Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic played what is being called the best Wimbledon tiebreaker in 35 years
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Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic put on a show over the course of 17 minutes in what is being called the best Wimbledon tiebreaker in 35 years.
Federer lost the first set in a tiebreaker and was in danger of falling down two sets to none. Instead he rallied to win the second-set tiebreaker, fighting off six set points from Djoker and leveling the match at a set apiece and setting up what could go down as one of the all-time great finals.
The tiebreaker got off to a terrible start for Djokovic who let a return from Federer go. The ball hit the line giving Fed an early mini-break and 1-0 lead.
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Djokovic was able to keep his cool and rallied to win six of the next eight points to take a commanding 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker.
Djokovic suddenly had three set points. It seemed inevitable that he would take a 2-0 lead in the match and take a huge step towards winning his third Wimbledon championship.
Djokovic looked composed and confident.
After fighting off one set point with a devastating first serve Djokovic could not return, Federer won an epic 27 shot rally with the final stroke by Djokovic going long.
Federer tied the tiebreaker up at six and celebrated with a subdued fist-pump and a quick side-glance at Djokovic.
The two traded points with Federer fighting off three more set points. Federer fended off one at 9-8 when Djokovic slipped just as a ball whizzed by.
Federer then fought off a final set point 10-9 with Djokovic serving. Federer won the long 16-shot rally when Djoker hit one long by about an inch.
Suddenly, Djokovic looked frazzled.
That was the first of three straight points Federer would win to end the tie-breaker. The final point came on a classic serve-and-volley and the crowd erupted when Djokovic's final stroke hit the net.
It was the longest tiebreaker in a gentlemen's final at Wimbledon since Pete Sampras and Patrick Rafter went 12-10 in the first set in 2000.
However, to some at least, it was the best Wimbledon tiebreaker since John McEnroe won a crucial fourth set against Bjorn Borg with an 18-16 tiebreaker in 1980.