Tennis: Novak Djokovic dominates Nick Kyrgios and wins a 7th Wimbledon
Serbian Novak Djokovic celebrating winning the second set of the Wimbledon final on July 10, 2022 against Australian Nick Kyrgios.
REUTERS - MATTHEW CHILDS
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
3 mins
In the final of the Wimbledon tournament on Sunday July 10, Novak Djokovic got the better of Nick Kyrgios in four sets (4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 [3]).
The Serb offers himself a seventh coronation on the London lawn, the fourth in a row.
And here he is with 21 Grand Slam titles, one length behind the Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
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It is not this year that a player who is not part of the "Big Four" of the 21st century (Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal) will win Wimbledon.
The last time another player lifted the trophy was 20 years ago, when Australian Lleyton Hewitt won against Argentinian David Nalbandian in June 2002.
Nick Kyrgios hoped to succeed his compatriot Hewitt, Sunday July 10, in the final of this 135th edition of the prestigious tournament.
But the world number 40 had to lay down his arms against the boss of the London turf, Novak Djokovic, in four sets (4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 [3]).
Kyrgios had started well...
Holder of the title since 2018 (the 2020 edition was canceled because of the Covid-19), already winner in the capital of England in 2011, 2014 and 2015, the Serb was given favorite of this final against his stormy opponent, finalist for the first time in his Grand Slam career.
However, Novak Djokovic had lost his only two matches against Nick Kyrgios.
But they dated back to 2017, at a time when the "Djoker" was in the hard and diminished by an injury.
And these setbacks did not have a setting as prestigious as a Wimbledon final.
Perhaps fresher after his qualification without going through the semi-finals, his opponent Rafael Nadal having withdrawn, Nick Kyrgios had the best start against Novak Djokovic.
Relying on a formidable and powerful serve – 7 aces, 3 shutouts – the Greek-born player took the Serbian's serve and got his hands on this first set with authority.
... but Djokovic made him crack
Nothing to worry about the Djokovic machine, used to reversing badly started situations.
In the second set, "Nole" raised his voice, broke quickly and instilled nervousness in the Australian.
Now hustled, Kyrgios started to get upset.
A habit with him: a little against his lack of success and against the chair umpire, also against spectators who are too noisy for his taste, and especially against his own clan, which he blamed a lot for a lack of support...
Opposite, the world number 3 remained focused and developed his tennis.
And inexorably, its domination took shape.
The native of Belgrade equalized with one set everywhere before taking the advantage by winning the third set, not without having to fight.
During this time, Nick Kyrgios regularly shouted his rage, always very theatrical.
In the fourth set, the Canberra right-hander hung on his serve to stay level.
His sure serve helped him a lot, with more than 30 aces scored throughout the game.
But he couldn't do anything to destabilize Djokovic when it was up to the latter to start.
It was finally at the tie break that the decision was made, in favor of the Serb.
With a seventh coronation in London, Novak Djokovic is now only one length behind the Swiss Roger Federer, the most successful man in history here.
And he adds a 21st Grand Slam title to his huge list.
Here too, he returns to a length of the 22 coronations of the Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
The chase continues, but it risks being more complicated for Djokovic, who is a priori still not vaccinated against Covid-19 and is likely to miss the last Grand Slam tournament of the season, the US Open in United States in early September.
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