The Serbian, who has accumulated 27 games in a row without losing in Wimbledonis already the man with the most Grand Slam finals in history (32), one more than the Swiss Roger Federer and the Spanish Rafael Nadalwho could not follow in his footsteps by dropping out of the semi-final against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal injury.
Djokovic has not lost on these courts since the 2017 quarterfinals and is one game away from adding his fourth consecutive title at the All England Club, a feat on a par with Bjorn Borg and Federerwho achieved five, and Pete Sampras, who stayed at four.
The match against Norrie seemed little more than a formality for the winner of 20 ‘major’, because the Briton is a rookie in these matches and because until not long ago it was unthinkable that he would play a semifinal at Wimbledon and much more that he had options to win .
Their previous clash, at the ATP Finals, with a Djokovic that he only left three games, was the clearest example of the tennis gap that exists between the two, but the British, with an enthusiastic public in his favor, believed that he could give war.
The cries of the English every time Norrie won a point were a true reflection of that final that Djokovic lifted from Federer in 2019. The Serb’s followers could be counted on the fingers of one hand, while Norrie’s followers jumped out in torrents .
Djokovic puts on his cap
With that atmosphere, Norrie, with a face full of sun cream, took advantage of a Djokovic disconcerted by the sun and the almost 30 degrees of the British capital.
After a catastrophic first set, with twelve unforced errors and three serves yieldedDjokovic, spotting a historic debacle, put on his cap. A priori anecdotal gesture, but with which the meeting changed.
He reduced the bloodletting of unforced errors (he made only 9 in the next two sets) and took a bite out of Norrie, who met the odds and was unable to topple the six-time champion in the Cathedral.
The one from Belgrade was still not comfortable, who complained to his bench on numerous occasions, but he did not need his highest level to propel himself against the Englishman either. With a partial of 18 to 9 he took away any option he might have and drowned out the screams of the British public, who trusted their boy to unsuspected levels.
With the victory, Djokovic will aspire to his 21st Grand Slam this Sunday, one behind Nadal and one ahead of Federer. It would be his seventh Wimbledon, tying Pete Sampras, one for the Swiss and two off Martina Navratilova’s total record.
His rival will be the Australian Nick Kyrgios, with whom he has only met twice, in 2017, both with a victory for the one from Canberra.
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