Was that Novak Djokovic’s final appearance on the Centre Court at Wimbledon?
This hammering at the hands of world No 1 Jannik Sinner has a sense of finality about it that we have never seen before from this iconic champion and he must now be reaching the conclusion that his Grand Slam-winning days are over.
Djokovic has stated time and again that he is only continuing his career at the age of 38 in a bid to add to his collection of 24 Grand Slam titles, with just one more needed to edge him clear of Margaret Court in the all-time list of major tournament winners.
Yet this thumping 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 trashing at the hands of a younger, fresher and hungrier Sinner will leave Djokovic in little doubt that the Grand Slam winning post he used to pass with relentless efficiency is no longer in his sights.
He was hampered by an injury that may have been related to the nasty fall at the end of his quarter-final against Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday, but let’s not try to disguise the reality that this was a champion who is no longer a contender when he takes on the best in men’s tennis.
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Sinner hits the ball harder, moves better, makes fewer errors and is a better all-round player than Djokovic at this stage of their respective career and there would be no shame in the Serbian legend accepting his time is up after this beating.
Were it not for his impressive first serve, this contest would have ended long before Sinner delivered the final, inevitable blows, with the cheer Djokovic received from the Centre Court crowd all the more poignant as it felt as if it may be his last.
This has been an arena that has seen some of Djokovic’s darkest moments in his interactions with fans who have struggled to warm to the player who took on and beat their big favourites Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.
Yet in what may have been his final bow, Djokovic got the support of the Centre Court crowd, who may have felt some sympathy towards a champion fighting to push back the sands of time that are now drowning his hopes.
Djokovic will not want to continue his story if it involves travelling around the world as a former champion who adds a little star power to the early rounds of a Grand Slam.
So when his weary body recovers from another arduous ordeal that appears to have left fresh scars, the decision on what comes next will need to be made.
On the evidence of what we saw in this slightly embarrassing defeat against Sinner,any dream Djokovic may have of winning that final Grand Slam title are forlorn.
If he reaches that conclusion himself, it won’t take him long to conclude his career has run its course, but Djokovic insisted this was not his final match at Wimbledon.
“I would be sad, but hopefully it’s not my last match on the Centre Court. I’m not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today,” he insisted.
“So I’m planning to come back definitely at least one more time, play on the Centre Court for sure.”
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