5 milestones Novak Djokovic accomplished with his Wimbledon 2022 triumph
Novak Djokovic beat unseeded Australian Nick Kyrgios on Sunday to successfully defend his Wimbledon title.
The top seed made an uncharacteristically slow start in his eighth final at SW19. Djokovic dropped serve in the fifth game of the set as Kyrgios won his fifth straight set against the 35-year-old. However, the Serb was only warming up to the task at hand.
Djokovic broke to love early in the second set and saved four break points while serving to level proceedings. In a competitive third set, which was heading to a tiebreak, Kyrgios lost serve from 40-0 up, serving at 4-4. Djokovic promptly served out the set to take an all-important two-sets-to-one lead.
In a tight fourth set that featured no breaks, Djokovic came within two points of losing the set. However, he held firm to force a tiebreak, where the Serb took a seemingly unassailable 6-1 lead. Kyrgios saved two championship points on serve but was powerless on a third as Djokovic reigned supreme at Wimbledon for the seventh time.
Centre Court rises again for one of its great champions
Congratulations, @DjokerNole 👏
#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 https://t.co/RAm2mm56pS
Following his triumph at Wimbledon, Djokovic achieved a few milestones. Here's a look at five of them in no particular order:
#1 Novak Djokovic moves into sole second place in all-time Grand Slam men's singles title leaderboard
Novak Djokovic broke a tie with Roger Federer (20) with his Wimbledon triumph on Sunday.
The Serb is now only one behind all-time Grand Slam men's singles title leader Rafael Nadal (22). Interestingly, Nadal won his 21st Major earlier this year before adding another at Roland Garros, his 14th triumph at the claycourt Major.
21 - Novak #Djokovic has won 21 Grand Slam titles: in the Open Era, only Rafael Nadal has more. Sir.
#Wimbledon #Wimbledon2022finals https://t.co/pp66Z5YdT8
Djokovic now trails only Steffi Graf (22), Serena Williams (23) and Margaret Court on the all-time Grand Slam list - men or women.
#2 Novak Djokovic is first player to win Wimbledon in Open Era after dropping first set in QF, SF and final
Novak Djokovic is the first Wimbledon champion in the Open Era to recover from a set down in the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.
The Serb recovered from two sets down against Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals. He then fought back from a set down against Cameron Norrie and Nick Kyrgios in the semifinal and final respectively to win his seventh Wimbledon title.
That made him the first Wimbledon champion to do so since Ted Schroeder in 1949, nearly two decades before the Open Era commenced in 1968.
1949 - Novak #Djokovic is the first player in the Open Era to win the title in Wimbledon after having drop the first set in quarter-finals, semi-finals and final - and the first since Ted Schroeder in 1949. Warrior.
#Wimbledon #WimbledonFinal https://t.co/NQOafuQcDh
Interestingly, Djokovic also recovered from a set down in the Wimbledon final last year against Matteo Berrettini.
#3 Novak Djokovic becomes fourth player in Open Era to win four consecutive Wimbledon titles
Novak Djokovic has joined Pete Sampras (7) and Roger Federer (8) as the only players in the Open Era to win seven Wimbledon titles.
Djokovic beat Kevin Anderson to win his fourth Wimbledon title in 2018. He followed that up with successes over Federer (2019) and Berrettini (2021). The 2020 edition of the Championships was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With his triumph at SW19 on Sunday, the Serb emulated Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer to win four straight Wimbledon titles in the Open Era.
4 - Novak #Djokovic is the fourth player in the Open Era to win 4+ consecutive titles in Wimbledon after Björn Borg, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. Gallop.
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While Borg (1976-1980) and Federer (2003-2007) won five straight titles, Sampras reigned supreme at Wimbledon on four consecutive occasions (1997-2000).
#4 Novak Djokovic is first male player in Open Era to win two Majors seven times
Novak Djokovic is widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the game. He proved that once again on Sunday by coming back from a set down to beat first-time Grand Slam finalist, the big-serving Nick Kyrgios, on Sunday to win his seventh Wimbledon title.
In the process, the Serb became the first male player in the Open Era to win two Majors at least seven times. Djokovic is a record nine-time champion at the Australian Open. He has won the Australian Open in 2008, 2011-13, 2015-16, 2019-21.
Novak Djokovic is the FIRST man to win SEVEN or more slam titles at two different slam tournaments (ie. Wimbledon & Australian Open)
The Greatest to ever do it.
Meanwhile, the Serb's triumphs at Wimbledon have come in 2011, 2014-15, 2018-19 and 2021-22.
#5 Novak Djokovic has second-best win record on grass in Open Era
With his seventh Wimbledon triumph on Sunday, Novak Djokovic overtook John McEnroe for the second-best win-loss record on grass by a male player in the Open Era.
The Serb has won 109 of his 117 matches on grass for a win% of 85.8, which is only bettered by Roger Federer (86.9%).
85.8% - Only Roger Federer (86.9%) has now a highest winning ratio than Novak #Djokovic in ATP-level matches on grass (85.8%), overtaking John McEnroe - min. 50 wins. Playground.
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Federer has won a record 192 matches on grass and lost 29 times. The Swiss is a record eight-time winner at Wimbledon, a tally Djokovic could equal next year.