Novak Djokovic is, perhaps, tennis’ greatest-ever fighter.
He has forged a sparkling career from proving people wrong, coming back from situations where most would crumble. It is his unflinching mentality, just as much as his remarkable physique and supreme technical quality, that has made him as great as he is.
That is what makes what John Isner saw yesterday that much more shocking.
Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, he pointed out one thing he noticed about Novak Djokovic’s body language which he couldn’t believe.
John Isner stunned by Novak Djokovic’s body language in loss to Jannik Sinner
Having become so accustomed to the Serbian’s never-say-die attitude, this visible resignation was a surprise to see; almost as surprising as the shot he missed to gift the crucial break in the third set.
However, he can be somewhat forgiven for his reaction to going two sets to love down against Jannik Sinner, having been outclassed from the very start.
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Isner commented: “What I saw from just watching on TV. I saw that look [of resignation] after the second set. I think one of the key points in the match was Sinner getting up that early break in the second set.
“After he went up two sets to love, his likelihood to win was about 85%, which was about accurate.
“But early in that third set, to me, it’s crazy to say this, but Novak looked a bit defeated. When he got broken in the third set, it was on a serve and volley.
“Novak doesn’t do that, right? It was a serve and volley. He didn’t really hit his spot on the serve and went into Sinner’s pocket backhand; of course he got the return down low, and Novak missed a volley for Sinner to go up that early break.”
Isner finished by admitting that Djokovic didn’t even play poorly, yet he barely laid a glove on Sinner.
He added: “Novak’s pace of ball from the back of the court, he was such a good ball striker, but he could not hit any clean winners from the back of the court. He could not even hit shots where Sinner was completely on the defence because Sinner was just everywhere sliding out of the corners.”
Following their Wimbledon semi-final, Martina Navratilova predicted whether she thinks Djokovic will ever win a 25th Grand Slam title. Admittedly, his chances are dwindling with each passing major.
Novak Djokovic rates his physical level after Wimbledon semi-final loss
If there is any positive to take from Djokovic’s loss to Sinner, it’s that he didn’t get injured.
So often in these gruelling Grand Slam events, the 39-year-old has picked up injuries that have curtailed his chances of going all the way, cruelly so.
At the very least, his exit from this year’s Wimbledon was purely down to being outclassed by his opponent. That can happen.
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In Melbourne, he outclassed Sinner, proving he is more than capable of exacting revenge.
Speaking afterwards, Djokovic discussed his physical state with the same positive energy: “I mean, great, great. That’s one of the best takeaways, highlights for me, is the fact that I stayed healthy, no injuries, because that wasn’t the case, as I said. Pretty much every big tournament, there was an injury in the last two years.
“So that’s a good thing. It means that the team has done a good job with me. We collectively prepared myself good, well for this tournament.”
Djokovic also said if he plans to return to Wimbledon next year in that same press conference as well.
