There’s been so much chaos at Wimbledon that Novak Djokovic’s solid play has flown under the radar.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has dropped just one set through the first two rounds, and more importantly, looks fit as a fiddle.
Djokovic came into the tournament as the third favorite behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, so it’s not a shock that he’s made quick work of his first two opponents, but what is a bit surprising is how little he’s being talked about as a title contender.
Most fans, pundits, and bettors believe another Sinner-Alcaraz final is a foregone conclusion, but Djokovic will fancy his chances given his draw.
Djokovic is a prohibitive -4000 favorite to beat his fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic on Saturday afternoon.
Kecmanovic, who peaked as the World No. 27 early in 2023, is far from a walkover against most opponents, but Djokovic should have no issues with the 25-year-old.
Not only has he dominated the head-to-head, but Kecmanovic has been unconvincing in his two wins at Wimbledon this year. He’s already spent five-and-a-half hours on court at the All England Club.
Kecmanovic has the game to pop an upset, but there’s no indication of it coming right now. He fell to Dan Evans, who Djokovic just whitewashed, in Eastbourne as a warmup for Wimbledon.
The prices on Djokovic to win this match (he’s -215 to win in straights) are too expensive, but now seems like a decent time to back the Serb to win this tournament.
He’s got a couple of tricky players left in his quarter, and he’ll need to find a way through Sinner and Alcaraz eventually, but there are some signals that he’ll be up to the challenge when we get into the semifinals and finals.
Not only is Djokovic’s form in great shape, but he’s not spent much time on the court, and that should pay off if he gets the chance to go up against the heavyweights.
The Play: Djokovic to win Wimbledon (+500, DraftKings)
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.