Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Djokovic recovers against Kyrgios to win Wimbledon

Djokovic recovers against Kyrgios to win Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic underlined his recent dominance at Wimbledon with a composed and controlled fightback against Australia's Nick Kyrgios to win a fourth consecutive men's singles title.

Serbia's Djokovic, 35, lost the first set after some superb serving from Kyrgios, but ended up winning 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-3) on Centre Court.

It is Djokovic's seventh SW19 men's title and only Roger Federer has more.

Victory also moved him one behind Rafael Nadal's record 22 men's majors.

Top seed Djokovic made a slower start than his 27-year-old opponent, who initially seemed nerveless in his first Grand Slam singles final.

But the Serb did not lose belief as he showed all of his experience and nous to turn the match around.

"He's a bit of a god, I'm not going to lie. I thought I played well," Kyrgios said as he congratulated Djokovic.

Losing his winning position began to irritate Kyrgios, who is known for his fiery temperament as well as his exciting tennis.

While Kyrgios increasingly remonstrated with his support team, Djokovic remained cool in the heat of the battle on a scorching Centre Court.

After clinching victory with his third match point, Djokovic dropped to his haunches and picked a blade of the Centre Court grass to eat in what has now become a customary celebration.

It was a first major win of the year for the Serb, who was stopped from playing in the Australian Open after being deported because of his vaccination status, and lost to Rafael Nadal in the French Open quarter-finals.


'Bromance' confirmed after gripping final


In temperatures passing 30C in London, a 15,000 near-capacity crowd including royals and celebrities were enthralled in what was surely the hottest ticket in town.

Djokovic had joked there would be "fireworks" in a match against a player who, like him, has shown the tendency to be combustible on the court.

The pair have also had an uneasy relationship in the past, with Kyrgios last year branding Djokovic a "tool" and a "strange cat".

The tension had eased at the All England Club, with Kyrgios revealing a "bromance" had developed between the pair before they were seen joking together at their practices on Saturday.

The relationship remained cordial when the serious business began on Sunday, both knowing that losing their cool could provide encouragement to their opponent.

Kyrgios, who had spoken about struggling to sleep because of the excitement of reaching his first major singles final, initially did well to keep his emotions in check.

But, as the momentum of the match began to turn, Kyrgios took his frustration out on his family and friends.

Having so far been calm and reserved, he began chuntering and gesturing at them midway through the second set.

The frustrations reappeared as the third set and fourth-set tie-break moved away from him, with the steely Djokovic drawing out mistakes to seal a 21st major title with the third of five championship points.

Djokovic roared towards his box in delight at clinching victory, then put his arm around Kyrgios, who smiled as he received some words - seemingly of encouragement - from his opponent.

In his on-court victory speech, Djokovic told Kyrgios he would "be back" in a major final.

"It is tough to find consolation words at a moment like this but you showed why you are one of the best players in the world," he said.

"I wish you all the best. I respect you a lot and you are a phenomenal talent.

"I never thought I would say so many nice things about you! OK, it's official: it is a bromance."


Djokovic proves again why he is tough to beat


Kyrgios had beaten Djokovic in both of their previous two matches, which came in three-set matches on hard courts.

Playing Djokovic over five sets on grass was always likely to be a different proposition.

Djokovic had not lost a match at Wimbledon since 2017 - when he retired from a quarter-final against Tomas Berdych - and was going for his 28th consecutive victory on the surface.

But Djokovic - regarded as the game's greatest returner - could not live with Kyrgios' serve as the world number 40 made a superb start.

Kyrgios broke for a 3-2 lead on the way to taking the opening set and dropped just five points on serve, hitting seven aces and winning 81% of his first-serve points.

A delicately-poised third game of the second set swung Djokovic's way as he outlasted Kyrgios in a 23-shot rally and then ended another long duel with a sublime drop shot to clinch the break.

That set the platform for the world number three, now fully dialled in, to swing the second set in his favour.

Djokovic was unable to convert either of two break points in the first game of the third set, shortly before the match was briefly disrupted by a protester in the stands who was removed from Centre Court by security.

Djokovic continued to make Kyrgios work hard for his holds but the set continued on serve until a ninth game where the Australian produced a double fault for break point and then hit a backhand into the net.

While Kyrgios ranted again at his box, Djokovic remained calm on his chair as he prepared to serve out for the lead.

The Serb managed to block out the drama from his opponent to clinch the third set and, in a sign of his focused state of mind, celebrated with a gentle shake of his racquet.

Neither player made much of an impression on the other's serve in the fourth set, leading to a tie-break where Djokovic drew more errors to clinch victory.


Analysis


Nine-time Wimbledon doubles champion Todd Woodbridge on BBC TV

Kyrgios came out as he had to, to put the pressure on the champion, with an exceptional array of shots. But then Novak, who we have seen so many times before, came through with the consistency, the determination and the accuracy.

There's no indication of Djokovic slowing down. His intention is to continue to go after that (Grand Slam) record. He's got a little closer again now. But when you watch him here on the grass, there's a lot of work to be done by the rest of the field to be able to beat him here at the Championships.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
×