ATP Tour

Djokovic on Wimbledon SF result: 'Good, but not good enough'

"It's good, but not good enough."

That was the verdict from Novak Djokovic following his semi-final run at Wimbledon, which ended in defeat to Jannik Sinner on Friday afternoon.

The 39-year-old Serbian was competing in a record 15th semi-final at The Championships and was chasing his eighth crown at the grass-court major but was unable to really trouble Sinner, who also defeated Djokovic in straight sets at the same stage 12 months ago.

"Last year I reached four [major] semi-finals. This year, out of three Slams, I reached one final and one semi-final. I guess for 99 per cent of the players, that would be a very good Grand Slam result. For me, it's good but not good enough, because I'm blessed and cursed to be used to something of a highest degree in terms of results and achievements," Djokovic said in his post-match press conference.

"I'm also dealing with myself in a sense that I'm telling myself, 'Look, this is amazing that you're still able to, as people around me are telling me, able to play at such a high level and push the youngsters to the limit for Grand Slam titles', which is true. But at the same time, I always have the highest expectations for myself.

"It is kind of that internal battle really of what I've been through for the 20-plus years of my career, what the goals were always, the expectations, and trying to balance it out and really be a little more humble in that sense... I feel when I'm healthy, I'm still able to play as a top-five player, still able to compete at the highest level."

Djokovic overcame Sinner in the semi-finals at the Australian Open earlier this year but has now lost six of their past seven meetings and trails the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings 5-7 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

"Of course, I'm disappointed. Of course, I wanted to win Wimbledon. That's the reason why I'm still pushing myself so hard. But I just lost to a better player," Djokovic said. "I have to accept it. Obviously tough one. Once you get out of the court, it's tough one to kind of accept. But it is what it is.

"I'm not upset with myself. I don't think I've done too much wrong. I was just a level or two worse than he is. I mean, he was playing so solid from all ends. [It is] very difficult to read his serve, incredible weapon has become last couple years since he changed his technique. Of course, he's as solid as anyone really from back of the court. That's it."

The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings last lifted the trophy at the grass-court major in 2022, having fallen to Carlos Alcaraz in the final in 2023 and 2024 and Sinner in the semi-finals in 2025 and 2026.

Djokovic showed signs of his best level earlier this week, though, when he defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in a fifth-set tie-break on Tuesday night. The five-hour, 15-minute clash was the longest quarter-final in Wimbledon history.

"I'm proud of what I achieved three nights ago. Felix is the fourth [best] player in the world. Proven to myself and others that I can still play at the highest level, and I have. I reached the last four of Wimbledon," Djokovic said.

"Losing in straight sets against the best player in the world, OK, it is what it is. It's the reality you have to accept. But the tournament was positive in terms of the attitude on the court, the fighting spirit, the dedication. I mean, it's still there. Game-wise I wasn't extremely happy. Like in Australia, I felt like I played on a higher level overall throughout the tournament than here."

Djokovic's wait for a record-extending 25th major must now wait until the US Open, the scene of his last triumph at this level in 2023.