Novak Djokovic Wins Wimbledon: The Joker Gets the Last Laugh – Again
The 2015 edition of The Championships at Wimbledon had a retro feel going into the final weekend. Serena Williams was one match away from clinching a second Serena Slam a scant 12 years after she first accomplished the feat. Roger Federer was going for a record 8th Wimbledon title a dozen years after his first triumph on the legendary grass courts. In 2003, Federer’s win over Mark Philippoussis marked the beginning of his dominance over the ATP – it was his first Slam title. Now, less than a month away from his 34th birthday, Federer was trying to add to his unmatched 17 Major count.
But wait, there’s more. In both the ladies’ doubles final on Saturday and the mixed doubles final on Sunday, the crowds at SW19 were able to see Martina Hingis, one year older than both Serena Williams and Roger Federer, partner to win both titles. Hingis’ triumph in the ladies’ doubles came an incredible 13 years after her last title in that same discipline, and 16 years after her last singles title.
Once Serena and Hingis took care of business on Saturday, the stage was set for another golden chapter in Federer’s iconic career. After all, he had looked absolutely impeccable in his semifinal win over Andy Murray. The hometown favorite and one of the three great returners of serve of this era, Murray was helpless against a truly remarkable serving performance from the seven-time champion.
Federer’s rival in the final, defending champion Novak Djokovic, had looked solid throughout the fortnight, with the lone exception being the surprise five-setter against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in the round of 16. Djokovic had to overcome a two-sets-to-love deficit, and even had to fight off a break point in the deciding set. After surviving Anderson, Djokovic went back to his old ways, dispatching last year’s US Open winner, Marin Cilic, and Frenchman Richard Gasquet with little drama, setting himself up to defend the title earned last year against Federer in a classic five-setter. Still, as the final Sunday approached, many wondered how Djokovic would perform in his 17th Grand Slam final, just weeks removed from a heartbreaking loss to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open title match.
Turns out Djokovic not only ended the retro theme on Sunday – he did so convincingly. The World No. 1 lifted the Wimbledon trophy for the third time in his career after a 7-6 (1), 6-7 (10), 6-4, 6-3 win over Federer, in what was the pair’s 40th meeting. But even if the last two sets were relatively straightforward, the first two were a tight, tense tug-of-war between the two all-time greats.
You could argue Federer was the better player through the first 12 games of the first set. He had held a break lead early, and got a look at two set points on Djokovic’s serve at 5-6. However, Djokovic erased the break lead immediately after surrendering it, and wiped out the set points with some clutch serving. The World No. 1 then upped the ante in the tiebreaker, racing to a thumping 7-1 scoreline after a remarkable defensive get in the opening point of the breaker.
The second set was slightly similar, though it was Djokovic who let opportunities go. The Serb had a set point on Federer’s serve at 5-4, and then not one, not two, not three, but six more in the eventual tiebreaker. Federer, encouraged by a sympathetic crowd on Centre Court, came up with some vintage magic to escape and level the match at one set all.
In the changeover between sets, Djokovic tried to tear his shirt apart, and seemed to go on a rather intense rant, most certainly induced by the lost chances to go up two sets to none. Whatever the case, his outburst helped: Break points at the start of the pivotal third set would prove to be the last time Federer generated a break chance, and after surviving the threat, Novak swiftly imposed his will on the match. Before a short rain delay in the middle of the third set interrupted proceedings, Djokovic had gained a break lead he would not surrender. And not long after clinching a two-sets-to-one lead, he was holding the pineapple-crowned golden cup once again.