Novak Djokovic on his famous 2019 Wimbledon win: “Federer was a far better player, but I won the match”

It was the most epic of Wimbledon finals, one in which a then 37-year-old Roger Federer held two match points before being overhauled by Novak Djokovic in a deciding-set tiebreak.

Ay 8-7 in the final set, having broken the Djokovic serve in the previous game, Federer stood at 40-15 on his own serve and a record-equalling ninth Wimbledon title seemed inevitable, only for Djokovic to save both, break serve and then win the match by taking his third tiebreak of the match.

It was a win that proved, once again, that Djokovic’s resilience is as good as any part of his game. For Federer, it proved to be his last hurrah, his last chance of a slam win.

On Sunday, in his interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Djokovic admitted that he had been outplayed on the day but had still won the match.

Discussing big matches he has won in his career when he was not playing his best, he said: “That happened in 2019 when I played finals of Wimbledon that, that marathon match, epic match with Roger.

“The sets that I won were all won in tiebreaks, 7-6, 7-6, 13-12,” he said. “And overall, if you see stats, he was far better player in every aspect.

“But I won the match. And so that actually tells you that you can still win if you pick and choose in which moments of the match you’re peaking, and you’re playing your best when it matters.”

Mental strength “not a gift”

Djokovic’s mental strength is legendary, the Serb winning many big matches from match points down, including two others against Federer, both at the US Open.

The Serb said he continually works on the mental side of his game.

“It’s not a gift,” he said. “It’s something that comes with work. There are different techniques. Conscious breathing is a big part, especially in the moments when you’re under tension.

“I might appear maybe locked in. But trust me, there is a storm inside. And, you know, the biggest always battle is within, right? You have your doubts and fears. I feel it every single match. I don’t like this kind of a mindset that I see a lot in sports. Like, ‘Just think positive thoughts. Be optimistic. There is no room for failure. There is no room for, you know, doubts,’ and stuff like this. It’s, it’s impossible to do that…

“You are a human being. The difference, I guess, between the guys who are able to be biggest champions and the ones that are struggling to get to the highest level is the ability to not stay in those emotions for too long. So, for me, it’s really relatively short. So as soon as I experience it, I acknowledge it. I maybe, you know, burst. I scream on the court, whatever happens. But then I’m able to bounce back and reset.”

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