Bengaluru, July 11: History created and how! An emphatic Novak Djokovic lay down on the Centre Court grass at the All England Club and heaved a sigh of relief as he picked up his 20th Grand Slam title to draw level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
It was heartbreak for Matteo Berrettini as defending champion Djokovic claimed his sixth Wimbledon title. The 2021 Wimbledon men's singles final saw the seasoned Djokovic, playing in his 30th Grand Slam final, fend off a spirited Berrettini to clinch a record-equalling Grand Slam title.
The Serbian player now sits beside Swiss great Roger Federer and Spaniard Rafael Nadal with 20 Grand Slam titles each. Berrettini, playing in his first-ever Grand Slam final, gave the World No. 1 a scare as he fought back from 5-2 to take the first set in tie-break.
But with eons of experience in his bag a dominant Djoko, who seems to be getting better with age, bounced back as he defeated Berrettini 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
Even in command of the one set he dropped, Djokovic survived a sloppy start to break at the second attempt as his opponent skewed a forehand into the sidelines and piled on the pressure again in a long eighth game.
But he faltered when serving for the set, with Berrettini's chipped forehand pass restoring parity, which was then protected with a roar to reach a tiebreak.
The pair traded mini-breaks before Berrettini seized the initiative, stepping forward for a superb forehand winner and serving out the set with a blistering ace.
Djokovic promptly claimed control of the second, though, alert at close range to break a first time and two up when Berrettini bowed to the third chance in the third game, firing into the net.
Berrettini did not give up the chase, following an outrageous tweener lob for 5-2 with a break back after Djokovic's slip and then a further frantic hold.
However, the world number one this time successfully served out the set to love and once more made swift progress in the third, holding his nerve in a backhand rally until Berrettini clipped the net.
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Djokovic saved a pair of break points at 3-2 and kept Berrettini at arm's length thereafter to see out the set.
Berrettini took the fight to the favourite in the fourth but merely succeeded in provoking his best play of the match, a staggering point in which the breathless Djokovic held firm setting the stage for a break in the next game - decided by a double fault.
With the end in sight, rather than face the challenge of serving for game, set, match and championship, Djokovic went on the offensive again and Berrettini could not cling on, slicing into the net at the last.
After lifting his sixth Wimbledon crown, an emotional Djokovic with trophy in hand said, "When I was a little boy, I used to make the Wimbledon trophy out of materials in my roon, imagining I'd be standing here one day."
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS Djokovic - 31/21 Berrettini - 57/48
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS Djokovic - 5/4 Berrettini - 16/3
BREAK POINTS WON Djokovic - 6/15 Berrettini - 2/7
(With inputs from OPTA)
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