As Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, to varying levels of success, battle old father time in the Americas, Novak Djokovic has him exactly where he wants him here at Wimbledon.
The enduring quality of sporting greatness has been a theme of this summer and the 39-year-old Serb’s exhibition of genius against Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday evening was every bit as breathtaking as Messi’s hat-trick against Algeria at the start of the World Cup.
The difference is that Djokovic does not have nine grizzled Argentines to do his running for him, or an eccentric goalkeeper to watch his back door. He is out there all alone in a sport which is becoming ever more unforgiving and yet he is edging gradually closer to being the favourite for the Wimbledon title.
Djokovic did not attempt to evade the comparison with the great Argentine, and also gave a nod to 37-year-old Rory McIlroy, who was in the Royal Box for the Tsitsipas win.
‘I love watching greatness and the continuing evolution of greatness,’ he said. ‘Like Messi, like LeBron James. These guys. (Steph) Curry. Rory. It’s amazing to see.
‘I feel like we are all setting the bar higher and moving the needle of what people thought is possible in terms of level of competition and level of performance at a late age.
Novak Djokovic continues to impress at Wimbledon despite turning 39 back in May
Like Lionel Messi, Djokovic is showing the enduring quality of sporting greatness
‘I’m always a big fan of witnessing history. Messi is born the same year I’m born, 1987. It’s a good year to be born.’
The 24-time Grand Slam champion beat Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 41 minutes – his fastest win at a major since the first round of the 2023 US Open. Data company TennisViz rated it a 9.06 out of 10 – the highest rating of the tournament so far.
He made just seven unforced errors and, when you have a spare moment, check out the return game he played at 4-2 in the final set.
Andrew Castle on commentary called it one of the best return games he has ever seen – and he has seen a few across his 24 years calling the shots here.
What adds to the sense of opportunity for Djokovic – he is chasing a 25th Grand Slam, three years after his 24th – is how relaxed he now appears in these surroundings.
When Tsitsipas took himself off court after the second set, Djokovic played a practical joke on a ball girl, asking her to cut a label off the sleeve of his shirt, then pretending she had nicked his skin. He bantered with McIlroy in the Royal Box about coveting his Green Jacket.
He had the Centre Court patrons eating strawberries out of the palm of his hand.
It is a far cry from two years ago when he got it into his head that the crowd’s cries of ‘Ruuuune’ to support his opponent Holger Rune were actually boos.
Or in the 2019 final against Roger Federer when he was barracked mercilessly by one of the most partisan crowds in Wimbledon history.
This year it feels like his transformation from pantomime villain to beloved elder statesman is complete. He will never be loved like Federer – but he is doing an awfully good impression of him with that delightful jacket.
As much as he has thrived off the antagonism of the crowd over the years, he may be able to harness their love into an even more potent force.
Once a pantomime villain to the Wimbledon crowd, Djokovic is now a beloved elder statesman
On Friday he faces French No 25 seed Arthur Rinderknech and then could come a rematch with Joao Fonseca, who beat him in five epic sets at the French Open.
The looming spectre is Jannik Sinner in the semi-final. The Italian won comfortably when they met at the same stage last season but there is reason to like Djokovic’s chances more this time.
For one, he beat Sinner at the Australian Open for a first win in 10 against him. For another, the world No1 is just not playing very well.
Djokovic has a narrow window of opportunity here. Shortly before Wimbledon, footage emerged of Carlos Alcaraz hitting for the first time since he stepped away from the tour in April with a wrist injury.
Once the second of the sport’s two kings returns, the equation becomes much more difficult.
We have said this before and been surprised by another title challenge but for Djokovic, just like the little No 10 across the pond, this may be his final shot at glory.
