Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic made the same decision before Wimbledon
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are both looking to put a disappointing French Open behind them as they turn their focus to the grass-court season.
Both players will be keen to rebound quickly, especially after seeing Alexander Zverev lift the trophy in Paris.
Sinner exited early, falling to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in just the second round, while Djokovic was knocked out by Joao Fonseca in the third.
With the clay season now wrapped up, attention shifts to grass. There are several tournaments leading into Wimbledon, which kicks off on July 1st.
The former World No. 1’s will be missing from those draws, though, with both skipping their home tournaments as they did in 2023. While this is common for Djokovic these days who has only played three times since his last Roland Garros victory in 2016.
Sinner and Djokovic opt out of pre-Wimbledon tune-ups
Both players have chosen to skip the pre-tournament tune-ups, passing up several events that could have helped them adjust to grass courts.
It’s a decision that carries some risk, as moving directly from clay to grass without any match practice can make the adjustment period more challenging.
Still, with extra training time available, both will have plenty of chances to get comfortable on grass without the pressure of competition.
Sinner struggled with the heat at Roland Garros and now has time to address those issues away from the spotlight. Meanwhile, Djokovic, now 39, continues to be selective about his schedule, focusing on staying healthy rather than chasing rankings points.
Sinner and Djokovic given early advantage before Wimbledon kicks off
With the grass season underway, both Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner have plenty of reasons to feel good about their chances at Wimbledon.
Djokovic’s track record speaks for itself: he’s won seven titles at SW19 and finished runner-up in both 2023 and 2024, falling to Carlos Alcaraz on each occasion.
Sinner, meanwhile, secured his first Wimbledon crown in 2025 by beating Alcaraz in the final. He also made deep runs the two years prior – reaching the semi-finals in 2023 and finishing as runner-up in 2024.
Both players are clearly comfortable on grass, but Alcaraz’s decision not to compete this year is another factor that works in their favour.
The absence of a player like him always has a knock-on effect. It doesn’t just affect title expectations either; it changes how players are seeded and who might stand out as an early favourite before a ball is even hit.
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