#360view: Early defeat could be good for both Djokovic and tennis

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  • Early exit: Djokovic.

    Andy Murray said it best when he was asked to comment on Novak Djokovic’s third round exit at Wimbledon. The Scot said that a loss like this gives way to a proper celebration of everything Djokovic has managed to accomplish over the past 12 months – winning four-straight majors, 30 consecutive grand slam matches and breaking records that were seemingly untouchable.

    It surely does give Djokovic a chance to take stock of everything he has done and can provide a spark for him to try and go on a similar run again.

    Djokovic was doing everything in superhuman fashion and it made people forget that he is human. That he can have a sore shoulder one day or that he can get overpowered by an inspired, fearless opponent. The more dominant he got the less relatable he became, to both his rivals and the public.

    He gained lots of respect and admiration for what he’s been achieving but he also distanced himself from the rest of the “tennis mortals” to an extent that he was becoming someone you cannot sympathise with. His matches became foregone conclusions, which is hardly ideal in sport.

    Tennis fans typically tune in because they’re curious to see what happens. That element of unpredictability had virtually disappeared from Djokovic’s matches on the big stage.

    A champion is often the most connected to his fans when he is at his most vulnerable state. Such moments of vulnerability had gotten so scarce when it comes to Djokovic. But his loss to Sam Querrey was a reminder that he too can have bad days and that something unexpected can actually happen when he is on the court.

    What Djokovic has done in the past 12 months has undoubtedly had a tremendous impact on the sport but it also highlighted the need for fresh blood in tennis.

    Stan Wawrinka snatching two slams in the past two and a half years was such a welcome and refreshing feat but at 31, the Swiss is hardly the answer to tennis’ future.

    Djokovic’s Wimbledon shocker does not mean a young gun will suddenly emerge and win the title at the All England Club but it might inspire some belief in the minds’ of his rivals that could lead to some more surprises in the future.

    Right now, it’s hard to look past Murray for the Wimbledon crown. His path in this second week could potentially look like this: Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga/Richard Gasquet in the quarters, Bernard Tomic/Tomas Berdych in the semis and Roger Federer/Milos Raonic in the final. Certainly not a walk in the park but they are all players, barring Federer, he has had success against in the recent past.

    Djokovic-Tennis-Wimbledon-Querrey

    Federer definitely has an opening but a possible semi-final with Raonic could be tough for him, especially because the Swiss hasn’t played much this year as he battled with knee and back injuries. He is also 1-3 against top-10 opposition in 2016.

    Still, Federer is arguably the most well-rested player in the draw having had two days off between his third and fourth rounds.

    Raonic is probably the biggest benefactor from Djokovic’s exit because he was drawn to potentially face the Serb in the quarter-finals. The Canadian is yet to drop a set this fortnight, is armed with massive self-belief, which is impossible to miss every time he speaks to the press, and has been tailoring his game more and more for success on grass.

    His body failed him in the Australian Open semi-finals this year and he’ll need to make sure there is no repeat in the next few days.

    Tomic has a genuine shot at making the quarters or semis, which is a huge step forward for the under-achieving Aussie. Still come Sunday, it’s highly likely Murray will be standing with the trophy on Centre Court.

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