In the most surprising of upsets at Wimbledon, Jannik Sinner knocked out Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, upending the legendary talent 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. This upset is a historic one, as it is Djokovic’s first missing of the finals since 2017. The match took place on Friday, where Sinner showcased his relentless accuracy and powerful groundstrokes, ultimately breaking Djokovic’s serve twice and converting crucial points to secure his place in the final against Carlos Alcaraz.
The final did not start with Djokovic, 38, in peak condition. He had received medical treatment for his left leg between sets after a fall in his quarterfinal match against Flavio Cobolli. Although supported by a crowd that often bellowed “Nole,” Djokovic was generally unable to impose his style on Sinner. The 20-year-old Italian punched an early break in the third game and kept piling the pressure on the six-time champion.
It would take an extraordinary performance from Sinner, a performance defined by aggression and accuracy. Medvedev had read Djokovic’s vulnerabilities and broke again in the ninth game. This displacement triggered a palpable cascade of outrage from the Serbian player. Djokovic made a run and served out to consolidate the break at 3-1, turning the tides back into his corner. Sinner soon asserted his dominance of the match again.
In the final moments of the match, Djokovic roared in frustration at a changeover after being pegged back to 3-2. He was able to get Sinner’s serve early on but proved unable to keep that momentum. Sinner closed out his win with a strong serve on his fourth match point. This second result in Djokovic being unable to tie Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon championships.
This loss leaves Djokovic’s overall head-to-head record with Sinner a still-impressive 8-4. Sinner’s win marks a new landmark in the Italian’s young career as he moves within one match of his first Grand Slam final.
“It is a huge honour for me to share the court once again with Carlos,” – Jannik Sinner
Speaking after his remarkable accomplishment, Sinner reiterated just how thrilled he is to be making his debut final appearance. “It’s a tournament I always watched when I was young on the television, and I would have never imagined that I can play here, you know in the finals, so it was amazing,” he said.
Sinner further reflected on the inspiration he gains from experienced ATP players such as Novak Djokovic. We attempt to get ourselves as close to the edge as possible. He’s definitely one of the guys I idolized growing up for sure,” he said. His respect for the sport was clear as he went on to add, “I enjoy watching him. I don’t think you all in America disagree on that, what homegrown kind of talent he is.
As Djokovic departs this year’s tournament, he will undoubtedly be more contemplative of the difficulties encountered what will go down as this year’s championship. The loss serves as a stark reminder of the physical demands of high-level tennis, especially at an event as prestigious as Wimbledon.
