Hell for Sinner as Djokovic masters the art of suffering
The Italian plays dream tennis. Performs with a princely elegance and grace. But is he robust enough to do the same against the iron king in a heavyweight Australian Open semi-final?
Novak Djokovic has played 10 Australian Open semi-finals. Won the lot of ’em by embracing the requirement to suffer. Just about the greatest compliment you can give the bloke is he fights with the ruthlessness and sheer bloody-mindedness of Monica Seles. What a crying, criminal shame she copped the lunatic’s blade.
Djokovic’s five-year, 33-match winning streak at the Open is matched only by Seles, the unforgettable, uncompromising, red-faced, foot-stomping, two-handed-forehand-hitting world No. 1 who was never the same after being stabbed in the back, for real, by a deranged spectator at Hamburg in 1993.
Know about Seles?
“Of course, of course,” Djokovic says ahead of his heavyweight semi-final against young Italian Jannik Sinner at Melbourne Park on Friday. “I didn’t know I’m sharing this record with her but it makes it even more special for me. I really love Monica. I had Monica in my head when I was growing up in Serbia. Pretty much every single day.”
Why? “Because Jelena Gencic, my tennis mother, as I like to call her, who passed away in 2012, she worked with Monica when she was young,” Djokovic says. “So I was hearing a lot about Monica. Monica this, Monica that, Monica eats this, Monica sleeps this much, Monica practises this way.
“Monica was definitely one of my childhood idols and heroes. I looked up to her very much and when I got a chance to meet with her for the first time it was really – I was very nervous. Obviously she speaks our language because she was born in Serbia before she spent most of her life, as she’s doing now, in the United States. She had an incredible career and particularly she played well in Australia.
“We all wonder how far she could have went if she didn’t have to go through what she went through. I have only nice words to say about Monica.”
We have only nice words to say about Sinner. Everything about the 22-year-old screams ascension to the throne. He’s no Edward VIII. He won’t refuse to be king. His problem is Djokovic clings to power with every forehand, backhand, gun, cannon, sword, tank and underrated, skidding serve at his disposal. The 24-time major champion, 10-time Australian Open winner and record-holder for holding the most records carries enough of a lordly air to ditch the tracksuit and walk on to RLA wearing a crown and flowing robes. All rise.
Sinner beat Djokovic twice last year. What he didn’t have to do is suffer. Those victories were best-of-three sets. Doing it best-of-five is a whole different ball game. For the suffering. Djokovic moans, groans, mumbles, grumbles and gives every impression his time is up but then he enters lockdown mode and refuses to be beaten. Boxers call it the deep water. The late rounds when you’re running on empty but keep running away. When you’re out on your feet but stay on them. The willpower in Djokovic is extraordinary. An iron king.
“Obviously he has an incredible record here,” Sinner says. “For me it’s a pleasure to play against him, especially in the final stages of the tournament where things are a little bit more interesting. I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be tough. This I know. I will control the controllable, which is giving 100%, having the right attitude, fighting for every ball. And then we see the outcome, no? More than this, I cannot do.”
I would have thought Rod Laver Arena ranked fourth among the majors’ centre courts. It’s a snappy little joint but Center Court at Wimbledon, Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros and Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows seem to possess more prestige, history, sentimentality and gravitas.
Perhaps Djokovic is just buttering us up when he says: “If there’s any tournament where I’m going to dig deep, it’s the grand slam, right? Particularly here where, you know. I’m aware of the streak that I’m on and the amount of matches that I have won in my career on the Rod Laver Arena. I don’t want to let that go. The longer the streak goes, the more that kind of confidence, also expectations, are built. But also the willingness to really walk the extra mile, so to say. I just love playing on this court. It’s been ‘the’ court for me in my career.”
The 36-year-old iron king slid, slogged, suffered and dodged his way past Taylor Fritz on Tuesday before admitting he enjoyed basically none of it. Except the suffering. “It’s hard to put down your heart rate and kind of control your breathing,” he said.
“It’s very intense. The high level of tennis and intensity exerts a lot of effort and you don’t have much time to recover. I actually said to my team right after the match that this match was not an enjoyable match for me at all. I’m proud to overcome the challenges and obstacles of course I was pleased to win – but it was not enjoyable at all. It was really, suffering. You have days like that. Where you just have to accept it and face the circumstances and try to make the most of it. There’s just a lot of suffering in every aspect.”
Sinner is sensational. He plays dream tennis. Performs with a princely elegance and grace. But Djokovic’s remarks highlight the question following the Italian on to RLA. When push comes to shove against the iron king, will he be willing to suffer? In every aspect? Is he robust enough? Ruthless enough? Bloody-minded enough? How deep is the water can he handle?
Unflappable as ever, Sinner says: “I’m just very excited to step on the court. Every time. I’m doing my job. I try to stay focused. I try to find a solution against every player I play and I love to play on that court. It’s always a good feeling, always nice, so let’s see how I handle the situation when the score is even or if I’m down. Let’s see how I react. It’s going to be interesting, so … let’s see.”
More Coverage
16-year old Emerson Jones triumphs as Family Connection Takes Center Stage
World number one junior Emerson Jones made her Far North debut on Wednesday, but for the 16-year old with a bright future, it was an acknowledgment of the past shared with her older brother that was at the forefront of her performance.
WADA appeals World No.1’s doping decision, pursues ban
Jannik Sinner is “very disappointed” but confident after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the decision to clear him in his steroid case, seeking a ban of up to two years.