Reality Hit Me—But Not My Last Wimbledon

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, July 11, 2025

Photograph credit: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty

A Jannik Sinner stinging strike dislodged a little bit of baseline and snapped Novak Djokovic’s head to consideration.

The Grand Slam king’s quest for a record-setting twenty fifth main championship got here to a brutal and painful finish on Centre Court docket immediately.

World No. 1 shredded Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in immediately’s Wimbledon semifinal hanging with the identical highly effective precision the previous No. 1 Djokovic confirmed for thus a few years capturing seven Wimbledon championships.

Hobbled from a nasty fall he took within the last sport in opposition to Flavio Cobolli within the quarterfinals, Djokovic struggled to maneuver laterally and tried to serve-and-volley to shorten factors.

Although Djokovic drilled 12 aces in opposition to no double faults, he received simply 5 of 30 second-serve factors and dropped serve 5 occasions as Sinner scalded returns.

Afterward, a disconsolate Djokovic conceded “actuality hits me” as his physique broke down in opposition to the highest seed.

Nonetheless, a defiant Djokovic stated this was not his final dance at Wimbledon. 

“I’d be unhappy [if it was my last match], however hopefully it is not my final match on the Centre Court docket,” Djokovic advised the media afterward. “I am not planning to complete my Wimbledon profession immediately. So I am planning to come back again positively not less than yet another time, play on the Centre Court docket for positive.”

It is the second straight Slam the place Sinner shattered Djokovic’s main dream.

At Roland Garros final month, the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion conquered Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3) handing the proprietor of 100 profession titles his first Slam semifinal straight units loss in 15 years.

As we speak, Sinner repeated the toes as Djokovic was clearly compromised bodily although he declined to debate his damage points.

The 38-year-old Serbian famous person stated a significant problem is the damage and tear his physique absorbs reaching the latter phases of Slams.

So by the point Djokovic will get to Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz, he seems like a race automobile working on a half-empty gasoline tank.

“It is simply age, the damage and tear of the physique. As a lot as I am caring for it, the truth hits me proper now, final yr and a half, like by no means earlier than, to be sincere,” a candid Djokovic stated. “It is robust for me to simply accept that as a result of I really feel like after I’m recent, after I’m match, I can nonetheless play actually good tennis. I’ve proved that this yr.”

One of the best-of-five set Slam format has proved problematic for Djokovic, one of many best best-of-five-set gamers in Open Period historical past, when going through two explosive champions 15 years youthful.

“I assume taking part in best-of-five, significantly this yr, has been an actual wrestle for me bodily,” Djokovic stated. “The longer the event goes, yeah, the more severe the situation will get. I attain the ultimate phases, I attain the semis of each slam this yr, however I’ve to play Sinner or Alcaraz.

“These guys are match, younger, sharp. I really feel like I am going into the match with tank half empty.”

Requested to evaluate Sunday’s last (11 a.m. Jap time, 4 p.m. London time), Djokovic, who misplaced to Alcaraz within the final two Wimbledon finals, provides the second-seeded Spaniard a slight edge over Sinner.

“I feel I’ll give a slight edge to Carlos as a favourite due to the 2 titles he is received right here and the best way he is taking part in and the arrogance he has proper now,” Djokovic stated. “But it surely’s only a slight benefit ‘trigger Jannik is hitting the ball extraordinarily effectively. I feel it should be, once more, a really shut matchup like we had in Paris, yeah.”