One of the reasons for Novak Djokovic’s immense success in men’s tennis is that it’s nigh-on impossible to out-fight him. When the chips are down, when the odds are slimmest, that is when the Serbian brings his best to the table. Many of his greatest triumphs have been born from a refusal to give up when all seems lost.
But last month’s Wimbledon final felt like a seminal moment. Faced with the youthful energy and raw power of Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic mightn’t find the resilience needed to claw his way back into the match and claim an eighth Wimbledon title.
So, nearly a month on from Alcaraz’s sensational victory at SW19, what conclusions can we draw? Was the result a simple blip in Djokovic’s dominance, or is this the beginning of the end for the Serbian’s stranglehold on the biggest titles, and the start of the new age in men’s tennis?
The upcoming US Open will give us a firm indication. Alcaraz heads to Flushing Meadows as the slight favourite in the US Open tennis odds, but Djokovic will be on a mission to reassert himself as the dominant force in the sport.
Alcaraz will be returning to the scene of his maiden Grand Slam triumph 12 months ago. That victory over Casper Ruud in New York last year undoubtedly gave the Spaniard the confidence needed to take his game to the next level. He has since become world number one, added a hatful of ATP titles, as well as his sensational victory at Wimbledon.
For Djokovic, the US Open hasn’t been the most fruitful tournament over the years. He has won it just three times, which is surprising when you consider his 10 triumphs on the hard courts of the Australian Open. In recent times, controversies have blighted his relationship with the event, defaulted in 2020 for hitting a line judge with a ball, before missing the tournament in 2022 due to his vaccination status.
In the days following his Wimbledon defeat to Alcaraz, Djokovic may well have been pondering his status at the top of tennis. With every passing Grand Slam, his powers will inevitably wane slightly, the natural result of ageing in sport.
In many ways, the next few Grand Slams will give us an insight into Djokovic’s mentality at this stage of his career. Now that he is the leading men’s player in history in terms of Grand Slam titles, will he be content to take his foot off the gas and allow the next generation to establish themselves, or will be doubly determined to ensure his flame doesn’t die out before its time?
It’s hard to imagine Djokovic ever being content to be an also-ran, so don’t be surprised if he arrives in New York freshly determined to get his hands on the trophy and prove that he isn’t quite finished being a champion.
Still, you can’t escape the feeling that Alcaraz’s Wimbledon triumph reflected the inexorable changing of the guard in tennis. With other young players coming to the fore as well, we might look back on this summer as the moment when the landscape shifted in men’s tennis.