Novak Djokovic says ‘people need to cool off a little bit with judgment’ on Serena Williams

LONDON (AP) 鈥� knows just what it means to have to live up to lofty expectations after years of titles and trophies.

He鈥檚 39 and is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who now plays only sparingly.

So he鈥檚 better positioned than almost anyone else to analyze what 鈥� a seven-time singles champion just like he is 鈥� must have been feeling after losing at the All England Club earlier this week in .

鈥淧eople always expect you to play at your best because they鈥檙e used to seeing you dominate the sport for many years,鈥� Djokovic said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 44. . Coming back, it鈥檚 normal that she still is not at her best in terms of movement. She hasn鈥檛 played a match in so many years. People need to cool off a little bit with judgment and criticism and everything. Let鈥檚 just enjoy the greatness, who she is, what she represents to the sport.鈥�

Williams was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by 20-year-old of Australia in the first round on Tuesday but showed she could be competitive with an opponent less than half her age after being away for so long.

Williams still cranked out serves faster than 120 mph and dictated points with her heavy groundstrokes. But movement was an issue and the 87th-ranked Joint was able to win more of the big points by hitting beyond the reach of the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion.

鈥淗er wanting to give it a try and just come back is an incredible gift for our sport,” Djokovic said. “I think people sometimes 鈥� I don鈥檛 know why 鈥� they don鈥檛 appreciate that enough. They just start to speculate, judge or whatever. It鈥檚 like, 鈥楬ey, guys, enjoy. You have the greatest ever to come play for you, to bring more attention to your sport.鈥�

鈥淚 really support Serena. Always have. Hopefully she鈥檚 going to play more,鈥� Djokovic added.

Williams was given wild card invitations to play both singles and doubles at Wimbledon and it remains to be seen whether she will still play doubles with older sister Venus.

Williams announced on Wednesday that she tweaked her right knee toward the end of the first set against Joint. She said she still hopes to play doubles but the Williams鈥� sisters opener against Colombia鈥檚 Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra of Argentina was only the remaining first-round match not on the schedule for Friday. There’s is still a possibility they could play Saturday.

At last year鈥檚 U.S. Open, .

鈥淲hen somebody challenges her, she never refuses. So I challenge Serena: Come back on the tour next year,鈥� Djokovic said in 2025.

Now, Djokovic wants to see Serena play this year鈥檚 U.S. Open.

鈥淚 hope for the sake of tennis and all of us that we be able to see her more,鈥� Djokovic said. 鈥淚 assume that U.S. Open is somewhere where she would like to play. Playing in her home Slam would be amazing for her and for everyone else.鈥�

Djokovic won his second-round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets Wednesday night on Centre Court 鈥� 24 hours after watching Serena鈥檚 match on the same court on TV.

鈥淲hat she鈥檚 doing is incredible. Epic,鈥� Djokovic said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been a fan of Serena. I鈥檓 sure she wanted and expected to at least win one match or more. Knowing how competitive she is, the mind of a champion that she has, she鈥檚 not happy with just showing up on the court. She wants to win.鈥�

Lindsey Vonn wasn’t expecting Serena to ‘show all her cards’

, another 40-plus athlete who recently made a comeback, struggled at times in her first season back on the World Cup skiing circuit after nearly six years of retirement.

But Vonn was the top World Cup downhiller last season at age 41 until her in February left her with .

Vonn attended Serena’s comeback in doubles at Queen’s last month and last week ahead of Williams’ singles return, 鈥淚 would expect for her to play well but not show all her cards yet.鈥�

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