Wimbledon 2024: Fearnley takes aim at Djokovic after beating Alcaraz and Sinner
Not many players can say they’ve defeated Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but British rookie Jacob Fearnley has done so and now faces Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.
Fearnley defeated reigning Wimbledon champion Alcaraz and world number one Sinner while still a junior.
Since then, their careers have gone quite different paths: Alcaraz and Sinner are winning Grand Slams and making millions of dollars, while Fearnley is attending university in the United States.
“I played Alcaraz when he was about 14, and I was 17.” “Sinner, I played him maybe when we were 15,” said Fearnley, 22, on Tuesday.
“Obviously, they have made far more progress in their games than I have. The manner in which they’re playing is incredible.
“I don’t think I can really take anything from those victories.”
Fearnley won his maiden Grand Slam match on Tuesday, as well as his first major tour victory.
Before defeating Spain’s Alejandro Moro Canas 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (14/12), he had only played one professional match on the ATP circuit, losing in the first round in Eastbourne last week.
The previous week, he demonstrated his ability on grass courts by winning a second-tier Challenger event in Nottingham after qualifying.
“It’s a bit crazy,” said Fearnley, the world’s number 277.
He was alluding to a month in which he helped Texas Christian University win the national championships in the United States at the conclusion of his five-year undergraduate career.
A shade of gray
Earlier Tuesday, Djokovic began his attempt for a record-equaling ninth Wimbledon men’s crown with a straight-sets victory against Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva in his first encounter back from knee surgery.
In just under two hours on Centre Court, Djokovic defeated his 123rd-ranked opponent 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
The 37-year-old did not face a break point during the match, which he won with three aces.
Djokovic, pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam championship, donned a gray brace on his right knee following surgery for a damaged meniscus that caused him to quit the French Open after the fourth round last month.
“It was really nice. “I was very pleased with how I moved on the court today,” said Djokovic, who improved his Wimbledon first-round record to 19-0.
“Obviously, coming into Wimbledon this year was a bit of a different situation for me because of my knee.
“I had no idea how things would play out on the court. Practice sessions are really different from official match play, so I’m simply really pleased with how I performed and felt today.”
Djokovic also stated that his gray knee support had cleared the All England Club’s rigorous requirements for all-white playing gear.
“Of course, we checked in the previous days to see whether we had authorization. We’re looking for a white one, trust me,” he added.
