"It’s going to take the best of me" - Novak Djokovic reveals how he feels about facing Jannik Sinner in Wimbledon SF

Novak Djokovic spoke up about facing Jannik Sinner ahead of the pair's high-profile semifinal showdown at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. The Serb, who injured himself right at the end of his quarterfinal outing at the grass Major, conceded that he has very little in terms of expectations heading into the match against the Italian.

The former No. 1 and 24-time Grand Slam champion stormed back from a set down to beat Sinner's compatriot, Flavio Cobolli, in the last eight at SW19. However, right at the end of the contest, before putting it to bed, the Serb encountered a sudden slip and later raised concerns about his fitness going into his semifinal outing.

At his post-match press conference, Novak Djokovic conceded there's no chance for him to reach the final if he isn't at his best against Jannik Sinner, who made short work of the big-serving Ben Shelton in the quarters. The Serb also revisited his straight-set semifinal loss to the Italian at this year's French Open despite producing a valiant display.

"I lost in straight sets to Jannik in the semis of Roland Garros. I think I played a solid match. I could’ve played better. But he was just a better player when the moments were important. I get another opportunity," the 38-year-old said.

"For me this is what counts the most. Being in the last stages of Slams. Playing against the best player in the world right now.. him next to (Carlos) Alcaraz are the leaders of men’s tennis today. Couldn’t ask for a bigger challenge for myself. I look forward to it. I’ll do my best to get ready and perform my best there," he added.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion went on to open up about his recovery from his concerning slip during his quarterfinal outing against Cobolli. According to the Serb, his focus right now is purely to keep pace with the relentless Sinner for a five-set marathon in the semis.

"I don’t expect anything to be honest. I just try to focus on my recovery right now. Getting my body in shape for a very physical battle. Hopefully I can deliver the level and be able to stay with him for potentially 5 sets. It’s going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik. I know that. That’s the only thing I’m thinking about right now," Djokovic continued.

Novak Djokovic heads into Wimbledon SF against Jannik Sinner winless against Italian spanning last four encounters

Jannik Sinner (left) and Novak Djokovic (right) (Source: Getty)

One would have to go back as far as the final of the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals for a Novak Djokovic win over Jannik Sinner. With this particular victory, the Serb extended his head-to-head lead against the Italian to 4-1.

Astonishingly though, in the four meetings between the pair since then, Sinner has been the dominant one, winning all four of them handsomely. The Italian's rapid pace of play and ballstriking during this time has proved troublesome for the aging Serb to deal with, and based on this, it's likely their Wimbledon semifinal will follow a familiar pattern.

However, it would be unwise to rule out Djokovic's chances entirely. The pair have already faced each other in a Wimbledon semifinal before. It took place at the 2023 edition of the grass Major, where the Serb got the better of the Italian in straight sets.