Novak Djokovic qualified for the Wimbledon final on Friday July 9 by dismissing Canadian Denis Shapovalov (12e) 7–6 (7/3), 7–5, 7–5. He will face Matteo Berrettini on Sunday in an attempt to equal the record of 20 Grand Slam titles won, jointly held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
“The score does not reflect the difficulty of the match. He [Denis Shapovalov] was a bit unlucky in the first set and was better for most of the second ”, analyzed the Serbian, who, at 34, will aim for a sixth coronation at Wimbledon on the occasion of the seventh final he is playing on the London turf. Except that Denis Shapovalov faced the world number one in all his glory, the ultimate fighter.
“Yes, we can say it like that, Djokovic agreed. I give everything, especially at this stage, in such a tournament. Giving up is never an option. “ So much so that the tough play of the Serbian replaced the sparkling play of the Canadian, who will have left Center Court in tears after three tight sets… but only three sets. Because the Serbian has made three break points out of ten, when the Canadian has only converted one out of eleven.
Denis Shapovalov’s offensive and risky tennis
If he entered the match like a bull in an arena, Denis Shapovalov gradually took the measure of his opponent, who broke down to 5-5 before leading 6-5 and forcing Shapovalov to serve. to get the tie-break. What he did.
But in the decisive game, the ultra-offensive – and risky – Canadian tennis cost him dearly: three unforced errors and a double fault on set point. The Serbian did not ask for much, and to pocket the first set in 53 minutes. Denis Shapovalov, he resumed his march forward barely the second set started.
Novak Djokovic will have been more often challenged on his throw-in than his opponent. He will have had to save three break points at 1–2 (he has lined up five points in a row), then two more at 2–3. The two players will eventually come to 5-5 without managing to have taken any of their face-offs, and it is with his only break point that Djokovic will have the advantage, taking advantage again of a double. wrong-timing fault on Shapovalov’s part.
The scenario was more or less repeated in the third set, Novak Djokovic making the break to break away 6–5 and serve for the match. In total, he will play his 30e major final to try to win a 20e title. He chained Friday a 20e victory in a row at Wimbledon, after the two titles he won there in 2018 and 2019. It was also his 20e match won in a row in Grand Slam, after his winning campaigns at the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year.