It’s no surprise that Novak Djokovic had doubts about his chances at Wimbledon, considering he underwent surgery on his right knee less than a month before the tournament began. “I was focused on moving well and avoiding further injury,” he remarked.
As he progressed through the early rounds at the All England Club, Djokovic began to feel more optimistic: “I started to feel like I was playing close to my best and had a chance at winning the title.”
Now, he stands just one win away from potentially securing his eighth Wimbledon championship, which would equal Roger Federer’s record for the most titles won by a man at the tournament. Additionally, a victory would mark Djokovic’s 25th Grand Slam title, surpassing any other tennis player in history.
However, the task ahead won’t be easy. On Sunday, Djokovic will face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a rematch of last year’s Wimbledon final. The presence of Kate, the Princess of Wales, at the match adds to the significance, especially given her rare public appearance following her cancer diagnosis.
“This match holds historical significance for me,” Djokovic acknowledged regarding the milestones at stake. “It’s a great motivator, but it also comes with pressure and high expectations.”
Despite being 37 years old and competing against younger opponents like 21-year-old Alcaraz, Djokovic still holds himself to high standards: “Every time I step onto the court, I expect to win most of my matches. There’s also an expectation from others that I will succeed.”
Few would have predicted Djokovic’s current position after he injured his knee on June 3 during the French Open, withdrew from the quarterfinals the next day as defending champion, and underwent surgery on June 5 in Paris.
Djokovic wasn’t sure if he could play in Wimbledon until a few days before the draw in late June.
During the French Open, Alcaraz pointed out Djokovic’s history of recovering from injuries: “He always comes back stronger and quickly.” Just before Wimbledon started, Alcaraz called Djokovic superhuman for returning to play.
Djokovic found some encouragement from Taylor Fritz, who injured his knee at the 2021 French Open and played at Wimbledon three weeks later. Djokovic messaged Fritz during his flight home from Paris this year, asking about the surgery and recovery. Later, he sought more advice after the operation.
“Fritz said Djokovic might have taken away confidence from their conversation. He said, ‘Actually, you’ll feel better sooner than you think. It’s painful and uncomfortable. But you can play through it.'”
That’s exactly what Djokovic did. By the time he beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the semifinals on Friday, Djokovic felt no pain and moved well, wearing a gray sleeve on his knee.
Overall, this season hasn’t been great for Djokovic, who is seeded second. He hasn’t won any tournaments or reached a final until now.
But none of that matters on Sunday, when he will face Alcaraz, seeded third, in the final to stop him from winning his fourth Grand Slam title.
“I know what it’s like to play against Djokovic… I know what I need to do,” said Alcaraz, who beat Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals. “I’m sure he knows what he needs to do to beat me.”
Alcaraz, only 21 years old, has won all three of his previous Grand Slam finals. This includes a five-set victory over Djokovic at Wimbledon last year, as well as wins at the U.S. Open in 2022 and the French Open last month.
“He’s a very versatile player, very complete. It’s impressive what he’s achieved at such a young age… I think we all agree that he will win many Grand Slams in his career,” Djokovic said on Friday night. “I hope he lets me have this one in two days, and then we’ll see. After that, I’ll be rooting for him.”
