm. All through his struggles, Djokovic has spoken overtly about his waning motivation and the way troublesome it has been to proceed with Nadal, Federer and Andy Murray not on tour.
Since Djokovic’s victory on the US Open, Sinner, 23, and Alcaraz, 22, have mixed to win each main. Djokovic has had some success over the previous yr in opposition to Alcaraz, however he has been winless in all three conferences in opposition to Sinner for the reason that begin of 2024.
The duo has established themselves because the New Massive Two, with Djokovic on the skin, seeking to pull off the upset — very like he was earlier in his profession in opposition to the then-more established Federer and Nadal. However Djokovic stated that mattered little to him and his strategy coming into majors.
“In a way you are at all times looking since you’re at all times going for the titles — in my additionally privileged place — the information and extra historical past,” Djokovic stated on Saturday. “I do really feel that I am at all times in that place of going for one thing with the perspective of attempting to win relatively than attempting to defend … I might say it is barely completely different for me now when it comes to, I do not chase the rankings anymore in that regard, [but] I am attempting to play one of the best tennis in Grand Slams and attempting to win Grand Slams. That hasn’t modified. It nonetheless stays the identical.”
Via two matches at Wimbledon this week, and notably in his second-round victory, Djokovic has displayed an more and more excessive degree of tennis. He was relentless in his overpowering of the British Evans with an 89% win share on first serve and 46 winners (to Evans’ 19) within the conflict that lasted simply 1 hour and 47 minutes.
“The underside line is, it is fairly apparent why he is pretty much as good as he’s on that courtroom,” Evans stated after the match. “He performed good tennis and confirmed everyone on Centre Courtroom why he is a contender.”
Djokovic instructed the gang after the match he executed his sport plan for the match “completely” and stated it was a kind of days “the place every little thing goes your approach.” With the win, he superior to the Spherical of 32 at Wimbledon for the nineteenth time. He’ll subsequent face fellow Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic on Saturday, with a spot within the second week on the road and an opportunity for his one hundredth profession victory on the All England Membership. Djokovic has gained all three of their earlier conferences, together with at Wimbledon in 2022.
GRASS HAS ALWAYS been nicely suited to Djokovic’s taking part in model and it stays the floor by which he has the most important benefit.
Although he did not play on the floor as a baby, and even as a junior, he has managed to adapt his motion, and masterfully makes use of his flexibility and footwork to cowl the courtroom. Along with his robust serve and return, that are apparent advantages, he can deal with the low-bouncing circumstances and differing velocity of the grass higher than virtually anybody. Whereas some gamers have stated the courtroom velocity at Wimbledon has slowed lately, Djokovic stated on Thursday that grass stays the quickest floor, however added he believes the ball used has modified the tempo of play considerably. He is seemingly adjusted irrespective of how briskly or sluggish the courtroom could also be.
Grass can be the softest and absorbs affect otherwise than the others — one thing that would definitely profit an getting older participant with latest leg accidents.
However maybe most useful to him of all, Djokovic has the expertise on the floor that few others do. The grass season is undoubtedly the shortest portion of the calendar — with simply over three weeks separating the tip of the French Open and the beginning of Wimbledon — so few high gamers take part in additional than two warmup occasions and a few, for various causes, play none in any respect. With such a brief window yearly, it may be exhausting for gamers to ever actually really feel comfy on the floor, as evidenced by the rash of top-seeded gamers who’ve been upset within the first two rounds of play.
“I do not know when the tip is coming however I believe his finest likelihood is on grass,” stated Andy Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion and former world No. 1, on a latest episode of his “Served” podcast. “I believe his sport because it stands at the moment — not Novak from 5 years in the past — however because it stands at the moment, I believe he will get essentially the most profit from the floor on grass now. And he is aware of what to do with it.”
If Djokovic have been to win on Saturday, he would doubtless face No. 11 seed Alex de Minaur within the fourth spherical. Whereas No. 4 seed and British favourite Jack Draper was Djokovic’s presumed quarterfinal opponent, Draper misplaced within the second spherical on Thursday to unseeded Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion. Whereas Cilic or Jakub Mensik, the No. 15 seed and rising teenage star, are actually potential foes within the quarters, Djokovic’s draw feels extra favorable in Draper’s absence. Sinner would doubtless await within the semifinals, and whereas Sinner has gotten the higher of Djokovic of their latest conferences, he is by no means superior previous that stage at Wimbledon earlier than, and misplaced in his lone lead-in occasion within the spherical of 16.
If Djokovic have been to make it to the championship match, he may arrange a third-consecutive Wimbledon ultimate in opposition to Alcaraz, the undisputed favourite to win the title. Whereas it might be troublesome to defeat Sinner and Alcaraz back-to-back on one of many sport’s grandest levels, it might not be unattainable.
“He is not on the ranges of Carlos and Jannik, particularly within the final 18 months, as a result of the numbers converse for themselves, however the best way he performed in opposition to Sinner [at the French Open] shocked me,” former world No. 12 Feliciano López stated in a latest interview with Sky Sports activities. “He challenged Sinner and pushed him to the restrict and, though the hole remains to be huge, I see the grass as the one place for him to get to this degree that they play as a result of the grass could be very completely different. Djokovic proved that he can nonetheless compete at this degree [and] he could have a greater likelihood on grass.”
Djokovic is a pupil and fan of the sport, and there is toddler can inform him about his probabilities or what’s at stake that he would not already know. However as he basked within the adoration of the followers and the sunshine on Thursday afternoon, he admitted he would not permit himself to assume a lot about what he is already achieved — as a substitute saving that for a day sooner or later by which he can “sip margaritas on the seaside with Federer and Nadal and simply mirror” — however he’s centered on what’s instantly in entrance of him.
“Wimbledon nonetheless stays essentially the most particular match in my coronary heart, the one which I at all times dreamed of profitable after I was a child, so any historical past made right here is clearly further particular for me,” Djokovic stated. “It is the start of the match, so sure, I am conscious of the historical past on the road and I am clearly in a privileged place to try this, however on the similar time, I am eager about the large issues that I could make on this match.”
