Djokovic: I Never Stopped Believing

It’s difficult to categorize the importance of a win by a player who has won so often, and in such iconic fashion, for so many years. How should we judge last night’s turn-back-the-clock moment from Novak Djokovic, as he defeated two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in a match that literally nobody thought he was going to win?

For certain, we can say it is Djokovic’s best win as a 38-year-old. Even the Serbian icon, who has so many enduring moments of greatness stored in his memory banks, had to agree.

“I wouldn’t dare to call it [my] finest ever, but definitely the finest in the last couple of years,” he told reporters after taking out Sinner in a five-set cliffhanger, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. “Under the circumstances and semis against Sinner, who has been playing best tennis of his life [over the] last couple of years, particularly here, [where he is a] two-time defending champion, doesn’t get better than this.”

Anyone who had watched Djokovic trailing listlessly behind Lorenzo Musetti by two sets to love two days ago in the pair’s quarterfinal can call themselves at the very least surprised, if not shocked. It seems that Djokovic had a particular vision in mind when he was training this off-season, and it did not include Musetti. Instead, it included Sinner and Alcaraz.

He talked about his current challenge of finding motivation, and what he imagined for himself this season.

“When I started my preparations for the new season and kind of set the goals, it’s no secret that Grand Slams are where I want to play my best tennis, but it becomes, I guess, more difficult for me to motivate myself, and I ask myself questions. You know, ‘Okay, what is it that I’m looking for from myself?’

“I was imagining really playing against Jannik and Carlos at the final stages of Grand Slams this year and battling it out and really giving it all that I have.”

Djokovic found a way to earn that opportunity—aided, perhaps, by Musetti’s injury, but does it really matter? What matters, and what the history books will remember, is that he’s taken out the man who had taken over his house in Rod Laver Arena and made it his home. And he did it with a vintage performance that instantly makes him a legitimate threat to do the same on Sunday against Alcaraz.

“I know what I’m capable of,” Djokovic said. “So I’ve had many, many times in my career matches during the Grand Slam where it’s just one of those days where you’re not feeling your best. You try to find a way to win with everything that you possibly have, even though the quality of tennis is not even close to where you want it to be.”

How did Djokovic summon the game to power past Sinner so soon after looking so flat against Musetti? With belief. And a personal affinity for proving the doubters dead wrong.

“I never stopped doubting,” Djokovic said. “I never stopped believing in myself. There’s a lot of people that doubt me. I see there are a lot of experts all of a sudden that wanted to retire me or have retired me many times the last couple of years.

“I want to thank them all, because they gave me strength. They gave me motivation to prove them wrong, which I have tonight. For me, it’s not a surprise, to be honest.”