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Rohit Mahajan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 23
Sixteen years ago, at Wimbledon in 2001, Pete Sampras stared at mortality — after losing to a gifted teenager, he had a blank look in eyes as he said: “It’s obvious when you’re 30, people think you’re washed up.”
Thirty, sport’s dreaded middle-to-old-age transition point, hit Sampras hard. He turned 30 a month after that loss to Roger Federer in 2001, and won only one Grand Slam title after that, the US Open in 2002.
Djokovic turns 30
Thirty is hitting Novak Djokovic hard, too. Sunday night, Djokovic lost the Rome Masters final to Alexander Zverev, the super-talented 20-year-old from Germany. A day later, Monday, Djokovic turned 30. The Serb is 10 years older than Zverev, and Sunday night the age difference showed as Zverev hammered him in straight sets.
Djokovic had been forced to complete two matches on Saturday to reach the final — he beat Juan Martin Del Potro and Dominic Thiem in the quarters and semis. It appeared that this effort took a heavy toll on his body and he was not able to recover for the final.
Agassi checks in
A younger Djokovic, it can be said with near certainty, would have fought much harder in the final on Sunday.
After Sunday’s loss, he announced that he’s turning to Andre Agassi for help. This appears to be a desperate step — after all, Agassi hasn’t been involved in any significant manner with the ATP Tour after his retirement in 2006. In fact, Djokovic’s reasons for seeking out Agassi seemed a bit strange.
“I have tremendous respect for him as a person and a player. He understands the game incredibly well,” Djokovic said. “On the other hand, he nurtures family values. He is involved in philanthropy. He can contribute to my life on and off the court.”
That’s wonderful of Agassi — but surely, Djokovic needs some serious help on the court, not off it? Or is it essentially a mental battle Djokovic is fighting, against self-doubt and fear of losing?
Fear of losing youth too, perhaps? If that’s so, he’s got the right man, for Agassi did fight against age, retiring only at 36.
Tough Thirties
But tennis isn’t kind to thirty-somethings. Sampras won his final Grand Slam at 31, Agassi at 32. In the last 25 years, only Agassi, Sampras, Petr Korda, Federer and Stan Wawrinka have won Grand Slam titles after turning 30.
Over the last five years, the Fab 3 have all turned 30 — Federer, Nadal and now Djokovic. Andy Murray too turned 30, exactly a week before Djokovic.
Djokovic, on a steady decline for 11 months, can hear the fearsome whir of the wheels of time getting louder all the time. Time grinds down everyone, and Djokovic is desperately seeking help to dodge it as long as possible. It’s very likely that Nadal, Djokovic and Murray would also win Grand Slam titles at 30-plus. But how many? Time will tell.
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