'Djokovic turned back time for years - but it caught up today'

Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full coverage guide.

There were times during his Wimbledon semi-final that Novak Djokovic must have felt as if he was looking in a mirror.

Elements of Jannik Sinner's game scream pure Djokovic - whether it's the sliding, the rally tolerance or the movement around the court.

But, as three-time Wimbledon singles winner John McEnroe said, there was one difference.

"We were watching a better version of Novak Djokovic playing himself," McEnroe said on BBC TV.

"He was doing the exact same things that took him to the pantheon of the sport."

World number one Sinner was ruthless against Djokovic, dominating the first two sets and coming back from a break down in the third to win 6-3 6-3 6-4 and end the Serb's latest bid for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam title.

For the first time, Djokovic looked as though he was feeling the 15-year difference between himself and Sinner.

Both came into the match with injuries - Sinner with his right elbow and Djokovic with his movement hindered after a fall late in his quarter-final - and both took precautions throughout the week to recover.

But while Sinner appeared relatively untroubled, Djokovic's movement was hindered. Being half a step slower than usual was enough for Sinner to pounce - just as Djokovic has done to opponents over the years.

"It's just age, the wear and tear of the body," Djokovic said.

"As much as I'm taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, the last year and a half, like never before, to be honest."

Djokovic's fitness has been and will always be extraordinary.

He is aiming to become the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open era. Ken Rosewall was 37 when he won the last of his eight major titles, while the now-retired Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were 36 when they last triumphed.

Djokovic has reached the semi-finals of all three Grand Slams this year. He has beaten players above him in the rankings, players who supposedly have the advantage of youth over him. And he looked superb at times during his Wimbledon run: the serve firing, the feet gliding into the corners.

But he has to contend with Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who will leave here having carved up the past seven Grand Slams between them, and will inevitably recover quicker than Djokovic.

"It's tough for me to accept because I feel like when I'm fit, I can still play really good tennis. I've proven that this year," Djokovic said.

"Playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes, the worse the condition gets.

"I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz. These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I'm going into the match with the tank half-empty.

"It's just not possible to win a match like that."

Djokovic considered withdrawing but did not - and at 3-0 up on Sinner in the third set, with a point for a double break, he would have felt vindicated.

But Sinner increased his intensity, putting more power behind his shots, and Djokovic won just one more game from then on.

Djokovic may have also had a wry smile or two as he watched Sinner slide around and return serve in the way he has for so many years.

McEnroe described the way Sinner slides as a "carbon copy" of Djokovic, saying the Italian had "learned from the master".

"He's turned back time for years but it's caught up with Djokovic today," McEnroe said on BBC TV.

"It's the first time I've ever looked at him and thought 'I'm not sure he's coming back'.

"Father time is undefeated, right? And that's what we're seeing right now.

"He's finally joined the crowd of older champions that realise the best is behind them and then they have to deal with that unfortunate fact.

"Honestly, it's been amazing he's got this far."

Djokovic himself said he was planning to come back to Wimbledon "definitely at least one more time" and he will have another chance to win major number 25 at the US Open.

But the problem for Djokovic is the same as it is for the rest of the field - if Sinner doesn't get you, then Alcaraz will.

Sinner has won three majors on hard courts, Alcaraz two on clay, two on grass and one in New York.

It will take an almighty effort for arguably the greatest player the game has seen to lift a major trophy one last time.