Reality bites for Djokovic after crushing Wimbledon loss

LONDON :Novak Djokovic admitted reality was beginning to bite after the Serb was unable to bridge a 15-year age gap in a Wimbledon semi-final drubbing against Italian Jannik Sinner on Friday.

One of the many milestones he was attempting to etch on his record-shredding list of achievements at his 20th Wimbledon was to become the oldest player to win a Grand Slam singles title.

At the age of 38, however, even a player who has so often looked superhuman in collecting 24 Grand Slam titles looked his age in a 6-3 6-3 6-4 defeat.

Admittedly he said he was less than fully fit after a late fall against Flavio Cobolli in his previous match.

But even without the battle scars of a long and hot fortnight, he would surely have been overwhelmed by the relentless power and accuracy of 23-year-old Sinner's game.

"Honestly, wasn't really a pleasant feeling on the court. I don't want to talk in details about my injury and just whine about not managing to play my best," the seven-time Wimbledon champion told reporters.

"I want to congratulate Jannik for a great performance. He's in the finals. He was too strong."

Djokovic is last man standing of the Big Four after the retirements of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray and he has flown the flag for the old guard in admirable fashion, reaching the semi-finals of every Grand Slam event this year.

RETIRED HURT

The Serb retired hurt against Alexander Zverev in Australia, lost to Sinner in straight sets in Paris and suffered an even more resounding defeat by the Italian on Friday.

He also reached the last two Wimbledon finals, falling short against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz on both occasions.

But his last Grand Slam glory was in 2023 - when he triumphed at Melbourne Park, Roland Garros and Flushing