Novak Djokovic sent defending champion Rafael Nadal packing with a 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3 win in 148 minutes for his first Wimbledon crown overnight, and third Slam to go with his two Australian Opens.
This was Djokovic’s eighth title of the year, and his 48th win to just one loss (a four-setter to Roger Federer in the French Open semis).
The Serb eventually cemented his new world number one status, but he had to survive an inexplicable third set meltdown.
But that third set is the question mark that constantly hangs over the new champion.
It was a brain explosion for which the Serb is renowned. Nobody can play so brilliantly as Djokovic did in the second set, and so atrociously as he did in the third.
Nadal didn’t lift his game, he was down and out – Djokovic simply gifted the set to the Spaniard on a platter.
Djokovic went from power, precision, and placement to powerless, pathetic, and puerile, as if someone turned off the performance switch.
Somehow Djokovic got his act together to break Nadal twice in the fourth, but the standard was nowhere near the exceptional first two sets that produced breathtaking rallies from both players off both wings.
It was awesome tennis to watch.
But Petra Kvitova was awesome in the ladies’ final from the opening point to the last, with a 6-3 6-4 win over Maria Sharapova.
The Russian did extremely well to cobble together seven games, so dominant was Kvitova. It will be interesting to see how the Czech’s career pans out from here.
On her stunning Wimbledon performance, it’s Kvitova and daylight – but the jury is out for non-grass surfaces.
From an Australian point of view, Wimbledon 2011 was a refreshing lift with 18-year-old Bernie Tomic reaching the quarters, going down to Djokovic in four exciting sets. The Aussie is here to stay.
And for the first time in history, Australians have won the Wimbledon junior titles in the same year – Luke Saville in the boys, and Ashleigh Barty in the girls.
But a friendly warning, winning junior titles is no guarantee to senior success.
In the 43 years of official junior competition at the home of tennis, only Boris Becker (1972). Ivan Lendl (1978), Pat Cash (1982), Stefan Edberg (1983), and Roger Federer (1996) went on to win Slams.
It’s even thinner on the ground for the girls with Tracy Austin (1977), and Martina Hingis (1994) the only successes as seniors.
Just seven senior Slam champions from 86 junior champions is a staggeringly low percentage, but it’s at least a start.
Now it’s up to Tennis Australia to foster the 17-year-old Saville, and 15-year-old Barty, to make sure they keep improving to become constantly competitive on the world circuit.
The last word: the ITF must take a long hard look at the men’s final lasting 148 minutes.
By my reckoning, at least 25 minutes play was lost thanks to bounce-a-thon Djokovic, and perennial time-waster Nadal.
Djokovic was way over the top with up to 22 ball bounces for his first serve, and up to 18 for the second – boring overkill.
While Nadal constantly took up to 30 seconds between points, way over the allowed 20.
Remedy?
A maximum four bounces per serve, and fine anyone who takes over 20 seconds to start the next point.
While they’re at it, implement a maximum selection of three balls per serve, not five, sometimes six.
And ban large towels from the back of the court, forcing every player to have a small towel on them at all times to save the ball kids chasing them for a cursory wipe-off every point.
Let’s have some tennis.
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