Was this uncommon inefficiency the results of the 51-week drought since Djokovic’s final title (which got here at Eastbourne final yr)? Was he considering an excessive amount of concerning the prize, in order that his feelings received in the way in which?
“Maybe, maybe not,” Djokovic replied. “I wasn’t actually excited about the event or the title or no matter after I was match level up. I used to be simply considering how I can return his serve and the way I can get into play and place myself properly within the subsequent level.
“Life throws challenges at you if you least anticipate it. I don’t suppose I made too many issues unsuitable, besides that double fault on 4-3 within the tie-break. Credit score to him for enjoying properly. Yeah, the psychological facet is all the time the one which decides every thing in life.”
As soon as the post-match frustration has dissipated, Djokovic can really feel greater than glad together with his 4 wins on the Fever-Tree Championships, together with a 6-4, 6-1 thrashing of second seed Grigor Dimitrov that represented his first victory over a top-five opponent in virtually 18 months.
Simply over a fortnight in the past, he was in such a state of misery after his quarter-final exit to Marco Cecchinato in Paris that he instructed – within the warmth of the second, admittedly – that he may not even play the grass-court season. Now he can absolutely be positioned among the many high 5 contenders for Wimbledon.
