NOVAK DJOKOVIC EVENTUALLY broke Roger Federer’s resistance to edge another epic five-set Centre Court showdown and win his fifth Wimbledon title in the longest-ever final at SW19.
The world number one conjured a superb rearguard action to save two championship points deep in the fifth set, before his relentless power-hitting earned him his 16th Grand Slam singles title, 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 [7-3].
Djokovic is the first man since 1948 to save championship points in the final and go on to win.
Djokovic has now beaten the Swiss great in each of their three SW19 final showdowns, as the Serb defended the crown he won last year to add to the Australian Open he won earlier in 2019.
In winning his fifth Wimbledon title, Djokovic moves level with Björn Borg on the All-England Club honours board, two behind Pete Sampras and three behind Federer.
Despite being outplayed by the 37-year-old for large parts of the knife-edge encounter, Djokovic prevailed amid utter drama on Centre Court.
At four hours and 57 minutes, it was the longest Wimbledon final ever played and settled by a final set tiebreak for the first time.
“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.”
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.”
Djokovic’s win meant that the ‘Big Three’ of men’s tennis — himself, Federer and Rafael Nadal — have won the last 11 Slams.
He has now won nine of his last 11 clashes against Federer and three of their four Wimbledon meetings.
Federer carved out the only break point of the opening set — but Djokovic saved it and with serve dominating, the set was decided by the tiebreak.
The top seed was 3-1 up, then Federer inched to 5-3 before Djokovic swept the next four points.
At 58 minutes, it was two minutes longer than the women’s final on Saturday.
Djokovic, however, then went completely off the boil, losing his footing as he was broken in the first game of the second set.
Federer broke twice again and after just 25 more minutes the final was all-square with Djokovic managing just two winners in the set.
Federer was comfortably on top in the third set, flashing winners from all parts of the court but was unable to convert a set point in the 10th game.
Djokovic made him pay. Despite not managing a single break point in the match, he pounced again in the tiebreak to reclaim the lead.
Federer wasn’t finished. Back came the veteran with a double break for 5-2.
Djokovic then carved out his first break points of the match in the eighth game.
The first was saved after a breathtaking 35-shot rally before the Serb finally broke for the first time.
It was too little, too late, however, as Federer deservedly levelled the final.
Into a tense finale, Federer saved three break points in the fourth game but a drilled, backhand passing shot gave Djokovic the break in the sixth game for a 4-2 lead.
The world number one couldn’t back it up and Federer had Centre Court on their feet when he restored parity in the next game.
Despite twice being just two points from defeat, Federer broke for 8-7 but was unable to serve out for the match.
As the clock ticked past the previous longest final of 4 hours and 48 minutes it took Nadal to beat Federer in the 2008 final, the match was decided by the first 12-12 tiebreak in a singles match at the tournament.
Djokovic prevailed, moving to three championship points and claiming victory when Federer shanked a return wide.
With reporting from AFP
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2 championship points… Federer dominated the 5 sets too, criminal to lose 3 tiebreakers. Also women tennis getting paid the same as make tennis players is another joke.. 5 hours work gets the same at under an hour lol
@Chonky Racoon: troll or idiot?
@Michael Buckley: Feminist or idiot?
@Michael Buckley: what about my comment is trolling? Apart my horrendous spelling.. I honestly don’t see how womens tennis players get paid the same amount, less work, less quality, literally everything to do with tennis skill wise is vastly superior in the men’s game
@Michael Buckley: he’s usually both but how’s he wrong on this?
@Michael Buckley: you’re being ridiculous. If men play 5 sets and women 3, simply pay them pro rata. If the women come up to 5 sets, then they get paid the same as men. It’s not difficult.
@Michael Buckley:
What do you mean ?? Chonky has a very good point . Roger will be kicking himself he had the position and should have finished it off (though he had it )
“5 hours work gets the same at under an hour lo” These two finials are a wonderful example of what is wrong in the game , 5 hours versus 1 hour crazy stuff !! Five Sets versus 2 sets !! Same Money !! Madness !!
@Michael Buckley: Chonky Racoon is both
@Chonky Racoon: Sounds to me that the women are more efficient— getting a job done in less than an hour when it took the lads over five. That deserves a raise!
@Michael Buckley: definitely idiot
@Ajax Penumbra: more efficient for another woman to beat another woman in an hr is comparable to 2 men basically going toe to toe hitting never seen b4 standards how? Worst statement ever. Hardly going to be used in the sporting equality courts as an argument is it!
@Martin Quinn: if this year’s men’s final finished in 3 sets the prize money would still be the same. The prize for winning the tournament is not based on games played, hours on court, etc. Can’t understand why men with no involvement in the sport are so offended by it yet those within the game are in favour of it.
@Michael Buckley: in fairness, women tennis players have the fitness to play a best of 5 sets.
Sexism isn’t about stating the obvious!
@Charles Alexander: then start the obvious. Let them play the best of 5. Simple
@Martin Quinn: stupid arguement it could also have been 3 sets each depending on the final. If both men and women sell the same tickets for the same price then it should be equal prize money.
@Chonky Racoon: The women have to cover the same costs in terms of coaching, travel, etc, and do just as much work in training and prep as the men. Most female players are happy to play best of five, but it would be a scheduling nightmare at the slams. Btw the men play best of three for most of the year.
@Michael Buckley: he’s right… it’s bullshit
@The Bloody Nine: men play best of 5 sets and women play best of 3…. hardly unreasonable to question the prize money equality ?? The sponsors yesterday got an hour of exposure, today they got 5!
@BMJF: The women agreed to play best of 5 at the slams but they were rejected. The prize money is for winning the tournament and isn’t based on time spent on court. The people within the game are in favour of equal prize money for the slams, it’s been this way for years. It’s only outraged men outside of tennis that have an issue with it as if they’re the ones somehow out of pocket.
@Chonky Racoon: someone really should explain to you how payments to athletes, celebrities, singers, actors etc work
What a match !
@The Sports_Scoop: What a twit Djokovic is. NO CLASS- GRASS eating chest beating TWIT. Just about deserved to win it no class.
@T Meister: Not alone did he have to beat Federer, he had to contend with a very partisan crowd. He never gives up.
Both are great players. As a Djokovic fan I would have congratulated Federer had he won. Don’t be a sore loser.
@T Meister:
He sounded pretty classy in the post-match interview to be fair.
@Greg O’Broin: Greg I started he deserved his win just as would RF had it gone the other way. No soreness re loss but can’t stand the antics which were diplomatically pushed aside with his courteous speech.
@T Meister:
What antics?
@T Meister: you’re a bigger twit
Epic match…..delighted for Djokovic
I’m going to grab my wooden racket and draw a chalk court out on the road now that’s over .
A bit off topic but does anyone middle aged like myself remember when Wimbledon would start years ago? Kids would be out on the road playing tennis and pretending to be their favourite player.(mine was McEnroe) We would play while the tournament was on and for a week or so after the it ended, then it would be back to playing football, squares or kerbs. Kids don’t seem to do it anymore. Maybe I’m wrong. Has anyone seen kids in their estates play tennis recently? The kids on my road play football from time to time, but it doesn’t seem anything like the amount of time we used to play. Maybe it’s down to iPads or other interests kids have now, I don’t know. Just a thought if anyone would like to respond. Ohh and smart ass,, I know it’s a cool story bro, and it would make a good movie too… ;)
@Devilsavocado: kids out my front window playing tennis rite now
@Devilsavocado: Guilty as charged!
@Devilsavocado: Kids these days do not know how to play. It is as simple and as black and white as that. If I suggested playing tennis or go fishing with my own here then I am told I am weird.
Phones and computers have destroyed it for kids.
@Devilsavocado: If the kids wanted to play on the road now they would be run over by horses scrambling bikes or quads.
@Devilsavocado: too much traffic, too many parked cars. Parents are scared to let kids younger than teens out unsupervised nowadays. Probably different up the country
@Darren Moore:
Ah, nostalgia.
You just took me back 40 years.
@Devilsavocado: Yes runnin to quinsworth to buy a piece of crap tennis racket more spring in me sieve then playin on the tarmac squares on the road, which was perfect for doubles and for singles, it was like the council knew it would come in ha st 3 weeks every year, but finding a tennis ball was the hard bit?
@Dougal67: ha ha, ye tennis balls were gold dust!! My next door neighbours had a dog that had a taste for tennis balls, when he seen us playing he was straight out onto the road to nab it and take off looking for a chase,, that was another thing from days gone by, people’s dogs just hung out in their gardens or on the roads, they were called in for their dinner and at night just like the kids were,, ah the nostalgia. :)
@Devilsavocado: Yeh our neighbors dog patch was his name always ate them, and they were the really crappy ones that wouldn’t bounce but we’re always in the bargain bin…great memories….now kids play it on Xbox
@Devilsavocado: Children on my road actually out and drawing courts on the road. A safe cul de sac. And its great to see them playing tennis like we did as children.
@Patricia: brilliant to hear Patricia, so much better for them to be out playing a sport with friends, the benefits health wise and for developing social skills really makes sitting in a room on a iPad or games console seem like a waste of their youth. IMO.
Between this and the cricket it has been a quality evening of sports! Bandwagon must be jammed at the moment.
Unreal! Djokovic brilliant! Federer so unlucky. Semi against Nadal didn’t help Federer but what a performance from him. 1st final 5 setter to be settled like that. 37 my ahole!
@Ado Smith: are you suggesting he’s lying about his age, what’s your point?
Great final!
An Irishman just capt world cup team … worth a story 42 ?
@Michael Flannery:
Had both the tennis and the cricket on at the same time.
I’m not a fan of final kills – like penalty shoot outs – but the Super Over was great excitement – literally down to Archer’s last delivery!
Wow
Great game
Over and back trying to watch the tennis and the cricket. Well done to Djokovic excellent final.
An Irishman captained a World Cup team ., worth a story??
@Michael Flannery: we’ve had a few Irish men captain World Cup teams over the years.
Great to see Djokovic win that. Federer was exceptional too. Not sure why the crowd were so keen for Federer to win.Classy if a bit of a dryshite. Djokovic is sound..anyone see his video impersonating other players ?
Great match. Think Djokovic has a good chance of winning the most slams…
The real GOAT!!
@Verandah: was just beaten by The Juice.
Best all round sporting day in years
Kosovo is Serbia
@Paddy Nolan: Failed Geography ?
Fantastic. I was hoping Nadal would win this year
@Ann Nugent: Grass court ain’t his thing
What a match. Two great champions. Ide Nole!