Bill Simons
New York
No one has gotten into more tennis trouble than the GOAT. There’s always something. In 2008, after Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer, Nole’s mother proclaimed, “The king is dead.”
Not exactly. Roger went on to win eight more Slams. Soon Nole started to offer hilarious imitations of the game’s great players. But many, like Maria Sharapova, bristled – so much for humor. No other tennis player has been booted out of the US Open – Novak hit a lineswoman with a ball in 2020. Later on, he was kicked out of Australia. He told a stunned Wimbledon crowd, “Gooooood Night.”
And, today, the wiliest veteran the ATP has ever celebrated again got into trouble.
Yes, Novak had downed Carlos Alcaraz at the Aussie Open. He had never lost to the Spaniard on hard courts, and had a 5-3 lifetime head-to-head. Yes, the sinewy Serbian has defied time like few other athletes, the oldest man to reach the semis of all the majors in one year.
But at the start of today’s shootout at the Arthur Ashe corral, Nole quickly got in trouble. He barely took his guns out of his holsters. The game’s great warrior seemed timid – he shot only a few bullets. Flat and lacking belief, he showed little sizzle. Sure, his down-the-line backhands at times were ablaze – such flashes of brilliance. But he was broken in the first game, and nearly lost his serve twice after that.
Once again, Alcaraz flowed with Federerian ease before unleashing laser winners with Nadalian zeal. He attacked Djokovic’s lukewarm second serve. He absorbed the Serb’s power strokes. At times the bend-low, sprint-fast Serbian seemed frozen.
After dropping the first set 4-6, Novak battled back and played fabulous defense. He hit a splendid lob and broke to go up 3-0. He retrieved a deft Alcaraz dropshot, and his 22-year-old foe fell awkwardly on the Arthur Ashe stadium court, like a junior at a local club.
But superstar Alcaraz is a sublime athlete who (thanks to a handy handicap) downed Spain’s legendary golfer Sergio Garcia on a golf course yesterday, and today put his foot down in the second-set tiebreak to go up two sets to love.
Then Djokovic, who had yet to win a set in any of the four semis he’d played this year, realized his 38-year-old tank was empty. He completely whiffed on a simple rally forehand and double faulted twice. He read the room. His fate was sealed. He gave up on points. Ashe Stadium’s “Nole! Nole! Nole!” chants lost their zing.
In Perth, Australia, minister Margaret Court, who won 24 singles majors, sighed in relief. Eight times Serena tried to equal her mark. She never did. Similarly, Novak’s had eight chances to break the Aussie’s record. He hasn’t.
As Novak went down to a 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 defeat to a foe who hadn’t lost a single set at the Open, broadcaster Mark Brown said, “Let’s soak this all up. Because Novak is the greatest player of all time – but he will not play forever.”
In his post-match press conference, a reporter told Novak, “What you’ve done at majors this year would be the envy of probably every player on the tour except two.”
Nole replied, “You’re right…I lost three out of four Slams in the semis against these guys. They’re just too good….After the second set I was gassed out…In best-of-five, it makes it very, very difficult for me to play them…I’m happy with my level, it’s just the physicality…That’s unfortunate at this point in my career…It will be very difficult for me to overcome the hurdle of Sinner, Alcaraz in the best-of-five…I’m not giving up and I will try to fight for another trophy…I still enjoy the thrill of competition. Today I received amazing support…That’s one of the biggest reasons I keep on going. The love that I’ve been getting around the world has been amazing the last couple of years…I still want to play [a] full Grand Slam season next year.”
Djokovic is an inspired athlete, a miracle man. But now his wrinkles are deep. He doesn’t bend that low. His splits have split – we don’t see them anymore. His sprints are modest. He had little chance today against a young wizard. To some, he should be at home in Serbia, basking in his glory. He’s a national treasure.
Instead, Novak is the third best player in the world, and he battles on. So we see the will of a warrior and the nobility of the man who adores the roar of the crowd.
AIN’T THAT THE TRUTH? Tennis was once celebrated for the singular demands it puts on its players, out there in the arena all by themselves and having to figure out what the heck was happening. They had no caddie, as in golf, no cornerman, as in boxing, and, of course, no teammates. Players were their own guides and managers – “You’re on your own, baby.”
But the rules have changed. Now coaching is largely allowed. It’s interesting to hear all the mid-course corrections. Coaches continually offer their suggestions. Players have vastly different support teams.
There was almost nonstop coaching in Thursday night’s Amanda Anisimova vs. Naomi Osaka quarterfinal. Chris Evert quipped, “Whatever happened to problem-solving on your own out there on court?” One fan added, “There sure is a lot of spoonfeeding out there.”
TOWNSEND’S END: Taylor Townsend’s magical US Open run came to an end today, as Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowoski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe beat Taylor and Katerina Siniakova, 6-4, 6-4 to win the women’s doubles. The No. 3 seeds won the Open doubles in 2023, and they, too, have quite a tale to tell. On New Year’s Eve last year, Dabrowski was diagnosed with breast cancer, and late last year, her partner Routliffe overcame a fractured rib as a result of chronic bronchitis.
AMANDA POWER: For the fifth straight Slam, there is an American in the final. Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova is hoping to again unleash her singular backhand and down Aryna Sabalenka, as she did in the Wimbledon semis. The Floridian has beaten Aryna three straight times.
– Also reporting: Vinay Venkatesh
