The last time Novak Djokovic headed to Wimbledon without winning either the Australian Open or French Open title was in 2018. It’s therefore no surprise that while building towards the prestigious tournament at the All-England Club, the Serbian star might well feel like he has a point to prove after a tough start to 2022.
Learning From Paris Disappointment
Losing to rival Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals of this year’s French Open will have been a tough result for Djokovic to take, especially with the Spaniard not at 100 percent owing to a chronic foot injury.
Djokovic will, therefore, be looking for a response after the disappointment of Roland Garros. Interestingly, he is still the favorite with the bookmakers as he looks ahead to Wimbledon, and thousands of fans, from Serbia to Spain, will be putting their faith in the player despite his injury.
Betting on Wimbledon is an international affair as viewers from around the world place their wagers to show support for their favorite players.
Bettors in New Zealand, for example, look to betting sites’ offers NZ to get the most value from backing the likes of Djokovic and Nadal at SW19 this summer. Djokovic is available at -120 to win yet another Wimbledon title, while Nadal is more value at +650 to be crowned this year’s champion.
Although there are exciting, up-and-coming athletes eager to make a name this year, overall, it looks like the two greats of the game will be the ones to beat when the third Grand Slam of the year rolls around at the All-England Club.
Wimbledon has been a happy hunting ground for Djokovic over the years: he’s won the tournament in London on six previous occasions.
The pristine grass courts of Wimbledon have provided Djokovic with some of his most memorable wins and appear to be his preferred surface, while the clay courts are typically favored by Nadal at Roland Garros.
Inspiration To Take From 2018
Four years ago, when Djokovic failed to lift the trophy in Melbourne or Paris, the world number one went on to win both Wimbledon and the US Open title.
Essentially, it seems that whenever the 35-year-old has felt he has a point to prove, he produces his best tennis. It takes a fierce competitor to be able to challenge at the top end of the world rankings for as long as Djokovic has, and it’s that combative attitude that has made him one of the most formidable players the sport has witnessed.
The Serb will certainly not have it all his own way when he looks to defend the Wimbledon title, which he has won in three of the last four years.
Nadal will hope he can manage his left foot injury through the competition as he did at Roland Garros and, if he does, then many will expect the 22-time Grand Slam champion to feature at the business end of the event in London.
Meanwhile, there are a number of other challengers who will be determined to land maiden Wimbledon titles.
Djokovic and Nadal are edging closer to the end of their careers and the men’s game is calling out for the next superstar who can try and dominate the sport in the years to come.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev is certainly in the conversation, while Spain’s rising star Carlos Alcaraz looks to have the potential to win multiple Grand Slam titles in the future.
Djokovic still looks to be the man to beat heading to Wimbledon and with the motivation to land a first Grand Slam title of the year, it seems like he will take some stopping to be denied a seventh title at the famous All-England Club.