Novak Djokovic meets Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of the Australian Open. The Serb wants to fulfill his dream of a 25th Grand Slam title – and is increasingly having problems keeping up at the highest level.
Novak Djokovic has now gotten used to it: he outwardly calmly accepts questions that concern his advanced age and the ever-near end of his career. Even though his eyes still sparkle at this moment, as if he still had a whole sporting career ahead of him.
After the third round win against the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, the Serb was asked what he would change about his career in retrospect if he could. “I wouldn’t be so tense anymore. I’m always so tense during matches”he said.
Recurring defiance phase
From the outside, this was an understandable wish, as it had caused him to lose some of the audience’s sympathy over the years. Of all people, he was always so thirsty for public recognition and affection. Who was always in the shadow of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on this issue, which drove him even more in his sporting achievements – and often made him even more stubborn.
Djokovic also had this phase of defiance briefly during the game against the Dutchman. And he regretted it a few minutes later. Doggedness is what drives him.
Even at the ripe (tennis) age of 38. That’s why he’s still on the tennis court, chasing records – especially his 25th. Grand-Slam-Title. Even if achieving this goal becomes more and more unrealistic the more time passes.
Djokovic: “Fight until the last blow”
Djokovic is still better than the rest. He recently reached five Grand Slam semi-finals in a row. An almost unbelievable result. However, Djokovic lost four of them. He now has another chance against Sinner to reach the final.
Djokovic is now reaching his sporting limits. Because there are Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. So far it hasn’t been enough to achieve a really big triumph.
Novak Djokovic (l.) lost the last five games against Jannik Sinner.
“Are they better than me and the others at the moment? Yes, absolutely. The quality and level is incredible”said Djokovic during the Australian Open. “It’s great. It’s phenomenal. But does that mean I give up and raise the white flag? No. I will fight to the last blow, to the last point and give everything to challenge them.”
Even more competitors than Alcaraz and Sinner
The problem: The pace of the game is becoming increasingly too high for Djokovic when it comes to playing against the top players. And other serious opponents besides the Spaniard and the Italian are moving up.
In the quarter-finals against Lorenzo Musetti, the Serb had almost no chance for two sets – until the 23-year-old was injured and had to give up. “I was already on my way home”Djokovic admitted bluntly. “I’m really, really sorry for him.”
Playful boundaries pushed
One realization remained: If Djokovic no longer reaches his performance limit over an entire game, it will be extremely difficult for him to keep up at the highest level. In earlier days he had often pushed and expanded these playful boundaries himself. He regularly presented his competitors with unsolvable tasks.
Now he’s the one who has to hope that his opponents don’t develop further and get further away.
Against the world number two, Djokovic will once again show all his doggedness and hope that he can once again compete at the highest level.
Djokovic’s record against Sinner: 4:6. The Italian has won all of the last five games.