‘Don’t want to sound arrogant, but of course…’: Djokovic’s king-sized ‘favourite’ remark after reaching Wimbledon SFs

Novak Djokovic was thoroughly dominant in his biggest challenge at Wimbledon this year so far, as he beat Russian Andrey Rublev 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-3. The Serb’s win-streak at Wimbledon grew to 33, and he tied Roger Federer’s record of grand slam semifinal appearances. Djokovic is targeting records one by one, and looks capable of taking them all down with the form he is in at the moment.

Following his victory over Rublev, the all-time grand slam leader made it clear that he knew he was entering the Wimbledon semifinals as the favourite to lift the title for a fifth consecutive time, eighth overall. However, he made no bones about wanting to fiercely defend his Championship streak.

Speaking on-court after the conclusion of the match, Djokovic said “I mean, I don’t want to sound arrogant, but of course I would consider myself favorite. Judging with the results I had in my career here, [the] previous four occasions of Wimbledon that I won, and reaching another semifinal, so I do consider myself favorite, yes.”

Djokovic has now gone over a decade without losing on Centre Court, an incredible record that shows his dominance on the grass courts at Wimbledon. He also hasn’t lost a match since 2017, where he was forced to withdraw against Tomas Berdych.

Djokovic has begun to run a monopoly at Wimbledon, even at 36-years-old, and that has made him a target for many young challengers who wish to have their name added to the famous trophy. However, Djokovic is confident that he will keep his run going, tying Federer for an eighth Wimbledon title on Sunday.

Djokovic spoke about how he thrives in the high-pressure situations he faces at big tournaments. “The pressure is paramount, every single time I come out on the court, particularly here on Centre Court at Wimbledon. But at the same time it awakens the most beautiful emotions in me and it motivates me beyond what I’ve ever dreamed of, and it inspires me to play my best tennis.”

Finally, he gave an ominous warning to the players remaining in the draw, including his semifinal opponent Jannik Sinner: “I know that they want to get a scalp, they want to win… but it ain’t happening, still.”

Sinner stretched Djokovic to five sets in the 2022 Championships, but was outlasted by the Serb as he failed to convert his chances after taking a two-set lead. Sinner will be hoping to match his level from last time but also correct the mistakes. Meanwhile, challengers in the other half of the draw such as Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune will also be eyeing up Djokovic’s crown. It remains to be seen if any of the younger stars are capable of dethroning one of the greatest of all time.