Ivan Ljubicic warns Jannik Sinner about Novak Djokovic
The big moment has arrived. The Wimbledon semifinal between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic is the most anticipated match of the day on the grass courts of the All England Club—a showdown pitting the present and future of world tennis against one of the greatest champions of all time. Watching it with particular attention is Ivan Ljubicic, former world No. 3 and now a commentator for Sky, the broadcaster covering the London Grand Slam and the tour through the ATP Finals. The former Croatian tennis player analyzed the possible scenarios for the match in *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, focusing on the physical condition of the two players, their tactical choices, and Sinner’s development, as he continues to become a more well-rounded player even under intense pressure.
The first point concerns the difference in energy expended in previous rounds: Jannik had a quicker path to the final, while Djokovic had to face much longer matches. “It depends. If they play a great match and go to a fifth set, then a difference might emerge. But I think the fact that they’ve had two days to recover helps both of them. If Djokovic recovers well, they’ll essentially start on equal footing. Of course, if they were to face another very long battle, then Jannik might have a slight advantage.”
The Serb, however, has once again shown that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to stay at the top. “My feeling is that he hasn’t played much this year, and peak condition is achieved through training and matches. That’s probably exactly what he was missing. But he has such a solid foundation that his body quickly regains its feel and muscle memory. I believe Roland Garros helped him immensely in getting ready for Wimbledon. Those matches—even the very long ones—brought him back to a condition his body knows well.”
Regarding Sinner, Ljubicic urges people not to confuse a normal adjustment phase with a drop in performance. “Or maybe this just isn’t his best moment, and that’s okay. We’re coming from an era of the three greats who won more than twenty Grand Slams, but even they didn’t always play at the highest level in every single tournament. You have to know how to manage your game and play well when it counts. That’s what Jannik is doing, and it’s an important sign of experience and awareness.”
From a tactical standpoint, Djokovic will have to try not to let the world No. 1 take control of the rallies. “I expect a very aggressive Novak, just like in Australia: he’ll try to dictate the rally. He’ll do this for both energy and technical reasons, because he knows that if he lets Jannik dictate the play, it becomes very complicated. Sinner runs a lot and manages the rallies very well. So I expect a very aggressive and focused Djokovic.”
