2026 Wimbledon Men's Final: Sinner v Zverev

[lomaha]

Can they really say it's a gras tournament when there's almost no gras left?

 

[Fiero425]

People were saying the same about Federer before the pandemic, when he nearly won Wimbledon over prime Djokovic. Sometimes, the walls close in faster than you think. Djokovic has been gradually declining each year since 2023. If Djokovic (at 39) can't beat Sinner and Alcaraz, what makes you think that he will suddenly get better 3 years from now and beat those guys plus 23/24-year-old Mensik/Tien/Fonseca/Jodar, not to mention people rising from the crop of 20-22 year-olds in the 2007-09 cohorts?

Did ANYONE think Novak would take that Olympic Gold Medal 2 yrs. ago; taking out Alcaraz in the final? He not only won it, he did it in str. sets!

 

[the AntiPusher]

Did ANYONE think Novak would take that Olympic Gold Medal 2 yrs. ago; taking out Alcaraz in the final? He not only won it, he did it in str. sets!

Novak had just had his knee scoped.. that was an amazing victory

 

[Federberg]

Wow! Let's go Sasha! I didn't see that coming. He just hung with him

 

[the AntiPusher]

ZED

 

[the AntiPusher]

ZED

Rafa told him at the Nadal Academy that Sascha needs to take more chances..

 

[El Dude]

Jannik is in trouble. This is a different version of Zverev than he's seen.

 

[Fiero425]

Novak had just had his knee scoped.. that was an amazing victory

IDK why people are still trying to undermine this guy, always saying "he's done" when he keeps surprising "The World!" He went yrs. w/o taking a YEC, but in the twilight of his career he won 2, beating both Alcaraz & Sinner each time; not even dropping sets along the way! What does this man have to do to earn even a taste of respect from the masses? He's not my fave tannis player, but I have to respect his record & what he had to overcome to get there! I really appreciate his tenacity to ignore his detractors!

 

[don_fabio]

I never tought I would say this, but Zverev grew a pair of cojones. Great set of tennis and nerves of steel in TB.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Did ANYONE think Novak would take that Olympic Gold Medal 2 yrs. ago; taking out Alcaraz in the final? He not only won it, he did it in str. sets!

It was possible. Novak played in the Wimbledon final just a few weeks earlier. He's now 2 years older, and declined considerably since then. He hasn't won a title this year (which, if it holds, would be a first since 2005). As we continue on with time, I expect Novak to continue to decline, while the Mensik/Tien/Fonseca/Jodar cohort get better. It's going to be harder for Djokovic to win any title going forward.

 

[El Dude]

Sascha's jump in level this year reminds me a bit of Andy Murray in 2016, when he somehow managed to surpass Novak for YE1 (with help from Fedal having off years). He could have a nice run the next few years and, at least, be a close #3 behind Sincaraz, if he ages well...dude is already 29 (hard to believe).

 

[El Dude]

It was possible. Novak played in the Wimbledon final just a few weeks earlier. He's now 2 years older, and declined considerably since then. He hasn't won a title this year (which, if it holds, would be a first since 2005). As we continue on with time, I expect Novak to continue to decline, while the Mensik/Tien/Fonseca/Jodar cohort get better. It's going to be harder for Djokovic to win any title going forward.

Has he "declined considerably," though? I mean, obviously there was a big drop after 2023 and I think he's continued to decline from 2024 - he's looked old and with less energy than in years past. But I see 2024-26 as more gradual...at worst, he's still the 4th best player on tour (accounting for Zverev's rise).

That said, I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell at taking the Olympics Gold in 2028. Even if my nitpicking of gradual decline is right, that's still two more years of soft decline and really, I think he'll show up as a symbolic gesture for Serbia, but not being in form to win it.

 

[don_fabio]

Zverev like Neo, he is starting to believe.

 

[Fiero425]

Has he "declined considerably," though? I mean, obviously there was a big drop after 2023 and I think he's continued to decline from 2024 - he's looked old and with less energy than in years past. But I see 2024-26 as more gradual...at worst, he's still the 4th best player on tour (accounting for Zverev's rise).

That said, I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell at taking the Olympics Gold in 2028. Even if my nitpicking of gradual decline is right, that's still two more years of soft decline and really, I think he'll show up as a symbolic gesture for Serbia, but not being in form to win it.

You mean like Nadal in 2024 dragging his weary carcass to Paris just 1 more time before retiring for good?