Serbia’s Novak Djokovic raises the winner’s trophy after beating Switzerland’s Roger Federer during their men’s singles final on day thirteen of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 14, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)
Wimbledon 2019: Djokovic wins longest ever final against Federer
Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in an epic Wimbeldon classic on Sunday to claim his 16th Grand Slam title and fifth at SW19.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic raises the winner’s trophy after beating Switzerland’s Roger Federer during their men’s singles final on day thirteen of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 14, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)
Defending champion Novak Djokovic claimed his fifth Wimbledon title on Sunday beating eight-time champion Roger Federer in the longest ever final.
Djokovic won 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 13-12 (7/3) in a match settled by a historic tie-break.
The 32-year-old Serbian saved two match points on his way to an incredible 16th Grand Slam title, four off Federer’s overall record. His win gets him well and truly in the frame for any future discussions of the Greatest of All Time debate.
Djokovic’s victory extends to 11 the number successive Grand Slams won by the so-called big three, himself, Federer and Rafael Nadal.
At 4 hours and 57 minutes Sunday’s match was the longest ever final at Wimbledon.
Stan Wawrinka was the last player outside the trio to win a Grand Slam, when he won the 2016 US Open beating Djokovic in the final at Flushing Meadow.
The last player to win a Grand Slam aged under 30 was Andy Murray, who won the 2016 Wimbledon title aged 29. The next generation of players have spoken before about the pressure to step out of the illustrious shadow’s of perhaps the three greatest men’s tennis players ever.
One of the great Wimbledon comebacks
Djokovic is the first man in 71 years to win the title from match points down.
He is now level with Bjorn Borg as a five-time Wimbledon winner.
“I think that if this is not the most exciting final then definitely it’s in the top two or three of my career against one of the greatest players of all time, Roger, who I respect,” said Djokovic.
“Unfortunately in this type of match someone has to lose. It is quite unreal to be two match points down to come back and strange to play a tie-break at 12-12.”
Djokovic is just four Grand Slam titles shy of the all-time record held by Federer who is more than five years older.
It was incredibly tough on Federer, chasing a ninth Wimbledon crown, who didn’t face a break point until the eighth game of the fourth set.
He even had two match points in the 16th game of the deciding set which lasted over two hours.
“It was long and it had everything. I had answers, so did he and we played some great tennis,” said Federer.
“I hope I give some other people at 37 the feeling it is not over yet.”
Additional reporting by AFP.
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