Novak Djokovic has spent most of his Wimbledons wanting to be loved, sometimes painfully obviously. As his career enters its twilight, his wish is coming to fruition.
The Wimbledon crowd's resistance to his charms was partly because his courting of them was too apparent, but mainly because his big rivals, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, were so popular, and unlike them, his game was perceived as more efficient than stylish.
But longevity coupled with a new vulnerability creates an allure of its own. Now in his 39th year and without a grand slam title since September 2023, the Centre Court crowd have finally taken the Serb to their hearts.
