12th seed Novak Djokovic got off to a smashing start as he broke Kevin Anderson twice to grab the first set 6-2 in the Wimbledon final in London on Sunday.
Djokovic, who overcame Nadal in the semis, made a confident start as he broke Anderson’s serve in the very first game of the final.
South African Anderson seemed to struggle with his service as he was broken again in the fifth game with Djokovic taking a commanding 4-1 lead.
The Serbian chasing his fourth Wimbledon title sealed the first set 6-2 in just 29 minutes after Anderson made another unforced error.
Both finalists played record-breaking, energy-sapping five-set semi-finals to reach the tournament’s finale. But Anderson’s six-hour-36-minute duel with John Isner at least finished on the day it started on Friday.
Djokovic’s thriller against long-time rival Rafael Nadal lasted a mere five hours 15 minutes, but only three sets of that could be completed before the Wimbledon curfew at 11 pm on Friday, and the pair had to come back on Saturday to finish off before the women’s final.
The 31-year-old Serb, making a comeback this year after a slump in form and an elbow injury, said he did not feel he would be a clear favourite in the final, despite his 12 Grand Slam titles — three at Wimbledon.
“I think we’re quite even. He’s playing I think his second Grand Slam finals. He played the US Open finals last year. He’s definitely playing the tennis of his life,” Djokovic said.
Anderson is the first South African man in 97 years to reach the Wimbledon final.
Source: Rediff