Novak Djokovic will be “the big loser” from the cancellation of Wimbledon, according to Mats Wilander.
But injured stars like Andy Murray will benefit from the tennis shutdown because “everyone will start from zero”.
World No.1 Djokovic has won all 18 matches so far this year while lifting the ATP Cup, the Australian Open and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The Serb has now won 17 Grand Slam titles – including the last two Wimbledons.
And his hot form made him a contender to win the calendar Grand Slam and equal Roger Federer’s male record of 20 Major titles this year.
(Image: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images)
But now Wimbledon is off and the US Open in New York is also in serious doubt.
“The big loser is Djokovic,” seven-time Grand Slam champion Wilander told L’Equipe.
“He has not yet lost a match this year and the virus has stopped his momentum.
“It is also a loss of time for all the guys who are pushing behind the Big Three.
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“Of course, they have progressed a lot in training but guys like Denis Shapovalov, Stefanos Tsitsipas or Felix Auger-Aliassime will grow up really playing matches.
“When you are young, training doesn’t really interest you. You don’t want to spend four hours doing backhands. You want to play matches.
“I think the only players who can take positives out of the situation are those who came back injured from Australia. When play begins again, everyone will start from zero. But it is terrible not knowing when it will start.
“The hardest thing is to maintain motivation. Because you don’t know why you are training. It is like watching the Wimbledon semi-final between John Isner and Kevin Anderson: you don’t know when it is going to end!”
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Murray, who turns 33 next month, has not played since the Davis Cup in November and missed a return to the Australian Open because of a pelvic strain.
Like Roger Federer, he immediately stated that he planned to return to the Championships in 2021.
Martina Navratilova claimed the layoff will especially affect players at the start and end of their careers.
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“Everyone is in the same boat, but for some it is more difficult than for others,” said the nine-time Wimbledon singles champion.
“Young players will miss the chance to really improve by facing higher-ranked players. This is the case for Coco Gauff. She is at the age (16) where the greatest progress is made.
“And then, for the older ones, like Roger Federer or Serena Williams, time is not their friend, They lose a year.”
