Trial by fire for Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon 2023 next Friday: in the semifinal with the number 2 in the world -and only because of his absences from the fields where the unvaccinated have been excluded- Novak Djokovic, 23 Slam in his career and the last two this season, with the rudder stationary towards the target of the Grand Slam in addition to the draw on rival Rafa Nadal. Can the South Tyrolean, number 8 Atp, hitherto impeccable as much as his opponent even if favored by the scoreboard, can he do it? Two great former champions provide two contrasting readings on the near future of the Italian number 1.
Barazzutti
“I think Sinner has the characteristics of the champion in his DNA, of the great champion, everyone is waiting for him. He already proved to be a champion and against these big names he always came very close. He has to express these qualities of his and play his best tennis, he could create big problems for Djokovic and even beat him. He has the potential to beat anyone,” he says former Davis Cup captain Corrado Barazzutti. “Beating everyone including Djokovic – he underlines – came close last year when he was two sets to zero. In this case a Wimbledon isn’t like it has to do different things from those he can do, he just has to express himself at his best. On the other hand, Djokovic is even more motivated, he’s trying to keep pace with Nadal to win more Grand Slams than him, in fact I think he’s trying to do the Grand Slam. He is absolutely motivated and in great shape, we saw it against a Hurkacz who perhaps played his best game. So it will be a difficult match: Sinner plays against the greatest player in history who wants to continue to achieve results, in great shape and on his favorite surface. But everyone expects Sinner to be number one and it’s time to start doing that.”
Bertolucci
Affecting skepticism and perhaps superstition Paolo Bertolucci: “I struggle to give it more than 30%. It’s not a balanced game. Djokovic is only interested in the Grand Slam, he came close to it two years ago and he’s trying this year, he’s already won two Grand Slams and grass is his field “. According to Bertolucci, the South Tyrolean”he must play to his best ability and hope that the chameleon Djokovic runs into a less brilliant day. Last year’s match tests up to a certain point. Of course he can play it but a lot of things have to fit together, anything can happen in a game. We have seen Sinner well but Djokovic equally well: he has already hit two Grand Slams and this one from Wimbledon is the one that appears most probable”.
The odds of the bookmakers
According to the analysts of Stanleybet.it and William Hill, Sinner will hardly be able to get a revenge on the number two in the world, undefeated on the central field of the All England Club for ten years. Djokovic’s victory is seen at 1.16 against Sinner’s feat which oscillates between 4.80 and 5. In set betting he is ahead 3-0 in favor of the Serbian, proposed at 1.96 and followed by 3-1 at 3.40. A 3-1 Sinner hit pays 14x the stake.
The bookies are ready to bet that not only Djokovic will arrive in the last act of Wimbledon, but also that he will lift his eighth Grand Slam title on grass. The Serbian is seen winning at 1.53, followed by Carlos Alcaraz at 3.50. The Spaniard, in dazzling form and emerged victorious from the confrontation with Holger Rune in the quarterfinals, will face Daniil Medvedev. For the Russian however, as well as for Sinner, hands on the trophy pay 12 times the stake.