Novak Djokovic has reached his seventh Wimbledon final and 30th overall at Grand Slams as he overcame the challenge from Canada’s Denis Shopovalov. Djokovic won 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 7-5.

In a tense semi-final, Djokovic crucially saved 10 of 11 breakpoints.

In his seventh Wimbledon final, Djokovic will face Matteo Berrettini after the world number nine became the first Italian to reach a Wimbledon singles final by beating Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 6-0, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4.

“Particularly at this stage of my career what is most important for me are the Grand Slams,” AFP quoted Djokovic as saying.

“It fills my heart every time when something on the line is historic it motivates me,” he added.

Djokovic has already won two Grand Slams already this year, triumphing at both the Australian Open and the French Open. If he overcomes Berrettini on Sunday, he will go one step closer to a calendar Grand Slam. He will also bring his total Grand Slam titles to 20, at par with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Shapovalov had endeared himself to the crowd during the fortnight in reaching his first Grand Slam semi-final. The 22-year-old exited in tears to a standing ovation.

Shapovalov showed no signs of nerves despite appearing in his first Slam semi-final and having come into the match with a 0-6 losing record against the world number one.

He broke for 2-1 but Djokovic, in his 10th Wimbledon semi-final and 41st at the majors, was back on terms in the 10th game before taking the tiebreak when the Canadian double-faulted.

Shapovalov then failed to take five breakpoints in the second set and Djokovic pounced.

He broke for 6-5 on another double fault and pocketed the set before the Canadian took out his frustration on the chair umpire describing the official as “a joke”.

Djokovic showed his trademark steely defence to fend off four more breakpoints in the second game of the third set.

Again, he made the Canadian left-hander pay by breaking for 6-5 and serving out the match in the next game.