‘Always a pleasure’: Sinner shares heartfelt message for Djokovic after straight-sets victory in Wimbledon semifinal

LONDON: World No.1 Jannik Sinner shared a heartfelt message for Novak Djokovic after defeating the Serbian legend in the Wimbledon men’s singles semifinal, expressing gratitude for the contest and excitement ahead of Sunday’s title clash.

Taking to X after his straight-sets victory over the seven-time Wimbledon champion, Sinner praised Djokovic and thanked him for the match.

“Always a pleasure to share the court with you @DjokerNole. Thanks for a great match today. Honoured and grateful to be back in the final here at @Wimbledon. See you all on Sunday,” Sinner wrote.

Always a pleasure to share the court with you @DjokerNole. Thanks for a great match today Honoured and grateful to be back in the final here at @Wimbledon See you all on Sunday pic.twitter.com/ptTgkvPtYT

— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) July 10, 2026

Sinner delivered an emphatic performance to defeat Novak Djokovic in straight sets on Friday and book his place in the Wimbledon men’s singles finals for the second consecutive year.

The world No. 1 cruised to a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the seven-time Wimbledon champion at the All England Club. Avenging his semi-final loss to Djokovic at the Australian Open earlier this year–their only previous meeting in 2026–Sinner produced a composed and commanding display to seal the win in two hours and 20 minutes.

“Amazing [to be in the final again]… The atmosphere has been amazing since the first day and it means a lot to me that I can play one more final here,” Sinner said in his on-court interview, as quoted by ATP website.

“It’s the most special tournament we have, and it means a lot to me. Of course, playing against Novak and what he has been showing, it’s a true inspiration. Not only for [the crowd] but also for the new generation. What he is still doing is amazing,” he added.

Flawless from Jannik Sinner. What a performance. pic.twitter.com/0LijKmAjUd

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2026

Having defeated his great rival Carlos Alcaraz to earn his first Wimbledon title in 2025, Sinner will bid to complete a successful defence of his crown in Sunday’s final against Alexander Zverev. Should he do so, Sinner and Alcaraz will have won 10 of the past 11 major titles, with Zverev’s Roland Garros win last month the only outlier.

“We always have very tough matches, and the last one he won in the semis in Australia,” Sinner said, when asked about his rivalry with the 39-year-old Djokovic, as quoted by ATP website. “So I tried to make a couple of adjustments, even though here on grass it is very difficult.”

“He had a very tough match, the last one against Felix, which we will remember I think forever here in this arena. I tried to stay quite aggressive, serving very well which helped me a lot today. He’s probably the best returner we have in our game, so I tried to mix it up. I’m very happy about today’s performance,” he added.

Djokovic remains level with Margaret Court on a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles and stays one Wimbledon crown behind Roger Federer, with seven titles at the All England Club.

The Serbian great will now turn his attention to the US Open later this summer in pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. However, there is no certainty that he will return to compete at Wimbledon next year. (ANI)