It seems odd to say Novak Djokovic, currently ranked #4 in the world, is the forgotten man at Wimbledon. Despite getting through his second round match against Germany’s Simon Gruel 7-5, 6-1, 6-4, he’s been overshadowed by the continuing buzz over Murray, Federer and the absent Nadal.
After almost taking over Federer’s number two ranking earlier this year, Djokovic has stumbled as of late and has seen Andy Murray rise over him in both rankings and in momentum. Some have wondered if his quick rise to fame and last year’s Australian Open title was a fluke.
Djokovic has earned his share of fans who fell in love with his on-court impersonations of fellow players, much to their chagrin, and his share of detractors who are not impressed by his sometimes surly remarks after losing matches and his “habit” of calling for trainers or defaulting due to injuries that often appear to be superfluous.
Despite all this, Djokovic certainly has the game to win the big “W” depending on which of his personas show up. He has to face a competent Mardy Fish in the next round and then could face Tommy Robredo later on. But Djokovic should quietly get through to face Federer who he has beaten in the past.
If Djokovic makes it to the semis he would certainly would have nothing to lose and could be a bit of a surprise on the final Sunday.
Adjusting the Net 