Boris Becker has confidently stated that this year's Wimbledon will not be Novak Djokovic's last, as the Serbian star pursues a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title and an eighth Wimbledon crown to tie Roger Federer. Djokovic advanced to the fourth round on Friday after a grueling four-hour victory over Arthur Rinderknech, winning 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4) on Centre Court. The 39-year-old now faces qualifier Roman Safiullin as he aims to make history at the All England Club.
Becker backs Djokovic's mental strength
Writing in The Telegraph, Becker, who coached Djokovic from 2013 to 2016, argued that the Serbian's mental fortitude gives him an edge on grass. 'I wouldn’t rule it out [Djokovic winning this year],' Becker wrote. 'Even if he has lost half a step since his peak years as an athlete, this tournament is all about the mind. Grass-court tennis tests your mental strength and your temperament like no other surface.' He added that Wimbledon 'favours the smartest players ahead of the finest physical specimens,' and noted that Djokovic, at 39, is 'the elder statesman of the game.'
Djokovic's future beyond Wimbledon
Becker predicted Djokovic has at least two more Wimbledon appearances left and may target the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles as his final event. 'As for how long he will carry on, my money is on the 2028 Olympics in LA,' Becker wrote. 'The only problem is that the regular tour has come to bore him. If you’ve won 24 majors, what’s your motivation for fitting in another Miami Open?' He cautioned that Djokovic's diverse interests could distract him, saying, 'The danger is that, because Novak has so many other interests, sometimes they take him away a little bit from tennis. He will really need to discipline himself to make it to LA ’28. But I’m hoping – for the sport’s sake – that he gets there.'
Djokovic savours every moment
After his second-round win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, Djokovic expressed gratitude for his time on court. 'I’m feeling great,' he said. 'I’ve said this so many times before that I try not to take these moments for granted when playing on the Centre Court of Wimbledon. It was the childhood dream tournament, I’ve always said that and it has always stayed as that. I feel very privileged to be walking out on this court at age 30 plus. I don’t think it’s a cliche because I actually believe it is true, but age is just a number.'
