Djokovic wins Wimbledon

Seeking a record eighth Wimbledon singles title, 33-year-old Roger Federer got off to an optimal start, winning his first service game to love and breaking world number one Novak Djokovic a bit later. The Serb showed his mettle, though, immediately breaking back and staving off two set points in the twelfth game to reach a tie-break.

Djokovic was serving above even his own unusually high standards, and he prevented his opponent from ending points quickly on his own serve. A series of Federer errors, including a double fault, meant that the first set went to the defending champ.

If Federer was disheartened, it didn't show, and the Swiss earned himself two further break chances in the fifth game of the second set. But once against Djokovic came up with moments of magic to stay on serve. This time the Serb could have put the set away in game 10, but Federer saved a set point with a gutsy second serve.

The result was another tie-break, and again Djokovic took command, exploiting some Federer service wobbles. But the Swiss warded off eight set points to decide the tie-break 12-10 in his favor, storming to the net on his second serve on the final point.

Djokovic was clearly irritated at his own wastefulness and put immediate pressure on Federer's serve in the third set, earning a break in the third game. And that was all the advantage the Serb needed, as he held serve to take the third set 6-4 despite a brief rain interruption.

"I had my chances in the first set, got lucky to win the second and had chances in the third," a characteristically gracious Federer told the Wimbledon crowd after the match. "But he was better on the bigger points. He was rock solid. I didn't play badly myself. That's how it goes."

The fourth set was solidity and more. Djokovic broke Federer in the fourth game, and the Swiss had no answers to the Serb's consistency on his own service matches. The seven-time champion grew increasingly despondent, and Djokovic broke him to win the match 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Afterward the Joker - as Djokovic is nicknamed - payed tribute to his opponent.

"It's a big challenge playing against Roger," Djokovic said. "A lot of players of my generation have looked up to him and followed his lead."

It was the world number one's third Wimbledon title and ninth Grand Slam win overall.