Novak Djokovic: It's going to take my best tennis to beat Jannik Sinner

Independent

3 days ago

Novak Djokovic hopes he will be able to bring his best against Jannik Sinner after etching his name in the Wimbledon record books again.
The 38-year-old overcame the spirited challenge of Flavio Cobolli to set up a semi-final blockbuster against Sinner on Friday.
Djokovic equalled Roger Federer's mark of 13 men's semi-finals in SW19 last year and now owns the record outright after recovering from a set down to see off Cobolli 6-7 (6) 6-2 7-5 6-4.
Next up Djokovic can expect to face a lot more Italian might in the shape of world number one Sinner, who has beaten him four times in a row, including in semi-finals at the Australian and French Opens.
If Djokovic can hope to end that run anywhere, it is surely on the lawns of the All England Club, where no one except Carlos Alcaraz has bested him since 2017.
Djokovic suffered a nasty fall at match point, staying face down on the grass for several seconds before gingerly clambering to his feet and finishing off the job.
'I just try to focus on my recovery right now, getting my body in shape for a very physical battle,' he said.
'Hopefully I can deliver the level and be able to stay with him for potentially five sets. It's going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik. I know that.
'So that's the only thing I'm thinking about right now, just getting myself physically and mentally in the right state so I can fight with him for as long as it's necessary.
'It was a nasty fall. It was very awkward. That happens on the grass. I've had quite a few of those throughout my grass-court career.
'Obviously, body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact or effect of what happened I will feel tomorrow. So let's see.
'I'm hoping the next 24, 48 hours that the severity of what was happening on the court and what happened is not too bad, that I'll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days.'
It was Cobolli's first appearance in the last eight at a slam – just 62 short of his opponent – but he showed more than enough to indicate it will not be his last, never letting his head drop and wowing the Centre Court crowd with the power of his forehand.
'First I have to say he congratulations to Flavio for an amazing tournament but also a great battle today,' said Djokovic.
'He played at a really high level. He's such a talented and skilful player, definitely one of the guys that we'll be seeing in the future much more.
'It means the world to me that I'm still able at 38 to play in the final stages of Wimbledon.'
Djokovic, who also becomes the oldest men's semi-finalist since Ken Rosewall in 1974, has a good relationship with Cobolli, the young Italian even hitting with the Serbian's 10-year-old son Stefan at the practice courts earlier this week.
Djokovic had beaten him easily in their only previous meeting in Shanghai last year but Cobolli has been superb this fortnight, dropping only one set and two service games on his way to the last eight.
This was a big step up, though, given Cobolli had never beaten a top-10 player in a completed match before, let alone a 24-time grand slam champion.
The concern for Djokovic will be that again he allowed things to become more complicated than they might have been, letting slip a 5-3 lead in the opening set.
By the end of the second set, he had made just 10 unforced errors, but the scoreline was level, with Cobolli seizing his chance in the opening tie-break and clinching the set with an unreturnable serve clocked at 137mph.
It was not entertaining enough to stop actor Hugh Grant from nodding off in the Royal Box but the rest of the Centre Court crowd were thoroughly engaged.
A run of seven games in a row left Djokovic 2-0 up in the third set but he could not shake Cobolli off, the Italian letting rip with his forehand to level at 2-2.
Djokovic had kept his emotions tightly under control, showing his frustration only when Cobolli held for 4-3, throwing his racket high in the air.
Patience eventually paid off with breaks for 6-5 in the third set and 5-4 in the fourth as Djokovic finally made it over the line.