Novak Djokovic: The Serbian superstar’s seven Wimbledon titles
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Seven up! Novak Djokovic Wimbledon titles
Novak Djokovic has claimed his seventh Wimbledon title after beating Nick Kyrgios in four entertaining sets in the men’s singles final on Sunday.
The Serbian matched Pete Sampras’ total by making it four consecutive triumphs at the All England Club and also earned him a 21st grand slam title.
We take a look at Djokovic’s seven wins in SW19.
2011: Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3
Djokovic’s debut Wimbledon win brought the dominance of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on grass to an end. It was the first time since 2002 that one of them had not lifted silverware at the All England Club. Djokovic blasted away the Spaniard in the opening two sets and survived a mini-wobble to earn his third major and climb to number one in the rankings for the first time.
2014: Roger Federer 6-7 (7) 6-4 7-6 (4) 5-7 6-4
Centre Court witnessed an epic as Djokovic was able to recover from a collapse in the fourth set to hit back and beat Federer in five. He was 5-2 up and a game away from a seventh grand slam before Federer produced a remarkable comeback, saving a championship point and forcing a decider. There would be no denying the then 27-year-old though, who broke in the 10th game and celebrated by eating some of the grass.
2015: Roger Federer 7-6 (1) 6-7 (10) 6-4 6-3
Djokovic made it back-to-back Wimbledon wins with another close encounter against the Swiss great. The Serbian showed his frustration after Federer levelled up during a second tie-break of the match but regained his composure to secure a second consecutive title in two hours and 56 minutes before again sampling the grass. “It tasted very, very good this year,” Djokovic said. “I don’t know what the grounds people have done but they’ve done a good job. It’s a little tradition.”
2018: Kevin Anderson 6-2 6-2 7-6 (3)
After more than two years without a grand slam, Djokovic returned to winning ways in a final which took place two days after an extraordinary clash with Nadal. A dramatic five-setter in the last four was worthy of a final and this felt ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’. It did not bother the 12th seed who was a class above South African Kevin Anderson – off the back of his own a remarkable semi-final with John Isner where he won the fifth set 26-24 – and earned a first title at any level for 12 months.
2019: Roger Federer (7-6 (5) 1-6 7-6 (4) 4-6 13-12 (3))
History was made in Djokovic’s fifth win at Wimbledon as he edged Federer in a near five-hour classic. It was the first year where the last set tie-break rule had been introduced but it was not required until the final. In it Djokovic saved two championship points at 7-8 down before he hit back and a tie-break was used to separate the pair. It ended up being the longest singles final in Wimbledon history and was the first major final to feature a last set championship-deciding tie-break.
2021: Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (4) 6-4 6-4 6-3
Djokovic had seemed untouchable throughout the championships, with British youngster Jack Draper the only player to take a set off the world number one prior to the final. When big-serving Italian Matteo Berrettini did the same in the opener, an upset looked a possibility but the quality of the Serbian came to the fore and Djokovic won a sixth title at the All England Club to draw level with Federer and Nadal on 20 grand slam wins.
2022: Nick Kyrgios 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (3)
The Serb was far from invincible over the course of the fortnight and dropped the opening set for the third successive time in the final against the volatile Aussie, who gradually started to lose his cool as the scoreboard started to turn against him.
Magnificent.
In its 100 years, Centre Court has seen few champions like @DjokerNole#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/vffvL2f08Q
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2022
Two games at the end of the second and third sets went a long way to deciding the outcome. First, with Djokovic serving for the second at 5-3, a hugely frustrated Kyrgios was unable to take advantage of having his opponent at 0-40. Then, at 4-4 in the third, the Australian dropped serve from 40-0. He battled hard to hold serve throughout the fourth but made a poor start to the tie-break, and that was all the advantage Djokovic needed.
