Aleksandar Kovacevic's Wimbledon journey came to an end on Monday, as he fell to fifth seed Daniil Medvedev in straight sets. Despite a spirited challenge, Kovacevic's hopes of upsetting the Russian were dashed in a rapid one hour and 46 minutes on No. 1 Court.
Kovacevic, making his main-draw debut at Wimbledon, had never defeated a Top 10 player and entered the tournament on a four-match losing streak. However, his impressive one-handed backhand and comparisons to Roger Federer had raised expectations.
Despite facing break points in just one game, Kovacevic struggled to make an impact on Medvedev's serve. The Russian won 65 percent of Kovacevic's second-serve points and delivered an ace on a second serve after Kovacevic had successfully challenged his first.
Kovacevic's struggles on tour have been well-documented. Despite achieving a Top 100 ranking in January, he has found the relentless nature of the tour challenging. The 25-year-old, who delayed his arrival to the pro tour to attend the University of Illinois, admitted that the constant setbacks have taken a mental toll.
"It's been tough to be in Europe for a while and not winning much," said Kovacevic. "You try to find the things in practice that are positive and things to be excited about for the next week. But then you go and lose first round again and then you are like, 'Now I got to find things to be positive about again and try to be excited about the next week.'"
Despite the disappointment, Kovacevic remains optimistic. He believes he has turned a switch and is setting himself up for success in the near future. The return to hard courts after playing on grass in Newport is expected to help his cause.
"At least I feel like I set myself up for some success in the near future," he said. "It's felt like I've turned a switch a little bit."
Kovacevic's coach, Dante Bottini, believes that gaining more experience is crucial for his development. He also identified areas of Kovacevic's game that need improvement, such as his return and slice.
"The return side can be one of the areas to improve a lot," said Bottini. "The slice and how to play certain points. I think the most is to be a little more organized in his head and, 'I need to play this type of moment with a bit more decisions,' or, 'I cannot give him an easy mistake on this specific point.' I think that's the biggest part."
Kovacevic's Wimbledon experience, despite the early exit, has provided valuable lessons. He hopes to build on the positives and continue his journey towards success on the ATP Tour.
Tags: #Wimbledon, #AleksandarKovacevic, #DaniilMedvedev, #Tennis, #Top100
Read more
Share:
Sinner Overcomes Hip Scare, Hanfmann Challenge in Wimbledon Debut
Naomi Osaka's Wimbledon Return Stuns with Fashion Statement