Wimbledon looms for Novak Djokovic: Final shot at glory or end of an era?
Let's be honest - Novak Djokovic isn't the outright favourite to win Wimbledon 2025. Not anymore. The dominance he once wielded over men's tennis is now being tested like never before, with the rise of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and a new wave of fearless, fast-moving talent.For over a decade, Djokovic made winning look routine. Majors came and went, and the Serb kept collecting them. But time, the one opponent no champion can outrun, is beginning to show its hand. At 38, Djokovic isn't as quick, not as light on his feet as he once was.advertisementThat said, let's not write him off just yet. He may not move like Alcaraz or Sinner. He may not match the raw energy of Jack Draper. But few, if any, can match the sheer will and work ethic of Novak Djokovic. When the chips are down, there's still fire in the belly of a legend who refuses to go quietly.Can Novak script history?
Novak Djokovic hasn't won a major since US Open 2023. Courtesy: Reuters
There's still plenty for Novak Djokovic to chase - and cherish - at Wimbledon 2025. The grass-court major may no longer come easy, but it still offers the kind of legacy-defining milestones that could light a fresh fire in the heart of the 24-time Grand Slam champion.advertisementDjokovic stands just one title away from equalling Roger Federer's Open Era record of eight Wimbledon crowns - a feat that would carry immense weight, especially at the home of tennis where Federer once reigned supreme. Let's not forget, Djokovic already holds the record for the most Australian Open singles titles with 10 to his name.But there's more. The Serb also has a golden opportunity to surpass Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles - a mark he's been stuck on since triumphing at the US Open in 2023. That elusive 25th? It's been almost two years in the waiting, and few would doubt how much it still burns inside him.And then, there's history of a different kind. No man aged 38 has ever won a Grand Slam singles title. The current benchmark is held by the great Ken Rosewall, who lifted the Australian Open trophy in 1972 at 37 years, one month, and 24 days. Should Djokovic go all the way, he wouldn't just be winning Wimbledon - he'd be rewriting the very definition of longevity in tennis.Extra push and motivationIt hasn't been smooth sailing for Novak Djokovic in 2024. An injury cut short his Australian Open campaign in the semi-finals, followed by another semi-final defeat at Roland Garros. Add to that four first-round exits this year - uncharacteristic setbacks for a player of his stature - and it's clear the Serb has struggled to find his rhythm.This is how champions playOver to you, @DjokerNole... #Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/fn5KXfpxUo— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2022Wimbledon 2025 will also see Djokovic seeded sixth - his lowest ranking at the All England Club since 2018. But if there's one thing his career has shown time and again, it's that you count him out at your own peril. He's been grinding it out on the practice courts, pushing his body and belief to the limits. The fire still burns - and the fight is far from over."I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance because of the results I had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform at the highest level," Djokovic said."Let's see. I like the way I feel right now physically. Tennis-wise I've been playing good on the practice sessions. Obviously completely different when you start a tournament.advertisement"But yeah, I'll try to have a very good tournament and go as far as I can,' Djokovic added.Can Djokovic defy the Alcaraz challenge?If Novak Djokovic is to lift the Wimbledon trophy one more time, he knows exactly who stands in his way — Carlos Alcaraz. In 2023, Djokovic was on the cusp of equalling the record for most consecutive Wimbledon titles (5), joining legends like Federer and Borg. But Alcaraz, fearless and electric, denied him in a pulsating five-set final that signalled a shift in power.A year later, the story repeated - but with a different tone. In 2024, Djokovic didn't just lose to Alcaraz, he was outplayed. No fightback, no magic - just a straight-sets defeat that stung deeper than most. And now, as Wimbledon 2025 looms - possibly his final dance on the SW19 lawns - Djokovic has one last shot to prove that the hunger, the grit, and the greatness still burn within him.But before he dreams of a rematch with Alcaraz, there's Jannik Sinner to reckon with. The Italian has beaten Djokovic four times in a row and could stand across the net in the semis. The path is steep, the odds are stacked. And yet, don't be surprised if he pulls it off.Because when it comes to Novak Djokovic, doubt him at your own risk.- EndsMust Watch
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Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Carlos Alcaraz loves playing on grass and is trying to win a third Wimbledon title in a row
Carlos Alcaraz, a quick learner on grass, begins his Wimbledon title defense against Fabio Fognini, aiming for a third consecutive championship, a feat achieved by only four men in the Open era. Alcaraz, known for his fondness for grass and aggressive playing style, enters the tournament on an 18-match winning streak. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz 's first match on a grass court came just six years obviously a quick Wimbledon gets started Monday, the 22-year-old from Spain will play in the first Centre Court match of this fortnight, an honor reserved for the previous year's men's champion. The contest against Fabio Fognini will open Alcaraz's bid for a third consecutive championship at the something only four men have achieved in the Open era, which began in 1968: Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Not bad already is 5-0 in Grand Slam finals, which includes going 2-0 at the French Open - which he won three weeks ago via a comeback from two sets down against No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the final - and 1-0 at the U.S. year, the No. 2-ranked Alcaraz became the youngest man to win a major trophy on each surface: grass, clay and hard he's got a fondness for the green stuff."The most beautiful tennis that we can watch is on grass. The style that the people bring to the court when they play on grass. ... The sound of the ball," said Alcaraz, who will go into Monday on a career-best 18-match winning streak, including a title at the Queen's Club tournament on grass last weekend. "The movement is really tough, but when you get it, it's kind of (as though) you're flying."He loves that it allows him to show off the variety in his game and all of the skills he players smile as much as Alcaraz does while in the thick of things, no matter what challenges might be presented by the foe across the net or the tension of the moment. He is as creative as it gets with a racket in hand, sometimes to his own detriment, and admits enjoying seeing replays on arena video screens after some of his best deliveries (that technology isn't used at the All England Club, but perhaps it should be)."I really want to hit slices, drop shots, going to the net all the time, playing aggressively," said Alcaraz, who said he lost to two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray during a round of golf early in the week. "I think on grass it's the style that you have to play, so that's what I like the most."Other Grand Slam champions in action on Day 1 - when the temperature is expected to be around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) - include No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka against a qualifier making her Grand Slam debut, Carson Branstine; No. 6 Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion in January, against Elena-Gabriela Ruse; 2023 Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova against No. 32 McCartney Kessler; and 2021 U.S. Open champ Daniil Medvedev against Benjamin Bonzi. Others in action: 2024 Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini, 2024 U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz, and three-time major finalist Alexander instructive to hear what Djokovic had to say about Alcaraz after a straight-set loss in last year's final at the All England Club."He just was better than me in every aspect of the game," Djokovic said. "In movement, in the way he was just striking the ball beautifully, serving great. Everything."Those words carry weight. Djokovic has won seven of his men's-record 24 Grand Slam trophies at Wimbledon but was the runner-up to Alcaraz in 2023 and it comes to the idea of joining an elite group by completing a three-peat two weeks from now, Alcaraz insisted that isn't the sort of thing he really cares about or spends time wants the title, yes. But where it would place him in history? Leave that to others."I really want to lift the trophy," Alcaraz said. "But right now, I'm not thinking about who I could join if I win three Wimbledons in a row."
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Whites on greens: on Wimbledon 2025
Tennis loves its traditions, and The Championships at Wimbledon more so. In the recent past though, the sport's most prestigious Major has progressively cut out many of its famed anachronisms. The bespoke grass-court seeding formula, the Middle Sunday holiday and best-of-five set doubles matches have all been done away with. Now, for the first time in the 148-year history of the tournament, there will be no line judges, and electronic calling will take effect on all courts. Yet, when the first ball is struck on Monday, there will be no dearth of the verdant pomp and splendour. If anything, a less clustered court, with its glazed green grass, may lead to a better visual experience, and give the best players, clothed in pristine white, a broader canvas to work their magic on. Chief among them will be Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the world's top two men who have now established an engaging rivalry reminiscent of the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal duels. Alcaraz, in fact, is the two-time defending champion at SW19 and has won four of his last five tournaments, including the Queen's Club Championships. World No. 1 Sinner does not have similar grass pedigree, but his first-ever Slam semifinal was at the All England Club in 2023, and he won the only meeting with Alcaraz on grass, at Wimbledon 2022. However, 24-time Major winner and seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic is not to be discounted. The 38-year-old Serb is not in Slam-winning shape but grass presents the best chance. He finished runner-up in 2024 just weeks after a knee operation and the last time he exited Wimbledon before the final was in 2017. Among women, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, despite the bitter French Open final loss to Coco Gauff, remains the player to beat and there is no reason why her power-packed game cannot triumph in southwest London. But the last eight editions have seen eight different victors, pointing to an open field. For Gauff and five-time Major champion Iga Swiatek, Wimbledon has been the least rewarding Slam and they will be hoping to crack the code. American Gauff has not gone past the fourth round while Swiatek's best showing is quarterfinals. Defending champion Barbora Krejcikova, 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina are among the other notable names. The Indian presence will again be limited to doubles with Rohan Bopanna, Yuki Bhambri, Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli competing. As the country's tennis remains stuck in a vicious cycle of a shrinking talent pool, administrative apathy and endless litigation, it will be up to these players to keep the flag flying.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Swiatek slams ‘intense' calendar as players feel the grind to protect rankings
Iga Swiatek criticised the relentless tennis calendar on Sunday, with the former world number one saying that players should not be forced to compete in more than 20 tournaments a year to maintain their rankings. Now ranked fourth in the world, Swiatek described being trapped in a system where she had to choose between representing her country and focusing on herself after she reluctantly skipped Poland's Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in April. The 11-month grind has been one of the cornerstones of the lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) against the sport's governing bodies in March after the union described it as 'unsustainable'. 'The scheduling is super intense, it's too intense. There's no point for us to play over 20 tournaments in a year,' Swiatek told reporters when asked about the biggest challenge to players in terms of mental health. 'Sometimes we need to sacrifice playing for your country because we need to keep up with playing these WTA 500s, for example, because we're going to get a zero in the ranking. 'I think these kinds of obligations and the rules about mandatory tournaments just put pressure on us. I think people would still watch tennis, maybe even more, if we played less tournaments. The quality would be better.' Swiatek is the eighth seed at Wimbledon this year and she faces Polina Kudermetova in the first round on Tuesday. The claycourt specialist with four French Open crowns fell in the semifinals at Roland Garros this year and she quickly switched her focus to grass which has historically been her weakest surface. Also read | From King to Krejcikova: List of Wimbledon women's singles champions in Open Era She reached her first grasscourt final on Saturday at the Bad Homburg Open where she was left in tears after losing to top seed Jessica Pegula, but Swiatek is happy with her improvement on grass as she comes to grips with the faster surface. 'It's not like a huge change. It's not like 180 degrees change. I wouldn't say now suddenly everything is perfect, because it's still a difficult surface. It's still tricky,' Swiatek said. 'Every year it feels like it's a little bit easier to get used to the surface and then you have more time to just develop as a player.'
