WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) has become the first man in 71 years to win Wimbledon after facing match points in the final, coming back to beat Roger Federer in an unprecedented fifth-set tiebreaker Sunday.
The top-seeded Serb outlasted Federer 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 in a match that lasted nearly five hours to win his fifth championship at the All England Club and second in a row.
The triumph earned Djokovic his 16th Grand Slam trophy, moving him closer to the only men ahead of him in tennis history: Federer with 20, and Rafael Nadal with 18.
Federer, who turns 38 next month, has won Wimbledon eight times dating to 2003, and this was his record 12th appearance in the title match. But Djokovic is now 3-0 against Federer in Wimbledon finals and 4-0 against him in five-setters.
This is the first year Wimbledon has used deciding-set tiebreakers.