Adriano Panatta accuses Novak
Djokovic of bluffing about his injury ahead of Wimbledon. The 24-time Grand
Slam champion underwent knee surgery three weeks ago, and his almost miraculous
recovery raises doubts for the Italian tennis legend.
Nole withdrew from the French
Open before the quarterfinal match against Casper Ruud due to a torn medial
meniscus in his right knee. The Serbian struggled physically throughout the
tournament, prompting him to hasten surgery in order to return to All England
Club.
Panatta raises doubts about Djokovic's rapid recovery
The recovery for the world No.
2 was impressive to compete at SW19. Just 9 days after the operation, he was on
the court training for the tournament and played practice sets with several
players during the week, confirming his good form a few weeks after surgery.
In an interview with Libero
Quotidiano, former Roland Garros champion Adriano Panatta raised doubts about
Djokovic's injury: "Let’s say there’s a big mystery surrounding him,"
Panatta said. "How is he really? Is he bluffing? And his recently operated
knee?"
The former world No. 4
commented that Djokovic doesn't have the favoritism he had in previous years
and chose his compatriot Jannik Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz as
the main contenders for the title: "At 37, he’s not the ‘Djoker’ of the
good days, but I would always be afraid to cross rackets with someone who has
triumphed on Centre Court seven times," Panatta opined. "He (Sinner)
is the favourite against anyone except Alcaraz," he added.
Carlos Alcaraz at 2024 Wimbledon.
"They are the two
excellences of current tennis in which swim other excellent players who are not
champions. The current levelling cannot ignore those two who are a cut above
all the other players. In a one-off match, the Spaniard has a little more, but
in his career, Jannik will be more consistent."
The former tennis player
shared his impressions of the match between Italians Sinner and former
runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the second round: "It was a great game from
an emotional point of view, but technically not very good," he said on La
Telefonata podcast. "I read about the game of the century, but as usual,
it goes too far.
"They’ve both made a lot
of unforced mistakes and I think it’s not normal for Sinner to make so many
mistakes. It almost seems that he is surprised to play not at the best and
yesterday he could not, also for the merits of Matteo Berrettini."
"I think both can do
better. Jannik Sinner has played at 80% of his potential, maybe even less,
given the matches against Alcaraz and Djokovic in the past. Berrettini has
regained the power of service, but it moves worse than three years ago," Panatta
added. "This he recovers with training and the games he lacks, he can
improve and make his game. It also has to work on the reverse, it has a
movement that does not convince me."
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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