Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts as he performs towards Italy’s Jannik Sinner throughout their males’s singles semi-final tennis match on the twelfth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Garden Tennis and Croquet Membership in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 11, 2025. (Photograph by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)
Novak Djokovic mentioned the fact of his age was hitting him “like by no means earlier than” after he was crushed by world primary Jannik Sinner within the Wimbledon semifinals on Friday.
The Serbian seven-time champion was demolished 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 on Centre Courtroom and will probably be lacking from the ultimate on the All England Membership for the primary time since 2017.
READ: Alcaraz, Sinner will resume rivalry in Wimbledon closing
The 38-year-old was aiming for a document twenty fifth Grand Slam title and an eighth Wimbledon crown, which might have pulled him degree with Roger Federer’s document of eight males’s titles.
He appeared restricted in his actions towards his 23-year-old opponent, who will face two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s closing, and admitted afterwards that he had struggled.
Djokovic fell awkwardly late in his quarter-final victory over Flavio Cobolli, sustaining a leg damage.
“It wasn’t actually a pleasing feeling on the courtroom,” he mentioned. “I don’t need to speak, in particulars, about my damage and simply whine about not managing to play my greatest.
“I need to congratulate Jannik for one more nice efficiency. That’s it. He’s within the finals. He was too sturdy.”
Djokovic was compelled to drag out of the Australian Open after only one set of his semi-final towards Alexander Zverev earlier this 12 months after struggling a muscle tear.
READ: Novak Djokovic reaches document 14th Wimbledon semifinal
However he denied he was struggling dangerous fortune.
“It’s simply age, the damage and tear of the physique,” he mentioned. “As a lot as I’m taking good care of it, the fact hits me proper now, final 12 months and a half, like by no means earlier than, to be sincere.
“It’s powerful for me to simply accept that as a result of I really feel like after I’m recent, after I’m match, I can nonetheless play actually good tennis. I’ve confirmed that this 12 months.
“However I suppose enjoying best-of-five, significantly this 12 months, has been an actual wrestle for me bodily. The longer the match goes the more severe the situation will get. I attain the ultimate levels, I reached the semis of each Slam this 12 months, however I’ve to play Sinner or Alcaraz.
“These guys are match, younger, sharp. I really feel like I’m going into the match with the tank half empty. It’s simply not potential to win a match like that.”
READ: Wimbledon: Djokovic stays on monitor for glory beneath Federer glaze
Wimbledon return
Djokovic mentioned he was planning to return to Wimbledon subsequent 12 months.
“I feel, no matter the truth that I haven’t received a Grand Slam this 12 months, or final 12 months, I nonetheless really feel like I proceed to play my greatest tennis at Grand Slams,” he mentioned.
“These are the tournaments that I care about at this stage of my profession essentially the most.”
Djokovic mentioned he didn’t know what he might do in another way.
“The quantity of hours that I spend each day to maintain myself, I’d prefer to problem everybody who’s on the market on the tour to see if anyone takes care of themselves greater than me,” he mentioned.
“And I, sadly, don’t get rewarded for that proper now, with accidents on the later levels of Slams. However I used to be rewarded for a lot of, a few years.”
He added: “I’m simply making an attempt to make, I suppose, the utmost out of what I’ve left. Once more, I simply acquired off the courtroom, so in fact, I’m upset and disenchanted, largely not for the loss, as a result of clearly even when I used to be match, I wasn’t a favorite to win towards Sinner, I do know that, however I feel I had good possibilities if I used to be match.”
The Serb was requested who he felt would win Sunday’s closing.
“I feel I’ll give a slight edge to Carlos as a favorite due to the 2 titles he’s received right here and the way in which he’s enjoying and the boldness he has proper now,” he mentioned.
“However it’s only a slight benefit as a result of Jannik is hitting the ball extraordinarily properly. I feel it’s going to be, once more, a really shut match-up like that they had in Paris (the place Alcaraz received in 5 units).”
