Why I Lost to Sinner – Djokovic Explains
Novak Djokovic, 38, has explained why he lost to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-final. Sinner, who is 15 years younger, beat the seven-time Wimbledon champion in straight sets.
After the match, Djokovic was honest about what went wrong but made it clear he wasn’t making excuses.
“The truth is hitting me hard now, more than ever in the last year and a half,” Djokovic said. “I’ve made the semi-finals at every Grand Slam this year, but when I face players like Sinner or Alcaraz, I feel like I’m starting the match already tired.”
Although he admitted he wasn’t physically at his best, Djokovic praised Sinner’s performance.
“He apologised at the net for making me feel bad, but he didn’t need to. He played brilliantly. Over the last year and a half, he’s been one of the best in the world. I wished him good luck — it’s his first Wimbledon final and he’ll be excited. The level he and Alcaraz are playing at is incredible. They are ahead of the rest of us.”
Djokovic said his struggles are not due to bad luck, but due to age and the physical toll of his long career.
“As much as I look after my body, this is just reality. Playing best-of-five sets is getting tougher. The longer the tournament goes on, the harder it is to keep up. I’ve shown I can still play great tennis when I’m well-rested, but it’s a real battle physically now.”
He repeated that players like Sinner and Alcaraz are “young, in shape, and focused,” which makes it hard to keep up.
Still, Djokovic was quick to shut down any retirement rumours.
“This isn’t the end. I would be sad if it were my last match on Centre Court, but I don’t think it is. I plan to come back — at least once more,” he said.
