Novak Djokovic Holds Off Grigor Dimitrov to Reach Wimbledon Final
WIMBLEDON, England - It has been several years now that a trickle of young, upstart players have threatened to rise and shuffle the top layer of men's tennis, mostly to be turned back. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal reluctantly squeezed together to allow room, first for Novak Djokovic, then for Andy Murray.
Only twice in the past 37 Grand Slam tournaments, going back more than nine years, has someone outside that Big Four won the title: Stan Wawrinka at this year's Australian Open, and Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 United States Open. For 11 years in a row, however, one of the Big Four has won Wimbledon.
Friday brought two more contenders, a pair of 23-year-olds rising through the rankings, looking to nudge out the old generation.
Djokovic, seeded No. 1, beat back the first challenger, No. 11 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, to reach Wimbledon's final for the second year in a row. The rollicking 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(7) victory tightened as it went, not secure until after Djokovic reversed three set points and clinched the victory with a charging, cross-court forehand that tipped the net and stayed in.
Djokovic awaited the winner of the day's other semifinal between Federer, the seven-time Wimbledon champion, and No. 8 Milos Raonic, the charging power player from Canada.
It was an uneven performance by Djokovic on a hot and windy day, just good enough for another chance at the title he has won once, in 2011. Djokovic reach the final last year, too, but lost to Murray in an emotional, straight-set coronation for the British champion.
On Thursday, Dimitrov beat Murray in a straight-set quarterfinal, lifting himself to the precipice of his first Grand Slam final.
'The younger guys, we want to come on that stage,' Dimitrov said after beating Murray in a straight-set quarterfinal. 'We strive for this. I think we're thirsty for that. We want to prove ourselves. We also want to prove to the big guys that we're around the corner.'
Dimitrov was a junior champion at Wimbledon in 2008, and has been trying to shake comparisons to Federer, with his fluid all-around play, ever since. What had been bestowed as a compliment became a burden, but Dimitrov arrived at Wimbledon as the only player with tournament victories this year on three different surfaces.
His game crumbled at inopportune moments against Djokovic, who was not at his best, seeming to play the match the way a cat toys with a mouse. Tied at a set apiece, the men fought to a third-set tiebreaker. Djokovic's play stiffened. He won seven of the nine points, a key one on a double fault by Dimitrov.
Dimitrov double-faulted three times in a row early in the fourth set to go down a break. But with youthful resiliency, he immediately broke back. He later took Djokovic to set point, threatening to carry the match to a fifth and final stanza with a scrambling drop shot that Djokovic applauded. But Djokovic steadied, won the next three points and tied the set, 5-5.
Another tiebreaker soon followed, and several long points thrilled the crowd. Dimitrov, running and sliding and falling on the court in a way reminiscent of former champion Boris Becker - now Djokovic's coach - jumped to a 6-3 lead.
But Djokovic won four points in a row, the third on another Dimitrov double fault. Dimitrov beat back one match point by squeezing a shot past Djokovic on a surprising serve-and-volley attempt. Dimitrov lost the next point as he slid into the splits chasing a Djokovic forehand, getting assistance to his feet from a ball boy.
Both players were scrambling toward the net on the match's final point, ending when Djokovic tipped a shot off the net and just inside the line.
The crowd rose for a standing ovations, the sentiment directed to the entertainment and effort that both men provided.
The early sets were mostly played on the dusty baseline worn of its grass, but the surface shrunk and the points stretched as the match deepened. Once Dimitrov pulled himself back into the match, he looked every bit Djokovic's equal.
But Djokovic looked like someone other than himself, especially during the middle portion of the match. He experimented with slow, spinning serves on his first serve. He made uncustomary mistakes, especially at the net. Frustrated midway through the taut third set, Djokovic tossed his racket high into the air like a baton twirler, then clumsily caught it.
Many crucial points turned on the slick conditions of the court, dried out by heat and swirling gusts. Midway through the fourth set, Djokovic frustratingly kicked at the dirt. He bent and cursed at it, as if disciplining a misbehaving pet.
It was a strange match with a routine start. Djokovic played a near-perfect first set, getting 20 of 24 first serves in. He took the advantage by breaking Dimitrov at 2-2, and was on cruise control until midway through the second set.
Up a break and serving at 3-2, Djokovic looked suddenly lackadaisical. He began to scatter shots. Dimitrov broke back, spurred on by a crowd looking for a compelling match, on his way to winning five games in a row.
The match was suddenly induced with flair, as the slick baselines drew the players closer to the net. But on the biggest points, they were more comfortable trading from a distance, tempting the other to make the move. Djokovic used that strategy in dominating the third-set tiebreaker. He coaxed Dimitrov into a weak backhand drop shot that dropped short of the net, then clinched on set point.
Djokovic was in Dimitrov's place once, fighting for a spot atop the game, looking for his first Grand Slam title. For one more tournament, at least, Dimitrov would have to wait.
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