'djokovic Turned Back Time For Years - But It Caught Up Today'

Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

Coverage: Live crossed BBC TV, power and online pinch extended sum connected BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full sum guide.

There were times during his Wimbledon semi-final that Novak Djokovic must person felt arsenic if he was looking successful a mirror.

Elements of Jannik Sinner's crippled shriek axenic Djokovic - whether it's nan sliding, nan rally tolerance aliases nan activity astir nan court.

But, arsenic three-time Wimbledon singles victor John McEnroe said, location was 1 difference.

"We were watching a amended type of Novak Djokovic playing himself," McEnroe said connected BBC TV.

"He was doing nan nonstop aforesaid things that took him to nan pantheon of nan sport."

World number 1 Sinner was ruthless against Djokovic, dominating nan first 2 sets and coming backmost from a break down successful nan 3rd to triumph 6-3 6-3 6-4 and extremity nan Serb's latest bid for a standalone grounds 25th Grand Slam title.

For nan first time, Djokovic looked arsenic though he was emotion nan 15-year quality betwixt himself and Sinner.

Both came into nan lucifer pinch injuries - Sinner pinch his correct elbow and Djokovic pinch his activity hindered aft a autumn precocious successful his quarter-final - and some took precautions passim nan week to recover.

But while Sinner appeared comparatively untroubled, Djokovic's activity was hindered. Being half a measurement slower than accustomed was capable for Sinner to pounce - conscionable arsenic Djokovic has done to opponents complete nan years.

"It's conscionable age, nan deterioration and tear of nan body," Djokovic said.

"As overmuch arsenic I'm taking attraction of it, nan reality hits maine correct now, nan past twelvemonth and a half, for illustration ne'er before, to beryllium honest."

Djokovic's fittingness has been and will ever beryllium extraordinary.

He is aiming to go nan oldest Grand Slam singles champion successful nan Open era. Ken Rosewall was 37 erstwhile he won nan past of his 8 awesome titles, while nan now-retired Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were 36 erstwhile they past triumphed.

Djokovic has reached nan semi-finals of each 3 Grand Slams this year. He has beaten players supra him successful nan rankings, players who supposedly person nan advantage of younker complete him. And he looked superb astatine times during his Wimbledon run: nan service firing, nan feet gliding into nan corners.

But he has to contend pinch Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who will time off present having carved up nan past seven Grand Slams betwixt them, and will inevitably retrieve quicker than Djokovic.

"It's reliable for maine to judge because I consciousness for illustration erstwhile I'm fit, I tin still play really bully tennis. I've proven that this year," Djokovic said.

"Playing best-of-five, peculiarly this year, has been a existent struggle for maine physically. The longer nan tourney goes, nan worse nan information gets.

"I person to play Sinner aliases Alcaraz. These guys are fit, young, sharp. I consciousness for illustration I'm going into nan lucifer pinch nan vessel half-empty.

"It's conscionable not imaginable to triumph a lucifer for illustration that."

Djokovic considered withdrawing but did not - and astatine 3-0 up connected Sinner successful nan 3rd set, pinch a constituent for a double break, he would person felt vindicated.

But Sinner accrued his intensity, putting much powerfulness down his shots, and Djokovic won conscionable 1 much crippled from past on.

Djokovic whitethorn person besides had a wry grin aliases 2 arsenic he watched Sinner descent astir and return service successful nan measurement he has for truthful galore years.

McEnroe described nan measurement Sinner slides arsenic a "carbon copy" of Djokovic, saying nan Italian had "learned from nan master".

"He's turned backmost clip for years but it's caught up pinch Djokovic today," McEnroe said connected BBC TV.

"It's nan first clip I've ever looked astatine him and thought 'I'm not judge he's coming back'.

"Father clip is undefeated, right? And that's what we're seeing correct now.

"He's yet joined nan crowd of older champions that realise nan champion is down them and past they person to woody pinch that unfortunate fact.

"Honestly, it's been astonishing he's sewage this far."

Djokovic himself said he was readying to travel backmost to Wimbledon "definitely astatine slightest 1 much time" and he will person different chance to triumph awesome number 25 astatine nan US Open.

But nan problem for Djokovic is nan aforesaid arsenic it is for nan remainder of nan section - if Sinner doesn't get you, past Alcaraz will.

Sinner has won 3 fields connected difficult courts, Alcaraz 2 connected clay, 2 connected writer and 1 successful New York.

It will return an almighty effort for arguably nan top subordinate nan crippled has seen to assistance a awesome trophy 1 past time.