Novak Djokovic wasn’t the only veteran turning back the clock at Wimbledon this week. As the spotlight increasingly shifts toward the sport’s younger talents, Thursday’s action proved that experience still counts on the grass courts of SW19.
After easing through his match on Centre Court, Djokovic shared a brief exchange with fellow 38-year-old Gael Monfils in the locker room.
“He kind of smiled at me and said, ‘Good day in the office,'” Djokovic recalled. “At this age, he said, we need those types of days.” It certainly was a day for the seasoned stars.
While Carlos Alcaraz, 22, and Jannik Sinner, 23, lead the new wave of talent, six men aged 33 and above have secured a spot in the third round. Among them is Márton Fucsovics, 33, whose second-round match against Monfils was halted due to darkness and is set to resume Friday.
Veterans were victorious across the board:
- Djokovic, 37, defeated Dan Evans, 35.
- Grigor Dimitrov, 34, saw off Corentin Moutet.
- Jan-Lennard Struff, 35, completed his win over Felix Auger-Aliassime.
- Marin Cilic, 36, ousted Britain’s Jack Draper, just 23.
- Adrian Mannarino, 37, had already advanced on Wednesday.
These performances came on the heels of Fabio Fognini, 38, who took Alcaraz to five gruelling sets in round one.
“It’s amazing,” said Struff, who will face Alcaraz next. “You see a lot of older players playing good tennis. So that motivates me, as well, to keep going.”
Marin Cilic, a Grand Slam winner and two-time finalist, is mounting a strong return after undergoing two knee surgeries. He has spent much of this year grinding on the Challenger Tour and needed to qualify for the French Open, where he fell in the opening round.
His return to Wimbledon for the first time since 2021 is a morale boost. “It’s great to see them playing, continuing to play well,” said Cilic. “And using this experience to play great in Grand Slams.”
Those keen on keeping up with all the upcoming match timings can check out the full 2025 Wimbledon Championships schedule for detailed listings.
Grigor Dimitrov shed light on the tight-knit community among older players. “All of us, we have tremendous respect for each other,” he said. “We do these things, little gather-ups when we’re having lunch, and even in the locker rooms.”
Preparation has become more demanding with age. “Sometimes you have to prepare an hour and a half for a 30-minute hit,” Dimitrov joked.
Despite the physical toll, the joy of competition remains intact. “Would I like to have things … a little bit easier on the body? Yes,” he added.
“But at this point, being able to compete against the guys, winning matches still, giving a hard time to the best players — that’s one reason to keep on playing.”
Márton Fucsovics is among those proving that tennis isn’t just a young man’s game. As he prepares to finish his match against Monfils, fans and fellow players alike will be watching closely.
Should he advance, it would mark yet another reminder that age, in tennis, is increasingly just a number.
For now, the old guard remains a force to be reckoned with — and Márton Fucsovics stands proudly among them.
