WIMBLEDON, England — Denis Shapovalov was serving for the first set in the semifinals of Wimbledon on Friday, and Novak Djokovic was sliding to his right, bent forward with his left hand on the Centre Court dirt. Instead, he overhit the shot — overcooked it, as the British like to say — striking it just a bit long. It was just one moment in a three-set match, and if you had not been watching Djokovic for 15 years, it would have been tempting to attribute the moment to luck. But such big-point turnarounds happen for him far too often to qualify as happenstance. Even when he is out of position, way out of position, Djokovic’s defensive wizardry and mental fortitude make his opponents think they have to go for more — which, so often, is too much.

Source: New York Times July 09, 2021 19:26 UTC