Kate’s in the pink at SW19 finals
NOVAK Djokovic made history yesterday after he defended his Wimbledon title to win a recordequalling 20th Grand Slam.
The formidable world number one, 34, defeated Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in a four-set thriller on Centre Court.
It came after a tense start for the Serbian player, who dropped a set for only the second time in the SW19 fortnight.
But he quickly clawed it back over the next three sets – falling to the turf in relief as he secured his sixth Wimbledon title.
Berrettini had made his country proud by becoming the first Italian ever to make it to the final. And the home crowd gave their loud backing to the Italian player.
But, despite the chants of ‘Matteo’, the 25-year-old lost 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
Djokovic was presented with his trophy by the Duke of Kent – for the final time as the duke steps down as president of the All England Club after 52 years.
The 85-year-old was joined by the Duchess of Cambridge, who stunned crowds in a pink buttoned-up midi dress.
Earlier in the day, she had been in high spirits as she cheered on Briton Gordon Reid in the men’s wheelchair singles final.
Kate, 39, accompanied by her father Michael Middleton, was all smiles as she joined in with an impromptu Mexican wave.
It was feared the duchess, who is patron of the All England Club, would have to miss the finals after she was forced into isolation. But she was able to attend after completing the required period of quarantine and undergoing tests.
And Kate wasn’t the only star to be gracing SW19 yesterday as Strictly Come Dancing’s Oti Mabuse and Hollywood legend Tom Cruise turned out to support the players.
US veterans Chris Evert and Tracy Austin were also on hand as they watched the match from the Royal Box.
In a poignant statement after his victory, Djokovic said: ‘Winning Wimbledon was always the biggest dream for me when I was a kid. A seven-year-old boy in Serbia constructing a Wimbledon trophy with improvised materials and standing here with a sixth real trophy is incredible. It is amazing.’
Perhaps the biggest star of the day, however, was seven-year-old Ivanka Li, who was handed Djokovic’s racket after his win. The schoolgirl, who was in the front row with her father Bo, was left ‘bursting with delight’ when she was singled out by the player.
Yesterday her mother Chris, who was at home in north London, said she had missed the once-in-a-lifetime moment because she was out walking the dog.
Learning of it over the phone, she said her daughter, a keen tennis player herself, could not quite believe she had been so lucky.
‘Ivanka was just saying, “What has happened?” She was asking, “Is that a real racket?”’ said Mrs Li. ‘It was the first time my daughter had been to a Wimbledon final. It was the first time she had seen him.
‘I wish the racket brings luck to her so one day she could be at Wimbledon – and maybe be like Emma Raducanu.’
Djokovic’s latest triumph means he has now won all three Grand Slam men’s titles in 2021.
Having won the Australian Open and French Open, Djokovic is the fifth man in history – and only the second in the Open era after Rod Laver in 1969 – to win the first three majors of the season.