Novak Djokovic sailed past Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon to secure his spot in a record 35th Grand Slam final. With a commanding 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) victory under the Centre Court roof on Friday, Djokovic barely broke a sweat.
Djokovic has established himself as the dominant force on Centre Court, having not suffered a defeat there in the past ten years. With one more win, the Serbian can equal Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight Wimbledon titles.
In the final, Djokovic will face top seed Carlos Alcaraz, who impressively dispatched Daniil Medvedev in straight sets. A victory would earn Djokovic his 24th Grand Slam title, putting him on par with Margaret Court’s all-time record.
Sinner, a 21-year-old playing in his first Grand Slam semi-final, struggled to rise to the occasion and allowed Djokovic, 14 years his senior, to seize crucial moments during the match. Djokovic capitalized on breakpoints and applied relentless pressure on Sinner’s serve.
The match concluded when Sinner’s backhand found the net, prompting Djokovic to accept the crowd’s applause, despite their support for his opponent.
Djokovic vs Sinner: The Serbian shows no signs of aging at Wimbledon
As the years pass, Djokovic shows no signs of slowing down and is heavily favored to become the oldest man in the Open era, at 36, to win the Wimbledon title.
“I’d like to believe that’s the case,” he said when asked if he was playing the best tennis of his career.
“I feel 36 is the new 26; it feels pretty good. I feel a lot of motivation.”
Djokovic
“We are part of an individual sport, so you have to rely on yourself and put yourself in the best physical and mental state before heading out on court.
“I feel 36 is the new 26; it feels pretty good. I feel a lot of motivation.”
Elevating performance in crucial moments often distinguishes the best from the rest. While Sinner showcased his skills when the pressure was less intense, Djokovic demonstrated his exceptional tennis during the most tense situations.
“First semi-final is never easy to play,” Sinner told a press conference. “I felt like my level was good. It was just, especially in the pressure points, I messed it up a little bit.”
Sinner had two break points in the first two games but failed to convert them, allowing Djokovic to seize the opportunity and break his serve by capitalizing on a wide forehand from Sinner.
In the fifth game, Sinner missed another chance to break, allowing Djokovic to cruise smoothly through the remainder of the first set.
Wimbledon 2023 has been a roller coaster of emotions so far!
Although Djokovic won only six points on Sinner’s serve in the first set, it proved to be sufficient, as he clenched his fist in celebration on his way back to his chair.
Djokovic created three more break point opportunities in the second set in the third game. Sinner saved the first two but then sent a forehand long, giving Djokovic another break.
A minor dispute arose in the second set between Djokovic and umpire Richard Haigh, as Haigh awarded a point to Sinner and penalized Djokovic for a late roar after hitting the ball. Djokovic also received a code violation for his extended ball bouncing before serving. However, these incidents did not affect Djokovic’s composure as he calmly wrapped up the set with little further excitement.
Sinner displayed resilience by saving three break points and taking a 2-1 lead in the third set. However, when his own opportunity to break arose, he faltered once again.
At 4-5, Sinner had two set points on Djokovic’s serve but missed the mark on both occasions.
In the tiebreak, Sinner briefly gained an advantage with a mini-break, but Djokovic swiftly took control. He set up a match point when Sinner hit a shot into the net and sealed the victory when Sinner netted a backhand.
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