​Months after Novak Djokovic pulled off a stunning win over Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the Australian Open, the two have arranged a thrilling rematch in the semifinals of Wimbledon. Ahead of their blockbuster showdown, Sinner shared his thoughts on facing the 24-time Grand Slam champion with his title defense on the line. The eagerly awaited clash will also serve as a rematch of their semifinal duel from last year’s grass-court Major, where the Italian produced a commanding 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Sinner earned his place in the final four with a 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over Jan-Lennard Struff in the quarterfinals. He then shifted his focus to the result of Djokovic’s match against Felix Auger-Aliassime to determine his semifinal opponent in Wimbledon. Reflecting on the potential meeting, the world No. 1 downplayed any lingering impact from his Australian Open defeat to the Serb. “First of all, let’s see. He has a tough match. If it’s Novak, I feel like every match is different. Even when I had this small streak with him, I felt like every match has its own story. And especially on a surface like this. If you have a bad serving day or aren’t feeling the ball well, it’s going to be very, very tough,” Sinner said.
The Italian voiced his happiness at making the semifinals again, while also acknowledging Djokovic’s pedigree as a seven-time Wimbledon champion. He recognized that the 39-year-old knows exactly how to navigate a demanding match at SW19, but stressed that he was ready to fight for every point if they were to meet. “In any case, I’m happy to be back in the semis. I’m happy to fight for every ball, and then we’ll see. He has won this tournament so many times and he knows exactly how to approach it. I’m looking forward to it. I’m happy to be there as a semifinalist once again here and to play the best tennis I can,” he added.
With two days to recover before the semifinals, Sinner said he would make time to watch Djokovic and Auger-Aliassime’s clash, even though he believed the eventual winner would employ different tactics against him. “Of course I’m going to watch. I like watching tennis in general. I also know that it will be different because whichever opponent I face, it will be a different match with different tactical elements,” he explained. “It’s going to be a good match to watch as well. After that, it’s a bit different because we have two days off. Tomorrow will be a very relaxed day. A little bit harder the next day again. Then hopefully we’ll be ready for the semifinals,” he concluded.
More: Carlos Alcaraz weighs in during Djokovic’s Wimbledon thriller as roof closure sparks controversy. Jannik Sinner wasn’t the only one contemplating the looming clash, as fans and analysts alike anticipate how the two-time finalist will respond to the challenge of a familiar foe in Djokovic. The stage is set for another high-stakes encounter on the lawns of SW19, with Sinner aiming to advance and Djokovic seeking to extend his storied success at Wimbledon.