On Sunday, Novak Djokovic defeated Nick Kyrgios in four sets to win his eighth Wimbledon championship and 21st Grand Slam title. Despite a strong start, Kyrgios’ campaign eventually crumbled in despair.
Top seed Djokovic triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), tying Pete Sampras’ seven victories at the All England Club and closing in on Roger Federer’s eight-title total for men.
Currently, the 35-year-old Serbian is only one major behind Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 majors and one Slam in front of Federer in the all-time standings.
Djokovic stated, “I’m at a loss for words about what this tournament and this trophy mean to me. It has been and always will be my heart’s most precious one.
Following the thawing of their once icy friendship at Wimbledon, Djokovic also lauded Kyrgios.
It’s now a bromance, he said.
“After this competition, I wish you the best because you proved that you deserve to be the greatest in the world, particularly on this surface.”
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After Bjorn Borg, Sampras, and Federer, Djokovic is the only other guy to have won four consecutive Wimbledon championships during the Open era.
The Serb was “a bit of a deity,” according to Kyrgios.
Congratulations to Novak and your team, first and foremost. You have won these titles so often that I have lost count.
The player who was rated 40th claimed to be “exhausted.”
I’m pretty pleased with the outcome, and I may return some time, but I’m not sure when.
As the athletes ascended the All England Club steps to Center Court, Kyrgios could be spotted yawning.
“That’s why he lost!”
Although Djokovic played in a men’s record-setting 32nd Slam final, there was no laziness as the match started as the 27-year-old opponent making his debut blew him off the court.
By breaking in the fifth game and winning the first game with his sixth ace of the match, Kyrgios breezed through the opening set.
He displayed one underarm serve, a “tweener,” and perfect conduct along the way.
Only five points were won by Djokovic, who is known as the top returner in the sport and hasn’t lost in this event since 2017.
The 35-year-old has lost the first set in three straight matches at Wimbledon.
In the third game of the second set, Djokovic won a lung-busting 23-shot rally and then broke to take a 3-1 lead.
It catalyzed Kyrgios’ first ominous murmurs of the day.
Then, when Djokovic won the opening set of their three encounters, Kyrgios let four break chances slip away, levelling the match.
In the first game of the third set, Kyrgios defended against two break chances.
The play was briefly halted when a protester who was chanting “Where is Peng Shuai?” about the well-being of the Chinese women’s tennis star was expelled from the stadium.
Kyrgios became even more agitated when he asked for the removal of a spectator from the audience for interfering with his serve.
Renaud Lichtenstein, the umpire, was informed that it was the lady who seemed to have had 700 drinks.
His day threatened to fall apart when he was defeated after leading 40-0 in the ninth game. Furious, he yelled angrily at his squad from the player’s box.
With only two unforced mistakes, Djokovic quickly pounced for two sets to one advantage.
Kyrgios argued with himself and his fans as Djokovic easily won the match, clinching the championship with a commanding tiebreak.
At the post-match ceremony, Djokovic was reminded of his pledge to give Kyrgios supper if he won the championship again.
Yes, that’s why he lost, the champion jokingly said.
