In one corner, Novak Djokovic, six times the champion of Wimbledon.
In the other, Jannik Sinner, a 20-year-old Italian ranked 13th in the world whose undoubted brilliance could not disguise the fact that before last week he had never won a singles match on a grass court.
On paper, it seemed like a mismatch. On grass, where it counts, Sinner threatened to pull off the biggest Wimbledon upset since Sam Querrey defeated Djokovic in the third round six years ago.
Sinner opened up a two-set lead over the defending champion on Centre Court, endangering the Serb’s supremacy at a tournament he desperately needs to win if he is to salvage a season wrecked by his refusal to take a Covid vaccine. Djokovic needed all his famed resilience and competitive nous to survive unscathed, turning to a well-thumbed page of his grand slam playbook by using a comfort break to give himself a “pep talk” in a bathroom mirror. It laid the foundations for a 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory.
“It was a positive talk,” said Djokovic, who utilised a similar approach in last year’s French Open final, and said such methods offer a chance to “reanimate yourself”.
“I did that after I lost two sets in the finals of Roland Garros against [Stefanos] Tsitsipas, and it worked. It doesn’t always work, it’s not a guarantee. But I just felt like I had to change something, because I was not playing well.
“From the very beginning of the third, when I broke his serve early, I felt that I found my rhythm and tempo on the shots. It was two different kind of matches, and I felt completely different from the start of the third.”
For Sinner, playing in his first Wimbledon quarter-final, it was a tough but valuable lesson in the art of five-set tennis. He had already claimed one notable scalp, defeating fellow prodigy Carlos Alcaraz in the previous round to deny the Spaniard a projected quarter-final clash with Djokovic that was the talk of the town when the draw was made. When he recovered from a shaky start to move ahead with an exhibition of bold, precise shot-making that must have made Djokovic feel as though he were staring at his own reflection long before he adjourned to the bathroom, another landmark victory beckoned.
But it is one thing to get Djokovic on the ropes, quite another to land the knockout blow. The Serb, whose loss to Querrey in 2016 and retirement with an elbow injury against Tomas Berdych a year later both came on No 1 Court, has not been beaten on Centre Court since the 2013 final against Andy Murray. After a run of 25 straight wins at the All England Club, he was not about to relinquish his title without a scrap. A storm was coming, and Sinner knew it.
“I knew that he was going to change something, and I tried to prepare myself,” said the Italian.
Easier said than done.
For all Sinner’s excellence, Djokovic’s struggles were partly of his own making. Having won the first seven points of the match en route to establishing an early 4-1 lead, the Serb missed a point for a double break and promptly imploded, surrendering his serve with two double faults and a pair of lamentable drop shots that nosedived into the net.
Before that uncharacteristic lapse, however, Djokovic had established a template for victory, biding his time in the baseline exchanges, manoeuvring Sinner away from the central positions where he does his best work. Now he reverted to type, rediscovering the length and precision of that opening phase as he punished a pair of untimely forehand errors from Sinner to open the third set with a love break.
In the next game, Djokovic chased down a drop shot to rush Sinner into error, and urged the crowd to show their appreciation. The bullishness was back, the reanimation process underway. Sinner would win only six more games.
“It was a tough match,” said Sinner, who also had to contend with a heavy fall late in the fourth set from which he appeared to recover well. “I knew that before. I was playing well and he raised his level during the fourth [set]. I think the fifth I played in the right way. I missed the final shots, but I think I can be proud of what I have done here.
“In the third, when I was serving and it was 0-15, I hit an easy forehand in the net. Then after he played a good point. Instead of being 15-30, I was love 0-40. Then he broke me. From that point, he was playing better.”
Djokovic said before the match that he saw a little of himself in Sinner, and the similarities between the pair were clear throughout. From the purity of his ball-striking to his rubber-limbed agility and exceptional balance and composure, the Italian has qualities that will surely carry him to many major titles. His time will come.
As for Djokovic, he will face Cameron Norrie in the semi-finals after the 11th-seeded Briton edged past Belgium’s David Goffin 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. Norrie, who has never previously been beyond the third round of a major, was overwhelmed by emotion as he soaked in the acclaim of the No 1 Court crowd.
“It great to get this, now but it only gets tougher,” said Norrie at courtside. “I’m going to come out and enjoy that, and take it to him.”