Novak Djokovic ended his Grand Slam drought and Roger Federer’s hopes of a record eighth Wimbledon title with a thrilling five-set victory.<\/p>\n
The Serb, 27, came through 6-7 (7-9) 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-4 to win his second Wimbledon and seventh Grand Slam title.<\/p>\n
After letting a championship point slip in the fourth set, he won Wimbledon’s first five-set final since 2009.<\/p>\n
Djokovic had lost his previous three major finals, and will now reclaim the number one ranking from Rafael Nadal.<\/p>\n
“After losing the fourth set it wasn’t easy to go on and win the fifth set, I don’t know how I did it,” Djokovic told BBC Sport.<\/p>\n
“This is the best tournament in the world and the one I always wanted to win so to be able to compete at such a high level I am so grateful.”<\/p>\n
Federer, 32, had hoped to surpass Pete Sampras with an eighth title and become the oldest winner in modern times.<\/p>\n
The Swiss was willed on by much of the 15,000-strong crowd throughout the final, with chants of “Roger! Roger!” ringing around Centre Court when he reeled off five successive games from 5-2 down in the fourth set.<\/p>\n
But Djokovic recovered his nerve to fend off break points in the decider and clinch a dramatic win after three hours and 56 minutes, before kneeling on the turf and eating some grass – just as he had done after winning in 2011.<\/p>\n
He then headed into the stands to celebrate with his team, including three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, brought in by Djokovic at the start of the year to help end his run of 18 months without a major win<\/p>\n
With seven Grand Slam titles to his name now, Djokovic moves alongside the likes of John McEnroe and Mats Wilander – 10 behind Federer at the top of the all-time list.<\/p>\n
Federer, with Becker’s old foe Stefan Edberg in his corner, had served superbly throughout the tournament and it almost brought him an eighth title.<\/p>\n
The Swiss took a desperately tight first set on the tie-break after saving two set points but, after a heavy tumble early in the second, Djokovic finally broke the fourth seed with a backhand pass to lead 2-1 – only the second time in the tournament the Swiss had dropped serve.<\/p>\n
A huge fist pump in the direction of his player box followed when he saw out the set, and despite Federer landing 83% of first serves and hitting 13 aces in the third set, the Serb took the tie-break when Federer’s forehand let him down.
\nNovak Djokovic and Roger Federer<\/p>\n
Djokovic was playing in his third Wimbledon final in four years, having lost to Andy Murray last year<\/p>\n
Victory was within sight when Djokovic twice moved ahead in the fourth, but Federer recovered the first break with a magnificent forehand winner, and then launched an astonishing comeback from 5-2 down.<\/p>\n
A nervous Djokovic slipped to 0-30 when serving for the title and could only watch while sprawled on the turf as Federer guided a forehand into the open court on break point.<\/p>\n
Djokovic’s return game remained potent enough to earn a championship point at 5-4, only for Hawk-Eye to confirm that Federer’s serve had kept the contest alive.<\/p>\n
In under 10 minutes, the Serb would go from the brink of victory to an unwelcome fifth set as another edgy, error-strewn service game allowed Federer to go on and close out the fourth.<\/p>\n
Riding a wave of adrenalin and overwhelming support in the decider, the Swiss had his chance at 3-3 but failed to convert a break point.<\/p>\n
Federer brilliantly played his way out of three break points in the following game but Djokovic was in the ascendancy again.<\/p>\n
With the advantage of serving first in the decider, Djokovic made it to 5-4 and was able to hit freely, earning another two championship points and raising his arms in triumph when Federer netted a backhand on the second.
\nNovak Djokovic and Roger Federer<\/p>\n
Djokovic and Federer were meeting for the 35th time, but only the second in a Grand Slam final
\nNovak Djokovic<\/p>\n
Djokovic needed attention in the second set after a fall but came storming back
\nNovak Djokovic and Boris Becker<\/p>\n
Djokovic headed into the stands to celebrate with coach and former champion Boris Becker
\nNovak Djokovic<\/p>\n
A second Wimbledon title and seventh Grand Slam ends an 18-month drought without a major win
\nRoger Federer<\/p>\n
Federer could have surpassed Arthur Ashe in 1975 as the oldest male winner in modern times<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC Sport<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Novak Djokovic ended his Grand Slam drought and Roger Federer’s hopes of a record eighth Wimbledon title with a thrilling five-set victory. The Serb, 27, came through 6-7 (7-9) 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-4 to win his second Wimbledon and seventh Grand Slam title. After letting a championship point slip in the fourth set, he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":30112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[824,1592,3,1549,31],"yoast_head":"\n