Novak to Miss Wimbledon?

Who has won the most Wimbledon titles?
Photo Credit: Carine06

All has not been well in the Djokovic camp recently. After winning three Grand Slam titles in 2023, the Serb is expected to continue dominating in 2024. But there have been signs of concern ever since the 2023 Wimbledon loss to Carlos Alcaraz. Fans at the final with Wimbledon tickets saw one of the greatest battles between the GOAT and newbie Alcaraz. But, progressing forward, 2024 has yet to start well for Djokovic. Djokovic has played just two tournaments this year, the Australian Open and the Indian Wells Masters, reaching the semifinals and the third round, respectively. Recently, a tennis bigwig dropped a saddening update for Djokovic’s fans. Djokovic has skipped the ongoing Miami Open to balance his hectic schedule in 2024. Here’s what was revealed that wouldn’t go well with his fans. A few days ago, Craig Shapiro, a famous tennis podcast host, revealed that tension was mounting in Djokovic’s camp. Today, it was declared that Djokovic has split with his long-time coach, Goran Ivanisevic. Shapiro dropped another shocking claim about the Serb. He said that Novak Djokovic is “unhappy with his team” and will be making some changes. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will focus on clay and is unsure of playing in the Wimbledon Championships. This development is because the Paris Olympics will follow soon after, and the Serbs target a gold medal there. While Djokovic has achieved almost everything in his tennis career, Olympic gold still eludes him. His best performance was a third-place finish at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Further, this is not the first time we have heard that Djokovic prioritizes the Paris Olympics this year.

Djokovic wants Olympic Gold

During an interview in 2023, he revealed that he has always wanted to win the Gold medal at the Olympics. At the 2008 Olympics, Rafael Nadal won gold, which might be the one thing the legend is missing from his trophy cabinet. “The Olympics are a huge desire of mine—they’re a unique opportunity. I have a bronze from Beijing 2008… I want it all, so why not? We’ll see where it ends,” he added. With this in mind, Djokovic will prioritize his clay court games and, if he cannot manage his workload, drop out of the Wimbledon 2024.

Andy Murray Out?

Andy Murray’s planned career finale at Wimbledon stands in doubt after he ruptured two ankle ligaments during Sunday’s loss to Tomas Machac in Miami. This is a big blow for the local fans, who were excited to see their legend for one last time with Wimbledon tickets . Murray revealed the news in an Instagram post on Monday night, saying, “I suffered a full rupture of my ATFL [anterior talofibular ligament] and a near full-thickness rupture of my CFL [calcaneofibular ligament]. When I return home, I will see an ankle specialist to determine the next steps. To clarify the medical terms, we are talking about the anterior talofibular ligament and the calcaneofibular ligament, two connected pieces of tissue that hold the outside of the ankle in place. The double rupture happened late in Murray’s third-round match against Machac, which extended to 3hr 28min on Sunday afternoon. Murray was moving forward to the net after a forehand putaway when he pulled up suddenly in severe pain and then fell to the floor with his hands over his face.

Carlos Alcaraz – Not Stressed on Trophyless Drought

World #2 Caralos Alcaraz added that he is not stressed by his not winning a single title since his famous Wimbledon triumph in 2023. The teenager defeated the great Novak Djokovic in an exciting final to claim his first Wimbledon, but fortune has not favoured him since. In 2022, the US Open win elevated Alcaraz to be the youngest world number in history. Now, the youngster is focused on building his form leading up to the Wimbledon. Speaking to BBC Sport, he added that there is a lot of expectation and noise behind him and that it is difficult for him to deal with.

“But I try not to think about it. I try to be alone to avoid all that,” he said. “But it is difficult sometimes – a lot of tournament matches with people around – so I would say that is the toughest thing.”

Victory over Daniil Medvedev in last year’s final was one of six titles he won in the first seven months of the year. Even though Alcaraz reached a final, three semifinals, and one other quarterfinal in the closing months of 2023, he could not lift another trophy. He added:

“After Wimbledon, I did a pretty good American swing – final in Cincinnati, semifinals in US Open – that’s good results, honestly,” “But after that, I struggled a little with my tennis, my joy. It doesn’t stress me so much not having titles or finals.”

The year did not go well for the Spaniard, with him facing defeat to Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open and then rolling an ankle in the second point of his first match in Rio last month. Alcaraz decided to retire after just two games, so his first concern will be the upcoming tournaments leading up to the French Open and the Wimbledon. With his form, Alcaraz will be on the team for the Olympics, where he looks to repeat the feat achieved by his fellow Spaniard—to win gold for Spain.

Key Dates for Wimbledon 2024

If you want Wimbledon tickets but are still determining what dates to get, this guide will help you with the key dates. The first round until the quarterfinals will be easy access to any fan regarding Wimbledon tickets. The semifinals and the finals will be the hardest to source.

Men’s Singles (Grand Slam)

  • First round: Monday 1st – Tuesday 2nd July
  • Second round: Wednesday 3rd – Thursday 4th July
  • Third round: Friday 5th – Saturday 6th July
  • Fourth round: Sunday 7th – Monday 8th July
  • Quarter-finals: Tuesday 9th – Wednesday 10th July
  • Semi-finals: Friday 12th July
  • Final: Sunday 14th July

WTA Women’s Singles (Grand Slam)

  • First round: Monday 1st – Tuesday 2nd July
  • Second round: Wednesday 3rd – Thursday 4th July
  • Third round: Friday 5th – Saturday 6th July
  • Fourth round: Sunday 7th – Monday 8th July
  • Quarter-finals: Tuesday 9th – Wednesday 10th July
  • Semi-finals: Thursday 11th July
  • Final: Saturday 13th July

About Suneer Chowdhary 2090 Articles
Suneer is a Mumbai-based freelance sports journalist with a special affinity towards cricket and tennis. He has also covered six ICC tournaments including Cricket World Cups and Champions Trophy.