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‘No Need To Analyze, We Weren’t Good Enough’: Nadal Takes Blame After Olympics Loss

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Paris Olympics Rafael Nadal Carlos Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal didn’t want to overanalyze his performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, admitting that he simply wasn’t good enough in single, while in doubles, they played a bad match.

The 38-year-old had high hopes for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris because the Spaniard was encouraged by the way he practiced and the way he played at the Bastad Open ahead of the tournament.

Nobody thought he could seriously challenge for a medal in singles because Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic seemed better than him. Some had hoped that he could be competitive in the doubles with Alcaraz, and after they played a strong opening match, those aspirations certainly grew.

Rafael Nadal And Carlos Alcaraz Knocked Out Of Paris Olympic Doubles | Olympics News

JUST IN: Paris Olympics: ‘Worried’ Novak Djokovic Confronts Unsettling Reality as Serbian Dream Stands on the Brink

In singles, the 22-time major winner started really well but then experienced some minor issues against Marton Fucsovics, which made it clear that he likely wouldn’t be able to beat Novak Djokovic in the second round.

The draw was unfortunate because, with a few more matches in Paris, he might have been able to sneak his way to a medal. Getting Djokovic in the second round was brutal, and the match showed that he clearly wasn’t on that top level.

The doubles exit came against a good pairing of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, who simply played better than them. After the match, Nadal didn’t really want to overanalyze what went wrong for him at the Olympics.

He was quite open about not being good enough in singles, and his doubles performance, at least the quarter-final match, was also not very good, which he also recognized.

“I haven’t been at the level I needed to fight for medals in the singles. In the doubles, we were playing at a very good level, but today we weren’t accurate.”

“As I’ve said every day, the matches go by very quickly and every little detail has its impact. Today we didn’t start well and we weren’t able to take the match to the limit.”

Overall, Nadal’s experience at the Olympics wasn’t the worst, but also not the best. He never thought he would play at the 2024 Olympics many years ago, so being there for him was a blessing. He did well, all things considered, and he cherished the experience of playing with Alcaraz.

“The experience has been positive, we generated everything we had to generate to give ourselves a chance, we had a fantastic relationship, we shared a lot off the court and on it we were happy, motivated, excited.”

“It couldn’t be, there’s no more to it, today we weren’t accurate. For me, there’s no need to analyse much more, we weren’t good enough. The only thing I have to analyse now is when I have the flight back home (laughs), but I’m taking away an experience and memories for life.”

Of course, this was Nadal’s final Olympic appearance, and the fact that it was in Paris is certainly a fitting end for a player who left a great legacy at the Games and at Roland Garros.

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Paris Olympics: ‘Worried’ Novak Djokovic Confronts Unsettling Reality as Serbian Dream Stands on the Brink

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Novak Djokovic Paris Olympics

The Parisian crowd was seen depicting an unusual aura during Novak Djokovic‘s quarter-final showdown.

While the Serb is generally seen indulging in feuds with the Frenchmen, he makes everyone switch their perspectives and bow down to his dominance. However, besides the massive support, the spectators also appeared to be tensed as the tennis great struggled with uneasiness in his knee.

Djokovic recently managed to move one step closer to his first Olympic gold medal. The Serb showcased appreciable levels of action, eventually securing a hard-fought win against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday. Although the first set came quite easy to him (6-3), it was the second one (7-6) that aroused a concerning situation for Djokovic, who recently recovered from a meniscus tear.

Paris 2024 Olympics tennis: Novak Djokovic ends Rafael Nadal's singles run at Roland Garros

READ: ‘I Don’t Need the Fakeness’ – Danielle Collins Accuses Iga Swiatek of Disrespecting Her Injury in Controversial Paris Olympics Clash

After the match, Djokovic expressed worries about his knee. “I am very worried, honestly, I don’t know what to say. I finished the match, and the intense pain went away. Whether I hit myself or slipped, I don’t even know,” he said.

Reflecting on a previous injury, the Serb added, “It all resembled the 4th round of Roland Garros where I managed to finish the match, and then I found out I was injured. I am pleased with the victory, but I am worried.” The 37-year-old, who had surgery on the same knee in June, was seen limping in pain during the second set. The situation came to such a scary extent that he even had to call for the physio twice, first at 0-3 and then again at 1-4.

Although Djokovic’s determination on the court was commendable, his latest injury scare has cast doubt on his journey towards the first-ever Olympic gold. Amid the concerning situation, there was a moment when the Serb explained that his comeback post-surgery was well-timed and not early.

Djokovic recently made it to the final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships after undergoing knee surgery. While there were many who raised concerns that his quick return was “premature” and “reckless,” he strictly dismissed these claims. In a press conference during the grass-court major, he explained that his focus during rehab was solely on making a comeback.

“I was really focused on trying to make Wimbledon happen for me this year and I was not reckless on any day,” Djokovic said. He explained that he followed his rehab plan properly, saying, “I followed every single day everything that they said that I have to do. I did even more than that.”

Djokovic acknowledged why some might think his return was too soon but helped them with a clearer perspective. “Everything that we’ve done in the process of 20+ days has been giving us a positive indication and signal. So I understand why people were thinking it’s premature, it’s maybe reckless. But I don’t think it was,” he stated.

Even though the fans were convinced by his confident statement, the recent scare at Roland Garros has once again raised doubts about a full recovery. Moving ahead to the semi-finals, his form will be under scrutiny.

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‘Until the Wheels Fall Off’ – Coco Gauff Bravely Vows to Conquer Hurdles for Team USA

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Coco Gauff Paris Olympics

We have often seen players going the extra mile at big events like the Olympic Games.

Take the example of Rafael Nadal in the ongoing Paris Olympics. Despite not being 100% fit, the Spaniard played his second-round match against Novak Djokovic earlier today. Despite losing that encounter, Nadal gave a good account of himself on the court. A similar situation is developing in the American tennis contingent as Coco Gauff spearheads her team’s challenge at the Paris Olympics.

Gauff, who is making her debut at the Olympics, is going all out to succeed in Paris. Along with her singles commitments, she is also participating in women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The American sensation is a favorite in all three categories and has a great chance to clinch a hat trick of gold medals.

Paris 2024 Olympics: Coco Gauff exclusive on her impact beyond the court: 'I'm more than a tennis person'

READ: Novak Djokovic Uses Religion Over Known Atheist Rafael Nadal to Win Support Ahead of Paris Olympics Showdown

Earlier today, an exclusive interview with Gauff was released by PEOPLE, in which she revealed why she opted to play all the formats at the Paris Olympic Games. Subsequently, Gauff mentioned, “I just love winning, I love the vibes. I probably won’t be doing that much more longer, but I feel like if you’re Olympics, I’m always going to try to push and do all three [events] until the wheels fall off.”

While Gauff is yet to open her campaign in mixed doubles, she has reached the pre-quarterfinals in singles and women’s doubles, where she is partnering Jessica Pegula. Meanwhile, in mixed doubles, Gauff has teamed up with Taylor Fritz, and the duo is seeded third. Despite Gauff being one of the tournament’s favorites, legendary coach, Rick Macci, picked her compatriot over her.

Gauff is the second seed at the event and looks like an unstoppable talent for a podium finish. However, Serena Williams’ ex-coach, Rick Macci, believes that Danielle Collins will take Gauff’s place and will go on to reach the final. On the other hand, Macci feels that Swiatek is the ‘Queen of Clay’ and will be a sure shot in the final.

During an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Macci said, “She has the firepower. You know she can hurt you, and those are the people that can hurt Iga even on clay.” You gotta be able to hurt her and you got to be having fun, best day of your life swinging free and just going for it. And Collins has that type of game okay, even on clay.” 

With so much going on in the tennis world, Gauff will look to take it one match at a time and give her best on each occasion. It’ll be interesting to see if Gauff can live up to the fans’ expectations.

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Novak Djokovic Uses Religion Over Known Atheist Rafael Nadal to Win Support Ahead of Paris Olympics Showdown

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Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Paris Olympics

Beneath the greatness of Novak Djokovic, a hidden narrative reveals the secret sauce of his success!

It extends far beyond his athleticism and is a tale of a deeper devotion, one that he proudly declared in 2011. However, as he steps into the familiar grounds of the Olympics for the fifth time, the 37-year-old player holds on to the same faith, witnessing which the Nole fans are left in awe!

Winning a gold medal in the Olympics has eluded the former World No. 1 since his debut in 2008. Even though a bronze medal victory did come his way that year, Djokovic is not the one to be satisfied with it. Hence, he began his journey to reach success in the Olympics. Unfortunately, almost 16 years have passed, and meanwhile, he has performed in the Games four times, but the scenario remains the same.

Orthodox Christian Djokovic's Wimbledon loss a lesson in grace says tennis expert

READ: Ominous Signs: Here’s Why Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz as Dream Pair Might Not Survive Long at Paris Olmypics

However, this time, Djokovic, who has not won any title so far this season, has come back for a fifth attempt, has already surpassed his first opponent, Matthew Ebden, and is onto his next opponent, Rafael Nadal, (who is a known atheist). Interestingly, apart from his magnificent performance, fans caught a glimpse of his unwavering determination from a different perspective during his R1 clash. He was wearing the same cross that fans had seen earlier!

Remember the year 2018 when Djokovic, sidelined for six months due to a persistent elbow injury, made a triumphant return to the tennis court at the Australian Open? The former world number one, renowned for his dominance from 2014 to 2016, showcased his resilience with a decisive victory over Donald Young. His unwavering faith in Orthodox Christianity, a cornerstone of his life, is often cited as a source of strength and inspiration. Djokovic openly expresses his religious beliefs, prioritizing them over his impressive career achievements, which include numerous Grand Slam titles.

“…before being an athlete, I am an Orthodox Christian,” he said in April 2011. His words still echo in every fan’s heart, and he has once again proved his ability to put his devotion to everything that he puts his mind into. Naturally, fans are going gaga over it!

In April 2011, when he received the order of St. Sava in the first degree from the hands of Irenaeus, the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Djoker declared, “This is the most important title of my life.” Since then, he has often worn it to various matches. After his showdown with Ebden, Djokovic celebrated the victory by holding his cross-necklace, the one he wears in various tournaments. Pointing this out, one fan wrote on X, “A man of principles ❤️.”

Another fan wrote, “Love this but not surprising ♥️🦾🦾.” It is indeed not a surprise to see him embracing his religious belief. Even during his 2019 Australian Open match, he was seen praying, looking upwards with his arms up in the air. Besides, his wife, Jelena, is also an ardent believer in the same religion and is often seen praying during Djokovic’s matches. Their wish indeed came true as Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in the finals of that game, winning it for the seventh time!

The order of St. Sava is the highest honor one can receive from the Serbian Orthodox Church. And Djokovic received that for his financial contribution to build more infrastructure in Serbia. “As an athlete and a religious person, it is hard for me to find appropriate words to describe my feelings of gratitude for the confidence I gain from the Holy Synod. I can only say that it can be earned only with hard work and self-belief, belief in your loved ones and in God,” he said in 2011.

Perhaps it is this confidence that has helped him reign in the top of tennis for 428 weeks. However, arguably, he is among those players who have been the target of criticism many times. Referring to this, one wrote on X, “We don’t deserve Novak.”

Djokovic, whose bronze medal aspiration came to an end in 2021 Olympics at the hands of Pablo Carreno, has always openly discussed his religious beliefs. Raised in an orthodox Christian family, according to him, his religious belief has not set a “limit” for him in any aspect. “I consider myself an open-minded and open-hearted person that respects and embraces everything that religions and knowledge have around the world that could enrich my life and my family’s lives. So I’ll keep it to that,” Djokovic once said. And fans know his outlook too, as one fan wrote, “Djokovic always leads by example how to sound unapologetic for your own identity.”

Another fan wrote, “Amen. He is the most caring and principled athlete I’ve ever witnessed as well. He has integrity in spades and guided by high moral standards. And he questions things publicly that others are too afraid to tackle.” Djokovic’s pursuit of greatness is an inspiration story in itself. And it is not only the Serbian church which has recognized his contribution to religion but the Russian Orthodox Church also honored him in 2012 for promoting his religious values in society.

Whether he fulfills his lifelong dream of achieving a gold medal in the Olympics is something that we will discover soon. However, either way, his journey continues to inspire millions of fans worldwide!

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Rafael Nadal drops hint about withdrawing from Bastad after winning four-hour match

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Rafael Nadal Bastad Open

Rafael Nadal overcame Mariano Navone at the Bastad Open after nearly four hours on court in Sweden.

Rafael Nadal has indicated he could be forced to withdraw from the Bastad Open after prevailing in a four-hour marathon against Mariano Navone on Friday. The tennis icon made it through to his first semi-final in any competition since 2022, but he was forced to dig deep to overcome the fourth seed Navone, who took him all the way in their quarter-final tie.

The 38-year-old was on court for nearly four hours on the Swedish coast as Navone refused to back down, recovering from a double break in the final set before the legendary Spaniard sealed a 6-7, 7-5, 7-5 success. It was his second-longest ATP three-set match of his career, only dwarfed by his thriller against Novak Djokovic in 2009.

READ: “The level of tennis wasn’t up to par from my side, Carlos had it all today” Novak Djokovic lauds Carlos Alcaraz after Wimbledon thrashing

Nadal is due to play in the men’s doubles semi-final with Casper Ruud against Brazilian pair Orlando Luiz and Rafael Matos, but his comments appeared to suggest he could prioritise his recovery for the singles’ semi against Duje Adjukovic on Saturday.

“I wasn’t focused during the whole time. I was up 5-2, so I lost for some moments the concentration,” Nadal said in his post-match interview on court. “I was able to hold physically until the end. Let’s see how I am tomorrow. Today I’m alive and I’m in the semi=finals. So that’s super important. I can’t thank enough all the support here in Bastad.”

In the first set, the veteran Spaniard had to dig deep, saving two set points to come back from 4-5 and 15-40 down to break back. But Nadal lost the first set tiebreak to go a set down, which after 85 minutes on the clay represented a huge setback for the 38-year-old.

He found the going tough against the world No 29 in the second set, with Navone proving to be an equal match in getting about the court.

Nadal might have been heading for a second consecutive tiebreak after going 0-30 down with a 6-5 lead, but he showed his mettle to win the next three points to claim his first set point. With the chance to draw level and force a decider, he made no mistake, pushing Navone to the baseline before smashing home from the net to take the third set 7-5.

With two and a half hours already gone, the players would be in for a gruelling finale in the Swedish sun.

The Argentinian was beginning to dominate the play as he managed to keep his energy levels up, and had the chance to lock down the break at 2-0 and 40-0 up. But he struggled to get over the line and crucially, Nadal was able to bring the match back on serve at 1-2 before winning the next four games.

At 5-2 up and serving for the match, Nadal probably felt he finally had it in the bag but went on to lose the next three games as Navone brought it back level. However, the 23-year-old squandered a chance to retake the lead as he was broken again, and Nadal finally clinched victory with three hours and 58 minutes on the clock.

Nadal had nothing but praise afterwards for Navone, who at 23 looked to be one of the rising stars on the ATP circuit as he refused to throw in the towel against the 22-time Grand Slam winner.

“Without a doubt, it’s been very close. I’m tired! There’s been a lot of changing dynamics in every single set, he was in control, one moment I was in control At the end, no one was in control, that’s the truth,” Nadal added.

“I had a good chance in the second with the 2-0 [lead] and I was very close to losing the match in the second set, again with the 5-2 [in the third set]. He [Navone] is a great fighter and I wish him all the very best for the rest of the season.”

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“The level of tennis wasn’t up to par from my side, Carlos had it all today”: Novak Djokovic lauds Carlos Alcaraz after Wimbledon thrashing

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Wimbledon Carlos Alcaraz  Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic was well beaten in a one sided beating from Carlos Alcaraz with a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 defeat which was only prolonged after the Spaniard spurned 40-0 up on championship point at 5-4. It is back-to-back Wimbledon crowns and agony for a second straight year for Djokovic.

Djokovic still awaits number 25 and he still awaits his 8th and landmark Wimbledon title which would see him tie with Roger Federer as the undisputed king of Wimbledon. But for the Serbian, he was as ever gracious in defeat. Annabel Croft doing the presentation on court had a blunder and said that Alcaraz looked very hot today which caused a lot of laughter.
To which Djokovic agreed before praising his rival to the hilt and saying he was simply not good enough for what Alcaraz produced on Sunday evening. Only a few weeks removed from knee surgery, Djokovic reaching the final in itself was a miracle but he couldn’t complete the final part of said miracle.
Carlos Alcaraz downs Novak Djokovic in thriller to claim maiden Wimbledon title and second Grand Slam - Eurosport

READ: “If someone steps over the line, I react”: Novak Djokovic stands by calling crowd disrespectful at Wimbledon

“That’s what I was about to say. He was definitely very hot today. Obviously not the result I wanted. Especially the first few sets.. the level of tennis wasn’t up to par from my side. Credit to Carlos. He had it all today. I saved the 3 match points.. I extended the match a bit. But he was an absolutely deserved winner today. Huge congratulations,” said Djokovic.
But he was also asked to give thanks to his family and got emotional in a message to them including to his son Stefan chasing his own tennis career.
“To my wife.: I love you. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for being here. To my wonderful children, thank you for bringing the smile to my face every single day. I keep on tearing up every year when I look at them at the closing ceremony. I’m so thankful to be the father of these two little angels. They’re starting to love tennis more and more. I don’t know if I have the nerve to keep going with my coaching career with my son. There are a lot of beautiful things in life.. but if you really wish to keep going, I’ll be there for you”

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Why I had to kick Novak Djokovic off the court at Wimbledon

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Novak Djokovic

Jessica Matthews, 19, has been mixing with the stars during her stint as a hitting partner at Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic was running five minutes over his allotted time slot on the Wimbledon practice courts at Aorangi Park, but kept hitting. Hovering at the edge of the court, 19-year-old Jessica Matthews started to slowly make her way into his line of sight.

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll leave,” Djokovic said, putting his hands up in apology, and headed to pack up his rackets.

READ: “If someone steps over the line, I react”: Novak Djokovic stands by calling crowd disrespectful at Wimbledon

When Matthews became a hitting partner at Wimbledon, kicking seven-time champion Djokovic off the court was not on her bingo card. But needs must.

“I was due to be hitting with [Danish player] Clara Tauson,” Matthews tells i. “We only had a half-hour hit, so we looked at each other and were like, ‘I think it’s time’. We slowly started creeping on and Djokovic was like sorry, sorry. He was hitting with his son Stefan. It was a crazy experience, kicking off Djokovic when everyone is watching him play.”

Matthews has been getting accustomed to rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in tennis for the past two years in her role at Wimbledon. Her job is quite simple: help the best players in the world practise during the most high-pressure fortnight of the year.

Matthews grew up in Hertfordshire and did well as a junior before heading to the University of Iowa to study economics and finance, as well as play college tennis.

She is on her summer holidays now and, here at Wimbledon over the last three weeks, Matthews has been putting in a shift. She is the only female hitting partner employed by Wimbledon, so is in high demand.

“Some days I’ve been playing a total of six to seven hours,” she says. “The legs have been a bit shaky. But when you’re on your sixth hour of the day, your legs are completely exhausted, you can’t turn down another hit because you don’t know when you’ll get to hit with somebody that good again.”

Each session is different. Sometimes she delivers serves over and over again for those that want to hone their returning. She thumps baseline shots across the net by the dozen too, and offers up backhand slices to the best of her ability. Whatever the player wants to work on, she is their woman.

While a small number of top female players travel with a hitting partner, and some favour hitting with men – to try to match the speed and power they experience against the best female opponents – Matthews says she hits a flatter ball, mirroring the majority of women on tour.

Matthews is speaking to i on a drizzly afternoon at the Aorangi Park courts, after hitting with two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur. She has also fulfilled appointments with Spain’s Paula Badosa and British veteran Heather Watson, to name a few.

Matthews might as well call this her second home, as she spends up to 10 hours at the All England Club a day, with access to player locker rooms, restaurants and even sometimes sneaking onto Centre Court to watch the action.

Her favourite moments have come across at practice though. Matthews swallowed her nerves last year during a hit with five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams – which she says remains her most intense session to date. She also befriended former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka and Nick Kyrgios even slid into her DMs (direct messages) on Instagram after she watched his practice session with Djokovic.

“I was basically stood right next to them,” Matthews says. “Kyrgios DM’d me afterwards asking for the videos I took. He was like ‘hey thanks for coming, do you mind sending them to me?’. I was like, of course!”

Above all, she feels like the experience is helping her become a better player – because she is practicing with the best in the world, and gaining opportunities to get top level coaching too.

“Heather’s coach helped me adapt my ball toss. He said he could tell where I was going to serve based on my toss, so we fixed that. [France’s] Diane Parry’s coach was really nice talking to me about the tour, how it’s difficult in the opening stages but you get used to it once you start getting up in the ranks. It was good advice.”

Matthews hopes she will one day be back at Wimbledon as a player herself. For now, getting to know the British pack has been one of the best ways of getting to grips with the pressure involved with competing at Wimbledon: “I was meant to hit with Emma Raducanu but the rain came. I was sad about that. Andy Murray is super nice. I also messaged his brother Jamie asking about the Queen’s tournament where he’s the tournament director, about being a potential hitter there next year. He recognised me and came up to me here the other day.

“Heather Watson’s been so sweet on the court too. We did some doubles practice and she was joking that we should play together. I was like, count me in!”

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“If someone steps over the line, I react”: Novak Djokovic stands by calling crowd disrespectful at Wimbledon

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Wimbledon Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic eased past Holger Rune on Monday evening at Wimbledon, but it wasn’t the win that hit the headlines.

It was his post match interview and reaction to the crowd which he stood by.
Djokovic wished them all a ‘gooooood night’ amid perceived booing instead of chants of ‘Ruuune’ like he was told. He said he knew the tricks of the trade and wasn’t going to be roped in by supposed falsities about what the crowd were doing.
Novak Djokovic

READ: ‘You Can’t Touch Me’- Triggered Novak Djokovic Rips Haters Apart

He said afterwards simply that if the crowd does something he doesn’t like he will react. Used to being the pantomime villain of tennis to some, he is used to the booing and jeering so it is nothing new but it shows don’t poke the bear if you don’t want what comes next. Djokovic also has often used it as fuel to the fire in order to win matches and it seemed to be the case again here.
“I don’t know what Wimbledon can really do about it. In those particular moments, when the crowd paid their ticket… They have the right to be there and cheer the way they want to cheer. That’s absolutely, you know… how they choose to behave or support the player is really up to them. Yes.. You could argue that maybe a chair umpire or whoever could step in during certain moments and calm them down.
“But there’s not much you can do.. you’re not gonna take out the section of the whole stadium out because they’re behaving or showing disrespect. It’s just the way it is. It’s part of the sport. It’s one of the reasons we’re here… it’s why the tournament is so important historically and why we’re globally recognized as tennis players is because of the fans. Because of the interest they put into watching tennis matches, paying tickets.. I respect that. I try to acknowledge that. All the true tennis fans that really respect players.. of course you’re gonna support one player over the other. It’s solely up to them. It’s fully understandable. They have the freedom to choose who they back in the match. If someone steps over the line, I react. That’s basically what it was. After the match I said what I said.”
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Wimbledon 2024: Fate Plays Spoilsport With Novak Djokovic as Jannik Sinner’s Failure Yields No Profits

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Jannik Sinner Novak Djokovic

Daniil Medvedev gets his revenge on Jannik Sinner!

Both of them met each other twice before this encounter and on both of those occasions, it was the Italian who had the last laugh over the Russian. He ended Sinner’s Wimbledon journey at the QF in yet another five-set thriller. However, the 22-year-old tennis star was seen struggling a bit due to illness and was forced to take a medical timeout in the third set. This loss has now deprived him of reaching a second consecutive Wimbledon SF as well as grabbing his second major title of the season. Will it also snatch his top spot in men’s singles ranking?

No, this defeat has nothing to do with his top spot at the moment. Sinner will remain the world number one no matter who wins the Wimbledon Championships this year. Currently, Jannik Sinner sits at the top of the Live ATP Ranking table with 9570 points. Second on that list is the former world number one, Novak Djokovic with 7560 points. So, that’s almost a 2010-point gap with the second-best!

READ: ‘You Can’t Touch Me’- Triggered Novak Djokovic Rips Haters Apart

Alexander Zverev however has climbed up the list to secure the third spot with 7015 points, while Carlos Alcaraz sits at the fourth spot with 6930 points. Among all these four players, only Djokovic and Alcaraz are still alive in this tournament. No one can take away his crown at SW19 but if the Spaniard continues her title triumph run and manages to grab his fourth major title then he’d close the gap with Sinner with just 250 points.

Jannik Sinner has had an outstanding season so far this year, having already won four titles and boasting a win-loss record of 42-5. Surely, he must be very disappointed after failing to keep up with the ‘predators’ on the ‘grass’. What exactly did he say after the match?

Shortly after finishing the match on the losing side, the world number one appeared for a post-match press conference. During the interaction with journalists, he revealed that he “didn’t feel great” right from the morning. He mentioned struggling with fatigue, which made things even tougher for him. “I was not feeling great. I didn’t vomit. But I took some time because I was dizzy quite a lot. Off-court, I had the toughest time. When I went back, I tried my best,” said Jannik Sinner.

He believes he played really well throughout the tournament, but the ending didn’t go as planned. However, he emphasized that not once did he consider retiring from the match. The Italian revealed, “I was never thinking about retiring. For sure the crowd helped me a lot trying to push me. You don’t want to retire in a quarter-final of a Grand Slam.” In the end, he also acknowledged the valiant efforts put in by Medvedev during the match. He praised Medvedev for playing some really good tennis and making some ‘smart’ moves.

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