Djokovic advances on grass, eyes 25th Slam

What's happened

Novak Djokovic has reached Wimbledon’s third round, maintaining grass-court dominance at age 39. He is adapting his game to conserve energy, leaning on defense turned offense as rivals falter. The run underscores his ongoing quest for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam.

What's behind the headline?

Insightful take

• Djokovic is leveraging a modern, attacking defense to outlast younger rivals who are pressing at every point.
• His focus on quick, early balls is a response to increased baseline athleticism across the tour.
• Centre Court remains a proving ground for an era that many thought would fade; Djokovic is proving age is a variable, not a limit.

What this signals

• This tactic will likely pressure Sinner and Alcaraz if they return to form, and may shape how upcoming grands slams are contested.
• The emphasis on energy management suggests longer careers for veterans who adapt rather than fade.

How we got here

Djokovic’s longevity has coincided with a shift in his approach: he is prioritizing short, aggressive exchanges and conserving energy for tougher tests ahead. His recent form follows a challenging French Open where fatigue and a heavy schedule tested him, but Wimbledon offers a familiar stage to cement his status.

Our analysis

New York Times Business notes Djokovic’s strategic shift toward aggressive defense and early attacks on big points. The Guardian provides context on his Wimbledon momentum and the challenge from Tsitsipas. AP adds broader Wimbledon context with dignitaries in attendance.

Go deeper

• Will Djokovic's energy-saving approach extend his Wimbledon run this year?
• Who could exploit his current decision to shorten rallies on grass?
• How will younger players adapt if Djokovic continues this strategy?

More on these topics

• Novak Djokovic - Serbian tennis player

  Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 1 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals.

• Wimbledon - Wikimedia disambiguation page

  Wimbledon most often refers to: Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to:

• Jannik Sinner - Italian tennis player

  Jannik Sinner is an Italian tennis player. Sinner has a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 68, achieved in February 2020. His career-high doubles ranking is No. 380, achieved in March 2020. He is the first male player born in 2001 to reach a Gra

• Arthur Rinderknech - French tennis player

  Arthur Rinderknech is a French tennis player. Rinderknech has a career-high ATP singles ranking of World No. 109 achieved on 21 June 2021. He also has a career-high ATP doubles ranking of World No. 162 achieved on 8 February 2021.

• Carlos Alcaraz - Spanish tennis player

  Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is a Spanish professional tennis player. Alcaraz has a career high ATP singles ranking of World No. 75 achieved on 21 June 2021.

• Stefanos Tsitsipas - Greek tennis player

  Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greek: Στέφανος Τσιτσιπάς, pronounced [ˈstefanos t͡sit͡siˈpas]; born 12 August 1998) is a Greek professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as world No. 3 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), first achieved in August 2021 – making him the highest-ranked Greek men's tennis player. Tsitsipas has won twelve ATP Tour singles titles, including the 2019 ATP Finals and three Masters 1000 events. He has contested two major finals, at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open, making him the first Greek tennis player to reach a Grand Slam final. He has a career-high doubles ranking of No. 64, achieved on 29 August 2022. Born into a tennis family – his mother Julia was a professional on the WTA Tour and his father Apostolos trained as a tennis coach – Tsitsipas was introduced to the sport at age three and began taking lessons at age six. As a junior, he was ranked No. 1 in the world, and won the 2016 Wimbledon boys' doubles event. Winning his first match on the ATP Tour in late 2017, Tsitsipas quickly ascended the ATP rankings the following year. He won his first title at the 2018 Stockholm Open and made a runner-up finish at the...

• Rory McIlroy - Professional golfer

  Rory McIlroy MBE is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is a former world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, having spent over 100 weeks in that position during his career.

• Roger Federer - Tennis player

  Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who is ranked world No. 4 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals.

• Oliveira Borges - Cape Verdean footballer

  Nuno Miguel Oliveira Borges is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Portuguese club Casa Pia.

• Justin Rose - English professional golfer

  Justin Peter Rose, MBE is an English professional golfer who plays most of his golf on the PGA Tour, while keeping his membership on the European Tour. He won his first major championship at the 2013 U.S.

• United Kingdom - Country in Europe

  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland.

• The Guardian - Newspaper

  The Guardian is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian, and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers The Observer and The Guardian Weekly, The Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by the S

• Martina Navratilova - American tennis player

  Martina Navratilova is a Czech-American former professional tennis player and coach. In 2005, Tennis magazine selected her as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1975 through 2005; she is widely considered one of the greatest tennis players of

• French Open - Tennis tournament

  The French Open, also called Roland-Garros, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France, beginning in late May each year. The venue is named after the French aviator Roland Garros.

• Alexander Zverev - German tennis player

  Alexander "Sascha" Zverev is a German professional tennis player. He is the second-youngest player ranked in the top 10 by the Association of Tennis Professionals, and was a permanent fixture in the top 5 throughout 2018.

• Australian Open - Tennis tournament

  The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually over the last fortnight of January in Melbourne, Australia. The tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events held each year excepting 1986, preceding the French Open, Wimbledon, and

• Taylor Fritz - American tennis player

  Taylor Harry Fritz is an American professional tennis player. He reached an ATP final in his third career event, the 2016 Memphis Open. Only one other American has reached an ATP final in fewer career events.