By reaching The Championships final with victory over Grigor Dimitrov, Novak repeated his 2013 performance and is now just one win away from capturing his second Wimbledon title and replacing Rafael Nadal at no.1 in the ATP Rankings.
The top-seeded Serb will play seven-time former champion Roger Federer on Sunday, July 6, at 14.00 local time (15.00 CET).
Djokovic lost his past three major finals, and five of his past six. “There is plenty of motivation from my side to win this Grand Slam final. It would mean a lot mentally for me,” said Novak. “I know that I can win the title. I should have won a few of the matches that I lost in the finals of Grand Slams in the past couple of years.”
These two have a storied eight-year history, with Federer leading the head-to-head 18-16.
They have only met on grass once, two years ago in the Wimbledon semifinals, when Federer won 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, and they’ve only met once in a major final, way back at the 2007 US Open, when Federer beat a young Djokovic, 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-4.
En route to the title match in London, Novak beat Golubev, Stepanek, Simon, Tsonga, Cilic and Dimitrov. Federer eliminated Lorenzi, Muller, Giraldo, Robredo, Wawrinka and Raonic.
Novak has lost four sets, while Roger has lost just one (to Wawrinka) in six matches.
The Belgrade native has won 3 titles so far this year – Masters events in Indian Wells (d. Federer), Miami (d. Nadal) and Rome (d. Nadal). Federer lifted trophies in Dubai and Halle.
Photo: AP
