“The job is not finished. But one thing’s for sure, there’s gonna be some emotional fireworks‘ on Sunday, the 35-year-old Serb said as he left Center Court after beating the public protege, Britain’s Cameron Norrie (12th in the world) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Kyrgios (40th) will play”his first Grand Slam final, so obviously he’ll be very motivated and won’t have much to lose“, insisted the Serb (3rd) who will play big.
Having given up two lengths to Rafael Nadal in the race for Grand Slam titles (22 for the Spaniard who won the Australian Open and Roland-Garros this year), and not being a priori authorized – for lack of vaccine anticovid- to enter the territory of the United States to play the US Open which begins on August 29, the Serb needs this title.
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But his next opponent, who benefited from Nadal’s withdrawal before their half, is not to be taken lightly, even if he had never yet reached the last four of a Major and his mind is not not his forte.
– “Never took a set” –
“He plays so freely. He has one of the biggest serves in history and it’s been a long time since we faced each other“, noted Djokovic speaking of Kyrgios, before emphasizing that he had “never took a set“to the Australian.
The two men have played each other twice and Kyrgios won both times in straight sets, but the meetings date back to 2017 and were played on hard courts, in Acapulco and Indian Wells.
“I hope it will be different this time“, insisted the Serb who has 85 victories on the grass of Wimbledon (only Federer did better with 105), stressing that for him it was a “another Wimbledon final“and that experience would therefore be on his side.
This experience, he used Friday in the semi-final against Cameron Norrie who, at 26 and for his first appearance in the last four of a Major, seemed not to feel any pressure at the start of the match.
“I didn’t start the game well, he was the best in the first set“, a reconnu Djokovic.
– Go get Borg and Federer –
Norrie thus managed the entry break and even if, this time, the Serb picked up again, immediately after, the Briton lined up five games in a row to pocket the first set.
But in the second set, at 4-3 for Djokovic, Norrie made a big mistake on a high backhand volley. The Serbian felt the opening and put pressure on his opponent: he made the break and served to equalize at one set everywhere.
“I was lucky to get the break. He offered it to me and from there, the game changed. That’s playing a Grand Slam semi-final“, commented Djokovic.
By winning the third game of the third set, Norrie ended a streak of five consecutive games won by his opponent. But the Serb, just slowed down, resumed his march forward to lead 5-1 and quietly pocket the set.
He then broke from the start and despite the encouragement of the public, Norrie was in the trap and did not manage to get out.
Undefeated at Wimbledon since his retirement in the quarter-finals in 2017 with 27 straight wins, Djokovic will try on Sunday to get even closer to the series of Pete Sampras (31), Roger Federer (40) and Björn Borg (41).
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If he wins on Sunday, he will also lift the trophy for the fourth consecutive edition, like Sampras. Only Borg and Federer have done better by fielding five.
