Wimbledon legend Novak Djokovic remains to be strutting his stuff in SW19 on the ripe previous age of 39, identical to Lionel Messi who continues to dazzle on the World Cup with Argentina
Novak Djokovic gained one among his ‘finest’ Wimbledon matches in 5 hours and quarter-hour in opposition to Felix Auger-Aliassime(Picture: Getty)
When Novak Djokovic was instructed Lionel Messi had been pivotal to one of many nice World Cup comebacks whereas the 24-time Grand Slam champion was on Centre Court docket, he had a dry reply.
“It will be good to play 90 minutes like him,” smiled Djokovic after the longest quarter-final match in Wimbledon historical past. And for lots of the 5 hours and quarter-hour in opposition to Felix Auger-Aliassime, Djokovic was on the go.
In Argentina ’s dramatic win over Egypt, Messi fastidiously selected his moments to get entangled. As Messi does. However that’s the place the contrasts finish.
On the age of 39, Djokovic and Messi are separated by 33 days however are twinned by greatness. They’re twinned by their indefatigability, by their bodily resilience, by their psychological power, by their adaptability.
In some way, they’ve discovered a option to keep rarefied requirements, like basketball’s LeBron James and American soccer’s Tom Brady did. They’ve tailored.
Earlier at these Championships, Djokovic stated: “I really like watching greatness within the making and persevering with the evolution of greatness, like Messi, like LeBron James. It’s superb to see.
“I really feel like we’re all setting the bar greater and transferring the needle of what individuals thought is feasible when it comes to degree of competitors and degree of efficiency at a late age.”
And what’s exceptional is that folks have been saying that very same factor about Messi and Djokovic three and 4 years in the past. They have been saying it when Messi carried Argentina to World Cup glory in late 2022. They have been saying it on the finish of 2023 after Djokovic had gained three Grand Slams that 12 months and was a crushed finalist at Wimbledon.
But in 2026, Messi and Djokovic are nonetheless performing to a world-class customary.
Keep in mind, Messi made his aggressive senior debut in 2004 – for Barcelona in La Liga – which was the 12 months Djokovic performed in his first occasion on the ATP Tour, the Croatian Open.
They aren’t rolling again the years as a result of the years have by no means caught up with them.
Within the lengthy run-up to the World Cup, there was a modicum of doubt about Messi’s involvement. Nevertheless it ought to by no means have been unsure. Messi likes nothing greater than proving himself on the grandest stage.
And the identical goes for Djokovic, who will face Jannik Sinner for a spot within the remaining. The seven-time Wimbledon champion can be taking part in in his fifty fifth Grand Slam semi-final, extending his all-time document. His all-time document of most Wimbledon singles match-wins now stands at 107.
He’s the oldest participant to achieve a males’s singles semi-final since Ken Rosewall made the final 4 in 1974.
“One other nice, historic run for me on the Grand Slams,” stated Djokovic. “That is what counts essentially the most, truthfully. I nonetheless attempt to show to myself and to others that I’m able to compete with the very best gamers within the world and beat them on the most important stage.”
That’s what Djokovic must do once more if he’s to win that document twenty fifth Grand Slam title, that’s what Messi must do if he’s to steer Argentina to extra World Cup glory. Don’t put it previous them.
“Messi was born the identical 12 months I used to be born, ’87,” Djokovic stated. “It was 12 months to be born.”
It was, certainly. A superb 12 months for tennis, 12 months for soccer, 12 months for sport.
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