Djokovic has won in straight sets in his last 13 victories

Can Safiullin stop the World No.4 at the Shanghai Masters?

Watch Roman Safiullin vs Novak Djokovic live

“Really glad to be at the same table as Novak to do it,” Carlos Alcaraz declared after his Wimbledon victory, joining the elite group that had won multiple slam titles in the same calendar year. Winning against the GOAT-in-waiting Novak Djokovic twice at the All England Tennis Club is indeed a work of art. But Carlitos has mastered it with his expertise in tennis by pulling back Djokovic from attaining his eighth title in London. It’s pretty neat, isn’t it? Roger Federer’s ex-coach, Ivan Ljubicic, is of a similar opinion too. Ljubicic’s take on Djokovic’s recent slump throws a wrench into the whole narrative.

With an extra layer of disadvantage working on his side, Djokovic, who came into the tournament after recovering from a torn meniscus surgery, faced a defeat at the hands of his 21-year-old opponent by 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4). Even he could not deny the formidable force of the four-time Grand Slam champion, Alcaraz. “He had it all today. I tried to push him, save the three match points, and extend the match a little bit but it wasn’t meant to be. He was an absolutely deserved winner today so congratulations to him,” Djokovic said after the match.

 “I need everything he tells me from the box, and it’s really helpful to give my 100% on the court,” Alcaraz firmly stated about his coach earlier. Clearly, he knows his game quite well. However, such is not the case for Djokovic, who acted as a lone warrior to propel himself forward in the game. Speaking on this major difference in their approach, Federer’s ex-coach stated, “Carlos was unplayable. Novak lacked reaction. He never looked at his box. And it’s difficult to play against Carlos like that.”

The 37-year-old tennis player recently called it quits on working with his seven-year coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and temporarily joined hands with Boris Bosnjakovic at the French Open. However, the Serbian tennis star couldn’t get past the quarterfinals in the red clay event because of his knee injuries. Now his Wimbledon record is also not showing the best results. Naturally, apart from his lack of form, the question of the need for guidance to keep up his performance is not unusual.

But on the other side, Alcaraz is undeniably enjoying his best season this year, with two back-to-back grand slams in his bucket. In his clash against Djokovic, Alcaraz established a lead over him from the very start. He kept Djokovic guessing where the ball might hit, slowly closing in on him, with his amazing drop shots and powerful forehand strokes. When the game was at 6-2, 2-0, Djokovic could only acquire four points among his 14 approaches to the net.

Hinting at this intimidating challenge posed by Carlitos, Ljubicic alluded to the importance of guidance from the player’s box to fight back in this situation. Besides Alcaraz’s current coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, has also shared his perspective after watching Djokovic’s gameplay at Wimbledon.

Ferrero criticized Djokovic’s form at Wimbledon

“Growth has to be there. We have to keep going. I think that now, at 21, you can’t stop growing,” said Ferrero, who has been guiding Alcaraz for over six years now. But when it came to describing his opponent’s performance, the former French Open champion expressed his surprise on the subject.

“I was a little surprised by Djokovic’s level today. I think he felt outclassed from the start. It was hard for him to keep up with Carlos’ pace and ball speed. It’s true that last year he was better, maybe this year, not being at 100%, it was a little harder for him,” he said.

July 14 (UPI) — Carlos Alcaraz’s felt-shredding forehands and ball-blurring serves forced uncharacteristic blunders from Novak Djokovic en route to his second-consecutive Wimbledon title Sunday in London.

The Spaniard unleashed 41 winners in the 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) victory — his first straight-sets win over Djokovic — at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. His Serbian foe, whose serve was broken just five times through the first six rounds of the tournament, was broken five more times in the finale.

“It’s a dream for me winning this trophy,” Alcaraz said on the ESPN broadcast. “It’s a great feeling to play on this beautiful court and win this amazing trophy.

“For me, this is the most beautiful tournament, the most beautiful court and the most beautiful trophy.”

The victory denied Djokovic of a 25th singles title, which would have broken Margaret Court’s overall record for the most women’s or men’s Grand Slam crowns.

Alcaraz, who also beat Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon finale, earned his second-consecutive Grand Slam title — following the 2024 French Open — for the first time of his career.

“It was obviously not the result I wanted, especially the first couple of sets,” Djokovic said. “The level of tennis wasn’t up to par from my side, but credit to Carlos for really playing some amazing tennis, very complete tennis, from the back of the court, serve, I mean, he had it all today.

The former world number one has an up-and-down relationship with the public.

This year’s Wimbledon was no different. As Djokovic stepped down to play the final against Carlos Alcaraz, a local fan took the spotlight with a playful jab at the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

A cheeky fan drew everyone’s attention by sporting a t-shirt that poked fun at Djokovic in a lighthearted manner, much to the amusement of the spectators.

Rather than taking offense, the Serbian tennis star responded with a grin, showcasing his appreciation for the fan’s enthusiasm and humor. The fan’s t-shirt humorously declared, “Have a goooooooood match,” a phrase that brought back memories of a recent on-court incident.

Djokovic vs. the crowd

Just days earlier, during his Wimbledon match against Holger Rune, Djokovic had a tense moment with the crowd. Believing they were jeering him and showing “disrespect” by elongating Rune’s name into “Rooooooooooon,” Djokovic felt slighted, interpreting it as booing.

After clinching the match, he sarcastically told the crowd, “Have a Goooood Night!” emphasizing his frustration. Despite the host’s attempts to explain that the audience was merely cheering for his opponent, Djokovic remained unconvinced.

“They were, they were. I don’t accept it. No, no, no. They were cheering for Rune, but they were also booing me. I have been playing on this tour for 20 years and I know how it works,” Djokovic asserted.

Aiming for a record-tying eighth Wimbledon men’s trophy, Djokovic has often had a tumultuous relationship with the crowd. Throughout his career, he has faced varying reactions from the public, sometimes hostile or indifferent, especially when pitted against more popular opponents. However, Djokovic has learned not to shy away from such situations.

Novak looked more relaxed

Following his quarter-final win against Australian ninth seed Alex de Minaur, Djokovic addressed the crowd’s reaction with a light-hearted attitude. He suggested that despite the tension, he was ready to move forward with a positive mindset. To the booing crowd, he cheerfully said, “To all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player – in this case me – have a goooooooood night.”