Novak Djokovic won his first Wimbledon title Sunday, backing up his soon-to-be No. 1 ranking by beating defending champion Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3.
Djokovic, who was already guaranteed to take over the top ranking from the Spaniard on Monday, extended his mastery over Nadal this season with a fifth straight head-to-head victory.
After shaking hands with Nadal at the net, Djokovic walked back out on court and crouched down. He pulled a blade or two of grass out of the manicured lawn and put it in his mouth.
"It's really hard to describe this with any words except the best day of my life, most special day of my life," said Djokovic, who tossed three of his rackets into the crowd before accepting the championship trophy. "This is my favourite tournament, the tournament I always dreamed of winning. The first tennis tournament I ever watched in my life."
Djokovic assured himself of the No. 1 ranking just by reaching the final. He opened the season with 41 straight wins, including the Australian Open title, but his 43-match winning streak dating to December came to an end against Roger Federer in the French Open semifinals.
The win over Nadal improved Djokovic's record in 2011 to 48-1, with five victories coming against the Spaniard in finals — two on hard courts, two on clay and now one on grass. Sunday's win was the first grass-court title of his career.
Serbian President Boris Tadic was in the Royal Box along with several former champions to watch the match on Centre Court, and when Nadal sent a backhand long on match point, Djokovic turned to face them and dropped to the turf, laying on his back with his arms spread wide.
"When you're playing the best player in the world, Rafael Nadal, who has won two out of the last three Wimbledons, and he's always been winning the big matches against me in the Grand Slams, I had to be on the top of my game. I had to play my best and I think I played, really, probably my best match on the grass courts ever," Djokovic said. "I want to congratulate him again for having a great tournament."
During the match, it was Djokovic's incredible movement and precise shot placement that gave him the first two sets. His play dipped in the third, but it returned in the fourth to secure him a third Grand Slam title.
Djokovic consistently landed shots while taking advantage of any slight miscues from Nadal. The first and biggest of the first set came in the final game, when Djokovic hit a forehand winner down the line.
Nadal followed that with a pair of unforced errors, and the second-seeded Serb won the set on the first break point of the match.
Djokovic dominated the second set, breaking Nadal twice while holding serve easily. It wasn't until the second game of the third set that Nadal finally managed to do something with Djokovic's serve, breaking for a 2-0 lead when the Serb dumped a backhand into the net.
Nadal broke again and eventually won the set, and the two traded service breaks early in the fourth. But after Djokovic held to 4-3 in the final set with four straight points, Nadal double-faulted for the first time. He lost the next two points and soon was broken again when he sent a backhand long.
Nadal had won 20 straight matches at the All England Club, including the 2008 and '10 titles. He missed the 2009 tournament because of injury, but was playing in his fifth Wimbledon final in six years.
"For me it's a dream another time be back in this final," said Nadal, a 10-time Grand Slam champion. "Today wasn't possible. I tried my best as always, today one player play better than me. I will try another time next year."
The loss to Djokovic on Sunday was Nadal's first in a major final to a player other than Federer.
"When I won in 2008 for the first time, the emotions was very high so I can imagine how [Novak feels] today," said Nadal, who lost to Federer in the 2006 and '07 finals. "It's a special day and another time I congratulate him."
Nadal injured his left foot in a fourth-round win, but painkilling injections helped him roll through the next two rounds and into the final.
Djokovic, who was already guaranteed to take over the top ranking from the Spaniard on Monday, extended his mastery over Nadal this season with a fifth straight head-to-head victory.
After shaking hands with Nadal at the net, Djokovic walked back out on court and crouched down. He pulled a blade or two of grass out of the manicured lawn and put it in his mouth.
"It's really hard to describe this with any words except the best day of my life, most special day of my life," said Djokovic, who tossed three of his rackets into the crowd before accepting the championship trophy. "This is my favourite tournament, the tournament I always dreamed of winning. The first tennis tournament I ever watched in my life."
Djokovic assured himself of the No. 1 ranking just by reaching the final. He opened the season with 41 straight wins, including the Australian Open title, but his 43-match winning streak dating to December came to an end against Roger Federer in the French Open semifinals.
The win over Nadal improved Djokovic's record in 2011 to 48-1, with five victories coming against the Spaniard in finals — two on hard courts, two on clay and now one on grass. Sunday's win was the first grass-court title of his career.
Serbian President Boris Tadic was in the Royal Box along with several former champions to watch the match on Centre Court, and when Nadal sent a backhand long on match point, Djokovic turned to face them and dropped to the turf, laying on his back with his arms spread wide.
"When you're playing the best player in the world, Rafael Nadal, who has won two out of the last three Wimbledons, and he's always been winning the big matches against me in the Grand Slams, I had to be on the top of my game. I had to play my best and I think I played, really, probably my best match on the grass courts ever," Djokovic said. "I want to congratulate him again for having a great tournament."
Djokovic consistently landed shots while taking advantage of any slight miscues from Nadal. The first and biggest of the first set came in the final game, when Djokovic hit a forehand winner down the line.
Nadal followed that with a pair of unforced errors, and the second-seeded Serb won the set on the first break point of the match.
Djokovic dominated the second set, breaking Nadal twice while holding serve easily. It wasn't until the second game of the third set that Nadal finally managed to do something with Djokovic's serve, breaking for a 2-0 lead when the Serb dumped a backhand into the net.
Nadal broke again and eventually won the set, and the two traded service breaks early in the fourth. But after Djokovic held to 4-3 in the final set with four straight points, Nadal double-faulted for the first time. He lost the next two points and soon was broken again when he sent a backhand long.
Nadal had won 20 straight matches at the All England Club, including the 2008 and '10 titles. He missed the 2009 tournament because of injury, but was playing in his fifth Wimbledon final in six years.
"For me it's a dream another time be back in this final," said Nadal, a 10-time Grand Slam champion. "Today wasn't possible. I tried my best as always, today one player play better than me. I will try another time next year."
The loss to Djokovic on Sunday was Nadal's first in a major final to a player other than Federer.
"When I won in 2008 for the first time, the emotions was very high so I can imagine how [Novak feels] today," said Nadal, who lost to Federer in the 2006 and '07 finals. "It's a special day and another time I congratulate him."
Nadal injured his left foot in a fourth-round win, but painkilling injections helped him roll through the next two rounds and into the final.
