​For Novak Djokovic, his current form is good, but not good enough. Reaching a Wimbledon semi-final at 39 after defeating an opponent 14 years his junior over five hours and 15 minutes proved he could still compete at a high level. Yet just two days later, Djokovic exited Centre Court after a ruthless straight-sets defeat to world number one Jannik Sinner. For most players, a Grand Slam semi-final and final in the same year would represent a successful campaign. Not for Djokovic, who has dominated the sport, collecting nearly every major title and shattering countless records along the way.
“Its good, but not good enough,” Djokovic said. “I’m blessed and cursed to be used to the highest degree of results and achievements. I remind myself, ‘this is amazing that you’re still able to play at such a high level and push the youngsters to the limit.’ But I always have the highest expectations for myself.”
When Djokovic met Sinner at this stage last year, he carried an injury. This time, there was no injury, but there was another year in the body and another 16 hours and 32 minutes of court time in his legs, facing an opponent who moved well, served even better, and offered hardly a sign of weakness. Djokovic would have hoped for more from himself, but former world number one Andre Agassi offered a softer, yet steadfast perspective on BBC TV: “In this sport, as in life, hope is fragile but hard to kill.”
The victory by Sinner ended Djokovic’s latest bid for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic has claimed seven of his 24 majors at Wimbledon. There was no Carlos Alcaraz this year, but Sinner was always destined to be a formidable foe — perhaps even more so after his surprising second-round loss at the French Open, which may have sharpened his motivation. Yet it remains tempting to view this as another missed opportunity for a historic landmark in Djokovic’s career.
“I don’t think realistically he has another Grand Slam in him, unfortunately. I think this was the one,” said Pat Cash, the 1987 Wimbledon champion, speaking on BBC TV. “Novak had some tough matches, but everything has to go right and he has to have a good draw. Don’t write him off completely—he could still return and pose a threat at some point, but he’s unlikely to go all the way again.”
Djokovic had sustained a high level in his epic late-eight match against Felix Auger-Aliassime, but without the sense that it would come cost-free. Against Sinner, he appeared marginally slower to his forehand, and there were few love holds, as he struggled to counter Sinner’s precise, powerful serve. Djokovic created only a single break-point opportunity, down two sets and a break, which Sinner erased with an ace, offering no further half-chances. Some of Sinner’s movement around the baseline had a Djokovic-esque quality, echoing his performance from the previous year. As the season’s conclusions approach, it’s a reminder of how thin the line can be between historic achievement and near-miss for a player who has already rewritten so many records.