Novak Djokovic has won the Wimbledon title on each of his past four appearances and has not lost on Centre Court since the 2013 final.
Novak Djokovic is closing in on a first calendar Grand Slam in 54 years, aiming to break Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon victories as well as a 24th major. After breaking his tie with Rafael Nadal for the most Grand Slams at the French Open, Djokovic, 36, will be the overwhelming favourite to defend his championship at the All England Club on Monday. With a 10th Australian Open and third Roland Garros already under his belt this season, Djokovic would just need to win the US Open in September to match Rod Laver’s 1969 four-major sweep.
“He takes your legs, then your soul, then he digs your grave, and you die, and you have a funeral.” Bye-bye. When asked to describe the Serb’s Grand Slam mindset, coach Goran Ivanisevic remarked, “Thank you for coming.”
Djokovic has won the championship on each of his previous four trips to Wimbledon, and he hasn’t lost on Centre Court since the 2013 final.
“When I enter Centre Court, it just awakens something in me and I’m able to perform at a very high level,” said Djokovic, who begins his campaign against 67th-ranked clay-court enthusiast Pedro Cachin on Monday.
“Grass courts are the most rare surface we have in the sport, which is in contrast to maybe 40, 50, 60 years ago when you played three out of four slams on grass.”
“It does take time to get used to, more than any other surface.” But I believe that in the last ten years of my profession, I’ve evolved swiftly. I believe the findings here attest to that.”
Djokovic’s 86 match wins at Wimbledon are second only to the now-retired Federer and more than the rest of the current top 20 combined.
Only two of those players, Cameron Norrie and Hubert Hurkacz, have reached the Wimbledon semi-finals.
None of his top five competitors have advanced beyond the final 16. Nadal, a two-time champion, will miss the rest of the season due to injury.
Djokovic’s 24th major would tie him with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam titles won by a single player.
Djokovic’s main rival will be world number one Carlos Alcaraz, especially as the young Spaniard already has his first grass-court trophy after winning at Queen’s last weekend.
However, Alcaraz gave critical ground by conceding that the stress and tension of meeting Djokovic in the French Open semi-finals induced cramping, which led to his defeat.
