Fail easily
Novak Djokovic bowed out as Jannik Sinner slowly took the lead in the second Wimbledon semi-final, and time immediately sped up on centre court in London.
While there have been signs all season, and he himself – elegant, clearly aware of what he's facing – admits that he may be heading towards the impossible, this finale paints a clear picture of Nole's current situation.
The champion of champions closed out the tournament quickly (3-6, 3-6, and 4-6 after 1 hour and 55 minutes).
Faced with Sinner 's superiority, Djokovic was constantly struggling. He wanted to, but couldn't. The problem was the tempo, the age. How long could he last?
Djokovic still has the class, the style and the attitude to overcome most opponents today. But things are different. Everything has changed.
There are two new phenomena moving at a different speed – impossible to catch up with. Impossible to resist.
In front of him was Sinner, a reincarnation of Djokovic at his peak, who used to exhaust opponents with his side-to-side ball control.
The Sinner is a perfect upgrade to the old archetype – the one who still struggles, suffers, protests, rises up; never gives up until the end.
Nole fought against nature. But still fell. Today, that is not enough. He cannot keep up.
Djokovic is 38. That is why the British audience has given him recognition – the people who once turned their backs on him, when they openly cheered for their idol Roger Federer. Those were different times.
Today, audiences witnessing the failure evoke nostalgia, as it seems to be a farewell to an era.
Wimbledon this time is last chance, or nothing. New York? Hard. Next year? Harder.
Even Djokovic's limitless ability to push the limits cannot defy the law.
Sinner's powerful shots swept away the player who was a master of control and tempo control. Nole was completely left behind.
Nole's Sunset
The 24-time Grand Slam winner started the season on the right foot, using his veteran instincts to beat Alcaraz in Australia.
But it was also in Melbourne that his body showed signs of weakness, something that had started last season. Still, he reached the semi-finals – there, then Roland Garros, and now Wimbledon .
Focusing entirely on the Grand Slam tournaments, with the goal of reaching the golden number of 25 major titles, the current results are too modest for a player who only knows how to win.
For him, the rest, while remarkable, is trivial. It's either winning a Grand Slam or nothing.
The numbers and facts don't lie: the gap between Alcaraz (22) and Sinner (23) and the rest – including Djokovic – is growing.
What is admirable is his perseverance, spirit and effort, as well as the romanticism in the fight against the aging body.
He was still fit enough to reach the finals, but he couldn't overcome the new rulers. He had lost the last five times he faced Sinner. The defeat in Paris was clear, and this time at Wimbledon was even clearer.
The overwhelming victory for the world number one, and the comeback in set 3 was also very impressive. Even when leading 3-0, Djokovic still could not maintain the advantage. Before that, Nole had to be treated for an injury to his left thigh.
John McEnroe commented: “Novak will have a lot to think about in the next month. This is the first time I look at him and think: 'I don't know if Nole will come back'. It's unbelievable that he has come this far and played at this level for so long.”
Those words reinforced the feeling that Djokovic's streak was running out – at least in close encounters.
Alcaraz and Sinner played like they were riding on new-age rockets, while Djokovic's once-modern game now looked like an antique.
Nole lost and left London uncertain about his future. Meanwhile, the upcoming final has people excited: the reunion of the two biggest opposing forces today between Sinner and Alcaraz (10pm on July 13).
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/djokovic-thua-toan-dien-sinner-hoang-hon-bao-trum-nole-2420869.html
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