Djokovic Saves MPs In Thrilling 5-Set Win Over Federer In Wimbledon Final
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Who would have believed the last of the 254 singles matches played at Wimbledon this year would be the one that would finally make use of the new 12-all tiebreaker. But that’s tennis these days when the Gods of the Game routinely play epic, timeless matches that will be re-watched and re-examined for many years to come. And so today…
Novak Djokovic met Roger Federer for a fourth time in the Wimbledon final. The Serb was trying to win a fifth title on the lush lawns but more importantly close within four of Federer’s 20 Grand Slam titles.
On the opposite end, Federer was trying to add distance between himself and Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on that all-time list, and become the oldest champion in the Open Era.
With that as a backdrop, the top two seeds and longtime rivals put on another incredible show, and in just under five hours, Djokovic did it again, denying another rival in a thrilling 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3) nailbiter over the Swiss who held two match points in that fifth set.
“In these kinds of matches, you work for, you live for, they give sense and they give value to every minute you spend on the court training and working to get yourself in this position and play the match with one of your greatest rivals of all-time,” Djokovic said.
“I’m just obviously thrilled and overjoyed with emotions to be sitting here in front of you as a winner. It was one shot away from losing the match, as well. This match had everything. It could have gone easily his way.”
Said Federer, “I don’t know if losing 2-2-2 feels better than this one. At the end, it actually doesn’t matter to some extent. You might feel more disappointed, sad over angry,” he stated. “I don’t know what I feel right now. I just feel like it’s such an incredible opportunity missed, I can’t believe it. It is what it is.”
Federer hadn’t beaten Djokovic in a Slam in seven years, so a quick start would be critical.
Federer had break chances early in the opener but failed to pull ahead. The set eventually wrapped up in a breaker. The first set being so important – Djokovic had only lost to Federer once from a set up – and it was Djoko getting up quickly then winning the last four points for the lead.
Djokovic couldn’t add to the pressure inexplicably getting broken immediately to start the second. Federer broke again as Djokovic all but tanked away the set lead. Much like Friday in Federer’s win over Nadal, the momentum shifted in a blink.
Other than a set point saved by Djokovic at 4-5, 30-40, things went the server’s way in the third which ended in another breaker. Federer, though, failed to connect on his shots once again, handing a quick 5-1 lead to Djokovic who closed it out to go back up a set.
For the first three sets, Federer seemed to be the better player. He had more winners, was better on serve but his game left him in the breakers where the errors crept in.
With Djokovic starting to finally make inroads on the Federer serve early in the fourth, it looked bleak for the Swiss who was twice two points from dropping serve.
But out of nowhere, a pass, a double fault, an error and Federer would draw another break. He would break again before Djokovic finally got a throwaway break. A fifth was ahead as the crowd roared.
After no break chances the first three sets, Djokovic finally broke in the fourth and in the fifth, you could tell he was finding the range on the Federer serve, which also eluded him in Paris last fall.
Federer avoided peril at 1-2, 15-40 but under pressure again, he couldn’t handle a Djokovic pass at 2-3, 30-40. Djokovic would drew the first big blow going up 4-2. But the lead would be shortlived as with the shadows creeping across the court, Federer came right back in stunning fashion breaking to level.
Serving 5-6, Federer escaped a 15-30 deficit but otherwise things settled down while the tension built.
At 7-all, Djokovic was serving 30-40 when he saw a Federer forehand winner go by bringing the crowd to a fever frenzy. The break was his. The lead was his. All he had to do was serve it out!
Federer quickly and confidently went up 40-15 after ace-ace. With two match points, this should be it! Federer, though, would miss-fire a routine forehand and then Djokovic coolly came up with his own forehand pass on the second matchpoint. Novak won the next two points to break and level.
Wow. 8-all! Is this really happening?
Djokovic was down break points again at 11-all but survived (Federer missed a scary-close slice backhand pass) and then Federer held, we finally had our first singles 12-all tiebreaker at Wimbledon.
Could Djokovic win a third straight breaker over Federer?
He would again get the early lead then a finished it off after Federer errant shank ended the day.
“It was probably the most demanding, mentally most demanding, match I was ever part of,” said Djokovic. “I had the most physically demanding match against Nadal in the final of Australia that went almost six hours. But mentally this was a different level because of everything.
“I’m just obviously thrilled and overjoyed with emotions to be sitting here in front of you as a winner. It was one shot away from losing the match, as well. This match had everything. It could have gone easily his way.”
The first set was good then things went weirdly sideways for Novak in the second. The middle section of the match wasn’t great tennis, but the last 90 minutes was the most exhilarating, pulse-pounding drama on a tennis court you will ever see. And Novak was just too strong in those tiebreakers. Federer was just too error-prone. That was the difference.
Afterward, Federer admitted missing those chances was tough, but he tried to look on the bright side.
“I was still happy to be at 8-all, 9-all. I don’t remember what it was. You’ve got to try to see the positives, you try to take it as a good thing that you’re not down a break or that the match is not over yet,” Federer said. “If I could have picked it before the match to be at 9-all in the fifth, that wouldn’t be a terrible thing. You just always try to push yourself to see things on the better side. But it was definitely tough to have those chances.”
And of course the comparisons will be made the Federer’s crushing loss to Nadal in 2008 Wimbledon final.
“Like similar to ’08 maybe, I will look back at it and think, ‘Well, it’s not that bad after all.’ For now it hurts, and it should, like every loss does here at Wimbledon,” Federer said. “I think it’s a mindset. I’m very strong at being able to move on because I don’t want to be depressed about actually an amazing tennis match.
“This one is more straightforward maybe in some ways because we didn’t have the rain delays, we didn’t have the night coming in and all that stuff. But sure, epic ending, so close, so many moments. Yeah, I mean, sure there’s similarities,” he added. “I’m the loser both times, so that’s the only similarity I see.”
Meanwhile, Djokovic now has wins over both Nadal and now Federer in epic 5-set Slam finals. And he’s has now won four of the last five Slams and it doesn’t look like anyone is going to beat him other than himself.
“If this was not the most thrilling and exciting finals I was ever a part of, then definitely it’s top two or three in my career against one of the greatest players of all time – Roger,” Djokovic said. “I respect him a lot. Unfortunately in these kind of matches, one of the players has to lose and, as Roger said, we both had our chances. It’s quite unreal to be two match points down and to come back.”
For his age, Federer played extremely well and will rue those two missed match points. But he showed that he can still bring it. After all, he beat Nadal — something few thought he could do — and came within inches of another Slam this afternoon.
And his body held up just fine after a very tough win Friday over Rafa.
Will he get to 21? I don’t know. With Novak and Rafa both playing well, it’s going to be tough. But looking out over the men’s tennis landscape, all you can see are the Big 3.
“We’re making each other grow and evolve and still be in this game,” Djokovic said. “Those two guys probably one of the biggest reasons I still compete at this level. The fact that they made history of this sport motivates me as well, inspires me to try to do what they have done, what they’ve achieved, and even more.”
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