Djokovic lost the French Open, admits 'probably my last match here'
The 38-year-old Djokovic left the court after losing to Sinner in the French Open semi-finals. The 24-time Grand Slam champion paused, put down his bag and turned to wave goodbye to the cheering crowd.
Speaking candidly at his post-match press conference, he reflected on his uncertainties about the future following his French Open semi-final defeat to top seed Sinner.
He said:
"It's probably my last fight here, I'm not sure. That's why I was a little emotional at the end. If this is my farewell match at the French Open in my career, it was a fantastic match in terms of the atmosphere and the support given to me by the crowd.
"Do I want to keep fighting? Yes. But will I be able to compete here again in 12 months? I do not know. That's all I can say for now. ”
Djokovic battled for more than three hours and showed some great form from his prime, but it wasn't enough to beat world number one Sinner. Sinner won 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (3). Djokovic will regret missing three set points in the third set.
Djokovic admitted:
It was a straight three-set loss, but I can say that I gave him a lot of effort. I tried to get him to give his all in every minute. I did the best I could. That's what sports are. You have to shake hands with the better performers and move on. At the same time, I have to say that I am proud of myself for my performance tonight and in this tournament considering that I was not in the best form when I came to the French Open, but he was too good for me tonight.
……
Djokovic and Sinner currently have an ATP record of 4-5, and the 23-year-old has won four in a row. Djokovic spoke highly of his opponent:
Jannick is the type of player who likes to keep the pace extremely fast throughout the game. He's in great physical condition, he's full of energy and he's hitting the ball very well. He always seems to have good timing and rarely loses his balance, and he's playing the best tennis of his career. No matter where you play against him, what kind of venue you are in, you know he's going to be fast-paced throughout, and that doesn't necessarily matter to me because it keeps me on my toes from the start.
……
After this match, Djokovic has a record of 21 wins and 8 losses this season, while Sinner advanced to his first French Open final. He will face No.2 seed Alcaraz in the final.
In this regard, Djokovic said:
"I think their competition is definitely what we need in this sport. With the way they play and the way they approach their tennis career, I think they're going to have a very successful career. I'm sure we'll see them lift the trophy of a Grand Slam tournament very often. ”
Perhaps, this is really Djokovic's swan song at the French Open. The way he left the arena was a reflection of that thought.
Objectively speaking, Djokovic has played at his almost best level at the moment in this match. Of course, if it had been a few years earlier, he would definitely not have played like yesterday. Maybe he'll control the tempo of the game and make fewer mistakes. Perhaps, the match has a chance to drag into a five-set battle. But at the moment, he should think that playing a five-set battle is more detrimental to him. So he chooses to take the initiative to attack more, which also brings more mistakes. Sinner, on the other hand, was the one with fewer turnovers.
[Come and see me] [Zuoyi] [Flicking fists] [Heart]
Links
Contact
App
