Novak Djokovic hinted Wimbledon might be his ‘final dance’ as retirement discuss grows
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic throughout his match in opposition to Russia’s Karen Khachanov(Action Images by way of Reuters)
Djokovic has talked about Rafael Nadal extra often in current months, admitting that his rival’s retirement deeply affected him. It took away the fun of their two-decade-long rivalry, which helped form the fashionable period of males’s tennis. With Roger Federer exiting the stage in 2022, Djokovic stays the final of the Big Three.
Amid this emotional reckoning, the Next Gen has effectively and actually arrived. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have claimed every of the final six Grand Slam titles, denying Djokovic his pursuit of a record-breaking twenty fifth main. He got here shut earlier this month in Paris, solely to endure a straight-sets defeat to Sinner within the semifinals — a loss that left him reeling, and seemingly bidding farewell to Court Philippe-Chatrier. “This could have been the last match I ever played here,” he mentioned.
However, when requested about Wimbledon, Djokovic saved the thriller hanging. “Whether it could be my last dance (at Wimbledon), I’m not sure, as I’m not sure about Roland Garros or any other slam that I play next,” he mentioned.
Despite the lengthy wait for one more Slam, Djokovic is aware of that Wimbledon would possibly simply be the place the place it might all finish for him. He gained seven titles on the SW19 and misplaced simply two matches on the Centre Court since 2017 – each in opposition to Carlos Alcaraz within the final two finals.
“It’s great to be back. I love Wimbledon. I’ve always loved it. I think in the last six editions, I had six finals. Been for one reason or several reasons playing very well in Wimbledon, maybe the most consistently successful Grand Slam for me in the last 10 years,” mentioned the 38-year-old, who will probably be bidding to equal Roger Federer’s report of eight Wimbledon singles titles.
“It’s positively related to that emotional and psychological relationship that I’ve with Wimbledon because the earliest levels of my tennis profession the place, as I mentioned, I all the time dreamed of profitable it.
“When I come here, I feel extra inspired to deliver the best tennis. And yes, I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance because of the results I had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level.”
Djokovic will start his marketing campaign on Tuesday in opposition to Alexandre Müller.
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