Until the last moments of this final, Novak Djokovic did not show any feeling. Before the explosion. While his opponent of the day, Nick Kyrgios, a long-time eye-catcher, lost his footing, more busy exchanging a few pleasantries with the referee, his clan and the public, the Serb could savor his 21st Major victory, Sunday July 10, and embrace the rest of the grass remained green after its passage. This success, the world number three had been waiting for a year.
On July 11, 2021, the Belgrade native was at the top of his game. He had just won his third major tournament of the season in London and his 6th Wimbledon. World number one and favorite to win the first calendar Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969, the Serb had no idea that he was entering a tunnel that would not leave him unscathed.
First there was the summer marathon which saw him come close to his dreams. Aiming for a new Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games, the Serb remained at the foot of the podium, ejected by Pablo Carreno Busta, tanned for the first time in his career.
Then, reaching the US Open final and on his way to achieving a feat that has always eluded his two rivals, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the then world number one fell a bone in the final with Daniil Medvedev. Swept away in three dry sets (6-4, 6-4, 6-4), the first signs of a crack in the shell then appeared. “VSIt was a very emotionally demanding period for me, the last five, six months. (…) Here, everything has accumulated for me in terms of emotions”, recognized Djokovic in a press conference after the meeting.
The Serb ended 2021 with an elimination in the semi-finals of the London Masters against Alexander Zverev in November after a two-month break and a winning return to Paris-Bercy.
The pandemic and its position against vaccines to deal with Covid-19 then seriously complicated things. Arriving in Melbourne with a medical exemption after testing positive, his case was finally decided at the highest state level, with the Minister for Immigration denying him access to the first Major of the season due to his vaccination status. virgin. It was his second Major withdrawal since the start of his career.
Housed in a dilapidated hotel before being expelled, Djokovic had to miss the American tour in Miami and Indian Wells for the same reason. “Willing to pay the price” of his non-vaccination, the Serb nevertheless camped on his positions a few weeks later in an interview with the BBC, judging that “decision-making about [son] body are more important than any title”.
Four months ago, his participation in Roland-Garros was compromised, not to mention Wimbledon, due to health restrictions. The drop in the number of cases and a return to normal allowed the Serb to see the European borders reopen gradually. If he could not do anything against an untouchable Rafael Nadal and carried by the public at Roland-Garros in the quarter-finals, the Serb, down to third place in the world, recovered his health at Wimbledon.
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 10, 2022
While the seeds fell, he remained standing. Led two sets to nothing against Jannik Sinner, he restarted the machine. Faced with Nick Kyrgios, again, he was able to come back after losing the first round to afford a 21st career Grand Slam title and return to a length of the record held by Rafael Nadal.
Not sure of playing the US Open at the end of August, due to health restrictions which may not be relaxed, Djokovic should still experience a few upheavals to try to glean a 22nd trophy. But, the Serb is now used to it.