LONDON -- Novak Djokovic said it was "unreal" to be holding the Wimbledon trophy for a fifth time having saved two match points against eight-time champion Roger Federer in Sunday's final.
The 32-year-old Serbian, winning back-to-back Wimbledon titles for the second time, prevailed in an epic duel, the longest ever final and the first decided by a deciding set tie-break.
Djokovic, who was out-played for large parts of the match by his 37-year-old opponent, eventually prevailed 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 13-12 (7/3) in 4 hours and 57 minutes.
"It is quite unreal to be two match points down to come back and strange to play a tie-break at 12-12. I was hoping to get to the tie break," he said.
Djokovic paid a handsome tribute to his Swiss rival.
"I think that if this is not the most exciting final then it's definitely in the top two or three of my career against one of the greatest players of all time, Roger, who I respect," said Djokovic.
"Unfortunately in this type of matches someone has to lose."
Djokovic -- who joined Swedish legend Bjorn Borg on winning five Wimbledon trophies -- said it had always been his dream to win when he was growing up.
"When I was a boy aged four or five, dreaming to be a tennis player, this has always been the tournament for me," he said.
"I used to make trophies out of different materials in my room and being here to share it with my parents, my son, and my team is extra special.
"I would like to say to my parents especially thank you for everything."
Federer, who agonisingly saw his bid of becoming the oldest ever Grand Slam champion, as well as winning a ninth title slip from his fingers, joked at first about being part of another epic final.
He had also been on the wrong end of the previous longest final, losing to Rafael Nadal in 2008.
"I will try to forget but it was a great match," he said.
"It was long, it had everything. I had answers so did he and we played some great tennis.
"I am happy with my performance, congratulations Novak, that was crazy."
Federer said he hoped he set an example to other people of his age.
"I hope I give some other people at 37 the feeling it is not over yet, I feel great," he said.
"This will take some time to recover from physically.
"I gave it all I had, I still I am still standing and hope it is the same for other 37-year-olds."
Federer said his children may not be the happiest they have been.
"They won't be excited with the plate -- they would rather take the gold thing (the trophy)."
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LONDON—Novak Djokovic again proved the toughest of nuts for Roger Federer to crack as he repelled everything the Swiss could throw at him to claim his fifth Wimbledon title in the first All England Club final to be decided by a tiebreaker on Sunday.
The defending champion was outshone at times on Centre Court and saved 2 match points deep into a gripping decider, but he dredged his tank of mental and physical resilience to claim a thrilling 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 (3) win.
Nothing could split the players in an intoxicating final set and the match was already the longest Wimbledon singles final in history when the club's new rule stipulating a tiebreak at 12-12 in a deciding set was deployed for the first time in singles.
As he had done in the day's two other tiebreaks, the top-seeded Djokovic showed nerves of steel to crush Federer's hopes of claiming a ninth title and becoming the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title in the professional era.
Djokovic moved 6-3 ahead and, after the final point had to be replayed following a Hawkeye challenge, he could celebrate victory when a weary Federer framed a forehand.
Victory took the 32-year-old Serbian level with Bjorn Borg in fourth place on the all-time list of men's winners at Wimbledon and increased his Grand Slam tally to 16 — 4 behind Federer. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Clare Fallon)
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LONDON -- Simona Halep believes that Serena Williams has lost the intimidation factor that once condemned rivals to defeat even before they set foot on court.
Halep handed the American legend a 6-2, 6-2 rout in the Wimbledon final on Saturday to become the first Romanian to win a singles title at the All England Club.
The 56-minute dissection of the Williams playbook was the 23-time Slam winner's most lopsided loss in a major final.
With her 38th birthday fast approaching, her dream of matching Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 majors seems as far away as it has ever been.
"I have always been intimidated a little bit when I faced Serena," admitted 27-year-old Halep.
"She's an inspiration for everyone and the model for everyone. But today I decided before the match that I'm going to focus on myself and on the final of Grand Slam, not on her.
"That's why I was able to play my best, to be relaxed, and to be able to be positive and confident against her."
It was a tactic which worked to perfection for the world number seven who had lost nine of her previous 10 meetings with Williams.
Her only win had come at the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore in 2014.
For Halep, it was a second Grand Slam title after breaking her duck at the 2018 French Open which had followed three losses in title matches at the Slams.
On Saturday, she committed just three unforced errors; Williams was undone by 26.
"I'm very sure that was the best match of my life," said Halep.
The challenge now is for Halep to keep backing it up.
She has been a runner-up at the Australian Open, losing the 2018 final to Caroline Wozniacki.
Until this year, she had never got beyond the semi-finals at Wimbledon while a last-four run in 2015 remains her best performance at the US Open.
When she won the 2018 French Open, she exited Wimbledon in the third round and the US Open at the first hurdle.
"The finals I lost in the past helped me for sure to be different when I face this moment.
"It's never easy to play a Grand Slam final. You can get intimidated by the moment. You can get too nervous.
"I have learned that it's a normal match, not thinking that much about the trophy, just going there and try to be the best as you can. So I did that.
"I said that every time I would play a final of a Grand Slam, I will do exactly the same thing. So today I did it."
Halep, who is now looking forward to returning to the All England Club as a life member "to have dinner, have lunch, play a little bit of tennis" joked that her victory on Saturday was almost by royal command.
Up in the Royal Box was Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Halep's favourite.
"It was an honour to play in front of her. I had the chance to meet her after the match. She's very kind, very nice.
"Yeah, it was an extra boost when I saw all of them there, the Royal family."
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LONDON—Serena Williams' wait for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title goes on after Simona Halep stunned the off-key American 6-2 6-2 in a one-sided Wimbledon final on Saturday.
An inspired Halep took full advantage of an error-strewn display by seven-times champion Williams to become the first Romanian to win a Wimbledon singles title.
The 27-year-old Halep, broke the Williams serve in the opening game and raced into a 4-0 lead in front of 15,000 disbelieving fans on Centre Court.
She remained rock solid throughout, making only three unforced errors, and Williams simply could not respond.
Even when Williams fired herself up at the start of the second set and began to strike the ball with her customary power, seventh seed Halep refused to take a backward step.
Halep weathered the storm and reeled off the last five games of what she described as the best match of her life.
Williams, who is still to add to her Grand Slam collection since giving birth to daughter Olympia in September 2017, looked out of ideas and the match ended after 56 minutes when she buried a forehand into the net -- her 26th unforced error.
"She played out of her mind," Williams, who had won nine of her previous 10 matches against Halep, said on court after picking up the runners-up salver for the second year running, having lost to a similarly inspired Angelique Kerber last year.
"It was a little bit a deer in headlights for me. Whenever a player plays like that you just have to take your hat off."
Until Saturday the only other Romanian to reach the Wimbledon final was Ilie Nastase who twice finished runner-up, in 1972 and 1976. But Halep went one better as she added the Wimbledon crown to the French Open she won in 2018.
"It's something very special and I'll never forget this day. It was my mum's dream when I was about 10. The day came," former world number one Halep said.
"Well I had nerves, my stomach wasn't well before. But I knew there was no time for emotions so I just came out on court to do my best." (Reporting by Martyn Herman Editing by Toby Davis)
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Roger Federer reached his 12th Wimbledon final on Friday, defeating old rival Rafael Nadal, 11 years after the Spaniard triumphed in their epic 2008 title showdown at the All England Club, a match widely regarded as the greatest ever played.
The 37-year-old eight-time champion won 7-6 (7/3), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the pair's 40th career meeting to move into his 31st Grand Slam final where he will face defending champion Novak Djokovic.
Top seed and four-time winner Djokovic reached his sixth Wimbledon final, and 25th at the majors, with a nervy 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Spain's 23rd seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
"I'm exhausted, it was tough at the end. Rafa played some unbelievable shots to stay in the match, it was a very high level," said Federer.
"The battles with Rafa are always special. The biggest points went my way, there were some tight ones in the long rallies."
Federer is the third oldest man ever to play in a Grand Slam final after 39-year-old Ken Rosewall featured in the 1974 Wimbledon and US Open finals.
However, he will have his work cut out on Sunday if he is to secure a 21st major title as he trails 15-time Slam winner Djokovic 25-22 in career meetings.
"Novak is the defending champion and he has shown that this week," added Federer.
"He has been really solid. I will try and push him to the brink but it will be difficult as it's not for nothing that he is number one.
"But I am very very excited to say the least."
Friday's semi-final was never likely to match the knife-edge theatrics of the 2008 final although Federer needed five match points to secure victory.
Federer will not mind with his win coming just a month after Nadal handed him his worst loss at a Slam in 11 years in the Roland Garros semi-finals.
In a tight 51-minute opener, Nadal managed to save the only break point in the eighth game before surrendering the advantage of an early mini-break in the tie-breaker which Federer claimed thanks to five points in a row.
The Spaniard finally carved out the first break of the semi-final in the fourth game of the second set, backing it up with a hold for 4-1.
Nadal then broke again for 5-1 as Federer suffered a sudden and severe power outage with the two-time champion comfortable levelling the contest.
Federer, the oldest semi-finalist in a Grand Slam semi-final since Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open, broke Nadal for the first time in the fourth game of the third set.
He then fought off three break points for a key 4-1 lead, coming out on top in a 23-shot rally and then a 25-stroke exchange.
There was no respite for Nadal, an 18-time Slam winner, who slipped a break down at 2-1 in the fourth.
Nadal saved two match points in the ninth game and two more in the 10th but a loose return sealed his fate.
Federer finished with 14 aces and 51 winners.
- Djokovic in sixth final -
Djokovic, meanwhile, will be looking to add another Wimbledon title to the Australian and US Open crowns he already holds.
"This has been a remarkable tournament for me and to be in another final is a dream come true," said the top seed.
"I had to dig deep, Roberto was playing his first semi-final at a Grand Slam and he was not really overwhelmed.
"It was a really close opening four to five games of the third set that could have gone either way -- thankfully it went mine."
Djokovic swept through the first set with breaks in the second and eighth games.
It seemed certain that Djokovic was going to spend a lot less time on court in this semi-final compared to 12 months ago when he needed five sets and five hours and 15 minutes to beat Nadal.
However, Bautista Agut, who had already defeated the Serb twice this year, eventually settled and broke for 2-1 in the second set.
Djokovic fought off two break points, via a 23-shot rally, in the fifth game.
But the 31-year-old Bautista Agut held his nerve to eventually level the semi-final at 6-4 off a fortuitous net cord.
Djokovic, increasingly irritated by a restless crowd, broke for 4-2 in the third set and held for 5-2 off the back of a lung-busting 45-shot rally.
The set was secured, ironically off another net cord which fell this time in the Serb's favour.
Bautista Agut, who had planned to be in Ibiza this week for his stag party, fought off break points in the opening game of the fourth set.
But Djokovic was relentless and tightened his grip, breaking twice for a 4-1 lead, and eventually claimed victory on a fifth match point.
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Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached his sixth Wimbledon final on Friday as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal prepared to meet at the All England Club for the first time since their epic 2008 title showdown.
World No. 1 and 4-time Wimbledon winner Djokovic booked his 25th Grand Slam final appearance with a nervy 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Spain's 23rd seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
"This has been a remarkable tournament for me and to be in another final is a dream come true," said the top seed.
"I had to dig deep, Roberto was playing his first semi-final at a Grand Slam and he was not really overwhelmed.
"It was a really close opening four to five games of the third set that could have gone either way -- thankfully it went mine."
The 32-year-old will go into Sunday's final seeking a 16th major title with a career advantage over both his great rivals.
He leads Federer 25-22 and Nadal 28-26.
"I will watch Federer and Nadal. I am a fan of that match up -- it's one of the most epic rivalries of all time."
Watched by a Royal Box crammed with sports and movie A-listers -- David Beckham, Rod Laver, Gary Player, Jude Law, Damian Lewis -- Djokovic swept through the first set with breaks in the second and eighth games.
It seemed certain that Djokovic was going to spend a lot less time on court in this semi-final compared to 12 months ago when he needed five sets and five hours and 15 minutes to beat Nadal.
However, Bautista Agut, who had already defeated the Serb twice this year, eventually settled and broke for 2-1 in the second set.
Djokovic fought off two break points, via a 23-shot rally, in the fifth game.
But the 31-year-old Bautista Agut held his nerve to eventually level the semi-final at 6-4 off a fortuitous net cord.
Djokovic, increasingly irritated by a restless crowd, broke for 4-2 in the third set and held for 5-2 off the back of a lung-busting 45-shot rally.
The set was secured, ironically off another net cord which fell this time in the Serb's favour.
- Stag party -
Bautista Agut, who had planned to be in Ibiza this week for his stag party, fought off break points in the opening game of the fourth set.
But Djokovic was relentless and tightened his grip, breaking twice for a 4-1 lead, and eventually claimed victory on a fifth match point.
Federer and Nadal will battle for a place in the final later Friday, 11 years after they mesmerised Centre Court in a Grand Slam championship match widely regarded as the greatest ever played.
Nadal emerged triumphant that day, winning in five sets in a four-hour 48-minute epic of fluctuating fortunes that stretched out over seven hours because of constant, momentum-shifting rain interruptions.
The Spaniard won 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7 as the clock ticked past 9pm and with the famous stadium in near-darkness.
Over a decade later, the sport's two most successful players now have 38 Grand Slam titles between them and more than $100 million in prize money each.
Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion at Wimbledon, has the edge overall, leading his great rival and friend 24-15 and 10-3 at the Slams.
However, it is eight-time champion Federer who just edges their Wimbledon head-to-head 2-1 after winning the 2006 and 2007 finals before Nadal famously broke the spell in 2008.
Nadal handed Federer his worst loss at a Slam in 11 years in the semi-finals at Roland Garros last month on his way to a 12th title in Paris.
The Spanish third seed has yet to face a seeded player and has only been truly tested once, in his four-set second round victory over Nick Kyrgios in what was comfortably the tournament's most bad-tempered match.
Federer, 37, is the oldest man in the semi-finals of a Slam since 39-year-old Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open.
He is in his 13th semi-final at the tournament and 45th at the majors.
In a career illuminated by landmarks, he became the first man to register 100 match wins at a single Slam when he came back from a set down to beat Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals.
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Simona Halep became the first Romanian woman to reach the Wimbledon final on Thursday when she defeated Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-3.
The 27-year-old seventh seed, who was French Open champion in 2018, will be playing in her fifth Grand Slam final.
"It's an amazing feeling but I am also excited and nervous. It is one of the best moments of my life," said Halep.
"The match was not easy, the games were long and went deep.
"I fought hard to win this match and I was strong mentally and physically and had the right tactics."
Halep will face either seven-time champion Serena Williams or unseeded Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic for the title on Saturday.
Halep, who had knocked out new star, 15-year-old Coco Gauff in the last 16, lost in her previous semi-final appearance at Wimbledon to Eugenie Bouchard in 2014.
However, she said she was a different player now and had taken to grass.
"I have more experience, I don't give up anymore," se said.
"I plan to be the best version of myself and fight to the end."
The easy manner in which former world number one Halep wrapped up the match had not looked on the cards at the outset.
Svitolina, the first Ukrainian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, and Halep traded shots aplenty and break points in the opening two games which took over 20 minutes to complete but Halep emerged on top with a 2-0 lead.
Svitolina, being watched from the players box by her English coach Andy Bettles and French boyfriend and ATP star Gael Monfils, briefly raised her game to break back.
However, Halep broke again immediately and 24-year-old Svitolina gave an indication of her increasing frustration when she netted a simple volley and lashed out, kicking the ball into the net.
Worse was to come for Svitolina on her next service game wheh Halep produced a stunning shot to go 5-1.
The 27-year-old Romanian dashed across court to get to Svitolina's drop shot and flashed it cross court.
Halep, who had not faced a seeded player until Svitolina, faced some resistance as she served for the set eventually taking it on her sixth set point.
Although Svitolina stayed with Halep for the first part of the second set, the self-belief and fight had gone and when the Romanian broke for 4-3 it was game over.
All that was left was for Haelp to raise her arms in the air and her eyes to the sky blowing a kiss a the same time.
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Angelique Kerber's defense of her Wimbledon title came to an early end after being knocked out in the second round by lucky loser Lauren Davis 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 on Thursday.
The 31-year-old German, who came into the tournament in form having reached the final at Eastbourne, made her earliest exit since losing in the same round in 2013.
Davis has now equaled her best previous performance at Wimbledon in reaching the third round where she will play Spanish 30th seed Carla Suarez Navarro for a place in the last 16.
"This means everything as it is what I work for," said Davis.
"I was a bit nervous and I slid and hurt my foot in the first set.
"I am so happy to win, it is almost surreal."
Davis, who had strapping on her leg and shoulder, had been ranked outside the top 250 earlier this year but has risen back into the top 100.
"Yeah its been a tough journey and a process of learning and growing as a player and person," she said.
"The drop in ranking has made this win even more fulfilling."
Davis said of course doubts had set in but deep down she always had belief she could succeed.
"I believe in my ability," she said.
"For me in the match the turning point was when I was 3-2 up in the second set and I said to myself you belong here, you can do this."
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