Novak Djokovic sets up blockbuster Wimbledon final against Nick Kyrgios
LONDON, July 8
Top seed Novak Djokovic set up a blockbuster Wimbledon final against Nick Kyrgios after recovering from a torrid start to overwhelm Britain’s Cameron Norrie 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-4.
For an hour on a sun-baked Centre Court, inspired ninth seed Norrie outshone the 20-time Grand Slam champion and looked capable of a huge upset in his first Major semifinal.
The partisan home crowd roared its approval as Norrie capitalised on a rash of Djokovic errors to win five successive games and take the opening set.
4Norrie was the fourth British man to advance to the last-four at SW19 in the Open Era, joining two-time champion Andy Murray, Tim Henman and Roger Taylor.
27Djokovic has now won 27 consecutive matches at Wimbledon.
32The victory over the 26-year-old propelled the Serbian into his 32nd Grand Slam final.
Djokovic, bidding for a fourth successive Wimbledon title and seventh in all, soon settled down into his usual rhythm though and gradually seized the initiative. From the moment the Serbian broke Norrie’s serve in the eighth game of the second set it was largely one-way traffic.
Norrie battled hard in the fourth set as the crowd found its voice again but ultimately could not resist Djokovic’s march into a men’s record 32nd Grand Slam final.
Australian Kyrgios, handed a walkover in the semifinal by injured Spaniard Rafa Nadal, now stands between the 35-year-old Djokovic and a 21st Grand Slam title. — Reuters
