Roger Federer played his first and last Major final at his beloved Wimbledon. The first came in 2003, and the most recent and last one in 2019. Roger had a massive chance to lift the ninth Wimbledon title a couple of weeks before turning 38, creating two match points against Novak Djokovic.
The Serb fended them off and scored a memorable 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 triumph in four hours and 57 minutes. Regarding the match, Roger’s coach Ivan Ljubicic admitted it still hurts every time he thinks about that match, seeking it as Roger’s massive opportunity.
The Swiss won 14 points more, scored four extra breaks, fired 40 winners more than his rival and had two match points and two break chances at 11-11 in the decider! He squandered all that and allowed Djokovic to steal the crown in the most extended Wimbledon final.
The Serb gave his best to stay in contention and fight against the rival who had the upper hand in the more significant part of the encounter. He repelled those two match points on the return at 7-8 in the fifth set and produced the nerves of steel in all three tie breaks to grab the 16th Major title.
The overall numbers were on Federer’s side. Djokovic did what he had to in the pivotal moments, carried by the incredible inner strength that helped him against Roger and the crowd. After two hours and 15 minutes, Novak had two sets to one lead despite earning no break points!
Federer led 5-3 in the first set’s tie break before dropping four straight points to hand it to Djokovic. Novak hit no winners or errors, allowing Roger to make mistakes and ruin everything he built in the last 55 minutes.
The Swiss quickly left this setback behind him and stormed over the Serb to grab the second set 6-1. Federer was a better player in the third set, but he wasted a break chance that installed the second tie break.
Ivan Ljubicic shared his thoughts about that epic 2019 Wimbledon final.
Novak clinched it 7-4 after Roger’s six errors, four in an unforced area from the backhand wing that cost him a slow start and a better finish!
Federer bounced back and won the fourth set to force a decider. Djokovic defended two match points on the return at 7-8 and prevailed in game 23 to stay in touch and introduce the first-ever deciding match tie break in the Wimbledon finals.
Novak claimed it 7-3 to wrap up the title and one of his most extraordinary victories ever. Federer hit the last ball in 29 out of 33 points in all three tie breaks combined, leaving Novak on three winners and one forced error!
On the other hand, an eight-time champion counted six service winners and five from the court. He spoiled all that with massive 13 unforced mistakes and five that Novak forced. Like in the rest of the encounter, tie breaks were on Roger’s racquet, but he failed to deliver his best tennis when it mattered the most, spraying 17 errors more than the steady Serb and finding himself on the losing side.
“It’s hard to get over the 2019 Wimbledon final. The Novak Djokovic loss still hurts Roger and me after three years,” Ivan Ljubicic said.
