Aww shucks, Nole’s puking. No, this was not a lager lout screaming, seated inside the US Open arena in noisy New York on Sunday night. For folks in India, it was a bad Monday morning, watching in agony as if it were a horror show unfolding. For the bleary-eyed fans, this was trauma: watching the Serbian throw up and struggle in the heat. As the 4-hour and 36-minute (mis)match ended for Novak Djokovic in misery and pain against dilettante Mariano Navone in Round 1 of the US Open, it was a stark reminder that Father Time is catching up with the legend.
Emotions engulfed fans and Novak, for this is not the version of him one has seen. The winner of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, who has redefined fitness and physicality, Novak appeared as a ghost image of his famous past. Was this the real Nole on view or an impostor? For those who have watched Novak Djokovic for over 20 years, his struggle in muggy New York was on expected lines.
Tennis is a hard sport, where the physicality, competing on hard courts, and cranking up shots that can singe the opponent is not easy. Nole, was, and is a maverick legend, someone who has mocked rivals, young and old. That was, when the Serbian was at his peak.
In no sport can an athlete stay an alpha male forever.
A fortnight back, when the Novak Djokovic documentary was released, it made big news. He had spoken on his past, his fight against the world, and how he was painted black for refusing the Covid vaccine during the dark days of the pandemic. Novak had said he is super fit and does not need vaccines. As one recalls these words, the present-day Nole appears a caricature of his old self.
To blame Novak Djokovic would be uncharitable. If you love tennis and have watched different generations of artists on clay, grass and hard courts, Novak has appeared as a beast as well as an artist. The same Novak who enjoyed the dry heat of Melbourne in January, when he won 10 singles titles at the Rod Laver Arena, now struggles in the heat.
Agreed, the heat in Australia and New York are different. Melbourne is bone-dry, and for even the fittest out there, the outdoor hard courts are tough. Those lucky to play night matches still have it easy at the Rod Laver Arena. No, not in the outdoor hard-court swing season, where the heat is different, in the US. The dry-bulb temperature may read just in the mid-30s Celsius, but the heat is searing. If you are not hydrated, you can choke in this weather in New York.
Well, Novak has dealt with all this in the past and won four titles at the US Open, the last against Daniil Medvedev in 2023. From then till now, Novak has aged. He is older, more emotional, and has talked about a tennis career nearing its end a few times. Novak talks about his romance with his wife, Jelena, and how he loves hanging out with his kids. All this is so nice to watch, but not the man struggling in the heat.
To say Novak played badly would be an understatement. Each player, in any sport, has to be defined in match reports based on the day or night’s performance. For Novak to lose the first set and bounce back, it was a great sight at Sunday’s hyped match. Yet, each discerning tennis fan knows the longer the matches on court, the harder it gets for Novak. If not, he can still beat the young Turks — Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner (now on a break).
Time spares none. Novak slogs like a maniac in fitness. He keeps stretching, his tall frame a reminder of the pounding it has endured over the last two decades plus. Flip through the legends who have dominated in men’s tennis, from Pete Sampras to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to Novak Djokovic; they have given fans so much to relish. The other day, when Federer made an appearance in New York, Novak was wistful. He mentioned that he would like to sit with his tennis rivals by the seafront and sip a margarita, reminiscing about the past.
Well, these are pensive thoughts from Novak, who keeps the world guessing about an official retirement. A giant who covers the perimeters of the court like a leopard was tired. His steps were laboured, errors flowed from his racquet, not winners. Had it been Novak at his peak, he would have devoured Mariano from Argentina, a 25-year-old kid. It will take time for the youngster to realise what result he has achieved.
As for images of Novak puking, it’s a bit reminiscent of what happened once to Pistol Pete in 1996. Sampras was on the ropes in the quarter-final against Alex Corretja at the US Open. At that time, too, lager louts were screaming: Jeez, Pete’s puking. Pistol Pete heard it, cranked up and won that match.
For Novak Djokovic, there was no such relief. For those who will remember Jimmy Connors using an IV drip in a locker room during the US Open, many years ago, even that would not have helped Novak on Sunday night. Sad, isn’t it?
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Sports Now or Times Network.