On the day Novak Djokovic was making an attempt to make unparalleled historical past – to turn into the one participant, man or girl, to win 25 Grand Slam singles titles, equalling Roger Federer’s file of eight Wimbledon triumphs within the course of – he left beleaguered and humbled. In a efficiency of complete management and dominance, Carlos Alcaraz outclassed him 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) in Sunday’s remaining. Profitable a mere 10 video games, it was the Serb’s second-worst efficiency in his 37 Main finals, behind solely his defeat to Rafael Nadal on the 2020 French Open, when he may muster solely seven video games.
Enjoying 40 days on from knee surgical procedure, dealing with the type of put on and tear {that a} 37-year-old physique is predicted to climate, one may have excused Djokovic if he was downbeat and a shade embarrassed after enduring a Centre Court docket pummeling like he had by no means confronted earlier than. However the 24-time Main winner rapidly put to mattress any gloomy outlook on his future, vowing to be taught from the defeat and return to his greatest.
“Within the face of adversity, usually I rise and I be taught and get stronger,” Djokovic mentioned in his post-match press convention. “That’s what I’m going to do.”
Preventing proper till the tip 👊
One other very good Championships run from Novak Djokovic 🇷🇸#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/uDVBNnI9Ln
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 14, 2024
Whereas he did say the knee was an issue in preparation, not a lot of his instant evaluation recommended something aside from the truth that he was overwhelmed by a greater, fitter participant – an oddity by his two-decade-long tennis profession.
“That (knee damage) in all probability had an impact, significantly within the opening rounds. However because the match progressed, I felt higher and higher. I reached the ultimate. Some matches, I performed some actually good tennis. Some matches, I type of battled my manner by. However as we speak, I noticed that I used to be simply half a step behind him, in each sense,” he added.
It’s an unquestionable truth of Djokovic’s profession that he has, time and time once more, rebounded from disappointment to turn into a greater participant. No different up to date of his on the tour is ready to feed off misery to propel themselves to higher heights just like the Serb repeatedly does. Simply final yr, after shedding a knife-edged Wimbledon remaining to Alcaraz, Djokovic retreated and emerged because the tour-leading large he was, successful a 3rd Main of the yr on the US Open and later one other ATP Finals.
Younger weapons charging
But, even the knowledgeable of turning adversity into metal won’t be able to shake off the truth that circumstances this yr have modified. Sunday was his first remaining in eight months, he has gone with no title, or a win towards a top-10 participant, all yr. Each his Grand Slam defeats in that point have come towards the rising stars of the following technology (he misplaced to Jannik Sinner within the Australian Open semifinals). He was outplayed and outthought in each. Credit score might be afforded to him for reaching the Wimbledon remaining with a dodgy knee, however his path to the summit conflict at SW19 had not been very difficult.
Within the background of all of that, Djokovic will rapidly flip his consideration to the Paris Olympics. “As a way to actually have an opportunity to, I suppose, beat these guys (Sinner and Alcaraz) in Grand Slam latter levels or Olympics… I’m going to need to play significantly better than I did as we speak and really feel significantly better than I did as we speak,” he says.
Astounding Alcaraz 🤩
The Spaniard defends his #Wimbledon title with a surprising straight units victory over Novak Djokovic, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/bEbT9HwMZh
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 14, 2024
An Olympic medal is the one achievement lacking from his resume of supreme excellence, however given the battering his physique has taken in current instances, one other fast change to clay makes Djokovic an outdoor favorite at greatest.
Within the face of what’s now one of many greatest challenges of his profession, the remainder of this season might be an hour of reckoning for the getting old nice.