Novak Djokovic’s Loss to Jannik Sinner Raises Eyebrows

Novak Djokovic suffered two losses in January, falling to Alex de Minaur on the United Cup and shedding the Australian Open title to Jannik Sinner. Regardless of that, world no. 1 stays the participant to beat for former WTA participant Laura Robson.

The Briton backs Novak to chase notable titles in the remainder of the season. Nonetheless, Robson admitted Djokovic must play at his finest amongst his closest rivals, as it is not sufficient to oust them whereas acting at 50%. Novak is having fun with his day off the court docket earlier than returning to motion in Indian Wells, competing within the desert for the primary time in 5 years.

The Serb continues to be centered on the 4 most essential tournaments of the season, desperate to problem the younger rivals and add extra notable trophies to his title.

Djokovic struggled with a wrist damage on the United Cup, beating three rivals earlier than falling to Alex de Minaur.

The Aussie beat the Serb 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 33 minutes, delivering certainly one of his career-best performances and toppling world no. 1. De Minaur by no means confronted a break level, taking part in flawless tennis behind the primary serve and retaining the strain on the opposite aspect.

Alex broke Novak as soon as in every set, controlling the scoreboard and sending Australia excessive. Djokovic led 40-15 within the seventh recreation of the opening set earlier than going through two break factors, canceling them with winners and firing an ace for 4-3.

Alex pushed sturdy on the return within the ninth recreation, incomes three break factors and changing the second to forge the lead. The Aussie served for the set at 5-4 and held at 15, wrapping up the opener and gaining a lift. Djokovic stood powerless on the return within the second set and couldn’t ship his ordinary energy from the preliminary shot and groundstrokes.

The Serb led 40-15 within the seventh recreation earlier than experiencing points, hitting a double fault and shedding serve to seal his destiny. De Minaur held at love in recreation eight, cementing the lead and serving for victory at 5-4. Novak saved three match factors and reached the primary deuce on the return.

Nonetheless, Alex stayed calm and seized the fourth match level, celebrating a notable win at first of the season. A couple of weeks later, Djokovic misplaced his Australian Open crown to Jannik Sinner, falling within the semi-final for the primary time at Melbourne Park.

Laura Robson believes in Novak Djokovic’s comeback in the remainder of the season.

Jannik ousted Novak 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-43 following a rock-solid show, by no means going through a break level and mounting the strain on the opposite aspect.

Djokovic couldn’t observe the rival’s tempo, spraying over 50 unforced errors and struggling 5 breaks from 11 possibilities provided to the younger gun. Carried by two wins over Novak within the closing levels of 2023, Jannik stepped onto the court docket with full confidence, taming his strokes properly and outplaying a ten-time winner.

The younger gun misplaced 27 factors on serve, retaining the veteran away from break factors for the primary time in accomplished matches at Majors! Sinner did every part proper within the shortest exchanges as much as 4 strokes, outplaying Djokovic like only some gamers earlier than him and crusing excessive.

Novak saved a match level within the tie break of the third set, giving every part to remain in contact. Nonetheless, Jannik made a contemporary begin within the fourth set and clinched one break to emerge on the prime. Sinner managed the tempo within the opening two units, delivering 4 breaks and constructing a 6-1, 6-2 benefit in 73 minutes!

After certainly one of his worst begins at Majors in a profession, Djokovic survived an early scare at first of the third set and served properly within the remaining recreation to succeed in a tie break. Novak saved a match level at 5-6 and stole the breaker 8-6, extending the battle after two and a half hours.

Nonetheless, Sinner regrouped rapidly and saved a excessive stage within the fourth set, serving properly and difficult Djokovic to repeat that. The Italian grabbed a decisive break within the fourth recreation after the Serb’s backhand error, shifting in entrance and holding after two deuces within the subsequent one for an enormous 4-1 lead.

Jannik secured the seventh recreation at love and served for the victory at 5-3. Sinner fired a forehand down the road winner on a match level, celebrating a notable win and shifting into the ultimate.

“I used to be extra shocked with Novak’s stage towards Jannik than by the loss itself.

Novak was so flat within the opening two units, which you by no means see from him. Dropping to Jannik within the semi-final is much from disaster, and it is laborious to learn a lot from Novak’s two defeats in 2024. He’s nonetheless the world’s finest participant, successful nearly every part.

Nonetheless, the younger weapons are assured to problem him in a best-of-five duels, which was not the case earlier than. Even when Novak didn’t play at his finest, his rivals couldn’t benefit from that. Now, he can’t carry out at 50% towards the younger rivals and hope to beat them.

Nonetheless, I’d not be too nervous about that, figuring out how properly Novak strikes at his age. He’s amongst these athletes who might play till they’re 55,” Laura Robson stated.