Novak Djokovic likes nothing higher than munching on Wimbledon’s Centre Court turf on males’s last day and after establishing what he billed because the “ultimate showdown” with Carlos Alcaraz, he now desires to gobble up a record-equalling twenty fourth Grand Slam title.
“He’s very motivated. He’s young. He’s hungry. I’m hungry, too, so let’s have a feast,” joked the Serbian who has bent right down to eat a handful of grass from probably the most well-known tennis area after every one in all his seven Wimbledon triumphs.
Djokovic has made no secret of his insatiable urge for food to hoard an increasing number of information as he seems to be to go away each rival, particularly these whose names crop up within the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate, in his shade.
For the primary time in his profession, Djokovic stands alone on prime of the lads’s Grand Slam totem pole after he gained the French Open final month to safe a twenty third main — transferring forward of his nice rival Rafael Nadal on the all-time winners’ listing.
But that achievement has solely fuelled the 36-year-old’s burning want.
Considering he honed his abilities in a drained swimming pool transformed right into a makeshift tennis courtroom whereas NATO was bombing Belgrade in 1999, it’s not obscure why successful the most important prizes in tennis means a lot to him.
“Maybe some people think that it would be a huge relief for me winning Roland Garros, being the only men’s tennis player with 23 slams. It’s not,” Djokovic, who turned up for his news-conference carrying a forest inexperienced sweatshirt, baseball cap and watch, stated forward of contesting a document thirty fifth main last.
“It’s no secret that Grand Slams are the highest priority for me, the highest goals on my priority list. Every time I start the season, I want to peak at these four tournaments.
“I really feel that the job just isn’t completed till I elevate the trophy.”
Men’s record
Djokovic now stands one win away from equalling Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight Wimbledon titles and if he hoists the pineapple-topped gilded Challenge Cup on Sunday, he will draw level with Margaret Court’s haul of 24 majors – an all-time record the Australian has held for 50 years.
Even at the age of 36, there is no sign that Djokovic’s aura of invincibility is fading as the Serbian has won six of the last 10 slams.
Even though Alcaraz recently dethroned him from the top of the world rankings, Djokovic is still considered the man to beat and still has the power to turn opponents into nervous wrecks as the 20-year-old Spaniard discovered during their Roland Garros semi-final.
Alcaraz admitted that the stress and tension of facing Djokovic brought on the debilitating cramps that ruined his chances of winning that showdown just five weeks ago.
No doubt he would have learnt a lot of life lessons from that distressing episode, and the way Alcaraz has been playing at Wimbledon means the Serbian will face a player that John McEnroe describes as being “higher than Federer, Djokovic and Nadal had been at 20. This man is superb”.
“If I win, it may very well be superb for me — not solely win a Wimbledon title however do it in opposition to Novak can be tremendous particular,” said U.S. Open champion Alcaraz.
“I all the time say if you wish to be the very best, you need to beat the very best. Novak is one in all them. Would be nice if I’ll do it.”
Staying calm
Despite his young age, the Spanish top seed has already captured 12 titles and appears to have wasted little time in feeling at home on grass as he demonstrated during his three-set destruction of third seed Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.
While physically he appears to have no weakness, Alcaraz knows he will have to match Djokovic’s mental powers if he is to reverse the result from Paris.
“He’s superb. He does nothing improper on the courtroom,” Alcaraz said as he bids to end the Serbian’s 10-year unbeaten run on Centre Court.
“Physically he is a beast. Mentally he is a beast. Everything is unbelievable for him.
“I’ll try to get onto the court with not as much nerves as I had in the French Open … I hope not to get cramp during the final. I’ll do some exercise to stay calm and to forget – or I’ll try to forget that I’m going to play a final against Novak.”
Djokovic, locked at 1-1 of their head-to-head document, was trying ahead to the problem too.
“This is probably the best finals that we could have. We are both in good form. We’re both playing well,” added Djokovic as he seems to be to change into the oldest man within the Open Era to win the grasscourt main.
“I want to take this title without a doubt. I look forward to it. It’s going to be a great challenge, greatest challenge that I could have at the moment from any angle really: physical, mental, emotional.”