Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Picture: EPA, NEIL HALL
Novak Djokovic says the prospect of creating tennis history will provide the "fuel" he needs to defeat Carlos Alcaraz and clinch an eighth Wimbledon title and record 25th Grand Slam on Sunday.
Just five weeks after undergoing surgery on his right knee, 37-year-old Djokovic can become the oldest Wimbledon champion of the modern era and avenge his heartbreaking five-set loss to the Spaniard in last year's final.
"I'm aware of what's on the line. Any Grand Slam that I play, there's always history now on the line," said Djokovic. "I will try to use that as a fuel to play my best tennis.”
On what promises to be an emotional day, the final will be played out in front of Catherine, Princess of Wales, who will be making just her second public appearance following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
UK media reported that she will also present the trophy to the champion.
Djokovic will be playing in his 10th Wimbledon final and 37th at the 75 majors in which he has played.
A 25th Grand Slam title would be an all-time record for men and women, snapping the mark of 24 he shares with Margaret Court.
"It serves as a great motivation, but at the same time it's also a lot of pressure and expectations," added the Serb.
"Every time I step out on the court now, even though I'm 37 and competing with the 21-year-olds, I still expect myself to win most of the matches, and people expect me to win 99 percent of the matches that I play.”
Djokovic arrived at Wimbledon under a form and fitness cloud.
The 22-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner took his Australian Open title and then his world number one ranking and Alcaraz succeeded him as French Open champion.
Djokovic had not reached a final this season before arriving at the All England Club and he has yet to beat a top-10 player.
When he played his first-round match against qualifier Vit Kopriva it was only 27 days after he had gone under the knife to repair a torn meniscus, which had forced him to withdraw before his quarter-final at Roland Garros.
On the eve of Wimbledon, Djokovic still was not certain he would be able to compete.
"We agreed that we would not talk about my guaranteed Wimbledon participation until three, four days before the tournament starts," explained Djokovic.
"I understand why people were thinking it's premature, it's maybe reckless, but I don't think it was, to be honest.”
Alcaraz, 16 years Djokovic's junior, is in his fourth Grand Slam final and is looking to add a second Wimbledon to his 2022 US Open breakthrough and French Open title from last month.
His win in the 2023 All England Club final snapped Djokovic's 34-match winning streak at the tournament.
Alcaraz has endured an uneven tournament.
On Friday, he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals but only after having to come back from dropping the first set for the third time at the tournament. He is bidding to become only the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.
However, Djokovic has won their past two meetings – in the 2023 Cincinnati Open final and then in the semi-finals of the season-ending ATP Tour Finals.
Alcaraz hopes to make it a super Sunday for Spain by winning the Wimbledon final before the country's national football team face England in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin.
"Being a Spaniard, yeah, it would be a perfect Sunday," said Alcaraz.
"It's going to be a really fun day for Spanish people watching my final, watching the Euros final.”
Alcaraz has been warned to expect a super-charged Djokovic, who has swept into the final with two straight-sets wins punctuated by an injury walkover handed to him by Alex de Minaur in the last eight.
Alcaraz said that he does not see himself as favourite despite the age gap and potential issues with the Serb's knee.
"If he's in the final it's because he's at a high level," said the Spaniard.
"I don't see myself as a favourite. The winner will be the one who plays the best in the match and who deals better in the situations that arise."
AFP
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