Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner told they have made a mistake ahead of Wimbledon
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic arrive at Wimbledon as two of the favourites to lift the title, but Mats Wilander believes the Serbian could have the edge on the Italian.
Both men have been buoyed by Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from the grass court Grand Slam, although neither were able to capitilise on the Spaniard missing Roland Garros.
They both suffered early exits in Paris, with Sinner losing to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round and Djokovic being beaten by Joao Fonseca in the third round.
Despite Sinner’s recent dominance, Wilander makes Djokovic the favourite over the Italian, for a multitude of reasons.
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“I don’t think Jannik Sinner is the big favorite on grass at Wimbledon. I think someone like Novak Djokovic knows exactly how to play on grass, and I think this is his best chance to win his 25th Grand Slam,” he said to Eurosport.
“I think for someone like Novak Djokovic, there are fewer players who can beat him on grass because it takes experience. You need to have played on grass.
“So I expect the big names to advance, but if we’re talking about the next level, like Taylor Fritz or Ben Shelton, for example, I think there’s more potential for upsets on grass than on other surfaces.
“I think for someone like Jannik Sinner, who hasn’t played a single match beforehand, the first two or three rounds are very dangerous because you never know how you’re going to play in the first or second round of a Grand Slam.
“I think once he gets through the first week, he becomes an even bigger favorite than he was at the start of the tournament. Ultimately, I think the best players in the world know how to train well, they know how to play matches in practice, so yes, they experience that feeling of nervousness, but yes, it’s dangerous.”
However, Wilander believes both Djokovic and Sinner have made a mistake by opting not to play a competitive match on grass before Wimbledon.
“It’s dangerous to arrive at a Grand Slam without having played a single match on that surface. I mean, if you compare it, imagine going to Roland Garros without having played a single match on clay: everyone would say, ‘Wow, this is very dangerous, it’s terrible preparation!’
“But for some reason, when it comes to grass, we don’t usually talk about that. I think Novak, Jannik, and Zverev are vulnerable in the first round, and maybe also in the second, but once they get through the first round, they’re practically unbeatable.”
Both Sinner and Djokovic played an exhibition matches at the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at the Hurlingham Club, but they decided not to play an ATP event.
Sinner defeated Cameron Norrie at the London event, while Djokovic ousted Tommy Paul.
At Wimbledon, Sinner will play Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round, while Djokovic has been drawn against Wu Yibing.
