Toni Nadal has given his verdict on Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic’s prospects of winning the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.
The Spaniard, who is the uncle and former coach of tennis legend Rafael Nadal, has named Alcaraz “the star of the year and the man to beat” at Wimbledon.
Sinner, the world No 1, is chasing his maiden Wimbledon crown and fourth Grand Slam title overall.
Djokovic, who is seeded sixth, is seeking a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title and record-extending 25th major.
In a column for El Pais, Nadal highlighted the difference between Djokovic’s results at Grand Slams and other events this year.
“[Djokovic] carries a well-deserved reputation as a tireless fighter attached to his tall frame, something that should never be forgotten,” said the 64-year-old.
“And his 38 years of age, rather than indicating that he doesn’t have many opportunities left to increase his trophy cabinet, could become a real incentive for his feisty character.
“The Serbian player has had a very irregular season, with certainly incomprehensible defeats, but we mustn’t forget that in previous Grand Slams, he not only lived up to expectations, but also defeated Carlos in the first of the year, the Australian Open, and in Paris he also made things very difficult for Sinner in the semi-finals, after having defeated the current world number three, Alexander Zverev.
Wimbledon News
Novak Djokovic believes one of the new kings of men’s tennis is his natural successor
The 10 greatest Wimbledon men’s singles champions of the Open Era – ranked!
“Although it’s clear that Novak is far from his best form these days, I think if he manages to progress through the rounds, he could be the second contender with the best chance of winning the title.”
Nadal went on to argue that Sinner’s epic French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz — in which the Italian was unable to convert three championship points — could affect his title hopes at Wimbledon.
“As for the Italian player, it remains to be seen whether his painful defeat on June 8 in Paris can influence his upcoming challenges,” he continued.
“In the world of sports, it’s very easy to see how one’s mood and perception can change due to a ball that goes wide or goes in by just a few centimetres.
“Until that fateful date, the general feeling was that the great Italian tennis player was almost unbeatable; it’s even possible that he himself was beginning to feel that way.
“However, he knows that at the crucial moment, he failed to steady his nerves, while his opponent, in a more daunting situation, was able to respond resolutely and courageously.
“It’s hard to believe that recent, bitter memory won’t return to Sinner’s mind, but we can never completely rule out, as is the case with great players, that he will bring out that best version of himself; if that hypothetical replay of the final were to happen, we’d have to see how much it would affect the outcome.”
Sinner and Djokovic are on course to meet in the semi-finals at Wimbledon, while Alcaraz could await the winner in the final.
READ NEXT: What Jannik Sinner said about Novak Djokovic relationship and the Serb’s Wimbledon prospects
The post ‘Novak Djokovic could have a better chance of winning Wimbledon than Jannik Sinner’ appeared first on Tennis365.
Leave a Reply