Djokovic claims Wimbledon title in thriller
World No. 1 saves two match points, digs to outlast grass-court maestro Federer in fifth-set tie-breaker
LONDON (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic again proved the toughest of nuts for Roger Federer to crack as he repelled everything the Swiss threw at him to claim a fifth Wimbledon title in the first All England Club final to be decided by a tie-breaker on Sunday.
The defending champion was outshone at times on Centre Court and saved two match points deep into a gripping decider but he dredged his tank of mental and physical resilience to claim a thrilling 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3) win.
Nothing could separate the players in an intoxicating final set and the match was already the longest Wimbledon singles final ever when the club’s new rule stipulating a tiebreak at 12-12 in a deciding set was deployed.
Previously, Wimbledon did not use a final set tiebreaker, instead playing the match out to conclusion.
Both players looked out on their feet after nearly five hours of compelling combat but, as he had done in the day’s two other tie-breaks, Djokovic held his nerve to crush Federer’s dream of claiming a ninth title and becoming the oldest man to win a Grand Slam in the professional era.
At four hours and 55 minutes, it was the longest final in Wimbledon history, featuring 68 games, 422 points – 218 for Federer and 202 for Djokovic – and 35 aces.
Since 2000, the fifth set lasted for longer than 20 games (or, 10-10) in 28 men’s matches at Wimbledon. On only two of those occasions did the winner advance beyond the next round.
In 2017, Novak Djokovic was unable to complete his fourth-round match on the scheduled day because of the time soaked up by Gilles Muller’s 15-13 fifth-set upset of No. 4 seed Rafael Nadal (Muller would lose his next match in five sets).
Djokovic later said, “For a player to play a five- to six-hour match, come back the next day and perform, it’s not really what your body’s looking for... If you are already getting to 6-all in the fifth set, you might as well just decide it in a tie-break.”
The advantage final set produced a perfect storm at Wimbledon last year. Three of the extra-time men’s matches occurred in the quarterfinals and semis – Kevin Anderson over Federer in the quarterfinals (13-11 fifth set) and Anderson over John Isner (26-24) and Djokovic over Nadal (10-8) in the semifinals – and they unfairly disrupted the schedule.
The next-best solution is the US Open’s standard option: a common 7-point tiebreaker at 6-all in the final set. Many matches have been decided that way, and only staunch traditionalists have complained.
Wimbledon does still beat out the French Open solution, which is to just stick with the same old, same old. Clearly, the French Open is trying to take the high ground of tradition by refusing to change. But it’s also true that clay isn’t nearly as hard on the body as grass or hard courts.
Isner is the big winner here. His place in tennis history was assured when he won that epic, three-day 2010 Wimbledon first-round match with Nicolas Mahut, 70-68 in the final set. Then came that 26-24 loss to Anderson last year. Those moments made headlines. He cherishes them. But he has no desire to repeat them.
Like so many others who survived overtime five-set marathons, he lost in the next round after beating Mahut.
On Sunday, the top-seeded Djokovic moved 6-3 ahead and, after the final point had to be replayed following a Hawkeye challenge, he was able to celebrate a 16th Grand Slam title when a weary Federer ballooned a forehand off the frame of his racket.
Victory took the Serb level with Bjorn Borg in fourth place on the all-time list of men’s winners at Wimbledon and moved him four behind Federer on the all-time Grand Slam list.
“Roger is one of the greatest players of all time, who I respect a lot,” Djokovic, who has now beaten Federer in three of the last six Wimbledon finals, said on court.
“Unfortunately one player has to lose and we both had our chances. It’s unreal to be two match points down and come back.”
Federer, 37, held serve to stay alive seven times in the deciding set, but broke the Djokovic serve at 7-7 and served for the title. At 40-15 a sensational victory was in the palm of his hand but Djokovic was not done.
A forehand mistake cost Federer his first match point and then he watched aghast as Djokovic whipped a forehand winner across him as he closed in on the net.
Eight service holds then sent the match into a tie-breaker at 12-12, a rule brought in after last year’s tournament.
Djokovic jumped ahead and, for once, Federer had run out of magic as he suffered one of his most heart-breaking defeats.
“It was a great match, it was long, it had everything. Novak, congratulations, man, that was crazy,” Federer said.