Wimbledon 2014: Djokovic passes Dimitrov test to reach final
On a windswept summer day, over a worn out centre court, Novak Djokovic survived an up and down contest against a determined Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(7) to reach the final of the 2014 Wimbledon championships. It was an engrossing three hour match between the present and future of the sport and both men produced some exhilarating tennis before Djokovic emerged victorious by a deceptively narrow margin.
A nervy start from Dimitrov in his first Major semifinal
Dimitrov’s first taste of a Grand Slam semifinal was turning out into a difficult adventure as he set about dealing with the nerves and stage fright that accompany such a definitive experience. At the other end, Djokovic got off to a solid start – serving with venom and playing with the assured calm of a veteran – to edge the first set in just 27 minutes.
In the past year or so, Roger Rasheed, the coach of Dimitrov, has taught his ward the virtues of digging his heels into matches that do not play to his tunes. The Bulgarian put those lessons to good use, mounting a rearguard action in the second set even when he was down a break.
The Bulgarian comes roaring back in the second
Dimitrov possesses the ability to switch between finesse and ferocious attack within the bat of an eyelid. The newest member of the top 10 club calmed his nerve and played with resolve to turn the tables on Djokovic. It took 15 minutes longer than the first, but Dimitrov stamped his style on the contest by taking the second set 6-3.
The match took a new life with Dimitrov roaring back into it after an insipid start, but Djokovic wasn’t ready to see it all slip away. As the two dueled, Djokovic continued to serve and return well, while Dimitrov mixed it up with clever variations in pace using the gifts embedded in his magical wrist.
A see-saw third set ends with Djokovic pulling out his veteran card
Neither man could find the break and the set slid into a breaker. As he set off to play a backhand, Dimitrov suffered a slip on the dust bowl behind the baseline. Even as the Bulgarian was struggling with his footwork and confidence, the wily Serbian kept steady at his end to take a 4-1 lead.
At 5-2, Djokovic had the third set on his racket. Dimitrov helped him to four set points when a heavily sliced backhand collapsed into the net. Djokovic pulled out a big serve to poach the set and take a commanding lead over his struggling opponent.
Break exchanges and exhilarating rallies mark the fourth set
Already in trouble, Dimitrov walked into prison by serving a hat-trick of double faults and sailing a forehand long to gift an easy break to Djokovic. Just when it looked like Dimitrov was gift wrapping the match for his opponent, Dimitrov produced a vintage forehand crosscourt winner to snatch the break back in the next game.
Dimitrov turned the sixth game of the fourth set into a mighty tussle, as he sought to breach his opponent’s serve again. But the resolute Serbian survived three deuce points and saved break points before holding to 3-3.
As the set neared its end, Dimitrov held to love in the ninth game to make it amply clear that he was in no great hurry to get off the court. With Djokovic serving to stay in the set, Dimitrov played out of his skin to produce a forehand winner of amazing quality to force a set point.
But Djokovic produced some determined tennis to ensure he kept the set alive at 5-5. Two games later, Djokovic produced the best service game of the set to force another tie-breaker.
Djokovic brings out his set point-saving exploits in the fourth set tie-breaker
The first mini-break went to Dimitrov, when the Serb sailed a forehand marginally long on the third point.
The next point lasted 19 strokes, but the Bulgarian persisted enough to gain a 3-1 lead. An exchange of service points followed, before the duo switched ends, with Dimitrov leading 4-2. Djokovic sank a forehand into the net and Dimitrov stung with a backhand volley winner on the next to earn three set points at 6-3.
Djokovic saved the first two with some attacking tennis, but Dimitrov was left with another on his own serve. The Serb stretched Dimitrov with an angled volley and they changed ends again at 6-6. A double fault from Dimitrov, desperately ill-timed, offered Djokovic his first match point.
Dimitrov passed the Serb at the net to save it, but Djokovic earned a second with a volley winner even as Dimitrov, having slipped again, lay sprawling on the baseline. A crosscourt forehand winner sealed Djokovic his place in the final for a second straight year.
Dimitrov has signalled his arrival on the big stage
The young Bulgarian may have been denied on this occasion, but clearly he is inching closer to an important phase in his career. The Bulgarian will be rewarded with a spike in his ranking to ninth in the world as he starts to make his mark at the very top of the game.
It was not easy for Djokovic, so he will be happy for getting off the treacherous slippery court in four sets against a talented and tricky opponent. The Serb awaits the winner between Roger Federer and Milos Raonic in Sunday’s final.