Djokovic and Kerber Crowned Champions at Wimbledon (written by Emre Saridogan)
After week one of Wimbledon drew to a close, the draw was shaping up for a showdown between long-time rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. However tennis fans were denied this blast from the past by two incredible performances by Kevin Anderson and Novak Djokovic, who knocked out Federer and Nadal respectively. The two men were to eventually meet in a rather underwhelming final, one in which the Serb prevailed 6-2 6-2 7-6 over a tired Anderson.
Anderson had spent over 11 hours on court in his previous two matches, where he beat Federer 13-11 in a fifth set and then Isner 26-24 in another marathon fifth set. Djokovic, despite having to finish his semi-final less than 24 hours before playing Anderson, had spent considerably less time on court than his South African counterpart. This showed in their games, with Anderson making 32 unforced errors compared to just 13 from Djokovic, and it was for this reason that Djokovic dominated proceedings, winning 100 points in total, 26 more than Anderson.
“I had many moments of doubt, I didn’t know if could come back to this level to compete,” said Djokovic. “There is no better place to make a comeback, it’s a sacred place for the world of tennis, it’s very special.” Djokovic also expressed his pleasure at having his son witness his trophy presentation, perhaps showing us that the Serb is ready to be a father and a champion, something which many doubted he could do.
In an equally disappointing women’s final, Angelique Kerber defeated Serena Williams 6-3 6-3. Kerber did what no other opponent of Williams could: move the 36 year old from side to side. This exposed Serena’s weaker movement, something to be expected considering how quickly the great champion had returned after giving birth. Williams had no answer, and succumbed to the German in 65 minutes.
“It is a dream come true,” said Kerber. “I know I had to play my best tennis against a champion like Serena. Serena is a great person and a great champion and she is a great inspiration for all of us.”
Thus, the gates close at SW19 for another year, after a memorable fortnight of tennis. Next, the tour prepares for the hard court swing and the US Open.