Novak Djokovic in 2019: A tale of two contrasting Grand Slam final wins
In the 2019 Wimbledon final, Novak Djokovic was facing two championship points against Roger Federer at 2-2, 7-8, 15-40 in the final set. But neither the Djokovic fans nor the pro-Federer crowd at Centre Court was too surprised at what happened next; the World No. 1 narrowly edged past the Swiss maestro to claim his 16th Grand Slam.
Djokovic’s tremendous mental ability to rise when it matters the most has time and again mesmerized us. There is no doubt that as long as Djokovic is playing the game, this rare trait of his will continue to define his greatness.
The Serb has been a part of two Slam finals so far this year - one against Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open earlier this year and the second against Federer at Wimbledon. The stories of these two finals are as diametrically opposite as they can get. However, one common factor that binds both matches together is that both of his biggest rivals, Nadal and Federer, lost to Djokovic’s mental game and simply had no answers to the Serb’s resilience.
2019 Australian Open final vs Nadal
At the Australian Open, making a comeback from another injury-layoff, Nadal looked on song. His remodeled serve worked wonders for the Spaniard in the lead-up to the match against the then 14-time Grand Slam champ Djokovic.
Nadal had not dropped a set in his first six matches; he was impeccable before he met his biggest nemesis in the final at Rod Laver Arena.
Then something happened that was not supposed to happen. Just because of the sheer presence of Djokovic on the opposite side of the net, the Spaniard and his game crumbled like a house of cards. Djokovic cruised to a thumping straight-sets victory in just over two hours.
It was supposed to be a contest between two equals, between two players of great stature and equally efficient skills. And yet Djokovic decimated Nadal to record his 7th Australian Open crown.
Such has been the effect of Djokovic's toughness on his rivals over the years that Nadal appeared to have lost the mental battle to the Serb long before he even took the court to face his biggest nemesis.
2019 Wimbledon final vs Federer
While we saw how Djokovic’s toughness made Nadal crumble and appear toothless in the Australian Open final, we experienced a different side of the Serb’s astute mental composition in the Wimbledon final. He showed resilience and tremendous self-belief to escape the jaws of defeat, and was crowned as the champion yet again at the All England Club.
Analyzing the Wimbledon final statistically, Federer’s numbers bettered those of Djokovic in practically every aspect. The Swiss maestro won 218 points and 36 games as compared to Djokovic’s 204 points and 32 games; he also struck more winners and was broken fewer times.
Djokovic appeared lacklustre in the second and fourth sets, surrendering them 1-6 and 4-6 respectively. And he was two match points down in the fifth set, with everything seemingly lost.
But Djokovic fought like a cornered tiger against both Federer and the pro-Federer crowd to win three tie-breaks. He raised his game when it was needed the most and in the process bagged his 5th Wimbledon title, emulating the great Bjorn Borg.
Perspective
Not just in the history of tennis, but also in the history of sport in general, there are very few who can match Djokovic’s ability to withstand pressure. When on song, with the momentum behind him, the Serb is close to being unbeatable.
Djokovic has this innate ability to transcend his momentum not only from one match to another, but also from one tournament to another. It's no wonder he wins his titles in heaps.
Moreover, his big wins against the likes of Federer and Nadal at the grandest stages of the game have come amidst the fans cheering and rooting for either Federer or Nadal. That is further testimony to Djokovic’s staggering mental resolve and undiminished hunger to win at all costs, defying all the odds.
Djokovic’s journey so far is a classic lesson for all those who feel ignored by society. He serves as an inspiration to keep improving each day, irrespective of the lack of recognition or credit you get.
On three out of the four occasions when Djokovic has won Wimbledon, he has gone on to bag the following US Open and Australian Open titles as well. It would not be astonishing at all if he goes on to repeat this unique feat yet again at the upcoming hardcourt Slams.