Wimbledon, Semifinals, Friday, 11.07.2021, 5:45 p.m.
Duel number 10 on the tour, duel number five on the Grand Slam stage – the stage is set for a clash of the generations! The semifinals at Wimbledon are just around the corner, and the participants are all highly anticipated.
I would now like to turn my attention to a match we just saw at the French Open. The grand master faces his potential successor, looking to finally bounce back after four consecutive defeats.
But what decision will I come to regarding a betting recommendation? I can assure you: it was incredibly difficult to settle on my Sinner Djokovic tip. Ultimately, however, my choice is: there will be at least one tiebreak!
One has won everything there is to win. He could tie record champion Roger Federer at Wimbledon and claim his eighth title. He could add a 25th Grand Slam trophy to his collection.
The other is just starting to win what there is to win. Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic could hardly be more different in terms of their current career status.
Sinner, the current world number one, has already had to take a deep breath at Wimbledon. In the round of 16 against Grigor Dimitrov, he was trailing 0-2 in sets, and everything was set for a major upset.
Suddenly, his strong opponent was injured and the South Tyrolean secured his ticket to the next round in an unpleasant manner. But anyone who thought he would fall was sorely mistaken.
He regained his composure against Ben Shelton, winning 7-6, 6-4, 6-4. Breaks allowed? None. Points won on first serve? 89 percent. It’s fair to ask: What on earth happened in the round of 16?
His fans were holding their breath anyway, as they found their Jannik back on court with his elbow bandaged. It was a handicap that caused him problems against Shelton from time to time.
However, the American was unable to capitalize on the mistakes Sinner made in his game. He certainly didn’t lack passion. And he commented on his elbow: “You try not to think about it during the match. It’s gotten better and it’s no excuse. I’m looking forward to the semifinals.”
In rounds one to three, he didn’t put a foot wrong against Pedro Martinez (6-1, 6-3, 6-1), Aleksandar Vukic (6-1, 6-1, 6-3) and Luca Nardi (6-4, 6-3, 6-0).
Jannik Sinner knows very well how to beat Novak Djokovic. A few weeks ago, he tired him out in the semi-finals of Roland Garros, winning 6-4, 7-5, 7-6. It was his fourth consecutive victory against the Serb.
In 2022 and 2023, Djokovic triumphed first in the quarterfinals and then in the semifinals. The veteran wants to capitalize on this advantage on Friday, as Sinner has yet to reach a final in London.
Djokovic knows that the days when he was automatically the favorite going into a Wimbledon semifinal are over. The average odds offered by betting providers with fast payouts suggest a 2.70 to 1.45 in his favor.
Of course, this does not mean that a Serbian victory would be a sensation. Nine of Djokovic’s last eleven Wimbledon appearances have taken him to the final, a unique record.
The veteran prevailed in the quarterfinals against up-and-coming Italian Fabio Cobolli 6-7, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4, after previously coming from behind to defeat Alex de Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Speaking of de Minaur, Djokovic gave away a total of 19 break points here! His serve was a little off in the last two games, with the Djoker not satisfied with his first serve percentage of around 70% and points won.
I can’t find anything to complain about against Miomir Kecmanovic (6-3, 6-0, 6-4) and Daniel Evans (3-6, 2-6, 0-6), and everything went well in the 6-1, 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 win against Alexandre Müller in the tournament opener.
Anyone who follows Djokovic regularly knows that his error rate is too high. The break festival against de Minaur was wonderful for the spectators, but the Serb himself must realize that Jannik Sinner usually knows how to take advantage of friendly invitations.
My Sinner Djokovic tip
The youngster or the veteran – or rather, the new number 1 against the former – who has the edge in this duel? Novak Djokovic had nothing to laugh about against Jannik Sinner recently, but both players have made a few mistakes in the last few days.
The Djoker is remembered for his countless breaks against de Minaur, while Sinner is remembered for his elbow problems. Accordingly, I can well imagine that both will suffer from a few lapses in concentration. In any case, my tip is:
At least one tiebreak is on the cards!
