Djokovic Targets 8th Wimbledon Title as Serena Williams' Return Fuels 25th Slam Bid

Q: With rival Carlos Alcaraz injured, is this Novak Djokovic's last best chance for a record Wimbledon title?

Yes — if Djokovic is going to match Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon men’s titles, this looks like his clearest remaining opening. Alcaraz’s withdrawal matters because he has been the player who most directly blocked Djokovic at Wimbledon, beating him in the 2023 and 2024 finals. Removing that obstacle significantly improves the draw for a 39-year-old chasing both an eighth Wimbledon crown and a 25th Grand Slam. Wimbledon is also still the major that best suits Djokovic’s current stage of career. His grass-court record there is exceptional at 102-13, and since 2018 he has gone 44-3, never falling before the semifinals. He has not lost at the All England Club to anyone outside Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner in more than a decade. He says he feels better prepared than he did for Roland Garros, and grass is less physically punishing than clay. But “best chance” does not mean “easy chance.” The biggest problem is now Sinner, the defending champion and world No. 1, who beat Djokovic in the 2025 semifinals and enters as the favorite. Djokovic’s own form is also a real question after a shoulder injury, only seven matches since January, and a draining French Open loss to João Fonseca. So the answer is yes in terms of opportunity and timing: Alcaraz is out, Djokovic remains elite on grass, and his window is naturally narrowing with age. Yet this is not a wide-open path. To take it, he will likely still have to beat the tournament’s strongest current player in Sinner.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 27

Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic said Serena Williams' comeback has inspired him as he opens his Wimbledon bid Monday against Wu Yibing, chasing an eighth title and a record-extending 25th Grand Slam.
39-year-old Djokovic said he is better prepared for grass than he was for Roland Garros, where a shoulder injury-disrupted buildup ended in a draining five-set third-round loss to Joao Fonseca.
Just 7 matches since the Australian Open have left Djokovic short on tour action, but he has often skipped warm-up events before Wimbledon and relied instead on practice time and occasional exhibitions.
Jannik Sinner enters as defending champion and favorite, with Djokovic in the same half of the draw, setting up a potential hurdle if the Serb is to match Roger Federer's 8 Wimbledon titles.