The tennis world saw one of the greatest matches in the history of the sport on Sunday as a nearly five-hour affair between legends Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer ended with the Serbian narrowly escaping to win his 16th Major.
His win on Sunday was an absolute thriller with furious back-and-forths between two of the best players to ever hold a racket. While the 37-year-old Federer turned in a valiant and unforgettable effort, he was simply unable to prevail at the end of a marathon fifth-set tiebreaker.
Djokovic did what he always does, withstanding a barrage of Federer aces and serves that most players would’ve simply wilted under. Instead, he stood his ground, volleying expertly to win just enough points to stay alive.
None of the Serbian’s set wins came early, as all three of his ultimate wins came after a tie-breaker. Federer, on the other hand, won the second and fourth sets relatively comfortably, 1-6 and 4-6.
The Serbian’s steely resolve and stamina, however, were enough to propel him to his fifth career win at Wimbledon and to the sixteenth triumph at a Major in his storied career. He now stands only 4 behind tying the man he beat on Sunday for the most Major wins in men’s singles history.
