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By Howard Fendrich<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Wimbledon final was locked up at a set apiece after nearly 2 1\/2 hours, and Novak Djokovic\u2019s bid for a record-tying 20th Grand Slam title was at a critical juncture, when he faced two break points while thousands in the full-capacity crowd at Centre Court chanted his opponent\u2019s first name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bothered, perhaps, by the challenge he was facing between the lines Sunday, and, perhaps, by the support being thrown behind Matteo Berrettini, and, perhaps, by the weight of the milestone he was pursuing, Djokovic shrugged all of that off and steeled himself, as he\u2019s done so many times at so many moments on so many stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On each of the next two points, Djokovic, known for his baseline supremacy, charged forward. On each, Berrettini\u2019s passing attempt found the net. After the second, Djokovic stared into the stands and pointed to his ear, then waved his racket. He got what he wanted; a chorus of his nickname broke out: \u201cNo-le! No-le!\u201d Two points later, when he grabbed the game with a 118 mph ace, Djokovic put his racket behind an ear, heard more noise, nodded and smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An hour later, the match was finished \u2014 Djokovic won 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 \u2014 and so, too, was his stated desire to equal the total of major championships collected by his biggest rivals, Roger Federer (who reached 20 in 2018) and Rafael Nadal (who did it last year). No other male tennis player has more than 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Djokovic, of course, wants more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI consider myself best, and I believe that I am the best, otherwise I wouldn\u2019t be talking confidently about winning Slams and making history,\u201d said Djokovic, a 34-year-old from Serbia who is ranked No. 1 and has spent more weeks in that top spot than any other man. \u201cBut whether I\u2019m the greatest of all time or not, I leave that debate to other people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is a popular topic, certainly. And every member of the so-called Big Three has his supporters. This season might tilt the balance in Djokovic\u2019s favor in the minds of those yet to be convinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Already the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the first three major tournaments in a year, Djokovic will take aim at a true calendar Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, which starts Aug. 30. Only two men \u2014 Don Budge in the 1930s and Laver twice in the 1960s \u2014 have gone 4-for-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to definitely give it a shot,\u201d Djokovic told the Centre Court crowd during the trophy presentation. \u201cI\u2019m in a great form and obviously playing well. … So let\u2019s keep it going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He earned a third consecutive championship at the All England Club and sixth overall. Those go alongside nine at the Australian Open, three at the U.S. Open and two at the French Open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have to pay a great tribute to Rafa and Roger. They are legends. Legends of our sport. They are the two most important players that I ever faced in my career,\u201d Djokovic said. \u201cThey are, I think, the reason that I am where I am today. They\u2019ve helped me realize what I need to do in order to improve, to get stronger mentally, physically, tactically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Federer tweeted his congratulations, writing, \u201cWonderful performance, well done!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was Djokovic\u2019s 30th major final \u2014 among men, only Federer has played more, 31 \u2014 and the first for Berrettini, a 25-year-old from Italy who was seeded No. 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHopefully,\u201d Berrettini said, \u201cit\u2019s not going be my last one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a big sporting day in London for his country: Italy\u2019s soccer team faced England at Wembley Stadium in the European Championship final at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Marija Cicak officiating, the first female chair umpire for a men\u2019s final at a tournament that began in 1877, play began as the sun made a rare appearance during the fortnight, the sky visible in between the clouds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The opening game featured signs of edginess from both, but especially Djokovic, whose pair of double-faults contributed to the half-dozen combined unforced errors. He faced a break point but staved it off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDefinitely,\u201d Djokovic acknowledged, \u201cfelt slightly more nervous than I usually feel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 6-foot-5, barrel-chested Berrettini\u2019s powerful serves sent line judges contorting to get their head out of harm\u2019s way. Djokovic occasionally took cover himself, crouching and raising his racket as if it were a shield to block back serves aimed at his body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not many opponents manage to return serves at 137 mph and end up winning the point, but Djokovic did that at least twice. And the big forehands Berrettini drives past most other players kept coming back off Djokovic\u2019s racket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t play badly because I didn\u2019t feel well,\u201d Berrettini said. \u201cHe made me play badly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s what Djokovic does: He forces foes to work so hard to win every point, let alone a game, a set, a match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, this one could have been over much sooner: Djokovic led 4-1 in the first set, 4-0 in the second and 3-1 in the third. But in the first, he faltered, wasting a set point at 5-2, getting broken when he served for it at 5-3, then dropping four of the tiebreaker\u2019s last five points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Berrettini closed it out with a 138 mph ace, he shouted \u2014 but said later he couldn\u2019t hear his own roar because of the how loud many of the 15,000 spectators were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Djokovic is nothing if not a fighter. He blunted Berrettini\u2019s best efforts and won the fans over, too. When it was over, Djokovic dropped to his back on the turf, arms and legs splayed, showered by cheers. Moments later, he rose, threw his head back, spread his arms and basked in the joint appreciation of his accomplishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Berrettini put it: \u201cHe\u2019s writing the history of this sport, so he deserves all the credit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was an entertaining final, with some magical points. On one, Berrettini conjured up a \u2019tweener lob that Djokovic tracked down with his own-back-to-the-court flick that wound up in the net. On another, Djokovic slid into a keep-the-point-going defensive backhand and, after Berrettini replied with a drop shot, sprinted forward for a winner. Djokovic raised his index finger \u2014 as if to remind everyone, \u201cI\u2019m No. 1!\u201d \u2014 and Berrettini flipped his racket end over end, caught it and smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What more could he do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not much anyone can do against Djokovic, it seems. He has won eight of the past 12 majors \u2014 all since turning 30. And for all of the questions about when the younger generation would step forward, Djokovic is singlehandedly holding off the kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this year\u2019s three majors, he is 21-0, with victories in finals over Daniil Medvedev, 25, in Australia, Stefanos Tsitsipas, 22, in France, and now Berrettini, 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Sunday, Djokovic made merely 21 unforced errors, while accumulating 31 winners. Djokovic\u2019s returns are as good as anyone\u2019s, ever. His two-handed backhand is a constant threat. His ability to anticipate and reach shots is remarkable. And he does whatever it takes: Djokovic won 34 of 48 points when he went to the net, 7 of 9 when he serve-and-volleyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What sets him apart above all is a quality stats can\u2019t trace: \u201cThe ability to cope with pressure,\u201d he called it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the tension and heart rate ratchet up, Djokovic is either impervious to that sort of thing \u2014 or plays as if he is. It\u2019s the experience. The grit and guts. The talent and hard work. This has been a year of dominance by Djokovic, on top of a decade of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe last 10 years has been an incredible journey,\u201d he said, \u201cthat is not stopping here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AP<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Howard Fendrich The Wimbledon final was locked up at a set apiece after nearly 2 1\/2 hours, and Novak Djokovic\u2019s bid for a record-tying 20th Grand Slam title was at a critical juncture, when…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[1574,1572,1573],"class_list":["post-5069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-20-slams","tag-novak-djokovic","tag-wimbledon"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n