14 July 2023 , 20:54
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At one point, it looked as though Novak Djokovic's toughest opponent in his 12th Wimbledon semi-final might be a Yorkshireman in a high chair.
At another, it looked like it might be a lippy punter in the crowd. But we all know the fate of Djokovic's opponents on Centre Court and, once again, it was no different than it has been ever since Andy Murray somehow got the better of him in the 2013 final.
This is an athlete made of pure steel, a tennis player like no other. So, when umpire Richard Haigh penalised Djokovic for an ill-timed, off-putting grunt early in the second set, it simply inspired the Serb.
So, when one particular spectator led some anti-Novak raucousness, it simply inspired the Serb. And his real - albeit hapless - opponent, Jannik Sinner, must have despaired.
What chance did the young Italian have of laying a glove on a 23-time Grand Slam winner with more than a point to prove? Having lost the first set, Sinner had the gift of a free point in game four of the second when the umpire decided Djokovic’s vocal exertion had come too late after hitting his shot.
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Afterwards, Djokovic pretended to see the funny side, saying: “It’s probably the first time it has happened to me - I don’t normally have extended grunts. Maybe it was an echo in the roof! But it was a call that I have to respect.”
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He did not seem to respect it at the time and said: “The hindrance (the technical term for the call) early on in the match could have changed the course of the match but I managed to regroup.”
Of course, he did. There is no such thing as a hindrance for Djokovic on Centre Court. The only thing that you might have thought could get to the seven-times champion was the overwhelming support for Sinner - a factor coming from either a desire to see the match extend or because Djokovic has never had the popularity of, say, a Roger Federer.
When Djokovic responded by cupping his ear and then wiping away a mock tear from his right eye - both gestures met by jeers - it seemed faintly possible he might be losing his concentration. Not a chance.
And while Sinner produced some attractive, attacking tennis and took the third set to a tie-break, Djokovic never looked in serious danger and closed out a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 victory. Yet again, it was a ruthless performance from the 36-year-old champion, who was giving away 14 years and 86 days to Sinner, the largest age gap between players in a Wimbledon men's singles semi-final in the Open era.
This was Djokovic’s 34th consecutive match-win at Wimbledon, the third-best streak in the Open era. The landmarks and statistics of Djokovic’s achievements fell like the rain on the roof but only one thing matters.
Whatever obstacles are put in his way on Centre Court, Djokovic overcomes them. And don’t expect it to be any different on Sunday.