Novak Djokovic has won his 9th grand slam at Wimbledon, beating Roger Federer in a dramatic four-set final. He's now the owner of three Wimbledon titles, and extends his lead as the best player in the ATP right now.
An aggressive start from Federer
Federer started off the final with a perfect service game, holding to love with precise and heavy serves. Despite the Swiss' aggression early on in the first set, Djokovic held his own serve due to some errors from his opponent. Federer came off the blocks like a man on a mission, he was playing brutally.
The quality of the match was high from the start, there were some heavy exchanges. Djokovic survived another service game despite some heavy returns, evening out the scoreline for 2-2. Federer's consistency on his first serve throughout The Championships had been one of his most impressive statistics, and he was continuing that so far today, as many of his service games were held very easily. Federer was taking every opportunity of Novak's short balls, and reached triple break point on his serve. With Novak's forehand into the net, the Swiss broke and edged in front 4-2.
A tight first set
Djokovic won a stunning cross court rally, sending his groundstrokes deep and perfectly positioned. He had two break points, but the first was saved with a huge serve from Federer. Djokovic took the next though, as Federer's attempt to return a passing shot found the net. The set was even once again, and there was still everything to play for. The Serb consolidated with a very strong service game, but Federer responded with his own dominant game, leading 5-4. A fantastic exchange at the net finished with a perfect passing shot from Federer, but it was Djokovic who won the game, leveling the scoreline at 5-5.
It was a very tight set, and the momentum continued to shift. Djokovic won a stunning rally, scrambling to get back into the court, but sealed with a drop shot resting right on the line, Federer held serve for 6-5. A 15 shot rally was won by the world number one. The Serb followed with an ace, but then served a double fault, gifting Federer the position of being two points away from the set. With a forehand into the net from the Serb, Federer had set point. It was saved with a heavy serve from Djokovic. Deuce.
The Swiss charged onto Federer's second serve, and gave himself one more set point. The defending champion saved it again, with another strong wide serve. Back to deuce. Djokovic won a tight rally and forced an error off the Swiss' racket, then served an ace, to escape from a crucial game. We were going to a tiebreak.
Supreme tiebreak from the world number one
The first point was won by Djokovic, with an INSANE slice that glided round the net and landed into the corner. Heavy hitting from the Serb forced Federer's forehand wide, then, with another huge serve down the tee, Djokovic edged ahead 3-0. An unreturnable serve gave the Swiss 3-1.
Then, in the best rally of the match so far, Djokovic won an unbelievable point. Despite slipping, he didn't lose his composure and got back into the rally. With an unreturnable serve, he led 5-1 in the tiebreak. The tiebreak was slipping away from Federer, and it ended in an even more disappointing fashion, double faulting on set point. Djokovic was off to the perfect start, and recovered beautifully from a heavy start from Federer. He performed when it mattered, and now edged ahead in the final 7-6.
Tight second set
To start the second set, two consecutive forehands into the net from Federer and an ace from Djokovic set him off to a great start, holding to love. Federer appeared to have steadied the ship though, as he held to love as well, leveling the score at 1-1. Despite a vintage lob from Federer, the world number one held serve to edge in front once again.
Some of the immaculate form he displayed against Andy Murray had appeared, as Federer clipped the line with a drop shot and then followed up with two aces. Despite two errors, he sealed the game with another unreturnable serve. 2-2. Djokovic continued to be rock-solid on his serve, making Federer think about his second serve return even more.
A look-in for the Swiss
It seemed as though a little pressure had gotten to Djokovic, as he sent another stroke into the net, giving the Swiss a break point. He saved it though, with a gutsy groundstroke right on the line, but Federer wasn't going to give in that easily, as he pushed Novak right back to gain another break point. A huge wrong-footing forehand saved it again, Djokovic's 4th break point saved. Deuce.
Another escape for Djokovic
A heavy cross court exchange was won by the defending champion, and then with a wonderful forehand down the line round the net, Djokovic escaped once again from a tight game. His performance on the crucial moments so far in the final was perfect. Federer escaped out of his own tight game, leveling once again for 3 games all.
This second set could not get any tighter. Federer continued to have trouble getting a hit on some of Novak's first serves, so the Serb was able to hold easily once again. Federer followed suit, holding with some super serves. We were getting towards the business end of the set, but the two were still toe-to-toe at 4-4. Novak did a great job at keeping Roger off-balance, because he was still so brutal on serve and his groundstrokes. He held at 15 again, and forced Federer to serve to stay in the second set.
Danger for Federer
Djokovic stayed on the attack, threatening Federer's first serve. The Serb had a look in at 15-30 after an error from the Swiss, but a huge serve took the game to 30-30. A double fault at the worst possible time gifted a set point to Djokovic. A beautiful drop shot got Federer out of trouble though, giving him game point. Despite hanging by a thread, the Swiss escaped! 5-5.
Danger for Djokovic
Federer made Novak scramble, and then finished off the point with a gorgeous backhand winner. A look in for the Swiss at 30-30! Another amazing backhand gave Federer break point! It was now Djokovic's turn to perform under pressure... Federer sent a forehand into the net, and we were at deuce. Djokovic pushed Federer back, winning a brutal cross court rally, but Roger took the game back to deuce with an extravagant passing shot, painting the line.
Djokovic got game point again, with a heavy serve out wide. Back to deuce, though, as Roger's stroke JUST clipped the line, after a dramatic challenge from the Serb. Pressure struck the Swiss though, as a backhand found the bottom of the net. Djokovic was hit by the pressure next, though, as his forehand was long. Deuce once more... Djokovic won two magnificent crushing points, and escaped once again from an incredibly tight game. What. A. Hold.
After a deeply taxing game, physically and mentally on both, the next game would be crucial. Djokovic sent Roger off the court with deep and heavy groundstrokes, but Roger kept calm and collected, one of his many talents, to serve an ace. Federer then sent a forehand long, and the game stretched to 30-30. The Swiss stamped down Djokovic's look-in with a smash, and had game point. He took it. We were going to a tiebreak once again.
A tiebreak to remember
Federer's return clipped the baseline, and he was the one with the mini-break early on. Djokovic grabbed it right back, with a lob, and then a passing shot as both approached the net. 1-1. Federer's backhand found the net, and now Novak was the one with the mini-break. He followed with a deep and heavy backhand down the line, but then, in a must-win point, Federer passed the Serb with a glorious shot. Another backhand down the line from Djokovic found the mark, and he edged ahead 4-2, stamping down any of the Swiss' optimism.
Federer's serve was unreturnable, but it was still the world number one that had the mini-break. 4-3. Djokovic positioned a forehand right onto the baseline, setting up set point at 6-3. There was not much Federer could do, but he saved one with an unreturnable serve. Federer then won an incredible point, the best of the match, at 27 strokes, but now Djokovic had set point on his own serve. Federer, with nerves of steel, won the point, and sent the breaker to 6-6. Federer, with a backhand into the net had given Djokovic another set point now.
Federer saved it again, with a perfectly executed serve and volley. 7-7. Federer was now the one with set point, as he served perfectly and then whipped a forehand cross court. Djokovic saved it, with a spectacular serve down the tee. 8-8. Federer sent a backhand wide, giving Djokovic another set point at 9-8. The Swiss, with a gorgeous unleashed forehand cross-court leveled the scoreline at 9-9.
With an incredible return, Djokovic had set point again, on his own serve, but he missed a forehand in a lengthy rally. 10-10. A spectacular return from Federer gives him a mini-break, and it's his turn to have set point. He takes it, with a drop volley. We're even, at one set all.
Stellar set for the world number one
Djokovic gets a look in on Federer's serve, with a passing shot and then an error from the Swiss. With Federer's backhand drifting long, the Serb had break point early on. Roger saved them all, with huge serves. An early test of nerve for him early on, but he delivered. Roger won a gorgeous rally with a backhand down the line, for a look-in at 0-30, but Djokovic recovered and crawled out of the game.
From 40-15, Federer was taken to deuce, and a beautiful touch on a drop shot gave Djokovic break point. Federer sent a forehand very long, and the Serb broke to lead 2-1. He consolidated easily, leading 3-1. Federer replied with a good hold of his own, though, showcasing some of his best serves. To add even more drama to the final, it started raining and play was suspended.
Both found their rhythm and range quickly after the delay, with both holding serve, but Djokovic was still up a break. Both had quick and easy holds, and it was now the Serb's turn to serve for the set at 5-4. The defending champion and world number sealed the set with a love hold, and put himself just one set away from a 9th grand slam, winning the third set 6-4.
The final hurdle for Djokovic- Set 4
Both Djokovic and Federer held serve well at the start of the fourth set, as they appeared calm and focused. The Swiss, with quick touches at the net, held his own serve and edged ahead at 2-1. Sealed with an ace, Djokovic held serve to love, showing no signs of nerves. The Serb tried to make impressions on the 17 time grand slam champion's game, and an error from the Swiss gave him what he was looking for- break point. With a perfect return of serve and a tentative stroke from Federer, the Serb broke, and edged ever closer to a 3rd Wimbledon title, leading 3-2 in the fourth set.
The defending champion kicked off his service game with a forehand passing shot. Glimpses of brilliance from Roger Federer kept appearing though, as his approaches to the net payed off more often than not. It wasn't enough, though, as sealed with an ace, Djokovic held serve. The Swiss double faulted, and gifted Djokovic a break point, but with a strong serve, he saved it and sent the game to deuce. A backhand drifted wide, and Djokovic had another break point, but the Swiss saved it again with a well-positioned serve. Despite another break point for the Serb, Federer crawled out of his service game and kept things as tight as he could.
An aggressive Federer return and a drop-shot the Serb couldn't get back gave him a glimpse of hope, but two pounding serves from the world number one stamped down any optimism. Another wonderful serve sealed him the game, keeping him ahead. He was now just one game away from the Wimbledon title. A roaring return from the defending champion sent him ever closer to victory, then a corrected call took it to 0-30. A return just clipped the line, and Novak Djokovic had championship point. One more cross court return winner later, the world number one had done it. He was crowned the 2015 Wimbledon champion.
The match was a classic, especially in the first two sets. Roger Federer gave it everything he could, and has nothing to be ashamed of, because he kept the final tight. Novak Djokovic has defended his Wimbledon title, and won his 9th grand slam. He's had an incredible year, and the success just keeps on coming. Congratulations, Novak.
