Djokovic missed a big opportunity, but not the biggest one

Just as the euphoria had to be tempered after Jannik Sinner was eliminated in Paris, the fighting spirit and optimism should now be raised ahead of Wimbledon Championships.Before the match against Jo&atilde;o Fonseca, it was clear that Sinner&rsquo;s elimination was significant and created an opportunity, but it was far from a realistic scenario that Novak Djokovic would already be on course for a 25th Grand Slam title in the Bois de Boulogne.When the draw was released, Sinner was a potential opponent in the final, but there were still many obstacles to overcome before reaching a championship match.Djokovic got past Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Valentin Royer, albeit with some minor complications. Unfortunately, he could not do the same against Fonseca.Djokovic led by two sets to love and held a break advantage in the fifth set, but after a dramatic battle lasting nearly five hours, he ultimately suffered defeat.EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSONI have to admit that during Djokovic&rsquo;s run in Paris, I was more concerned about a potential round-of-16 clash with Casper Ruud than about the Brazilian.Jo&atilde;o Fonseca is certainly a young lion, a leader of the next generation&mdash;dynamic, quick, and explosive&mdash;but also a player around whom a great deal of hype has built up before achieving a truly major breakthrough.He had won two ATP titles, but his best Grand Slam result prior to this tournament was reaching the third round, making this a significant turning point in his career.In the closing stages of the match, Novak Djokovic appeared to run out of energy, which is hardly surprising at 39 years old. On top of that, he had played very little competitive tennis in recent months, at least when it comes to official matches.Just one match on clay&mdash;in Rome, a loss to Dino Prižmić&mdash;was certainly not enough, neither for Djokovic to regain the feel and tension of high-level competition nor for observers to accurately judge what he is still capable of achieving.EPA/ADAM VAUGHANIt is difficult to assess all of this with Wimbledon in mind as well, but it is considerably easier than it was for the French Open.Wimbledon Championships is not as physically demanding, and the seven titles that Novak Djokovic has won at the All England Club provide an additional boost.&ldquo;That&rsquo;s because of the results I&rsquo;ve achieved there, because of how I feel and how I play at Wimbledon. I get an extra mental boost and motivation to play my best tennis at the highest level,&rdquo; Djokovic said in London last year.If he can raise his level just a little from what he showed this week in Paris, he will be extremely difficult to beat.There is also the well-known saying that &ldquo;nobody but Novak knows how to play on grass.&rdquo; It may be difficult to defend that claim entirely, but there is certainly something special about the way he performs on that surface.EPA/NEIL HALLNovak is remarkably adaptable to different surfaces and playing conditions. In the latter stage of his career, he has also significantly improved his serve, turning it into a major weapon.As for his return of serve&mdash;his trademark throughout his entire career&mdash;it hardly needs mentioning. When he neutralizes a big serve with a deep return at his opponent&rsquo;s feet, the opponent is immediately put under pressure and forced into a defensive position.There is also his reliability at the net, movement, defensive skills, and even his ability to slide on grass, something that is far from common on that surface.Many will say that all of this is true, but that Jannik Sinner will be at Wimbledon again, and he has been the dominant force in recent times.However, it is worth remembering that Djokovic and Sinner have met three times in London at the Wimbledon Championships. Djokovic won the first two encounters, while Sinner claimed the most recent one, in last season&rsquo;s semifinal. EPA/MOHAMMED BADRAIt also remains to be seen how Jannik Sinner will respond after everything that happened to him in Paris.It was not just the heat, as the Italian himself acknowledged. Much of it appeared to be psychological&mdash;pressure, expectations, and the mental strain of the occasion. Those issues could potentially have longer-term effects as well.Even if Sinner returns to his usual level, Novak Djokovic showed in Australia earlier this year that he is still capable of causing him serious problems.A great deal can happen in London at the Wimbledon Championships, and Djokovic certainly should not be written off.On the contrary, there is every reason to believe that a 25th Grand Slam title remains within reach.

Djokovic missed a big opportunity, but not the biggest one

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