THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 10, 2026

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

J. SINNER/N. Djokovic

6-4, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: We'll jump straight in with questions. Who would like to ask the first question?

Q. Is there anything you think you could have done tactically different against Jannik at all?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, not really. Was a good old blowout (smiling). Nothing much I could do.

Q. The level is so high these days. Do you intend to come back next year when you're 40?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I would like to, at least one more time. Let's see.

Q. It felt at times like a boxing-match image of you just getting battered back and back. Did it feel that way to you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, I was just half a step late basically in any shot, so... It's very simple as that. He was just a level or more better than I was. I was just, you know, yeah, not sharp enough, not reactive enough, not balanced enough to play him. That's it. There's not much I could do on the court.

Q. Relatively similar score to your match with him last year. How similar did it feel or how different did it feel from Australia?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, last year I was injured during that match. Actually, I got injured in quarters. I didn't really expect much from myself in that match.

But here I was okay, feeling physically fine. Maybe not the freshest, obviously, like at the beginning of the tournament, but I was physically all right. He was much better player on the court and was the dominant force. You just have to hand it to him and say, Congrats, well done.

Q. Obviously there has been overexcitement about Arthur Fery's run. What do you make of what he's been able to do? Do you see him as someone that could potentially do well at the slams again in the future?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I mean, it was a great wildcard story. Obviously I think my ex-coach Goran was the last wildcard that got very far, actually won the trophy. So it doesn't happen very often that you have a wildcard that goes so far - particularly obviously home player from England.

It's great for the tournament. It was great for the home crowd. Today I watched a little bit of the match. Sascha was just too strong. But it was a hell of an effort from him to win, I think, what is it, three five-setters or something during his tournament? That's impressive.

For the future, it's hard to tell. Things have to come together. But he definitely has shown that he possesses a quality.

Q. Novak, this year you seem to be more competitive in a way than last year.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Wrong.

Q. Today maybe you were tired. What are your feelings about it? Do you feel that really you can go on and on or not?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just said you're wrong. I don't agree with your opinion. I'm always competitive. Always give my best. Under the circumstances sometimes it looks from outside more, sometimes less. Only I know what I go through internally and what it takes to be able to still play at this level.

Of course, I'm disappointed. Of course, I wanted to win Wimbledon. That's the reason why I'm still pushing myself so hard.

But I just lost to a better player. I have to accept it. Obviously tough one. Once you get out of the court, it's tough one to kind of accept. But it is what it is.

I'm not upset with myself. I don't think I've done too much wrong. I was just a level or two worse than he is. I mean, he was playing so solid from all ends. I mean, serve, very difficult to read his serve, incredible weapon has become last couple years since he changed his technique. Of course, he's as solid as anyone really from back of the court. That's it.

Q. Could you talk a little bit more about how you tried to deal with his serve. Everyone says you're the best returner that has ever been.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Was, was (smiling). That's the reality. Was, was.

Q. There was an exchange where I think to someone in the crowd, Maybe 10 years ago.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. Can you talk about what he said to you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That stays between us.

Q. Attacking the serve, how did you try and deal with it?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Attack? You cannot attack his first serve. You can try to read it, chip it, block it, get it back in play.

Very unpredictable serve, great variety, great balance, great pop. He's using his height extremely well. Also second serve very deep in the box. A lot of rotation. He can go for speed. He doesn't make many double-faults. He's just super solid. He backs it up with first aggressive shot.

If you play a shorter return, you're, again, on your back foot. It's really, really tough to play him, particularly when he serves.

Q. Did Tuesday night make you feel like more magic was possible or the tank, you had used a lot of gas in the tank?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, I'm proud of what I achieved three nights ago. Felix is number, what, three, fourth player in the world. Proven to myself and others that I can still play at the highest level, and I have. I reached the last four of Wimbledon.

Losing in straight sets against the best player in the world, okay. It is what it is. It's the reality you have to accept. But the tournament was positive in terms of the attitude on the court, the fighting spirit, the dedication. I mean, it's still there.

Game-wise I wasn't extremely happy. Like in Australia, I felt like I played on a higher level overall throughout the tournament than here. Here, yeah, kind of struggled to find that A game. It was kind of appearing in some moments in matches that I had prior to semis.

Today I was just unable. I didn't have time. I didn't have time to really regroup and reset. He was just at cruising speed and I couldn't catch him.

Q. At this point in your career, does it still remain about winning titles, championships, or can you leave a tournament like this with some satisfaction of being able to still compete at that high level?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. Last year I reached four semifinals. This year, out of three slams, I reached one final and one semifinal. I guess for 99% of the players, that would be a very good Grand Slam result.

For me, it's good but not good enough, because I'm blessed and cursed to be used to something of a highest degree in terms of results and achievements.

Yeah, I mean, that's a good question, because in some way, I'm also dealing with myself in a sense that I'm telling myself, Look, this is amazing that you're still able to, as people around me are telling me, able to play at such a high level and push the youngsters to the limit for Grand Slam titles, which is true. But at the same time, I always have the highest expectations for myself.

So yeah, it's kind of that internal battle really of what I've been through for the 20-plus years of my career, what the goals were always, the expectations, and trying to balance it out and really be a little more humble in that sense.

Of course, I still enjoy the thrill of competition. Maybe I don't enjoy all the hard weeks that are leading up to big tournament, putting myself over and over again through a lot of pain, physically mostly.

I'm glad that this tournament, the body held pretty well. Pretty much every other tournament in the last two years it was always something.

That's the main thing. I feel when I'm healthy, I'm still able to play as a top-five player, still able to compete at the highest level. I like it. I like this life. I mean, tennis has given me everything in my life and has allowed me an opportunity to become who I am.

At the same time, you know, of course there's always a question how far you want to go, what you want to play, how you want to play, et cetera, et cetera.

I go through that process, but I try to take it, in a sense, a day at a time, see how I really feel. I don't have any pressure or no one is forcing me to play. I do it because I really want to and because I still can. I still can play as a top-10, top-5 player.

Yeah, let's see what's future brings.

Q. You said you felt better than at some of your previous slams. How much encouragement does that give you? You've said that was potentially one of the things holding you back.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Can you repeat your question? That I said I felt better here?

Q. Physically.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Physically, right.

I mean, great, great. That's one of the best takeaways, highlights for me, is the fact that I stayed healthy, no injuries, because that wasn't the case, as I said. Pretty much every big tournament, there was an injury in the last two years.

So that's a good thing. It means that the team has done a good job with me. We collectively prepared myself good, well for this tournament.

Yeah, a little bitter taste stays, of course, that I wasn't at the desired level today. But yeah, we turn the next page and we move on.