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LONDON (AFP) – Novak Djokovic received a seventh Wimbledon title and twenty first Grand Slam crown on Sunday with a four-set overcome Nick Kyrgios, whose problem unravelled in frustration after a blistering begin.
Prime seed Djokovic received 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) to equal Pete Sampras’s mark of seven titles on the All England Membership and transfer inside one of many males’s document of eight held by Roger Federer.
The 35-year-old Serb is now one Slam forward of Federer within the all-time race and only one behind Rafael Nadal’s document of twenty-two majors.
“I’m misplaced for phrases for what this match and this trophy means to me,” mentioned Djokovic. “It at all times has been and would be the most particular one in my coronary heart.”
Djokovic additionally praised Kyrgios after their once-frosty relationship thawed at Wimbledon.
“It’s formally a bromance,” he declared.
“It’s robust to search out comfort phrases at a second like this however you confirmed why you’re the most effective gamers on the earth.”
Djokovic is simply the fourth man within the Open period to win 4 successive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Sampras and Federer.
Kyrgios mentioned the Serb was “a little bit of a god”.
“To begin with congratulations to Novak and your workforce, you’ve received these championships that many instances I don’t even know any extra.”
The Fortieth-ranked participant mentioned he was “exhausted”.
Djokovic had endured a tough yr on the Slams.
His deportation from Australia over his coronavirus vaccination standing was adopted by a quarter-final loss to Nadal on the French Open.
His refusal to get vaccinated will bar him from flying to the USA subsequent month for the US Open as issues stand.
Djokovic might additionally miss the 2023 Australian Open as a consequence of getting his visa cancelled in January.
“He’s heroic,” mentioned coach Goran Ivanisevic. “It was not straightforward to digest all these issues and are available again to play tennis.”
Kyrgios was seen yawning on the prime of the All England Membership stairs because the gamers made their method onto Centre Court docket.
– ‘That’s why he misplaced!’
However there was no lethargy when the ultimate started as Djokovic, taking part in in a males’s document thirty second Slam last, was blown off court docket by his 27-year-old opponent making his maiden bow.
Kyrgios raced by the primary set, breaking within the fifth recreation and taking the opener together with his seventh ace of the competition.
Alongside the best way, he showcased one underarm serve, a “tweener” and impeccable behaviour.
Djokovic, famend as the perfect returner within the recreation and undefeated on the match since 2017, managed to win simply 5 factors off the Kyrgios serve.
It was the third match in a row at this Wimbledon that the 35-year-old had dropped the primary set.
Djokovic received a lung-busting 23-shot rally within the third recreation of the second set and instantly broke for a 3-1 lead.
It was the cue for Kyrgios’s first darkish mutterings of the afternoon.
Kyrgios then noticed 4 break factors slip away as Djokovic levelled the ultimate by taking his first set off the Australian in three conferences.
Kyrgios saved two break factors within the opening recreation of the third set.
There was a short stoppage in play when a protestor was ejected from the stadium for shouting ‘The place is Peng Shuai?’ in reference to the welfare of the Chinese language ladies’s tennis star.
Kyrgios was additional unsettled when he demanded a fan be faraway from the group for distracting him in his serve.
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