Novak Djokovic defeats Nick Kyrgios to lift seventh Wimbledon: Set-by-set breakdown

From ill-will to something tending towards a friendship, the Djokovic–Kyrgios saga got a full flight on the fraying grass of SW19. The Aussie boasting an unbeaten record against the Serb came unstuck over four rip-roaring sets. He did bring his best service game to the final, but a record-chasing Djokovic won out 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3). While the sword swung the Serb’s way, Kyrgios sizzled nonetheless, reeling off 30 aces of all shades. 

Also Read: 4 factors that swung the Wimbledon final in Novak Djokovic’s favour

First Set: Djokovic 4 Kyrgios 6

Djokovic opens the final with a double fault but soon finds himself 30-15 up. Kyrgios threatens a break as Djokovic hits wide after a fairly intense exchange. But Djokovic holds when Nick wallops a backhand return long. Kyrgios moves 30-0 up, but not before the first wild rally of the final. He follows with a 133 mph second serve ace. Throws in an underarm serve next, but Nole has its measure. Kyrgios concedes another point, stretching to return a Djoko sizzler, but only finding the net. Kyrgios holds, but not without some comedy. As the ball loops back to his side, he expects the ball to go wide, but it stays in. Nick copes well, though.

The quality of tennis keeps improving. Kyrgios lasers a forehand that curls inwards past a static Djokovic. 15-15 on the Serb’s serve, Djokovic finds an ace and ends up holding easy. Kyrgios makes it 2-2 with the briefest of games. Serve-volleying on the first point, he closes with two aces from the abyss. Djokovic finds himself in a spot of bother. Down 15-30 on serve, Kyrgios challenges a line call on a net service, turning a first serve into a second. Djokovic sends down a floater, but after a rapid exchange, a Kyrgios slice has the top seed on edge. He still finds a return, but the Aussie finds a backhand passing shot that tears past Djokovic’s racquet. Down two break points, he saves one but double faults on the other. Kyrgios bullies a break out of Djokovic! He breezes to a 4-2 lead with a love hold. Djokovic follows with a love hold of his own, but Kyrgios provides the fireworks, not least with a tweener-volley on the second point. It’s cat and mouse now!

Nick with new balls is ferocious. In 24 minutes, he has raced to a 3-5 lead, losing only two points on his serve. But Novak holds to love again, putting the pressure back on the Kyrgios court. At 30-15, Kyrgios errs on a backhand volley, sending it long. At 30-all, anybody would’ve been squeaky, especially on a second serve. But he nails a power serve to find himself at set point. Djokovic takes him to deuce, but he nearly rips the Serb’s arm off with a 131 mph scorcher! And follows with another ace to grab the set!

Also Read: Novak Djokovic ‘is a bit of God’: Nick Kyrgios praises Wimbledon 2022 winner after final

Second Set: Djokovic 6 Kyrgios 3

Both players commence with comfortable holds. One senses a lull before the storm hits courtside. Kyrgios finds his first points on the Djoko serve in a fair while, with a backhand winner past a helpless Nole at the nets. At 30-all, the two engage in an attritional rally, which will encourage the Serb. One follows another, and Djokovic closes the rally and game with a deadly delicious drop shot.

Kyrgios pulls a serve wide, but Djokovic finds a yorker-length return, which forces Kyrgios to graze the net. Kyrgios follows with another return long. Djokovic then dances down to the net to laser a winner. 0-40 up, Djoker threatens a first break on the Kyrgios serve in all their meetings. The Serb seals it at the first time of asking with a backhand that skims the net cord and falls on the Kyrgios side.

3-1 ahead in the second set, the Serb has his bit back. At 40-15 on his serve, Djokovic gets done by the Aussie’s cross-court backhand. Kyrgios hits back to bring the game to deuce after yet another forceful exchange. Forcing Djokovic to stretch and slide, the Aussie motors to the net, closing the point on the second try with a dismissive volley, as the Serb remains rooted to the baseline. But Djokovic reels off two points on the bounce to consolidate the break. 4-1 now!

Kyrgios gets his mojo back on serve, arcing an ace on the deuce court to hold serve. Djokovic and Kyrgios are going blow-for-blow now. Kyrgios finds a fire-some forehand to go 0-15 up. Djokovic finds precision with his service to level the game. Kyrgios creams another forehand straight off Djokovic’s serve to tease a break, but Novak- cool as ever- produces enough heat to hold out for 5-2.

Kyrgios, unwilling to concede the set on his serve, forces Djokovic to do it on his. Nole opens with a double fault. But the next point is hair-raising good. Djoker seems ahead on the rally, moving the Aussie side to side as Kyrgios grunts and groans but chases gamely. Seemingly nailing a drop shot, Kyrgios steams in from the end-zone to nudge a passing shot past the stunned Serb.

Novak errs, hitting wide to give Kyrgios three break points. No worries, he reclaims all of them to move the point to deuce. This man is immense! But Djoker hits long to hand yet another break to the Aussie. He challenges, but the ball is narrowly over. Djokovic saves break point with an audacious drop shot to finish a pulsating rally. Follows with a piercing backhand, forcing Kyrgios to hit long. Djokovic converts on the first chance, pumping his fist as Kyrgios finds the net.

Nick is livid and screaming something about 0-40. The storm is well and truly here!

Third Set: Djokovic 6 Kyrgios 4

Djokovic has Kyrgios on the boil from the get-go. But Kyrgios recovers from break point down to nick the game after some high-risk shot-making and calm aces. Djokovic holds to keep us level in the final. Novak puts Kyrgios through the wringer as the Aussie remonstrates to his box. But he keeps pushing his level on serve, slipping another line grazer down the T. Djokovic breezes through another service game. Back to Kyrgios to suffer (and survive)!

It’s getting a little crazy on Centre Court. Kyrgios marches to the net, but Djokovic lobs him twice, forcing tweeners out of the Aussie. Novak nets the first but manages a bouncy return on the second. Kyrgios’ turn to hit the net. After everything, Kyrgios finds himself at deuce. A scream mid-serve breaks his concentration. He faults to give Djoko a shot a look-in but reels two aces to keep ahead. Subsequently walks up to the umpire and gives a piece of his mind on on-court decorum.

The Aussie looks and feels a bit unhinged; spraying returns all over. Djokovic is unflappable, holding serve to tick the score to 3-3. The drop shot is working for the Serb, but so is a lot else. As Kyrgios mutters to his box, the Belgradier is chomping at every Kyrgios service game. But Nick’s tossing missiles, mirroring the mood he’s in at the moment. 4-3, and we turn to the Djoker. He thrums through his serve, winning to love. 4-4 at the Wimby!

What seems an easy hold for Nick on the back of aces 21 and 22 turns awry. Djokovic pins him down from 40-0 to deuce. A double fault follows, and its advantage Djokovic. Kyrgios’s box is squeamish. And Djokovic duly breaks. At 5-4, he’ll be serving for the third set. The Australian rambles on!

Djokovic seals the third set as Kyrgios applauds sarcastically. At 30-all, it looked tight at one point, but Nole had the nerves to settle it 6-4. He walks off to to the quiet of the changing rooms as Kyrgios’ hot-house mind continues to blow over.

It’s now or never for Nicky boy!

Also Read: Novak Djokovic’s road to the Wimbledon 2022 title

Fourth Set: Djokovic 7 Kyrgios 6 (3). The Serb wins his seveWimbledon! 

Kyrgios holds easy to begin the fourth set. But the top seed has hit another level. Another comfortable hold puts Kyrgios back under the microscope. The Aussie is suddenly level-headed again, and a brisk game later is 2-1 up. Novak double faults but is back in his stride, sending Kyrgios on a merry chase before closing the point with a commanding forehand winner. It’s 2-2 in no time, and Novak looks untouchable.

It’s 40-0 up again, but Kyrgios will be keen to avoid a repeat of the last set. Djokovic, of course, wills panic into all comers. It is 40-30 soon enough, and Kyrgios goes mutter-a-minute again! But he closes out with a heatseeker of a forehand. Novak makes it 3-3 in the blink of an eye.

Nick responds with a strong service game of his own. Burying two volleys at the net, a net cord vibration at 40-15 forces him to serve again. Kyrgios lays on a gun serve, which Djokovic can only hit long. The Serb responds with a rapid hold, and it’s 4-4. Kyrgios goes serve and volley after two deathly serves, but Novak stretches every limb to angle a return past the Aussie. The Serb senses a kill, letting rip a forehand to make it 30-30. Kyrgios is resolute, holding off the Balkan to edge ahead 5-4. Expect the Canberran to hound the Novak’s ‘Serb’-ice in this pivotal game.

A double fault to commence. Kyrgios stalks!

Djokovic levels. Then finds an ace. 30-15.

Kyrgios wafts at a Novak forehand to find the net. 40-15.

But Djokovic’s second serve is thurst back on the ad side. 40-30.

An ace follows. It’s 5-5, and Kyrgios smiles!

Kyrgios is tempting danger on his serve but finds himself 40-15 ahead. An ace denied, he whacks a forehand long, but hawkeye says it was just in. Kyrgios refuses to challenge, and it’s 40-30. But he bombs an ace to hold! What the glorious hell is going on?! 6-5 now.

But Djokovic holds. At 40-30, he arrows a deft slice down the deuce side, and Kyrgios’s return slams against the net to send us to a tiebreak.

Kyrgios double faults. Djokovic then goes 2-0 up. But the Serb nets his return on the next point, handing back the advantage. Kyrgios goes for a booming forehand but hits long, and the break is retrieved. But Kyrgios is coming apart now, as the Serb races into a 5-1 lead. And it’s 6-1 soon after. Kyrgios saves two championship points. However, Djokovic won’t be denied, Lifting his seventh Wimbledon as Nick nets his backhand! 

The champion celebrates by chewing off some Centre Court grass, obviously made tastier by the garnish to follow.

Just in case you were wondering, the ‘garnish’: