Novak Djokovic has beaten Nick Kyrgios to win the men’s tennis singles title at Wimbledon for the seventh time, and the fourth in a row.
The Serb No1 seed and world No3 came from a set down to beat the unseeded Australian in four sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
It takes the number of Grand Slam titles to 21 for Djokovic — now 35 years old — surpassing Roger Federer but putting him still one behind record-holder Rafael Nadal. Only Federer has won more Wimbledon titles, with eight.
Kyrgios, 27, was playing in his first Grand Slam final, having never been past the quarterfinals in 29 previous Grand Slam appearances — and last made it even that far seven and a half years ago.
As in previous matches in the run-up to the final, the Australian engaged in running monologues, shouting at himself or his entourage, found reason to disagree with the chair umpire (and earning a warning for cursing) and chucked a water bottle.
But he was gracious in defeat, praising his opponent and the crowd. There had been fears of a bad-tempered affair but instead the players’ post-match on-court speeches were peppered with laughter and applause.
It was the third match in a row in which Djokovic came from a set down to win. He erased a two-set deficit against No10 seed Jannik Sinner, and in the semifinals, when No9 seed Cameron Norrie grabbed the opening set.
In the second set, with Djokovic serving at 5-3, Kyrgios got to love-40 — a trio of break points. But Kyrgios played a couple of casual returns, and Djokovic eventually held. And then, in the third set, with Kyrgios serving at 4-all, 40-love, he again let a seemingly sealed game get away, with Djokovic breaking there.
The 40th-ranked Kyrgios was trying to become the first unseeded men’s champion at Wimbledon since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001. Ivanisevic is now Djokovic’s coach and was in the Centre Court guest box for the match.
