Novak Djokovic Beats Nick Kyrgios For 4th Straight Wimbledon Title, 21st Major Championship

Novak Djokovic remains the King of Wimbledon.

Playing in what looks like his last major of 2022, the top seed handled the hurricane that is Nick Kyrgios, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3), to win his fourth straight Wimbledon, his seventh overall and his 21st major championship, putting him one clear of Roger Federer (20) and one behind Rafael Nadal (22) on the all-time men’s list. Djokovic won his last three matches of the championship after dropping the first set.

“I lost words for what this tournament, what this trophy, means to me, to my team, to my family, I’ve said his many times,” Djokovic said. “It always has been and will be the most special tournament to my heart, the one that motivated me, inspired me to start playing tennis in a small little mountain resort in Serbia where my parents used to run a restaurant.

“I was 4 1/2, 5 years old and I saw Pete Sampras win his first Wimbledon in ‘92 and I asked my dad and my mom to buy me a racquet and my first image of tennis was grass and Wimbledon and I always dreamed of coming here, just playing in this court. And then of course realizing the childhood dream and winning this trophy and every single times it gets more and more meaningful and special. And so I’m very blessed and very thankful to be standing here with the trophy.”

The 35-year-old Serb expects to miss the U.S. Open later this summer because he’s unvaccinated against Covid-19 and thus cannot travel to the U.S. as a foreigner, and he faces a three-year ban from the Australian Open after having been deported ahead of the tournament in January, although that ban could end early.

Between them, Djokovic and Nadal have now won 15 of the last 17 majors. But Nadal had to withdraw ahead of his semifinal with Kyrgios due to an abdominal injury. He had won the first two legs of the Grand Slam and was 19-0 in majors this year.

Djokovic had lost his only two previous matches to Kyrgios, but both of those were in best-of-3 sets, were on hardcourts and came in 2017. Not on Centre Court at Wimbledon, where Djokovic has now won 38 straight matches. He has won 28 in a row at the tournament and will take home $2.5 million along with the trophy, while Kyrgios earned $1.3 million.

“He’s a bit of a God,” Kyrgios said. “I’m not going to like, I thought I played well….It’s been an amazing couple of weeks for me personally.”

“I definitely need a well-earned vacation after this one,” Kyrgios added. “I’m just really happy with this result, it’s probably the best of my career. Maybe one day I’ll be here again, but I don’t know about that.”

Said Djokovic: “Nick, you’ll be back. Not just Wimbledon but the finals…I wish you all the best, man, I really respect you a lot. I think you’re a phenomenal tennis player and athlete, amazing talent. Everything’s starting to come together for you…and I think we’re going to much of you in the later stages of Grand Slams.”

He added: “I never thought I was going to say so many nice things about you considering the relationship. Okay, it’s officially a bromance.”

Despite playing in his first major final and despite an assault charge in his native Australia hanging over his head, the 27-year-old Kyrgios came out full of confidence and bombing his first serve.

Djokovic double-faulted on break point in the first set and Kyrgios ultimately closed it out with an ace to take the first set.

“He doesn’t look tight at all,” John McEnroe said on ESPN of Kyrgios.

In the second set, Djokovic was able to get Kyrgios in more extended rallies, which worked to his benefit and he earned an early break. With Djokovic serving at 5-3, 0-40, Kyrgios had a golden opportunity for a break to get back into it, but was unable to convert and lost the second set.

“Love-40, goddamn,” an agitated Kyrgios yelled to his box as he sat in his chair after the set.

Such behavior earned him some criticism from ESPN’s Rennae Stubbs, a former player who was No. 1 in the world in doubles.

While serving at 2-all in the third set, Kyrgios was disturbed when a young child made noise on his first serve, and he complained to the umpire that he was not given two serves on the point. At the crossover, he told the umpire that a woman in the front row was also making noise.

“She’s drunk out of her mind in the first row, talking to me in the middle of the game…,” he said. “The one with the dress, the one who looks like she’s had about 700 drinks, bro!”

Serving at 4-all in the third Kyrgios was up 40-0 but ended up getting broken when he lost concentration and ultimately hit a backhand into the net on break point. He immediately began shouting toward his box.

“Forty-love and you just relax every time,” he yelled from his chair. “Why?”

Kyrgios also entertained the crowd, hitting two tweeners from deep in the court, including one on a point he ended up winning.

Kyrgios appeared to tap out mentally after that and Djokovic held for a two-sets-to-one lead.

But he stayed strong and forced a fourth-set tiebreaker.

Djokovic jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the breaker, winning three on the Kyrgios serve.

Serving at 6-3 in the breaker, Djokovic won it when Kyrgios hit a backhand into the net.

Djokovic raised both arms in celebration and then embraced Kyrgios at the net and put his arm around him.

“Hopefully this is the start of a wonderful relationship,” Djokovic later joked.