But the locomotive derailed. The Serb, at the height of his career a few weeks earlier, finished the Tokyo Games without a medal: beaten in the semi-finals (by future champion, German Alexander Zverev), he also lost the bronze medal match (dominated by Spanish Pablo Carreno). What did you take from Japan? A sore shoulder and mental exhaustion. In September in New York, determined to complete a historic Grand Slam – which only Australian Rod Laver has achieved in men’s singles in the Open era, in 1969 – the Serb reached the final.
But the Russian Daniil Medvedev ruined his hopes in three sets. The end of the season was not particularly happy for Djokovic in the year-end ATP Masters semifinals, again defeated by Zverev, who went on to win the event. He also lost in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup, a national team event he holds dear.
costly decision
Only a sixth trophy at the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000, in which he took revenge on Medvedev in the final, brightened up the last half of the year and ensured he finished as world number 1 for the seventh time, a new record. The following year started badly: without being vaccinated against the coronavirus, he obtained an exemption to play the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year and his most successful with nine titles.
But on arrival at Melbourne airport he was denied entry into Australia and placed in an immigration holding center while his case was heard by the courts. He finally got kicked out of Australia just before the start of the tournament. Later, also for resisting vaccination against covid-19, he was unable to play the United States Masters 1000 (Indian Wells and Miami) and resumed competition on the European clay court tour.
The title in Rome did not alleviate his subsequent disappointment, a few days later, of a quarterfinal elimination at Roland Garros at the hands of Nadal.
In the process, he relinquished his position as world number 1. Despite everything, Djokovic arrived at Wimbledon as the favorite, without having played a single official preparation match to jump onto the London grass, thanks to his unbeaten record since his elimination in the quarterfinals in 2017. He held on again, beating Nick Kyrgios 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the final to win a seventh title at the All England Club and equal his idol Pete Sampras. He is now just one win away from Roger Federer’s eight English titles.
With his 21st Grand Slam title, he is also one point short of Nadal’s record of 22. But the Serbian, who has not yet been vaccinated against covid-19, risks that he will not be allowed to enter the United States in August to compete at the US Open.
Source: Ambito
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