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Novak Djokovic Defeats Roger Federer in Epic Five-Set Match for Fifth Wimbledon Title
In what ended up being the longest singles match in tournament history, defending champion Novak Djokovic won his fifth Wimbledon title on Sunday, defeating eight-time champion Roger Federer in five sets.
Sunday's contest marked the third Wimbledon final between the two all-time greats, with Djokovic winning the last encounters in 2014 and 2015. Djokovic, last year's Wimbledon winner, took the first set 7-6 after Federer miscued a backhand and sent it wide to lose the tiebreak despite having a 5-3 lead.
Federer regained his momentum by winning the second set with considerable ease, taking it 6-1. After playing from behind and struggling to stay level through the third set, Djokovic capitalized on a few loose points by Federer to take the third set on another tiebreak (7-4). Federer then tore the fourth set wide open, winning four straight games to race to a commanding 5-2 lead and forcing a fifth set with a 6-4 win.
In a fifth set full of nerves, Djokovic drew Federer into a long rally and into the net and passed him with a backhand to take a commanding 4-2 lead. Federer broke back to cut Djokovic's lead and tied it 4-4 with an ace down the middle before Djokovic regained control to put himself up 5-4. Federer had a chance to win it with two championship points but then netted a weak forehand to level it again at 8-8.
The set saw four more ties before Djokovic sealed his title victory with a 7-3 win during Wimbledon's first-ever fifth-set tiebreaker.
Djokovic, 32, now has 16 Grand Slam titles.
