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Novak Djokovic's revelation about how his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final feuled his determination to dominate the subsequent events on US soil has sparked delight among tennis fans.
Djokovic and Alcaraz battled it out in a riveting Wimbledon final, delivering one of the most enthralling matches of the year. Despite the Serb looking good for victory after his dominant start, Alcaraz turned the tables to win 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 and secure his second Grand Slam title.
During a recent appearance on the CBS show 60 Minutes, Djokovic admitted that the loss 'pissed him off' and motivated him to sweep every tournament he played in the US.
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"Yes, absolutely, it was. And– and you're right because that pissed me off so much (laugh) that I needed to win everything on American soil, which I did. It's a great opportunity for me to reinvent myself and really push harder than I ever did," he said.
True to his words, the 24-time Grand Slam champion emerged victorious in both tournaments he competed in on American turf.
He avenged his Wimbledon defeat in style, claiming a hard-fought 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) victory over Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Masters final. Subsequently, the World No. 1 delivered a commanding performance in the US Open final, beating Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3.
Djokovic's comments earned praise from tennis fans, one of whom hilariously quipped that it was just another instance of the Serb quashing the younger generation's hopes of having their turn in the spotlight.
"F*%k them kids" 17th edition, this time with a pinch of salt," the fan commented.
Another fan suggested that while the Wimbledon final loss was undoubtedly tough for Djokovic to swallow. He likely would not have won the US Open had he triumphed at SW19.
"I'm sure he feels like he should have won that one. He played poorly and Alcaraz squeaked by him. That's probably a tough scenario to swallow. Plus side, he probably doesn't win the USO if he wins Wimbledon, so the 24 slam finish on the year is the same regardless," the fan posted.
Another user joked that the Serb having a special jacket prepared to commemorate his potential Wimbledon triumph had brought "bad luck."
"It was those jackets. Bad luck," the user shared.
Here are a few more reactions from fans on Reddit:
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz to lock horns in Riyadh exhibition event
Following his trip to Los Cabos, Mexico, Carlos Alcaraz has arrived in Spain to commence his pre-season training at his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's academy in Alicante.
Before kicking off his 2024 season, Alcaraz will square off against Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated exhibition match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 27. Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka will join the duo at the event, taking the court a day earlier.
Subsequently, Alcaraz and Djokovic will ramp up their preparations for the 2024 Australian Open. While Alcaraz missed this year's edition of the Melbourne Slam due to injury, the Serb made a triumphant return at the Australian Major, claiming a record-extending tenth title at the prestigious event.
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