Novak Djokovic has offered a rare public admission that his body no longer bounces back the way it once did.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion, speaking on CBS Mornings, said the physical cost of two decades at the top left him unable to compete on level terms with Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinal.

“The body is responding differently and that’s just biology,” Djokovic told the US network.

“The wear and tear, the 20-plus years on the highest level, it’s just taking its toll, he continued.

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Sinner beat him 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Friday, 10 July. The Italian never faced a break point. Asked what happened, Djokovic pointed straight back to the round before:

“I just couldn’t fully recover for the semis and I wasn’t as fresh as I wanted to be.”

He added:

“Not to take anything away from Sinner, who won the tournament.”

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The five-hour night that emptied him

Three days earlier, Djokovic had beaten Félix Auger-Aliassime 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 in a fifth-set super tiebreak on Centre Court.

The match lasted five hours and 15 minutes, the longest quarterfinal in Wimbledon history, and was played on Tuesday, 7 July. He picked up an injury in the first set and played through it.

He knew the price at the time.

“I wish it was the final so I don’t need to worry about how the body will feel tomorrow, but yeah, I’m happy,” he said after that quarterfinal win. Two days of half-recovery was not enough.

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Every percentage of extra edge

At 39, Djokovic said, competing with the next generation is now a matter of small gains.

“You’re just trying to take every percentage of extra edge that I can get to be able to still compete at an elite level with young guys,” he told CBS Mornings.

Asked to name his biggest rival, he replied:

“Myself.”

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Sinner then defended his title on Sunday, 12 July, beating Alexander Zverev 6-7(7-9), 7-6(7-2), 6-3, 6-4 for his second Wimbledon crown and fifth major.

Chasing 25 in New York

Djokovic used the CBS interview to look ahead to the US Open, where he is chasing a fifth title and a 25th major.

He said the New York atmosphere is a big part of why he keeps playing.

“It’s the most, I think, entertaining, most exciting Grand Slam,” he said.

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“One of the biggest things of why I still compete is the energy of the crowd.”