Jimmy Connors admits that he was taken aback by Novak Djokovic’s comments about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner following his Wimbledon final defeat with the American saying he hopes the tennis great is trying to use reverse psychology.
For the second consecutive year, Djokovic found himself on the losing end in the Wimbledon showpiece match as he went down against defending champion Alcaraz.
However unlike in 2023 when the match was a tightly contested affair as it went to five sets, Alcaraz dominated from start to finish as he defeated the 24-time Grand Slam winner 6–2, 6–2, 7–6 (7–4) in two hours and 28 minutes.
It was one of Djokovic’s worst performances in recent years and after the match he admitted that he is simply not on Alcaraz as well as Australian Open champion and reigning world No 1 Sinner’s level.
During the post-Wimbledon press conference, Djokovic stated: “Being able to reach the final of Wimbledon gives a great confidence boost. But I also feel like in a matchup against the best player in the world right now for sure, other than Jannik, both of them are the best this year by far, I feel like I’m not at that level.
“In order to really have a chance to I guess beat these guys in Grand Slam latter stages or Olympics, I’m going to have to play much better than I did and feel much better than I did.
“I’m going to work on it. It’s not something I haven’t experienced before ever in my life. I’ve had so many different experiences throughout my career. In the face of adversity, normally I rise and I learn and get stronger.
Eight-time Grand Slam winner Connors, though, says he was surprised that Djokovic admitted that he is currently unable to match Alcaraz and Sinner as it gives a sense of “feeling defeated.
Man I would never admit that. That’s just me,” he said on the Advantage Connors podcast.
“I would think that, from the inside of me I’d be saying I’m gonna do everything to try and stay up there and compete with them. And to be as good as I could to match them as opposed to saying I am not on their level.
“Sometimes, we always talk about confidence and the mental aspect of this, you don’t want everyone to go in feeling defeated.
“And against a Sinner or an Alcaraz, to say well I’m not on your level, maybe it’s reverse psychology that he’s throwing out there that, then if I win, I’m superhuman!”
