NOVAK DJOKOVIC ON CARLOS ALCARAZ AND JANNIK SINNER AFTER WIMBLEDON FINAL DEFEAT – ‘I’M NOT AT THAT LEVEL’
Novak Djokovic admitted he is not at the level of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz after his straight-sets loss in the Wimbledon final. The Serbian is the last member of the ‘Big Three’ still competing regularly for the biggest titles but has failed to win any of the first three Grand Slams of the year, which have been shared between world No. 1 Sinner and Alcaraz.
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Despite being a veteran of the tour and a 24-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic was left with an unfamiliar feeling after losing the Wimbledon in final in straight sets to Carlos Alcaraz.
It was expected to be a titanic clash as the pair renewed their rivalry in their second straight Wimbledon final, but it was a surprisingly one-sided contest as Alcaraz put Djokovic to the sword.
It continued Djokovic’s indifferent start to the season. Not since 2017 has he failed to win any of the first three Grand Slams, while he is still without a title at any level in 2024.
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WIMBLEDON MEN
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World No. 1 Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open, while Alcaraz has now added Wimbledon to his French Open triumph last month.
There is still plenty to look forward to in 2024 as he bids to add an elusive Olympic gold medal to his roll of honour, but Djokovic says he is not currently at the level of his two young rivals.
“The Olympic Games and US Open are the two big goals for the rest of the year for me really,” Djokovic said. “I’m hoping I can be at my best in those two tournaments, yeah. That’s all I can say right now.
“I mean, being able to reach the finals of Wimbledon, of course, it’s a great confidence boost. But I also feel like in a match-up today against [the] best player right now in the world for sure, I mean, other than Jannik, and both of them are the best this year by far, I feel like I’m not at that level.
“In order to really have a chance to I guess beat these guys in Grand Slam latter stages or Olympics, I’m going to have to play much better than I did today and feel much better than I did today.
“I’m going to work on it. It’s not something I haven’t experienced before ever in my life. I’ve had so many different experiences throughout my career.
“In the face of adversity, normally I rise and I learn and get stronger. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Alcaraz broke in a marathon first game of the match before going on to complete a surprisingly serene 6-2 6-2 7-6(4) victory at the All England Club.
The defeat means 37-year-old Djokovic will have to wait at least another year if he is to match Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon men’s singles titles, but he was quick to shut down any talk of retirement.
“Yeah, the first game was incredible,” he added. “One of the longest first games I’ve ever played.
“I think he was coming out from the blocks ready to battle and ready to play his best level right away, which wasn’t the case last year where I started better, had a comfortable first-set win.
“Today, from the first point, he was there, he was ready. That’s all I can say in terms of that. Yeah, let’s keep it going because I still keep going.
“I still have intentions to play Olympic Games, hopefully have a chance to fight for a medal for my country. On a completely different surface obviously, going back to the place where I got injured some weeks ago. Let’s see. Let’s see how physically and mentally I’m going to feel.
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“Hopefully I can find the right tennis ’cause I’m going to need all I have and more to go to the final of the Olympic Games.
“As far as coming back here, I mean, I would love to. I don’t have anything else in my thoughts right now that this is my last Wimbledon. I really want to play at least whatever, I don’t know.
“I don’t have any limitations in my mind. I still want to keep going and play as long as I feel like I can play on this high level.”
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