Novak Djokovic is aiming for his first ever Wimbledon title today
Wimbledon delivers a blockbuster final as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic meet in the men's final Sunday at 14:00 (London time).
One of tennis’ most gripping contemporary rivalries will resume in the Wimbledon final as Rafael Nadal takes on Novak Djokovic for The 125th Championships.
While Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 16-11, he has come a cropper against Djokovic in their past four meetings, a fact that both players believe could be significant in Sunday’s final on Centre Court.
“His mental position over me today is probably a little bit better because he won the last four finals against me. And that's what it is,” said Nadal, who lost out to Djokovic in the finals at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome this season.
“The four times I won against him this year can probably help me in some ways mentally prior to this match,” said Djokovic, whose triumphs this season have earned him the No. 1 spot in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, which he will take from Nadal on Monday win or lose in the final.
“The last couple of years have been a great experience for me playing on the top level,” the Serb continued. “I was losing most of the matches against Nadal and Federer in the major events. Now I feel that I can win against those guys in big matches, big events.”
If he is to defeat Nadal, Djokovic will have to do so in a Grand Slam for the first time. The Spaniard has won all five of their major meetings, including in the final of the 2010 US Open when he completed the career Grand Slam.
At the age of 25 years, 30 days old, Nadal is looking to become the second-youngest man to win 11 Grand Slam singles titles. Four weeks ago he clinched the his sixth Roland Garros crown with victory over Roger Federer, giving him the chance to join Bjorn Borg as the only two players in the Open Era to win the clay-grass major double three times.
“The key is to play really well and to hope the opponent doesn't have his best day. That is the key in these kind of matches, when you play against the best players of the world. I'm trying my best. I think I'm playing well, really well," said Nadal, who dashed British hopes for the second year in a row when he defeated Andy Murray in four sets in the semi-finals on Friday.
The Mallorcan left-hander is on a 20-match winning streak at the All England Club and is looking to add to the titles he won in 2008 (d. Federer) and 2010 (d. Berdych) as he contests his fifth final on the famed Centre Court.
In contrast, the 24-year-old Djokovic is through to the Wimbledon final for the first time. "I want to win this trophy. It's just simply something I've dreamed of forever," declared the Belgrade native. "I am very much looking forward to it, very much excited. There is no bigger challenge at this point in our sport than playing in the Wimbledon final against Nadal, who has won two times out of the last three Wimbledons.”
Djokovic is looking to break the Nadal-Federer stronghold at Wimbledon; one of the duo has won the title each year since Lleyton Hewitt triumphed in 2002. The Serbian goes into the match having lost just one match this season (47-1 record), that defeat coming against Roger Federer in the Roland Garros semi-finals. He won his second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open (d. Murray), adding to the trophy he won in Melbourne three years ago (d. Tsonga).
“Against Rafa, if I have any chance of winning tomorrow, I need to serve well and I need to be aggressive. That's the game plan,” said Djokovic. “I need to be physically ready, which I am. I feel fit in this moment, and mentally obviously motivated. It's my first Wimbledon final.”