Novak Djokovic warned of Wimbledon rivals by Grand Slam champion
Novak Djokovic will be gunning for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title this year, but Grand Slam doubles champion Patrick McEnroe believes the Serb may face some stiff competition at SW19.
Djokovic has won seven Wimbledon titles, going unbeaten at the grass major since retiring in the 2017 quarter-finals. Only Roger Federer has won more men’s singles titles than the Serb with eight.
However, Patrick McEnroe doesn’t think it will be as straightforward for Djokovic this year with a crop of young American’s coming through, “Wimbledon, you gotta think [Taylor] Fritz, he was there last year.”
The 1989 Roland Garros doubles champion continued, “You gotta think [Ben] Shelton to be dangerous if he gets used to the bounce when you’re playing on grass for the first time. [Tommy] Paul, I mean he’s got a solid [game]. He takes the ball early, could be good.”
The player that the younger McEnroe brother really has hopes for is Sebastian Korda, who is coming off the back of an Australian Open quarter-final, “But, I think Korda… I mean, to me, Korda is a guy like ‘wow.”
He added, “If he can add a little more meat to the bones, get a little more pop on the serve, I know we have talked about that. I mean, he looks to me like a guy that’s a legit threat at Wimbledon.”
Korda has already played Djokovic this year, in the final of the Adelaide International, and had a championship point before the Serb made a vintage comeback.
How it started How it’s going
Djokovic x Korda pic.twitter.com/SpxXjXUcQK
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) January 10, 2023
Korda has made the fourth round of Wimbledon before, in 2021, but was unable to compete at the tournament last year due to an injury he sustained in Eastbourne.
If Djokovic can hold off the field once again he will level Federer, and then only Martina Navratilova (9) will hold more Wimbledon singles titles than the 35-year-old.
Join >> Receive $700/£600 of tennis gear from the Tennishead CLUB
Social >> Facebook, Twitter & YouTube
Read >> World’s best tennis magazine
Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted partner
