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The world No.1 joins Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in 20 career Grand Slams, consolidating himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
After a nervous start, Djokovic recovered to win 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-4 6-3 against his Italian opponent and clinch his sixth Wimbledon title.
Having already won the Australian Open and the French Open this year, he needs the Olympic gold medal and the US Open title to become the first man to win a Golden Slam.
“It was more than a battle. I would first like to congratulate Matteo, his family and his team for a fantastic tournament. It was a tough game today,” Djokovic said in his interview on the pitch. “From a 7 year old boy in Serbia building a Wimbledon tennis trophy from improvised materials that I found in my room standing here today with my sixth Wimbledon. It’s amazing.”
Berrettini, playing his first Grand Slam final, could have been forgiven for being nervous, but it was veteran Djokovic who looked more shaky at first.
The 34-year-old started the game with a double fault before surviving a break point in his first service game.
Berrettini, who was keen to become Italy’s first winner of a Wimbledon singles title, was looking to rely on his powerful serve and booming forehand to settle into the game, but was shattered by Djokovic during the his second service game.
The Italian then started fighting for form, missing out on a few easy shots, but found his pace just in time, catching up against Djokovic as he served for the set.
The mini-win seemed to give Berrettini a boost and the momentum shifted in his favor as the crowd lined up behind the underdog.
The first set ended with a biting tie-break that Berrettini sealed with an emphatic ace.
It was clear that Djokovic needed to improve his game, and that’s exactly what he did in the second set, breaking the Italian’s serve twice in his first two attempts.
Berrettini did not leave, however, retreating once again when Djokovic served for the set, but the Serbian dug deep to tie the game.
The third set was more like the final many expected, with both men producing wonderful tennis to the delight of the crowded stands on center court.
But after an early break, Djokovic held his own again to take a 2-1 lead in the final.
Berrettini continued to put pressure on Djokovic in the last set of the match but the experience of the great champion started to pay off. He drastically reduced his unforced errors and, as always has been, he found a way to earn the big points.
“Of course Novak was better than me. He’s a great champion. He writes sports history so he deserves all the credit,” Berrettini said during his interview on the pitch. “I’m really happy with the final. I hope it won’t be my last here or the last in general. It’s an amazing feeling.”
In his current form, it only seems like a matter of time before Djokovic overtakes Federer and Nadal’s grand slam booty, but the Serbian has paid homage to the two legends of men’s football.
“They are legends of our sport and they are the two most important players I have ever faced in my career,” he said. “They are the reason I am where I am today. They have helped me realize what I need to do to improve myself and become stronger.”
Djokovic will now travel to Tokyo to compete in the Olympics before heading to the US Open.
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