Novak Djokovic punched his ticket to his 35th major final Friday when he cruised past Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals. Despite holding a record 23 major titles, the Serbian is motivated to once again add to his trophy collection Sunday when he meets World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in a match that will decide who tops the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.
“Ambition is always the highest for me: always to win the title. It’s not changing regardless of the place in history books,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “Maybe some people think that it would be a huge relief for me winning Roland Garros, being the only men’s tennis player with 23 slams. It’s not.”
Riding a 34-match winning streak at The All England Club, Djokovic is bidding to tie Roger Federer’s record eight Wimbledon crowns as well as joining the Swiss great and Bjorn Borg as the only players to win five consecutive men’s singles titles at the grass-court major. Djokovic stated that despite his experience playing on the final day of the tournament, he will still feel the weight of playing a high-stakes match.
“Pressure is there, it’s still very high,” Djokovic said. “I still feel goosebumps and butterflies and nerves coming into every single match. So I’m going to be coming into Sunday’s final like it’s my first. I don’t want to approach the final in any more relaxed way than I have in previous ones, meaning the intention needs to be clear. Goal and approach will be as serious and professional as it has always been.”
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The 36-year-old has a clear priority: bringing his best level to the season’s four majors. Djokovic has captured the Wimbledon title six of the past eight years (event not held in 2020). This year, the Belgrade native has won the first two Slams of the year, triumphing at the Australian Open and last month at Roland Garros. Can Djokovic make it a trifecta by lifting the silver gilt cup?
“It’s no secret that Grand Slams are the highest priority for me, the highest goals on my priority list,” Djokovic said. “Every time I start the season, I want to peak at these four tournaments. I try to organise my schedule, training schedule, and my preparation weeks, and all the tournaments, according to these priorities. Last several years, my Grand Slam seasons are amazing. The results are fantastic.
“I have a good team of people around me. We do things in a proper way on a daily basis. I think that gives us benefits when we get to the later stages of a Grand Slam. Most of the players are probably exhausted a bit physically, mentally, or maybe they don’t feel like they can go a step further. I feel that the job is not finished until I lift the trophy.”
Djokovic’s ability to hold his nerve during pressure points is part of why he has won 27 consecutive matches at major tournaments. Such mental fortitude has also helped him become the first player in the Open Era to win 14 consecutive tie-breaks at the majors in a single season. Djokovic broke Pete Sampras’ record (12) in the fourth round against Hubert Hurkacz, and extended his streak by closing out his semi-final against Sinner in a third-set tie-break.
“I am aware of the tie-break streak. I think the longer the streak goes, I guess mentally the more resilient or tougher I am in these particular situations,” Djokovic said. “Coming into every tie-break now, I feel more comfortable than my opponent just because of the record. I think that my opponents also know about that record. That mentally makes a difference.”
On Sunday, Djokovic will meet Alcaraz, a man 16 years his junior, in a winner-takes-all championship match with World No. 1 also on the line. Djokovic won their most recent meeting in the Roland Garros semi-finals to level their Lexus ATPHead2Head series at 1-1. Alcaraz reclaimed World No. 1 from Djokovic when he won the Queen’s title late last month. Sunday will be the first time Djokovic and Alcaraz meet in a final.
“This is probably the most anticipated final from the beginning of the tournament, [for] most of the people. Alcaraz, myself,” Djokovic said. “It will be his first final at Wimbledon. We are both in good form. We’re both playing well.
“Yes, I do have more experience playing in many more Grand Slam or Wimbledon finals than him. Still, he’s in great shape. He’s very motivated. He’s young. He’s hungry. I’m hungry, too, so let’s have a feast!”
Did You Know?
Djokovic is just the third player in the Open Era (since 1968) to reach the Wimbledon men’s singles final aged 36 or older, after his great rival Federer and Ken Rosewall. By reaching his 35th championship match at a Grand Slam event, Djokovic claimed sole ownership of the record for reaching the most major finals, ahead of former WTA star Chris Evert (34).