Novak Djokovic has retained his Wimbledon crown and ended Roger Federer’s bold bid to become tennis’s oldest grand slam champion with a scintillating four-set victory in Sunday’s blockbuster final.
In a captivating climax to the championships, Djokovic denied the sentimental favourite for the second straight year with a 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (10-12) 6-4 6-3 win to secure his third title at the All England Club.
Djokovic’s supreme counter-punching and iron will also earned the 28-year-old a ninth career major, elevating him above Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi, Ken Rosewall and Fred Perry into outright eighth place on the all-time grand slam leaderboard.
Only Federer (17), Rafael Nadal (14), Pete Sampras (14), Roy Emerson (12), Bjorn Borg (11), Rod Laver (11), Bill Tilden (10) have won more.
Many of the legends, including Borg and Laver, watched his latest triumph from the Royal Box as Djokovic levelled his career series with Federer at 20 wins apiece in an another enthralling title showdown between the sport’s two premier players.
In glorious victory, Djokovic showed why he is world No.1 as he bounced back from his shock loss to Stan Wawrinka in last month’s French Open final, a shattering slip-up that denied the Serb from completing a cherished career grand slam sweep.
And in gallant defeat, Federer showed why he is regarded as the greatest player to have ever graced the courts with another breathtaking display a month shy of his 34th birthday.
Alas, the fan favourite and father of four was unable to add the strawberries and cream to an unparalleled career with a record eighth Wimbledon men’s singles crown.
Federer’s killer forehand and clutch serve, which had been the bedrock of his title challenge, failed him when it mattered most.
He could only land 64 per cent of his first deliveries, down from a crazy strike rate in the high 70s in his opening six rounds, while the second seed’s silky groundstrokes deserted him too often on pressure points.
While Federer struck 58 winners to Djokovic’s 45, the 17-times major champion’s 35 unforced errors to the Serb’s 16 were telling.
Federer made a flying start to his record 26th grand slam final, breaking Djokovic to love in the sixth game, only to drop serve for just the second time in the tournament the very next game.
As tension mounted, a Djokovic double-fault and backhand miss handed Federer a set point at 5-6 and then a second as the Swiss boldly attacked the net.
But Djokovic survived with three huge serves and then dominated the tiebreaker as Federer crumbled with a double-fault on set point.
Ominously for the Swiss, he last relinquished a tiebreaker 7-1 at Wimbledon to Lleyton Hewitt way back in 2004.
The unforced errors continued to flow off Federer’s frame early in the second set as Djokovic’s surge to win five of seven games plus the tiebreaker from 4-2 down seemed to turn the match.
But with break point chances few and far between, the second set was again decided in a tiebreaker.
Rarely, though, have tennis fans been treated to a more pulsating one.
The smooth Swiss rallied from 6-3 down, fought off seven set points in total before sending the pro-Federer crowd into raptures when he stormed the net to level the match up on his second set point.
If the roof had have been shut, the thunderous applause may well have raised it.
Djokovic was furious, taking his frustrations out on his racquet, a ball and just about anything in sight.
But he hit back with a break from 40-15 down in the fourth game of the pivotal third set.
Federer’s loosest serving game of the match proved costly as Djokovic returned from a 20-minute stoppage during rain to seize a two-sets-to-one lead.
Federer gave up a third service break with a tired backhand error as Djokovic surged to a 4-2 lead in the fourth set.
It was all over when Djokovic broke Federer for a fourth time clinch his sixth title of the year – and 54th of his career – after two hours and 55 minutes.
clipper
Guest
The standard of tennis has been incredible for so long now, that when Fed, Nadal and Novak leave, it will be hard to adjust to the change of quality - unless there are a couple of great juniors up and coming, but can't see many to replace any of these three. Novak's defensive qualities made it hard for Federer make inroads, had quite a few break points but didn't covert enough.
Winks
Guest
If a 34 year old Federer can still go head to head with a 28 year old Novak, just imagine what a 28 year old Federer would have done with Novak
Riccardo
Guest
Thought some of the tennis in the first two sets was sublime, like Frank. Roger should have taken that first set after breaking Novak, who's mental strength and stamina matches his backhand. Novak's break-back is to be commended but the reality is Roger continues to miss too many shots on the unforced side of the ledger. Federer looked at his best when he was pressurising Novak, whether charging the second serve but perhaps more tellingly, approaching the net. Note to his coach: Stefan, as perhaps one of the truly great serve-volleyers of your time, why is your charge not utilising this asset more? He missed and was passed but the numbers show the Fed wins a good 65-70% minimum, when he comes to the front. Even on grass, baseline duels with Novak are likely to be in his favour when the numbers are counted. Not only that but the surge of confidence he gets form controlling this area will be minimised and compromise other areas of his game. It was notable, especially in the 4th set, that Novak's confidence was gaining and he started to mix up his own game, having some of his own success at the tape. Roger still had his chances but could not gain the traction he needed against such a brick-wall opponent and the variation needed to combat such a foe weaned as his energy did and mis-hits and errors became more prevalent. Frank, as a fan of the game and Roger from the get-go I would still like to see him win a final slam to bow out on...
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I thought the first two sets was among some of the best tennis I've seen all year. The intensity was incredible. John Newcombe said it correctly when he said that Federer should have won the first set and Novak the second, and it went the wrong way there. Federer will be kicking himself for not taking his chances in the first set and the first game of the third set as well. But that said, another Wimbledon wouldn't have meant as much to his legacy as it does for Novak. Federer was and is already the greatest of all time, and the fact that he made the Final of Wimbledon and played that quality of tennis does enough for him. I enjoyed this match a lot.