Novak Djokovic survives scare to end Jacob Fearnley’s Wimbledon dream
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Jacob Fearnley openly acknowledged that he didn't know how to defeat Novak Djokovic. He didn't see the point in stressing over it. After all, how could one possibly prepare to face off against the best player in history, a flawless opponent except for the compression strapping on his knee? Fearnley didn't see the need to fret about stepping onto Centre Court against the seven-time Wimbledon champion when he had only competed in small tournaments and college matches in the US, experiences that couldn't compare to this.
Maybe the best way to handle the situation was to remain calm and play without fear, like Fearnely did. Despite facing tough moments in the first two sets and falling behind in the third, Fearnely continued to fight against Djokovic. With every forehand winner and cheer from the crowd, Djokovic seemed more vulnerable. When Fearnely broke to win the third set and Djokovic struggled with his knee, suddenly it seemed like Djokovic could be defeated.
After Fearnley hit his forehand strongly and Djokovic made a mistake with a double fault in the middle of the fourth set, the crowd at Centre Court could feel a shift. Fearnley had a chance to take the lead with two break points, but Djokovic showed his true competitive spirit. Djokovic silenced the crowd by putting his finger to his lips after securing an important hold of serve. The possibility of a fifth set was on the line, but the closer Fearnley got, the more his chances slipped away. A costly double fault by Fearnley gave Djokovic the break he needed to win the match. After exactly three hours of intense play, Djokovic moved on to the third round of the tournament.
Fearnley really made Djokovic nervous during the match, with Djokovic admitting he was close to being pushed to a fifth set. Fearnley chose to be aggressive and attack early in the game, which paid off and made the match more exciting. Even though Fearnley put up a good fight, Djokovic ultimately won the crucial points needed to secure the victory. Djokovic's champion mentality prevailed over the determined effort from the young Scottish player.
The journey for the Edinburgh player to stand in front of Djokovic on Centre Court was unbelievable. He was a top junior player who defeated future grand slam champions and world No 1s when he was just 15 years old. Instead of turning pro, Fearnley chose to go to college at Texas Christian University. Recently, his team won the national championships and when he returned to the UK, his life took a different path.
He came close to losing in the first round of qualifying but ended up winning his first title at the Nottingham challenger. He defeated British players Dan Evans, Billy Harris, and Charles Broom. This victory earned him a wildcard entry into the Wimbledon main draw, which was beyond his wildest dreams. As a result of his win over Alejandro Moro Canas, he earned a second-round match against Djokovic and a spot on the Centre Court schedule with Andy Murray and Jamie Murray.
However, his time at Centre Court highlighted how close competitors and victors are in major tournaments. Once Fearnley found his rhythm and unleashed his fast-paced style of play, he was able to level the first set at 3-3. The highlight of the match came when he skillfully hit two backhand shots past Djokovic. Unfortunately, in the same game, despite being ahead at 30-15, Fearnley made two backhand errors which allowed Djokovic to break and ultimately win the set 6-3.
It wasn't much, but the key moments that changed the match were in Djokovic's favor. Fearnley was playing well at the beginning of the second set and had Djokovic on the defensive with his forehand shots. However, a double fault from Djokovic and a strong return from Fearnley gave him a break point opportunity, which Djokovic saved with a perfect ace. Despite Fearnley's efforts, Djokovic ended up taking the second set 6-4 after capitalizing on some mistakes from Fearnley's backhand.
Djokovic didn't look very impressive in this match and didn't easily win. His movement behind the baseline and on his injured knee seemed slow and limited. He was caught off guard after taking the lead in the third set, as Fearnley hit a great backhand winner and Djokovic made a mistake on the second break point. The 37-year-old seemed to struggle with his balance on the injured knee, only three and a half months after having surgery on a torn meniscus.
Fearnley seemed to be losing steam early on, with his arms tightening up and making mistakes on both sides. However, he improved during the third hour of play. He saved two break points and took a 5-4 lead, setting up a tiebreak. With quick hands at the net, he managed to win the set after a lucky net-cord shot. Surprisingly, this forced a fourth set as Djokovic hit wide on the forehand.
Fearnley was on a roll, serving his best of the match, but Djokovic turned things around after saving the first of two break points at 3-3 in the fourth set. Outlasting Fearnley in a tense rally from the baseline before hitting an overhead shot, Djokovic managed to take the hold by making a classy volley while sliding. Despite facing a crowd supporting the hometown favorite, Djokovic silenced them with a gesture. This indicated to Fearnley that, despite putting up a brave fight and showing potential for the future, an upset victory was not in the cards.
