Greg Rusedski believes Novak Djokovic may have let his final realistic opportunity to win a record-extending 25th Major title slip away at Wimbledon.
Te seven-time champion reached his 15th semi-final at the All England Club following an epic victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime.
However, the veteran was comprehensively beaten 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 by world no. 1 and the defending champion Jannik Sinner. With Carlos Alcaraz not in the draw, many viewed this year’s tournament as Djokovic’s clearest path to his first Major crown in three years.
However, Jannik stood too strong after surviving some early ups and downs, playing well in the second week and proving too strong for the 24-time Major winner, just like a year ago.
Rusedski feels the challenge facing the 39-year-old has simply become too great, with the new generation now firmly in control of men’s tennis.
Greg explains Novak’s dilemma
The former British no. 1 believes the Serb still possesses the competitive mindset that carried him to 24 Major titles and other accomplishments. Still, he questions whether Djokovic’s body can continue matching the sport’s fastest and most explosive players over two demanding weeks.
According to Rusedski, the veteran no longer has the luxury of overcoming a single elite opponent. Instead, he often has to defeat both Sinner and Alcaraz – or players performing at a similarly exceptional level – to lift the biggest trophies.
Novak was on the right path to achieve that at the Australian Open in January, having beaten Jannik in the semi-final and making a strong start against Carlos in the title clash before losing ground.b
The Serb stood strong against Auger-Aliassime in the most extended Wimbledon quarter-final, prevailing in the match tie break after five hours and 15 minutes of thrilling tennis.
Despite having three days until his semi-final clash with Sinner, Djokovic failed to recover physically and prepare for the duel. The Belgrade native was frequently late on the ball, admitting after the match that his rival competed at a higher level.
Respect remains despite the prediction
Despite the pessimistic outlook, Rusedski stressed that writing Djokovic off completely would be a mistake. The former US Open finalist said he hopes the Serb proves him wrong, praising his extraordinary career that has seen him redefine longevity in men’s tennis.
Still, he noted that history offers little encouragement, noting it’s extremely difficult to chase a Major crown at 39 in modern tennis. Greg still sees Novak in the latter stages of the biggest tournaments thanks to his experience and determination.