Djokovic wins epic tussle with Federer

Novak Djokovic comes from behind to beat Roger Federer 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-4 and claim his seventh slam.

Djokovic returns to the top ranking for the first time since September [GALLO/GETTY]

Novak Djokovic won his second Wimbledon title and denied Roger Federer his record eighth by outlasting the Swiss player in five sets.

Djokovic wasted a 5-2 lead, and a match point, in the fourth set but held on for a 6-7 (7), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-4 Centre Court victory that returned the Serbian player to the number one ranking.

It was Djokovic’s seventh Grand Slam title and broke a streak of three consecutive losses in major finals and in five of his past six.

Djokovic career
  • Born: Belgrade, 1987.
  • Father wanted his son to be a skier but changed his mind when Djokovic excelled at tennis.
  • In 2006, he won his first ATP tour title at Amersfoort.
  • Broke the Federer-Nadal grand slam duopoly by beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win in Melbourne in 2008.
  • Led Serbia to their first Davis Cup title with victory over France in 2010.
  • Has won seven slams including Australian Open (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013), Wimbledon (2011, 2014) and US Open (2011). 

After the players met at the net, Djokovic went to the middle of the court, knelt down and plucked out a piece of grass and ate it, similar to what he did in 2011 when he won his first title here.

There had been only one service break through the first three sets before a string of three straight in the fourth as Djokovic took a 4-2 lead before holding serve again.

Djokovic fell awkwardly in the first game of the second set and called for a trainer immediately after he broke Federer’s serve to take a 2-1 lead. The trainer worked on Djokovic’s left ankle.

Djokovic again called for the trainer after the third game of the final set to have his right calf worked on.

Djokovic hits back

Federer led 3-0 in the first-set tiebreaker but later had three unforced backhand errors to let Djokovic back into it and had to save a set point when the Serb hit a backhand into the net.

Trailing 5-4 in the fourth set, Federer double-faulted to make it 30-30. He then put a backhand into the net to set up a championship point for Djokovic.

The 32-year-old Federer then hit a serve that was ruled out, but he challenged it and the Hawk-Eye replay showed that it hit the line for an ace – one of his 29 in the match. Federer went on to break in the next game before forcing a fifth set.

Djokovic said it was difficult to stay focused heading into a deciding set.

“Of course, after dropping a fourth set, it wasn’t easy to regroup and compose myself and find that necessary energy to win the fifth,” Djokovic said.

Watching Sunday’s final from the Royal Box were Prince William and his wife Kate, David Beckham and actors Bradley Cooper, Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Hemsworth.

Source: Al Jazeera