Novak Djokovic Had 'Many Moments Of Doubt' Ahead Of Wimbledon Final Win

Novak Djokovic returned to winning ways in style by capturing his fourth Wimbledon Championship with a straight sets win over Kevin Anderson on Sunday.

The Serbian struggled for form since winning the French Open in 2016 — winning just four tournaments since his victory at Roland Garros over two years back. In 2017, he struggled for fitness as well and missed the second-half of the season due to an elbow injury.

Djokovic returned to action at the Australian Open in January this year, but lost in the round of 16 after which he required a minor surgery again related to the elbow injury that kept him out for six months in 2017. He returned after two months at the BNP Paribas Open, but lost in the second round.

Before his triumph at Wimbledon, his best result in 2018 was a final appearance at Queen’s where he lost to Marin Cilic. He was showing signs of getting back to his best and his semi-final win over world number one Rafael Nadal proved he is close to capturing his best form that saw him dominate tennis between 2011 and 2015.

The 31-year-old, who captured his 13th major title with a 6-2 6-2 7-6 (7-3) win over the South African admitted he also had doubts about him being able to return to challenge for the top honors.

"I had many moments of doubt, I didn't know if could come back to this level to compete," Djokovic said after his win over Anderson on Sunday, as quoted by BBC Sport. "There is no better place to make a comeback, it's a sacred place for the world of tennis, and it’s very special."

Djokovic returned to the top-10 in the world rankings after having dropped out of the top-20 coming into the tournament. He admits he was unsure if he can get to this level especially after losing in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros earlier this year.

“I did not expect to be back in the top shape already here in Wimbledon so quickly. If you asked me after Roland Garros, I would probably maybe doubt that,” the Serbian added.

“At the same time, there is a part of me that always believes in my own abilities, believes in my own quality of tennis, what I possess. Whenever I come to the tournament and, Grand Slams especially, I believe I can have a good opportunity to fight for the trophy.”

The Serbian’s win at Wimbledon ensures the big three continue their dominance over the game with the younger generation yet to make inroads. Nadal and Roger Federer were the holders of all the Grand Slams until Djokovic’s triumph on Sunday.

The question now is whether the former world number one can take this momentum and perform at the same level for the rest of the campaign, and he admitted that he is also pondering the same thing during his post-match press conference. However, he was keen to enjoy the moment instead of worrying about the future.

"I understand that people are questioning whether I can consistently play on this level. Trust me, I am, too," Djokovic said. "At the same time, I can't look too far down the road because I have to embrace and cherish this kind of accomplishment."