In a new role as the quiet man of Centre Court, the relentless Novak Djokovic fended off a chatty, chuntering Nick Kyrgios in an absorbing Wimbledon final for a familiar ending and his fourth successive title.
Djokovic beat unseeded Australian Nick Kyrgios 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) to win his seventh Wimbledon title.
The Serbian top seed won a fourth successive title at the All England Club to take his overall Grand Slam tally to 21.
Djokovic raced out to a 6-1 lead in the fourth-set tiebreaker and converted his third match point when Kyrgios netted a backhand.
Playing in the broiling heat of the All England Club, where temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius, and with his opponent regularly talking to himself and his players’ box between points, Djokovic also put himself level with his boyhood idol Pete Sampras on seven titles.
Now only Roger Federer, with eight, has won more. The Serb’s victory gave Djokovic his 21st Grand Slam title, taking him to within one of Rafael Nadal’s portfolio of 22.
