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Novak Djokovic has delivered one of the performances of his career to defeat Australia’s Nick Kyrgios and claim a seventh Wimbledon men’s singles title, and 21st slam title overall.
Key points:
- Djokovic claimed his 21st grand slam singles title with the victory
- Kyrgios described Djokovic as a “bit of a god” after the match
- There were only three breaks of serve across the four sets
The Serbian champion has the second most men’s major titles, behind Rafael Nadal’s 22, after he came from a set down to put Kyrgios away 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) in a high-quality Wimbledon final that featured brilliance and tension aplenty.
Djokovic, who has won the last four finals at the All England Club, said the grasscourt major “always has been and will be the most special tournament in my heart”.
“I was four-and-a-half, five years old and I saw Pete Sampras win his first Wimbledon. I asked my mum and dad to buy me a racquet. And my first image of tennis was grass and Wimbledon,” he said.
“I always dreamed of coming here and just playing in this court. Then, of course, realising the childhood dream and winning this trophy. Every single time it gets more and more meaningful and special. So I’m very blessed and very thankful to be standing here with the trophy.”
Kyrgios seemed flummoxed as he claimed his trophy and faced an on-court interview.
After a taxing run to his first major final, Kyrgios said he hoped to return to this stage again, but was not sure if he would or could. Djokovic, on the other hand, was.
“Nick you will be back, not just to Wimbledon but in [other] finals,” he said.
“I wish you all the best. I really respect you a lot. I think you are a phenomenal tennis player and athlete. You have been hearing all of that for many years, but now everything is starting to come together for you and we will see more in the later stages of grand slams.”
Hot start from Kyrgios
Kyrgios’s game may have come together this tournament as he made his first run past the quarter-finals of a slam, but Djokovic’s relentless high level was something to behold in the decider.
It was all the more impressive because he had to weather an early onslaught from Kyrgios.
Djokovic served a wild double fault on the opening point of the match and it set the tone for the first set.
The start of the match was all Kyrgios as the 27-year-old Canberran showed zero nerves in the opening stages and showed Djokovic his full repertoire of shots.
Kyrgios hit a second-serve ace in the opening game and an underarm serve in the second, later on there was a tweener attempt for a pass that almost worked, but Djokovic made the low volley.
Kyrgios remained in charge though, and he broke Djokovic in the fifth game for a 3-2 lead as the Serb again double-faulted, with an energised Kyrgios jogging to his chair.
The Australian ripped through the remainder of the set, losing just five points on his serve as he rained down seven aces and 14 winners, with the faint scent of an upset in the air.
But Djokovic had been in this position before, having lost the opening set in last year’s final against Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.
Second set turning point
He remained calm despite the scoreline and after a pair of long rallies to take a 2-1 lead in the second set, Djokovic was locked in.
That hold was a massive turning point and shifted the momentum of the match.
In the next game, for the first time in their careers, he finally broke the Kyrgios serve, to love.
Kyrgios’s energy shifted too as he began what was a match-long chat with his box.
The Australian had his chances, including establishing a 0-40 lead as Djokovic served for the set, which included what may have been point of the match as Kyrgios came from the clouds to hit a drop volley for a winner.
Unfortunately for the Australian he then failed to return a couple of big serves and was then done cold by a Djokovic drop shot on another set point.
As Djokovic then took the second and levelled the match, Kyrgios screamed “0-40” at the top of his lungs.
His frustration was evident and it would continue.
Kyrgios at one point asked himself if he needed to hit a “130 mile second serve to win a point” against the man who may be the greatest returner in the history of the sport.
‘She has had 700 drinks bro’
Then the drama ratcheted up.
With Kyrgios desperately trying to hold serve, he received a code violation warning for an audible obscenity after noise was made between his serves. At the change of ends, Kyrgios demanded the chair umpire kick out an unruly spectator.
“It’s distracting me when I am serving in a Wimbledon final,” Kyrgios said to the chair umpire.
“There is no other bigger occasion. You didn’t believe me, she did it again and it nearly cost me the game.
“Do something about it.”
When the umpire asked who it was, Kyrgios said it was “the one that looks like she has had 700 drinks, bro”.
Fighting against himself, his box, the chair and Djokovic, he eventually cracked as Djokovic roared back from 40-0 down to break Kyrgios for a 5-4 lead in the third as Kyrgios made an unforced error off the backhand.
That error would be repeated in the next game as Djokovic took a two-sets-to-one lead.
It was not as if Kyrgios gave up though, Djokovic was simply playing at a level that was unparalleled.
As the fourth and final set got underway, Kyrgios again tried to rally but throughout it he could barely get a look in on the Djokovic serve in a match where the total number of break points was 10 — four to Djokovic, six to Kyrgios.
Kyrgios could have forced a fifth set in the tie-break, but a double fault to kick it off set the tone and a few errors later it was all over, as Djokovic raised the trophy for a seventh time and edged to within one slam of Nadal.
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