USA TODAY International Edition
Djokovic-Anderson set after another 5-setter
WIMBLEDON, England – Tossing aside current rankings that are more favorable to eighth-ranked Kevin Anderson than 21st-ranked Novak Djokovic, most prognosticators would likely predict Djokovic to win a 13th Grand Slam tournament title in the Wimbledon men’s final Sunday.
After all, Anderson hasn’t been a regular on the Grand Slam final scene like Djokovic, who will be competing in his 22nd major championship match.
The South African played in his first major final in the U.S. Open last year, losing to Rafael Nadal.
The outlook for Anderson, who could become the first South African to win Wimbledon, might seem too big of an uphill battle, but Djokovic isn’t convinced that he’s playing an easy mark.
“I don’t know if I’ll be the clear favorite in that one,” said Djokovic, analyzing the final after his 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (11-9), 3-6, 10-8 semifinal win over world No. 1 Nadal on Saturday. “I think we’re quite even. He played the U.S. Open final last year. He’s definitely playing the tennis of his life. He’s coming off from two epic marathon five-set wins (to Roger Federer and John Isner). I don’t think he has much to lose really tomorrow. He’s going to come out with big serves and big tennis. Hopefully I’ll be able to weather the storm.”
Both players will be handicapped by arriving in the men’s final, the first played between two over-30 players in the Open era at Wimbledon, after playing exhausting semifinals that went into tennis’ version of overtime.
The Djokovic semifinal was played over two days, but despite his having a two-sets-to-one lead when it was halted Friday night, the 5-hour, 15-minute encounter wasn’t decided until 10-8 in the fifth set. Anderson came through a 6-hour, 36-minute semifinal, the longest match of this Wimbledon, that he won 26-24 over Isner and which was played in its entirety on Friday.
So the big question will be who will be at the biggest disadvantage: Anderson, who played a longer match but had a day of rest, or Djokovic, who spent less time on court in the semifinal but played for 70 minutes Saturday.
“Considering he’s playing only his second Grand Slam final, obviously he has a lot more to gain,” Djokovic said. “If I take my last couple of years, I don’t have much to lose myself. I’m, again, in a Grand Slam finals after a long time, actually almost two years.
“Of course, we want this trophy. We want this match, both of us. Who is going to take it? I don’t know.”
What Djokovic did know is that after a trying 15 months or so of dealing with a right elbow injury, and what he at times referred to as personal issues, he’s into his first Grand Slam final since the 2016 U.S. Open.
Djokovic has played in four Wimbledon finals, winning in 2011, 2014 and 2015. The last Grand Slam title the Serbian won was the 2016 French Open. It was his first success on the clay in Paris and would complete his collection of winning at least once at all four majors.
The Djokovic and Nadal rivalry is the most contested in the Open era. This was their 52nd meeting, and Djokovic leads 27-25. This marks the first Wimbledon semifinal that Nadal has lost in six played. He won the title in 2008 and 2010. Nadal, who has 17 Grand Slam titles, had won all four of his previous Grand Slam semifinals with Djokovic.
Both players had 73 winners and 42 unforced errors in the match. Djokovic had 23 aces to nine for Nadal.
Djokovic wasn’t able to capitalize on a first match-point opportunity at 3040 on Nadal’s serve in the 16th game when the Spaniard saved the point with a risky drop shot. Two games later, Djokovic went up 0-40 on Nadal’s serve and secured the victory when Nadal executed a backhand error.