Novak Djokovic captured his first Grand Slam title for 25 months on Sunday with his fourth crown at The Championship, Wimbledon (also 2011, 2014-15).

The Serbian No. 12 seed swept past eighth-seeded South African Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) in a final watched by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Djokovic, with 13 major titles (13-9 in finals) following his first victory since May 2016 at Roland Garros (d. Murray), now stands in fourth place in the all-time Grand Slam singles final list, behind Roger Federer (20), Rafael Nadal (17), the player he beat 10-8 in the fifth set of this year’s semi-finals, and Pete Sampras (14).

As the lowest-ranked man to win the Wimbledon title since No. 125-ranked wild card Goran Ivanisevic in 2001, Djokovic will return tomorrow to the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings (at No. 10) for the first time since 30 October 2017 (No. 7). The victory also boosts his chances of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals, the elite eight-player season finale, at The O2 in London from 11-18 November.

Twelve months ago, the former World No. 1 retired in the second set of his Wimbledon quarter-final against Tomas Berdych with a right elbow injury, which resulted in a six-month injury layoff. Djokovic returned to the ATP World Tour in January this year with a refined service technique and gradually rebuilt his confidence in recent months, including a semi-final run at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia (l. to Nadal) and a runner-up finish at the recent Fever-Tree Championships – his first ATP World Tour final for 12 months.

Djokovic secured the fifth grass-court title — and 69th of his career (69-31 overall) — against Anderson on Sunday, in his first major final since September 2016 at the US Open (l. to Wawrinka). He committed 13 unforced errors for his 25th and most significant match win of the year (25-9).

Anderson got off to a nervous start, striking a forehand long at 30/30 and then double faulting at break point to gift Djokovic the first game. Djokovic won 12 of the first 15 points to seize early control of the final. Although Anderson has contested the 2017 US Open, the occasion at the All England Club, coupled with nerves and stellar groundstroke play from Djokovic, ensured the South African’s potency on serve and movement was compromised. Djokovic soon led 5-1 after just 21 minutes and Anderson received treatment for a right arm injury at the end of the one-sided first set.

Djokovic carried the momentum into the second set, breaking Anderson’s serve in the first and fifth games. Although Anderson was more competitive, Djokovic kept the upper hand in longer rallies and kept his opponent on the backfoot with changes in groundstroke pace. Anderson created his first break point at 2-5, 30/40, but he struck a backhand long in an 18-stroke rally and Djokovic won the next two points for a commanding lead.

Anderson grew in belief in the third set, finding his service rhythm (having hit just two aces in the first two sets) and groundstroke depth to prevent Djokovic dominating baseline rallies. One break point went begging on Djokovic’s serve at 3-4, but the pressure kept building on the Serbian, who saved two set points at 4-5.

Anderson slipped in retrieving a deep forehand that hit the baseline on the first set point, which ended with Djokovic striking a forehand drop shot winner close to the net. Djokovic was again able to step into the court again, two points later, in saving a second set point with a crosscourt forehand winner. Errors crept into Djokovic’s game and at 5-6, Anderson could not convert three further set point opportunities. Each time, Djokovic struck his serve to Anderson’s forehand. A forehand pass by Djokovic at 1/2 in the tie-break propelled the former World No. 1 to an emotional win.

Djokovic now leads Anderson 6-1 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Anderson beat John Isner 26-24 in the fifth set of their semi-final on Friday.

A new era of Spanish tennis is upon us. World No. 1 Rafael Nadal continues to set the bar at the age of 32, but the Next Generation of stars are already staking their claim as the future of the European nation. 

Meet Pedro Martinez. The Alzira native scored his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title on Saturday in Bastad, Sweden, becoming the third #NextGenATP Spaniard to triumph on the circuit. Martinez, who turned 21 in April, joins three-time winner Jaume Munar and 18-year-old Nicola Kuhn in the title club.

A prelude to next week’s ATP World Tour 250 event at the same venue – the SkiStar Swedish Open – the Bastad Challenger featured a sold-out championship on Saturday. One day after ousting home hope Mikael Ymer, Martinez would defeat another teenager in the final, rallying past Corentin Moutet 7-6(5), 6-4. He stormed back from 1-4 down in the opening set against Moutet, saving a pair of set points before taking the set and eventually the title after one hour and 56 minutes. The right-hander did not drop a set all week.

Martinez, who was previously coached by Javier Ferrer, brother of former World No. 3 David Ferrer, will break into the Top 200 of the ATP Rankings on Monday. He joins Munar and Carlos Taberner as Spaniards aged 21 & under in the Top 200.

Martinez spoke to ATPChallengerTour.com following his victory in Bastad…

Pedro, congrats on winning your first ATP Challenger Tour title. How does it feel?
It feels very good, because when I came here the first day I was not thinking about winning the tournament. I was just taking it one match at a time. As the tournament went on, I felt better and better and I knew I could win it.

Was this a goal of yours for a long time? How important is this victory for you?
Yes, it is. I reached two semis in the past, but I couldn’t get to a final. Being in a final was a goal, but then winning the final gives me a lot of confidence.

You did not drop a set all week. What went right for you this week? 
My mentality. I was very calm in all the matches and thinking about playing every point. I never gave up in any game and played it point by point. That’s the best thing I did this week.

Yesterday you beat the home favourite Mikael Ymer and today you beat another teenager in Corentin Moutet. Talk about those two opponents and how you got the best of them.
Against Mikael it was a difficult match because there was a big crowd for him. I didn’t play my best matches in these two, because you always feel nervous in these rounds. Of course they are very tough players, but they don’t play with a lot of power. They don’t miss, but you can play every point with them and you can be in control. You start from the bottom up and slowly build your game in the matches.

2018 #NextGenATP First-Time Winners: Molleker | Polmans | Hurkacz | Rodionov | De Minaur

You’ve been competing on the Challenger Tour for two years. What are the biggest things you’ve learned so far?
In the Challengers, every match is tough. You have to be prepared for every match. If you are not prepared, it is always so difficult to win.

How has the success of other young Spaniards like Jaume Munar and Carlos Taberner driven you to be even better? 
We are all very good friends. Bernabe Zapata Miralles too. Munar had an amazing few months, winning a lot of matches and two Challenger tournaments. I was thinking that he’s going to be a great player, but I didn’t think he’d make it that fast [to the Top 100]. It gives you inspiration and gives you belief that you can do it. And also Taberner has had a difficult year with injuries, but now he’s back on tour and hopefully he can have some good results.

You are up to a career-high in the Top 200 of the ATP Rankings. Did you set any goals at the start of the year and what are they now?
I always like to move up in the rankings, but my objective for this year was to stay focused in all the matches. If I’m winning or if I’m losing, that’s my goal. If I arrive to do this in every match, I will move up. I am sure of it.

For those of us who don’t know much about you, tell us something. What do you enjoy doing off the court? Do you have any passions outside of tennis?
I like to chill with my friends when I can. It’s always good to do something different than tennis, like playing padel or go running. And of course I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend and with my dogs too.

You are also up to No. 16 in the Race to Milan. How nice would it be to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals?
It would be nice, but at this point I am still far away [from qualifying]. I’m not thinking about it at the moment, but of course it would be really nice to get there.

Dramatic five-setters are contagious at this year’s Wimbledon Championships.

First, it was Kevin Anderson stunning Roger Federer and outlasting John Isner to reach his second major final. Then, Novak Djokovic survived Rafael Nadal in a two-day thriller. And later on Saturday, it would be the doubles guys joining the marathon party.

As day turned to dusk at Wimbledon, seventh seeds Mike Bryan and Jack Sock survived Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 after nearly four hours to take the doubles championship. Appearing in just their second tournament together, the all-American team captured the crown in dramatic fashion. It was their third five-set victory of the fortnight.

Bryan, who was competing at the All England Club for the first time with someone other than his brother Bob Bryan, due to the younger twin’s hip injury, became the oldest man in the Open Era to win the Wimbledon doubles title. The 40-year-old also added a record-tying 17th Grand Slam doubles crown in total, joining Aussie legend John Newcombe atop the list.

For Sock, it was the 25-year-old’s second major title, following his maiden triumph with Vasek Pospisil at Wimbledon in 2014. With the win, Bryan and Sock become the third and fourth players to triumph at the All England Club with multiple partners in the Open Era, joining only Todd Woodbridge (w/Woodforde & Bjorkman) and John McEnroe (w/Fleming & Stich).

The drama boiled over on Centre Court on Saturday evening. Sock dictated with his biggest weapon in the first set, riding his forehand as he and Bryan took the opener 6-3. The former champions looked to be in prime position to run away with the final showdown, but after saving three break points midway through the second set, Klaasen and Venus showed their mettle.

The South African-Kiwi duo denied a set point en route to snatching the second set tie-break 9/7, as a Klaasen drop volley winner would draw the match level. It would prove to be a seesaw affair, with the lead vacillating from one side to the other. Sock pummeled his forehand down the line in the third set, forcing an error from Venus to grab an immediate break for 2-0. But after taking a two-sets-to-one advantage, the all-American tandem conceded the lead once again. 

With Bryan serving to stay in the fourth set at 5-6, the 40-year-old saved a trio of break points – including one on an ace and another on a sublime drop volley by Sock – before surrendering the set in dramatic fashion. A foot fault would send the final to a decider.

As sunset descended upon the All England Club, the roof would be closed for the fifth set. Bryan and Sock would take full advantage, eventually seizing the deciding break for 6-5 in front of an electric atmosphere on Centre Court. They would close out the title in the next game, emerging victorious after a tense three hours and 39 minutes.

In a way, Novak Djokovic’s semi-final victory against Rafael Nadal was the culmination of a year-long journey. Due to a right elbow injury, Wimbledon was the former World No. 1’s last tournament of the season one year ago.

So while that was a low moment for the Serbian, the event has been his greatest high since. After beginning the 2018 campaign with a 6-6 record — including his first three-match losing streak since 2007 — Djokovic has made it clear that he is back in top form again, and is now just one triumph from lifting his 13th Grand Slam trophy.

“There were moments of doubt, of frustration, disappointment, where you’re questioning whether you want to keep it going in this way or that way, where is that taking you?” Djokovic said. “Everybody goes through that process of thinking. I don’t know anybody that is managing always to stay positive, to always have 100 per cent self-belief, confidence. It’s life. We’re humans, we go through that.”

But those low moments have prepared Djokovic for this opportunity. The losses and disappointments have pushed the 31-year-old, igniting an intense desire to climb back toward his top level.

“Speaking from this position right now, it makes it even better for me, makes it even more special because I managed to overcome challenges and obstacles, get myself to the finals of a Slam. Obviously if you told me that six months ago, I would take it right away,” Djokovic said. “Did I truly believe that I can get back on the level? Yes, I mean, it’s hard for me to play tennis and not believe that I can be the best in what I do. I’ve been fortunate to achieve so much in my career that every time I go to the tournament, I have the highest of ambitions.”

And what better challenge to overcome than to defeat the top player in the ATP Rankings, Nadal? The Spaniard had won his last 16 major semi-final matches before Saturday’s defeat, entering the match with a 35-2 record this season.

“He’s probably the greatest fighter ever to play this game. I mean, he battles every single point like it’s his last. That’s something that is so impressive with Rafa. That’s what makes him so difficult to beat on any surface,” Djokovic said. “Coming into the match against him, knowing that you have to earn your points, is already an energy-spending moment. So you have to be ready for it, obviously. That’s why you put in ‘X’ amount of hours on the practice court, preparation, trying to be as professional as you can, because you need to compete with a guy like Nadal.

“If you want to be able to compete on such a high level, eventually get a win against him in the big tournaments, then you have to give it all you’ve got.”

That takes a substantial amount of mental fortitude as well. Just weeks ago, the Serbian could not convert a match point in the Fever-Tree Championships final against Marin Cilic, eventually losing the match.

So it appeared, for a moment at least, that the match could slip away from the No. 12 seed. Djokovic held his first match point on Nadal’s serve at 8-7, but the Spaniard showed good feel with a drop shot to erase the opportunity, with the 31-year-old sliding across the glass as if it was clay, coming agonisingly close to the ball.

“It was one of those moments where I think time stopped for me. Match point, I saw him coming in, I played a relatively solid shot. It was a moment of decision making for him knowing whether he was going to go for a drop shot or just smack the backhand. When I saw him changing the grip, I started running. But the drop shot was just too good,” Djokovic said. “But I did try to, like, in ‘Space Jam,’ with Michael Jordan, when he was trying to stretch, that’s probably something that comes to my mind to describe it.”

But instead of letting that close call affect him, Djokovic rebounded in the next game to clinch his spot in the final, his 22nd attempt to capture Grand Slam glory (12-9).

“I was very emotional after the match, as well, because it’s been a long 15 months for me, trying to overcome different obstacles,” Djokovic said. “So to be where I am at the moment is quite satisfying.”