By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, July 15, 2018
Novak Djokovic swept ninth-seeded Kevin Anderson, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3), capturing his fourth Wimbledon crown and 13th Grand Slam title.
Photo credit: Rob Newall/CameraSport
Wandering through the tennis wilderness for the past year, a determined Novak Djokovic tasted splendor in the grass today.
Rafa: Novak Back to Best
Breaking to open, Djokovic deconstructed a battered Kevin Anderson, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the Wimbledon final to capture his 13th career Grand Slam championship.
Converting his second championship point with a stinging serve, Djokovic wrapped a two-hour, 18 minute triumph, knelt on his knees and plucked pieces of the Centre Court lawn in feasting on the moment.
Three months after spiraling in a career free-fall to No. 22 —his lowest ranking since 2006—Djokovic hurdled 6'8" tower of power and stuck the landing for his fourth career Wimbledon crown in his fifth final.
Following a six-month sabatical from the sport after the 2017 Wimbledon, Djokovic endured elbow-surgery, a severe confidence crisis, a racquet change, a premature return, purging of his coaching team and reunion with coach Marián Vajda to create the most rousing comeback of his career.
"I had the surgery and was absent from the tour in six months and faced, for the first time, this kind of severe injury," Djokovic said. "I didn't really know what's expected of me. I had many moments of doubt. I didn't really know if I could comeback to the level to compete.
"This is my first Grand Slam final after a couple of years. There is no better place in the world to make a comeback. This is a sacred place for the world of tennis. I've always dreamed of holding this trophy as a young boy so this is very, very special."
Former coach Boris Becker declared Djokovic brings his best tennis when he he competes with an edgy "street fighter" intensity.
Today, a calm and clinical Djokovic punished a punch-drunk opponent whose body was beaten down by winning the longest match in Centre Court history—a six hour, 36-minute semifinal epic over ninth-seeded John Isner—which came after Anderson fought off match point dethroning defending champion Roger Federer in a four hour, 14-minute quarterfinal thriller.
"First two sets Novak beat up on me pretty bad," Anderson said afterward. "I came maybe within a point or two of pushing it to a fourth set. Playing Novak is not easy. He's a true champion in our sport. Congratulations to him and his whole team."
Beneath a sun-splashed sky, Djokovic broke in the opening game of the first two sets and denied five set points on serve in the third before a packed Centre Court crowd, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Hall of Famers Rod Laver, Chrissie Evert, Stefan Edberg, Stan Smith and John Newcombe and actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Grant.
It is Djokovic's 13th career Grand Slam championship and first since he conquered Andy Murray to claim the 2016 Roland Garros and complete the career Grand Slam.
Big Four dominance at SW19 continues as Djokovic's triumph marks the 16th consecutive year one of the Big Four—world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray—raised the Wimbledon title trophy.
This rematch of the 2015 Wimbledon fourth round was devoid of drama for two sets as Djokovic roared through eight of the first 10 games against a sluggish opponent before Anderson found his game and agression in the third set.
Calm and clutch throughout, Djokovic denied all seven break points he faced and converted all four of his break-point chances.
"Kevin deserves it," Djokovic said. "He has had an incredible run, quite a few hours in semifinals and quarterfinals on court. Today, being in his first Wimbledon final, he didn't play his best for two sets. In the third set, he was the better player. I was quite lucky to get through."
Anderson won the toss, elected to serve and immediately sputtered double-faulting into the tape to donate the break in the opening game.
Caught in a vortex of a depleted fuel tank, aching feet from playing 21 hours to reach the final, spiking Centre Court jitters and an unerring three-time champion across the net, the stiff South African spit up six errors in the first seven minutes as Djokovic backed up the break for 2-0.
Playing solid cross-court combinations and devious low slice backhands to test the big man's legs, a precise Djokovic was much quicker off the mark.
Dipping a gyrating pass that handcuffed the 6'8" baseliner, Djokovic banged out a second break for 4-1 at the 18-minute mark.
Matters went from bad to worse for Anderson, who asked chair umpire James Keothavong to call for the trainer on the ensuing changeover for an apparent right elbow issue.
Smelling salts and a defibrillator could not remedy a dire first-set case.
Cruising through his service games with command, Djokovic closed out the 29-minute opener winning 16 of 19 service points as sluggish Anderson received elbow message.
The 31-year-old Djokovic knows all about cranky elbows. Djokovic underwent elbow surgery in February following his fourth-round loss to Hyeon Chung at the Australian Open, rushed back too quickly and suffered back-to-back opening-round exits in Indian Wells, to 109th-ranked qualifier Taro Daniel, and Miami where he bowed to 47th-ranked Benoit Paire.
Days later, Djokovic confirmed he cleaned house splitting with coaches Andre Agassi and Radek Stepanek as questions about the Serbian's health, commitment and results swirled.
Winning is the only answer and Djokovic has been in fine problem-solving form rolling through 11 of 12 matches during this grass-court season.
A fully focused Djokovic delivered declarative strikes converting his third break point in as many chances to start the second set with a break.
A heavy-legged Anderson couldn't gain traction in rallies against an oppressive opponent. Anderson slapped his third double fault then sailed a wild forehand. A decisive Djokovic was a perfect four-for-four on break points extending to a one-set, 4-1 lead.
Serving for a two-set lead, Djokovic absorbed Anderson's heavy hitting denying the first break point he faced all day. A backhand bolt down the line brought him to set point and Djokovic whipped a wide serve moving to within a set of his 13th Grand Slam crown after a ruthless 72 minutes of play.
Down 3-4 in the third set, Djokovic denied break point then erupted in a roaring primal scream stinging the service line to even after eight games.
Exerting his presence, Anderson capped a two-ace game with a slick low volley for 5-4. Following a forehand forward Anderson drew to 30-all then gained set point when Djokovic committed his third double fault.
The crowd prematurely roared wrongly thinking Djokovic's forehand was floating long but topspin brought it down good, Anderson slipped and the Serbian moved forward blocking a volley to save set point.
Spiking stress saw Djokovic double fault again to face a second set point, but he saved it with a stinging serve and forehand combination. Holding for 5-all, Djokovic screamed in celebration hurling a fist pump toward his support box.
A stray forehand left Djokovic confronting two more set points in the 12th game. He served the first with the slider serve and fended off the second crunching a clutch forehand down the line.
Thumping a forehand into the corner brought Anderson to a fifth set point, but his stretched forehand return went long as Djokovic stood tall through his toughest test of the match to force the tie break.
The trophy was within reach and Djokovic was in no mood to let the moment slip from his grip.
Spinning a forehand pass down the line, Djokovic stamped a 3-1 tie break lead he quickly stretched to 6-2.
On his second championship point, Djokovic drilled a stinging serve to seal his 13th Grand Slam title. The title that spanned two hours, 18 minutes was really two years in the making.
"I think that my serve worked really well maybe even better than when I won against Roger back in 2015," Djokovic said. "Today, I played some really great tennis, especially coming back from two-day marathon against Nadal and managed to play first two sets quite amazing.
"I really felt great. Kevin stepped up and to be honest he was the better player for most of the third set. I managed to hold my composure, stay calm and look more matches you win, more confident, more you feel better about yourself, more you feel comfortable hitting the ball. There's no secret about that."
Djokovic grew up skiing in the mountains and continues climbing rare Grand Slam peaks.
The Serbian stood alongside the giants of the game capturing his fourth consecutive Grand Slam crown and 12th major title at the 2016 Roland Garros joining Don Budge and Rod Laver as only the third man in history to hold all four major championships simultaneously—47 years after Laver completed the feat.
This spirited run to his fourth Wimbledon champions re-configures the major landscape.
The 31-year-old Djokovic proved he has the skills to scale more Slam summits. With no ranking points to defend through the end of the year, Djokovic can continue his climb a toward the top and close the Grand Slam gap on 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer and 17-time major winner Nadal.