‘The right decision’: Why Novak Djokovic is taking a break from tennis after Wimbledon upset
Following his recent Wimbledon upset, tennis superstar Novak Djokovic has revealed he will not be competing in the upcoming National Bank Open in Toronto.
The Serbian star, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, was unable to clinch the coveted Wimbledon title, leaving fans worldwide in disbelief.
During the hard-fought final at the All England Club on Sunday, July 16, Carlos Alcaraz delivered a remarkable comeback performance to halt Djokovic’s historic 34-match winning streak and claim victory at Wimbledon.
Alcaraz secured a thrilling 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 win over Djokovic in a gruelling four-hour, 42-minute battle, capturing his maiden Wimbledon championship and second Grand Slam trophy overall.
Following his loss, Djokovic has decided to forgo the next tournament on the calendar reportedly due to fatigue. He is still expected to compete in the Cincinnati and the US Open.
Djokovic announced that he was taking some time away from the court in a statement on Sunday, July 23.
“I have always enjoyed my time in Canada but after speaking with my team, we believe this is the right decision to take,” Djokovic said.
“I really hope I can return to Canada and Toronto in the coming years to play in front of great fans there.”
Djokovic will be replaced by American Christopher Eubanks in the main draw.
Following his shocking Wimbledon loss, Djokovic appeared humble in defeat as he praised Alcaraz for his “amazing” performance.
“Good afternoon everyone. Not so good for me, but good for Carlos,” he began.
“I thought I’d only have trouble with you on clay and hard court, not grass. But it’s a different story from this year. Congrats, an amazing way to adapt to the surface.
“You never like to lose matches like this. I guess when all the emotions are settled I have to still be very grateful.”
Djokovic became visibly emotional when he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his family for their unwavering love and support.
“Nice to see my son still up there, smiling,” Djokovic said.
“I love you. Thank you for supporting me. I’ll give you a big hug.”
A new name. A new reign. ????????@carlosalcaraz, your 2023 Gentlemen’s Singles champion#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/3KNlRTOPhx
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2023
Alcaraz was overjoyed following his victory, describing the win as “a dream come true”.
“I said before, it’s great to win but even if I had lost, I would be really proud of myself, making history in this beautiful tournament, playing against a legend of our sport. For me, it’s incredible,” he said.
“For a boy, 20 years old, I didn’t expect to reach these situations so fast. I’m really proud of myself; I’m really proud of the team that I have, the work that we do every day to be able to live this experience.”
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