Novak Djokovic facing nightmare scenario that will worry Wimbledon bosses | Tennis | Sport

Novak Djokovic could have just days to prepare for the LA 2028 Games after it was confirmed the Olympic tennis event will commence the week after Wimbledon. The tennis icon, 39, won his long-awaited maiden gold medal in the men’s singles at Paris 2024, following his straight sets victory over Carlos Alcaraz.

The Serbian will be 41 years old in 2028 but previously announced his intention to compete in what would be his sixth Games. Djokovic won’t just be two years older but will fight a nightmare schedule after World Tennis revealed the men’s singles event will begin on July 20, 2028 – four days after the Wimbledon final.

And it will be a concern to Wimbledon bosses if the Serb decides to pick between the events rather than playing in both.

Djokovic has notably decreased his tennis schedule to focus mainly on the Grand Slams and selected Masters 1000 events. A turnaround of just four days – if he makes it to the final at Wimbledon – could prove too much physically for the ageing veteran to handle.

The Olympic champion could very well stay true to his word of competing in Los Angeles, which he declared shortly after beating Alcaraz in Paris. He reiterated his goal at the Laureus World Sports Awards earlier this year. He told Olympics.com: “Six Olympic Games is better than five Olympic Games.

“The Olympic Games, representing your country, wearing the colours of your flag and of your nation, on your shirt, on your back, proudly, is something that no other event can really give you. To be sharing that Olympic experience with 10,000 other athletes, the best athletes in the world… I hope I get to experience it another time. I’m really working on it. Two years seems a very long way for me now at this stage, but I’m working on it.”

Djokovic is fresh off making it to an eighth consecutive semi-final at the All England Club and was soundly defeated by eventual winner Jannik Sinner in straight sets earlier this month. The seven-time Wimbledon champion described his loss as a “blowout”, but admitted he wants to return to SW19 next year.

He teased that his potential appearance in 2027 could be his last, as he said: “I would like to at least one more time, let’s see.” His last chance at ending his three-year drought without a major title this season will come at the US Open next month.