Djokovic file in Australia: "I am shocked by my bad game, but it is not the beginning of the end"
In the second set, Novak Djokovic approached his bench and, without pausing, struck the head judge’s chair with a racket and shattered a microphone. It was a fleeting moment of hope for him and his team, as it signaled a remaining motivation, ambition, and fire. However, it quickly became clear that this moment was nothing more than a mirage. Djokovic appeared more subdued, perplexed, and imprecise than ever, resulting in his first defeat in the crucial stage of the Australian Open this Friday.
In all his previous semifinal appearances, Djokovic emerged victorious and claimed the title ten out of ten times. However, Jannik Sinner defeated him in a straightforward manner with a score of 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(4), and 6-3, leaving everyone in attendance questioning why. Unfortunately, no one could provide a definitive answer.
Djokovic himself acknowledged the strangeness of it all. “I was taken aback by my performance; it was in ‘shock.’ I couldn’t seem to do anything right in the first two sets. As far as I can recall, it was one of my worst matches. Playing like that was unpleasant,” admitted the reigning number one in the rankings. He also commended Sinner for completely outclassing him. Sinner didn’t allow Djokovic any opportunity to break his serve and dictated the match as desired. Out of their four recent encounters, which include two ATP Finals matches, one Davis Cup meeting, and this Friday’s Australian Open clash, the Italian emerged victorious in three occasions.
“In the first set, I already noticed that Novak wasn’t striking the ball as usual, and I was surprised. I was less focused and having a bad day. He is the best returner on the entire circuit, yet he didn’t manage to earn a single break point. That statistic is very rare for him,” analyzed Sinner, who will face Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final. Medvedev defeated Alexander Zverev in a grueling five-set battle: 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), and 6-3.
Despite his disappointment in the previous tournament, the ATP Cup, Djokovic dismissed any injury to his right wrist as the reason behind his troubles in Australia. He assured that he will come back stronger in the upcoming months. With COVID-19 restrictions no longer hindering his plans, Djokovic has confirmed his presence at the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000 events in March, tournaments he hasn’t played since 2019. There is speculation that he might compete in the ATP 500 in Dubai before that, but it has not been officially announced. Nevertheless, after his defeat against Sinner, Djokovic wanted to alleviate the pressure for the next Grand Slam, Roland Garros, where he will arrive as the defending champion and favorite.
“If Nadal participates, he is always the favorite in Paris. Sinner and Alcaraz will also be there, and, in fact, anyone within the top 10 rankings could win. We must observe how the players develop in the coming months since Roland Garros is still far away,” commented a dispirited Djokovic who simultaneously denied any indication of his decline.
At 36 years old and with 24 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic does not yet foresee his retirement; on the contrary. For this season, as he has expressed on multiple occasions, he has an objective beyond increasing his Grand Slam count or his weeks at the number one spot: capturing gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Tokyo 2020, he reached the semifinals but fell short each time.
“I have great aspirations for the Olympic Games and the upcoming Grand Slams. This feeling is unfamiliar to me because most of my seasons began with a victory in Australia, but it is what it is. I haven’t performed at my usual level, but it’s not the beginning of the end. We’ll see what the rest of the year holds,” proclaimed Djokovic, touched by this Friday’s loss but not defeated forever.