07/11/2021 3:04
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 07/11/2021 10:10
Novak Djokovic, in search of his 20th Grand Slam title, a record number to which he dedicates himself body and soul, and Matteo Berrettini, who aspires to a first great, face off (with ESPN televising) in the Wimbledon final .
To say that the Serb planned to get his 20th major in the British capital would be an exaggeration.
But pointing out that catching Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the number of big trophies is an obsession for him is evidence.
One that he doesn't bother to hide.
"It's what I'm here for. It's what I play for. Before coming to London, I imagined myself in a position to fight to win a new Grand Slam title. And now I've put myself in a position to get it," declared the No. 1 in the world after eliminating Canadian Denis Shapovalov (12th) in the semifinals.
Before arriving in London, Djokovic won the Australian Open for the ninth time (a record) and secured his second Roland Garros by eliminating Spaniard Nadal in the semifinals.
The Belgrade is the only tennis player who has won at least twice each of the 'Majors since the beginning of the Open era (1968).
With Nadal's absence at Wimbledon and Federer's elimination in the quarterfinals in what could be his last Center Court appearance where he lifted eight titles (another record), the Serb has a good chance to polish his stats.
With his eyes fixed on an eventual sixth trophy on the London grass, 'Nole' has 20 consecutive wins in Grand Slam since his victories in Melbourne and Paris, the same as in Wimbledon, where he won in the two previous editions (2018 and 2019 ).
In his 30th final at a major, he does not expect to have the public in his favor.
However, he has his enormous experience, the same one that allowed him to get his best tennis in the important points of the semifinal and thus take a very tight match, only in three sets.
"I have lived all the possible situations as a tennis player. I know my strength, I know what I am capable of. I rely on that. Obviously it is not a guarantee to always find a way out, but at least I know what works for me," he explained.
And although Berrettini reached the final with overwhelming energy, he now sails into uncharted waters, because his best Grand Slam result is the 2019 US Open semi-final lost to Nadal.
"I have never dreamed of this, it was too huge," he said after his semi-final victory against Hubert Hurkacz (18th).
"When I came across Boris Becker (at the club before the start of the tournament) he told me that to go far at Wimbledon you have to be like this, try to do this ... I said to myself
'OK, this guy came to Wimbledon thinking he was going to play. the final (which he won in 1985 in his first participation)
'. I didn't think that way. I thought about being capable, but I didn't think about it. I took each game very seriously and advanced slowly. "
His method worked and now there he is: winner at Queen's just before, the 25-year-old Italian has eleven victories on grass and has in his hand the Challenge Cup that is given to the champion.
"The work is far from finished since, now that I have arrived here, I want the trophy," he launched after his semi-final.
But of course ... Djokovic thinks the same!
Source: AFP