Novak Djokovic, determined and resilient as ever, pledged to return stronger after being defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final on Sunday.
This match marked his first final appearance in 2024, coming less than 1 1/2 months after knee surgery.
With eyes set on a gold medal at the Paris Olympics and a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open, Djokovic remains focused on his goals.
“In the face of adversity, normally I rise and I learn and get stronger,” Djokovic said following his 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) defeat to Alcaraz. “That’s what I’m going to do.”
Djokovic also faced Alcaraz in last year’s Wimbledon final, and the 37-year-old Serbian has yet to secure a title this season, holding a 23-7 record.
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His Grand Slam journey this year saw him eliminated by current No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals and forced to withdraw from the French Open quarterfinals due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.
After surgery on June 5, Djokovic was uncertain about participating in Wimbledon until days before the draw.
“My preparation for Wimbledon wasn’t as I would have it normally… There was hindrance obviously because of the injury,” Djokovic explained. “That probably had an effect, particularly in the opening rounds.
But as the tournament progressed, I felt better and better. I reached the finals. Some matches I played some really good tennis.
Some matches I kind of battled my way through. But today, I saw that I was just half a step behind him, in every aspect.”
sense.”
