The rest was determination and doubly hard work through difficult times for the boy from Belgrade, who yesterday made the Wimbledon dream make sense. Djokovic’s steaming attacks from the baseline forced the great Rafael Nadal to struggle to stay in points. Usually Nadal didn’t, losing his bid for a third Wimbledon crown, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, in 2 hours 28 minutes.
Djokovic was just as swift as the favored, title-holding Spaniard, and he was banging line drives all over the famed Centre Court lawn whenever he got to the ball. Forehands and double-barreled backhands. It was too often for Nadal, who retrieved at times sensationally, but the Serb’s heavy hitting crowded him to play short, open to more flat thunder.
“Yes, I didn’t play long enough. Didn’t make the big, important points,’’ said a gracious but downcast Nadal. “No, I’m not happy with my Wimbledon. I lost my title and [the world] No. 1.’’
Nadal pointed out that Djokovic is hardly a secret. “He’s in my head. He knows it, I know it, you know it. Everybody knows it,’’ said Nadal. “Five times he’s beaten me this year [the finals of the Italian Open, Indian Wells, Key Biscayne, Madrid, and here]. I’ve got to rest my mind and body, and find a solution.
“I’m used to being the first. But now I’m second, and Djokovic is first. Got to go back to work. Harder.’’
Nobody works harder than Nadal. But how many athletes would talk openly about a prime rival, who is “in my head?’’ Very rare.
Nadal didn’t even see a break point until the second game of the third set. That stoked the boisterous 14,979 in the seats, mainly his supporters. They had hope for a five-set climax with Nadal securing his 11th major, and got louder when he won the third set.
As customary, a military band, The Central Band of the Royal British Legion, serenaded the crowd before the match. But the music really stopped for Nadal in the opening game of the fourth. He had a break point that might have been a comeback foundation. But Djokovic saved it with a stunning smash of a lob.
