In a surprising turn of events, Novak Djokovic has been spotted practicing at the All England Club ahead of the Wimbledon tournament starting next week. This move has left many experts, including former tennis great Mats Wilander, stunned. Wilander had anticipated the 37-year-old Serbian to make his comeback in time for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, rather than this early at Wimbledon.
Djokovic’s participation in the third Grand Slam of the season holds significant weight as he aims to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles. The preparation comes as a shock not only because of his recent injury at Roland-Garros but also due to his relentless pursuit of excellence on the court.
Mats Wilander, speaking to Eurosport’s Arnold Montgault, delved into how the ‘big three’ of Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal compare. “With Novak, I think when he came on the circuit early on, we didn’t see his greatness because his greatness was more inside of him than on the outside,” Wilander observed. “With Roger and Rafa, the greatness, you could see it. You could see it in the shot, in the technique.”
Wilander’s reflections on Djokovic highlight a key aspect of his game: the absence of any glaring weaknesses. “Everybody wants to play like Roger Federer. With Novak, he hits the ball like most other pros. It’s just that he hits his backhand like other pros that have the best backhand in the game, and he hits his forehand like all the other pros that have the best forehands in the game, and he hits his serve in the same spots as Roger Federer, who had the best serve in the game,” Wilander explained. “What we didn’t realise is that there were no weaknesses anywhere in his game on any surface. Federer has a weakness. Nadal has weaknesses. Djokovic doesn’t really have a weakness.”
Witnessing Djokovic preparing on the grass courts of SW19, Wilander admitted his surprise. “It’s so surprising to see Novak, obviously, in London, just a few days before Wimbledon, not knowing if he’s going to play,” he said. This sight of Djokovic gearing up for Wimbledon is a testament to his unique approach to the sport.
Wilander further praised Djokovic’s mindset: “But that’s the greatness of Novak: he’s not looking at the No. 1 spot in the world rankings, he’s not looking to win the most Grand Slam titles, he’s looking at the day-to-day situation. I would think that he feels he needs to go to Wimbledon to get into that competitive spirit, to prepare, and to try and get ready to play a match in what most probably is the most important tournament in his career: Wimbledon.”
Djokovic’s preparation at Wimbledon, even if it doesn’t culminate in participation, speaks volumes about his dedication to the sport. Wilander concluded, “Even if he doesn’t play, it’s going to help him make him a better player. It’s going to help him come back sooner so that he is completely ready to play at the Olympics later in the summer. If he was at home, he could maybe get better practice, but at the same time, he’s not going to be playing with the same level of players he can when he goes to Wimbledon and practises on grass.”
