Novak Djokovic Laments Giving Advice to Jannik Sinner After Defeats to the Italian at Wimbledon ‘Every Freaking Year!’

Back in 2022, Novak Djokovic came from two sets to love down to defeat Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. Right after the match, Sinner’s coach, Darren Cahill, who joined his team the same year, approached the Serbian legend for advice.

And there, Djokovic spilled everything, only to realize four years later how big the mistake was. Nole was in a joking mood while he was in a tub with Marcello Hernandez while answering reporters’ questions days after his defeat to eventual champion Sinner in straight sets in the semifinal of the recently concluded Wimbledon.

So I gave him all the spill of everything I noticed on the court: his weaknesses, his strengths, things he has to work on, and then, the next three years, he beats me at Wimbledon every freaking year! So, maybe I made a mistake, I don’t know!

Cahill revealed that instead of talking about all the “vanilla stuff“, Djokovic analyzed Sinner’s game to the millimeter, telling the Aussie that his protege lacked variation, needed improvements in his serve, and needed to come to the net more often.

Novak Djokovic talking about giving advice to Jannik Sinner (while in a tub with Marcello Hernandez? 😭😭😭)

🐐: “-so I gave him all the spill of everything I noticed on the court: his weaknesses, his strengths, things he has to work on, and then, the next 3 years, he beats me… pic.twitter.com/YFi6XHP4HC

— jannik sinner files (@jannik_files) July 19, 2026

Sinner finished this Wimbledon with 128 aces, the most on the men’s side. His serve, in fact, was broken just once throughout his campaign, by Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round.

After that 2022 match, Djokovic defeated Sinner in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Wimbledon, this time in straight sets. Then in 2025 and 2026, Sinner registered straight-set wins over the 24-time Grand Slam champion both times.

In the final last year, he stopped arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz from completing a three-peat (the Spaniard beat Djokovic in the final in 2023 and 2024). This year in the final, the 24-year-old overcame a set deficit to defeat Alexander Zverev.

Novak Djokovic admits he didn’t fully recover before the semifinal against Jannik Sinner

Before losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals, Novak Djokovic played the longest quarterfinals in the history of Wimbledon. In a five-hour, 15-minute marathon, Djokovic beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(4).

Although Djokovic did not talk much about his physical level right after the defeat, he admitted during his interview with CBS that his body did not recover well before the semifinal against the five-time Grand Slam champion.

You’re just trying to take every percentage of extra edge that I can get to be able to still compete at an elite level with young guys, right? But the body is responding differently, and that’s just biology.

Novak Djokovic said during his interview with CBS

Sinner took a 7-5 head-to-head lead over Djokovic after their latest match. In the Australian Open semifinal this year, Djokovic broke his five-match losing streak against the South Tyrol native before losing the final to Carlos Alcaraz.

The wear and tear of 20-plus years at the highest level is just taking its toll, so it takes me longer to recover. So after those five-hour, 15-minute quarterfinals, I just couldn’t fully recover for the semis, and I wasn’t as fresh as I wanted to be. Not to take anything away from Sinner, who won the tournament, but it’s just different nowadays.

Novak Djokovic added

It’s uncertain where Djokovic will play next. But Sinner is next scheduled to participate in the Canadian Open. If he wins in Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris, he will become the first man in history to complete the Golden Masters.

Sinner has a 34-match winning streak in the Masters 1000s thanks to his victories in the first five tournaments of the season in this category. The Wimbledon title was his sixth title of the season.

Also read: Novak Djokovic Opens Up on the Impact of Competing at 39: “I’m Imprisoning Myself”