Monday, 12 July 2021

Wimbledon title #6 for Djokovic

Wimbledon 2021 - Day Thirteen Men’s Singles: final.

Wimbledon a Grand Slam tournament, on Grass, in London, United Kingdom, 28 June - 11 July 2021.
Event not held last year due to COVID-19.

Defending champion (2019):
Novak Djokovic (1) who defeated Roger Federer (2) 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12 (3)

Final:

Novak Djokovic (1) (Serbia) v Matteo Berrettini (7) (Italy)

Djokovic had met Berrettini twice before, and won both of those matches, including last month in the quarter finals of Roland Garros.

Djokovic opened shakily, surviving a break point and two deuces in the opening game. Berrettini was solid in levelling at 1-1. 
Berrettini saved a break point in game four with a service winner, but a forehand error on a second break point cost him and Djokovic led 3-1.
A love game consolidated the position for Djokovic.

Enough first serves enabled Berrettini to cut the advantage to 2-4. 
At 2-5, Berrettini, serving to stay in the set, missed an overhead and netted a forehand for 15-30. Two big serves helped Berrettini, but another error left him at deuce. More Italian mistakes and it was set point. It was saved, as was the game, but only after deuce was visited eight times.

Serving for the set, Djokovic lost the first point but was assisted by a pair of Berrettini mistakes. Then a Berrettini winner made it 30-30.
An unforced Serbian mistake gave Berrettini a break back point which was saved. A second chance was converted and games were back on serve.
5-4 Djokovic.

The set was decided in a tie break which Berrettini won, converting his first set point. 7-6(4). Djokovic would be ruing his missed opportunities.

Set two began with Djokovic eager to come back from his disappointment, and he responded effectively, breaking Berrettini immediately. 
The top seed then held for 2-0 and had another break chance in the third game, three in fact. He broke with the third, and shot out to a 3-0 advantage.
Backhand and forehand winners highlighted a love game from Djokovic to increase the lead further.

Djokovic missed a forehand he would normally make at 30-30, and Berrettini subsequently held to trail 1-4.
Berrettini served at 1-5 to stay in the set. A love game forced Djokovic to serve for it.
Berrettini hit two forehands, one a winner, one wide. 15-15. A Djokovic error and a Berrettini backhand winner brought up two break points.
One saved. A Berrettini forehand winner converted the second and he was closer at 3-5.

A Djokovic backhand down the line winner set up a game which presented three set points. All three were saved. 
5-4, and Djokovic would have a second chance to serve for the set.
No mistakes this time, and the world number one delivered a love game to level the encounter 6-7(4) 6-4.

In set three, the players opened with love games, then Djokovic broke the Berrettini serve in game three.
In game six, Berrettini failed to convert two break chances, and no more came his way.
Djokovic served it out 6-4 and led two sets to one.

Set four saw no break chances until game seven where Djokovic pounced and converted the only one available until Berrettini was serving at 3-5 to stay in the match.
At 30-30, Berrettini hit a forehand long to give Djokovic a match point. It was saved at the net. A second chance came with a Djokovic winner at the net.
Also saved, with a Berrettini forehand winner. Match point number three arrived when Berrettini netted a forehand.
When Berrettini hit the net with a backhand, the fight was ended.

Novak Djokovic had to overcome a valiant effort from Matteo Berrettini to win his sixth Wimbledon championship 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 6-3.
Grand Slam title number 20, equaling Federer and Nadal, and now three quarters of the way to a calendar year Grand Slam.

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