LONDON (AP) — Novak Djokovic wanted to make this much clear after losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals Friday: This was not a farewell performance. Djokovic intends to compete again at the All England Club.
“I’m not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today,” the 38-year-old Djokovic said. “I’m planning to come back definitely — at least one more time.”
His 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 defeat at Centre Court against the No. 1-ranked Sinner put an end to Djokovic’s latest attempt to tie Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight championships at Wimbledon and to claim an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title overall.
Djokovic was not fully able to compete at his best level, two days after taking what he described as a “nasty” and “awkward” fall in the last game of his quarterfinal victory.
“I don’t want to talk in details about my injury and just whine about not managing to play my best,” Djokovic said Friday. “I do feel disappointed that I just wasn’t able to move as well as I thought or hoped that I would.”
He was visited by a trainer before the third set for treatment on his upper left leg, won the next three games and was a point from a 4-0 lead, but lost six of the last seven games.
“We all saw, especially in the third set, that he was a bit injured,” said Sinner, who will meet No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final. “He’s been in a very difficult situation.”
Before this fortnight, Djokovic said he figured the grass-court tournament gives him his best chance at another major. His most recent came at the 2023 U.S. Open.
At the next Slam event, the 2024 Australian Open, Djokovic lost to Sinner. At the French Open a few months later, Djokovic needed to withdraw before the quarterfinals because he tore the meniscus in his right knee and needed surgery. Then, a month later at Wimbledon, he lost to Alcaraz in the final, his sixth consecutive appearance in the tournament’s title match — and second straight loss to Alcaraz.
Djokovic exited in the semifinals at all three of this season’s majors so far, quitting because of a torn hamstring after one set in that round at Melbourne Park, then losing to Sinner at Roland-Garros and again on Friday.
When his earliest loss at Wimbledon since 2017 ended, Djokovic picked up his things and, as he walked toward the locker room, paused to respond to a standing ovation with a smile, a wave and a thumbs-up for the crowd.
A reporter later asked whether Djokovic felt as if he had some bad luck because of the repeated injury issues.
“I don’t think it’s bad fortune. It’s just age — the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, the last year and a half, like never before, to be honest,” Djokovic replied, shaking his head. “It’s tough for me to accept that, because I feel like when I’m fresh, when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year.”
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
