D'Arcy Waldegrave: The dark side of the thing that drives superstar athletes

Author: D'Arcy Waldegrave,
Publish Date: Sat, 11 Jul 2026, 9:30am

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Novak Djokovic during an exhibition match ahead of the 2025 Australian Open. Photo / Getty Images

Ego is a dog of an affliction.

But required at the highest level of sport – unless of course you’re Kane Williamson, who had an ego-ectamy as a kid.

The inner voice that drives superstar athletes to the altitude that asphyxiates mere mortals has a dark side.

When is enough, enough?

Case in point, the phenomenal career of one of tennis’ trip of GOATs, Novak Djokovic, and the shuffle away from City Kick Boxing by potential UFC hall of Famer Israel Adesanya.

Novak got rolled this morning by one of the new generation of men's players who is scrambling around in the foothills of his grand slam ascent, Jannik Sinner. No surprise of course that he would dispose of Novak with relative ease in the semifinals at Wimbledon.

Novak is still a superb player, but in his fixture with Father Time, the tyranny of age is moving him toward game, set, and match. Tantalisingly close to securing a record that will most likely never be touched, a quarter of a century of Grand Slam titles, Novak’s ego is in the driver’s seat, refusing to let him bow out with dignity, egging him on slam after slam, in hope of snaring his 25th title. His best chance has come and gone, when Sinner and Alcaraz didn't feature in the French Open. The gate was open, but was shut in his face by Fonseca. Ouch.

Israel is on a similar course. The once darling of the most ferocious sport the world has known, has a career whose moon is waning, and as much as he can’t or won’t admit it, Father Time has a rear naked choke hold on him and is unlikely to let go. The Style Bender has walked from the gym that propelled him to superstardom (or did he propel the gym into orbit?) in what can only be seen as a last-ditch attempt to launch him back into title contention again.

Self-belief, id, ego, whatever you call it, is an essential arrow in the quiver of the sporting colossus, one that is tempting to nock again, but is best left unshot in the fading light of the setting sun in an athlete's career.