LONDON, UK – Without a title for over six months, Novak Djokovic is now within touching distance of a record 25th Grand Slam trophy – with the all-conquering Serb saying Wimbledon always brings the best out of him.
For a champion who has become accustomed to trampling over the opposition while amassing almost 100 titles in his career, this lean spell is not something he is used to.
The 37-year-old lost in his Australian Open fortress at the start of the year, with his bid to win a record-extending 11th Melbourne Park title cut short in the semifinals.
A knee injury then prematurely ended his French Open title defenSe last month.
So when he reached the All England Club final after a 6-4, 7-6(2,) 6-4 win over Lorenzo Musetti on Friday, July 12, he was finally living up to his own lofty expectations.
Standing in his way to an eighth Wimbledon crown that will see him equal Roger Federer’s mark is Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who beat Djokovic in last year’s title clash.
“I’m aware that Roger holds eight Wimbledons. I hold seven. History is on the line. Also, the 25th potential Grand Slam. It serves as a great motivation, but at the same time it’s also a lot of pressure and expectations,” Djokovic told reporters.
“Every time I step out on the court now, though I’m 37 and competing with 21-year-olds, I still expect myself to win most of the matches, and people expect me to win, whatever, 99% of the matches that I play.
“I always have to come out on court and perform my best to still be at the level with Carlos or Jannik (Sinner) or Sascha (Alexander Zverev) or Daniil (Medvedev).”
After winning three of the four majors last season, Djokovic has endured a disappointing run of form this year with injuries adding to his woes.
In fact for a while it looked like he would not be able to compete at this year’s Wimbledon after requiring knee surgery on a torn meniscus just five weeks ago.
Yet now he stands on the cusp of winning a 25th major and break a record that has stood for over half a century, with Margaret Court having won her 24th slam in 1973.
“This year hasn’t been that successful for me,” the Serbian added. “It’s probably the weakest results the first six months I’ve had in many years. That’s okay.
“I had to adapt and accept that and try to find a way out from the injury that I had and regroup. Wimbledon, historically, there’s been seasons where I wasn’t playing at a desired level but I would win a Wimbledon title and things would change,” added Djokovic, who squeezed past Federer to win the 2019 final after saving two championship points against him.
“Wimbledon just extracts the best of me and motivates me to really always show up and perform the best I can.”
‘Satisfied, pleased’
Alcaraz took a hammer to the wall that is Russia’s Medvedev as he beat the fifth seed, 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, before seven-time champion Djokovic clinically disposed of Italian Musetti, 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-4.
Neither match truly captivated the Centre Court crowd but Sunday’s final promises a fitting climax to a soggy Championships, especially if it scales anywhere near the dizzy heights of last year’s classic won by Alcaraz in five sets.
That defeat was Djokovic’s first defeat on Centre Court for a decade and the clinical way he disposed of the 22-year-old Musetti suggests he hungry to seize back his crown.
“I am satisfied and pleased, but I don’t want to stop here – hopefully I get my hands on the trophy,” Djokovic, who used his racket to play an imaginary violin after winning match point but this time avoided picking a fight with the crowd, said on court.
“[Alcaraz] is one of the greatest 21-year-olds we’ve ever seen in this sport and he will win many more Grand Slams, but hopefully not this one on Sunday.”
Despite his valiant attempt to emulate compatriot Jasmine Paolini, who will contest Saturday’s women’s final, 25th seed Musetti never really looked like preventing Djokovic reaching his 10th Wimbledon and record-extending 37th Grand Slam final.
“I have to say today was really a joke at the end, how he was returning my serve,” Musetti said.
There were rays of hope. The stylish Musetti recovered from a break down in the first set and had Djokovic in trouble at 5-5 in the second with the Serb 0-30 down on serve.
But Djokovic, as so often, flicked the emergency switch, banged down three aces to avert the danger and then cruised through the ensuing tiebreak for a two-set lead.
Even then Grand Slam semifinal debutant Musetti, the clear fan favorite, refused to throw in the towel.
But when Djokovic is in the mood for business, nothing stands in his way and on Sunday he will have more history to write with a record 25th Grand Slam title within touching distance.
There is still the small matter, however, of containing Alcaraz who will be seeking to retain the title on what could be a momentous day for Spain whose soccer team will kickoff later that evening against England in the Euro 2024 final.
That clash in Berlin, just like the one in London’s leafy SW19, looks too tight to call.
But Alcaraz, bidding for a fourth Grand Slam title, will need to avoid the wobbles that have seen him drop sets in every match from the third round onwards.
The third seed was overwhelming favorite to beat Medvedev after outclassing him at the semifinal stage last year.
Watched by Real Madrid’s Luka Modric, Alcaraz started slowly to trail 5-2. He worked his way back into the set but was wrong-footed by Medvedev’s pinpoint hitting in a one-sided tiebreak.
Medvedev, given a warning for some unsavory language when he dropped serve at 5-3 in the opener, knew Alcaraz would respond and the Spaniard duly turned up the power dial to break serve for a 3-1 lead in set two.
Alcaraz controlled the third set after an early break and despite a blip in the fourth when some errors gave Medvedev a lifeline, he went on to win with something to spare.
Asked for his thoughts on Alcaraz v Djokovic – The Sequel, the Spaniard said: “I know what I have to do and I’m sure he knows what he has to do to beat me.
“It’s going to be a really interesting one for sure.”
It will be the first Wimbledon repeat final since Djokovic met Roger Federer in the 2014 and 2015 title matches. – Rappler.com