On Sunday, Novak Djokovic defeated Nick Kyrgios in four sets to win his seventh Wimbledon championship and 21st Grand Slam title. Despite a strong start, Kyrgios’ challenge eventually crumbled in frustration.
Top seed Djokovic triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), tying Pete Sampras’ record of seven titles at the All England Club and closing in on Roger Federer’s eight-title total for men.
Currently, the 35-year-old Serbian is just one major behind Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 majors and one Slam in front of Federer in the all-time standings.
Djokovic said, “I’m at a loss for words as to what this tournament and this trophy mean to me. It has been and always will be my heart’s most precious one.
Following the thawing of their formerly icy relationship at Wimbledon, Djokovic also praised Kyrgios.
It’s now a bromance, he announced.
At a time like this, it can be difficult to find words of comfort, but you proved why you are among the best players in the world.
After Bjorn Borg, Sampras, and Federer, Djokovic is the only other man to have won four consecutive Wimbledon championships during the Open era.
The Serb was “a bit of a god,” according to Kyrgios.
Congratulations to Novak and your team first and foremost. You have won these championships so frequently that I have lost count.
The player who was ranked 40th claimed to be “exhausted.”
I’m really pleased with the outcome, and I may return someday, but I’m not sure when.
At the Slams, Djokovic had experienced a challenging year.
His loss to Nadal in the French Open quarterfinals was immediately followed by his deportation from Australia due to concerns about his coronavirus vaccination status.
As things stand, he won’t be able to travel to the US for the US Open next month because of his refusal to get immunized.
Djokovic’s visa was revoked in January, which could cause him to miss the 2023 Australian Open.
Goran Ivanisevic, the coach, praised him as “heroic.” It was difficult to process everything and return to playing tennis.
As the athletes ascended the All England Club stairs to Center Court, Kyrgios could be seen yawning.
Although Djokovic was playing in a men’s record-setting 32nd Slam final, there was no laziness when the match started as the 27-year-old opponent making his debut blew him off the court.
By breaking in the fifth game and winning the opening game with his seventh ace of the match, Kyrgios breezed through the opening set.
He displayed one underarm serve, a “tweener,” and impeccable conduct along the way.
Only five points were won by Djokovic, who is known as the best returner in the sport and hasn’t lost at this tournament since 2017.
The 35-year-old had lost the opening set in three straight matches at Wimbledon.
In the third game of the second set, Djokovic won a lung-busting 23-shot rally and then broke to take a 3-1 lead.
It served as the cue for Kyrgios’ first ominous murmurs of the day.
Then, as Djokovic won the first set of their three meetings, Kyrgios let four break points slip away, leveling the match.
In the first game of the third set, Kyrgios defended against two break points.
Play was briefly halted when a protester who was shouting “Where is Peng Shuai?” in reference to the well-being of the Chinese women’s tennis star was ejected from the stadium.
Kyrgios became even more agitated when he asked for the removal of a spectator from the audience for interfering with his serve.
Renaud Lichtenstein, the umpire, was informed that it was the woman who appeared to have consumed 700 drinks.
When he was defeated after leading 40-0 in the ninth game, his afternoon threatened to fall apart completely. He was furious and yelled angrily at his team from the player’s box.
With just two unforced errors, Djokovic quickly pounced for a two sets to one advantage.
Kyrgios persisted in arguing with himself and his supporters as Djokovic easily won the match, clinching the championship with a commanding tiebreak.
At the post-match ceremony, Djokovic was reminded of his pledge to buy Kyrgios supper if he won the title once more.
Yes, that’s why he lost, the champion jokingly said.
