TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2019 16 Djokovic vows to win love with record in view ‘When they chant Roger, I hear Novak’: Djokovic admits ‘toughest’ Wimbledon win AFP | London England’s Ben Stokes (L) plays a shot with England’s Jos Buttler during the ‘super over’ ovak Djokovic has vowed to convince fans Nthat he is not public en- Morgan hails ‘superhuman’ emy number one even if he sur- passes people’s champion Roger World Cup hero Stokes Federer as the greatest Grand Slam title winner of all time. AFP | London It also represented a re - The world number one saved demption of sorts for the Dur- two match points to clinch a oin Morgan paid tribute to ham star, born in Christchurch, fifth Wimbledon title and 16th Ethe “almost superhuman” New Zealand, after a 2017 major on Sunday, shattering Ben Stokes after the all-round- street brawl and subsequent Federer’s bid to become the er played a pivotal role in Eng- court case threatened to ruin oldest Grand Slam champion in land’s stunning Super Over his career and he wept openly the longest final ever contested win against New Zealand in during the jubilant on-field at the tournament. a thrilling final at Lord’s on celebrations. Despite being outplayed by Sunday. “I said it before but a lot of the 37-year-old Swiss for large Morgan’s men needed 39 careers would have been end- parts of the knife-edge encoun- runs off the final 23 balls to ed after what happened in Cal- ter, the top seed emerged victo- win when Chris Woakes holed cutta (Kolkata),” said Morgan. rious 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, out but thanks to man-of-the- “The way he trains, he’s an 13-12 (7/3). match Stokes’s 84 not out, they incredible cricketer. Today, At four hours and 57 minutes, tied New Zealand’s target of he’s had a day out.” it was the longest Wimbledon 241 off 50 overs. Morgan admitted he was final and the first to be settled He was then chosen to bat struggling to take in that Eng- by a final set tiebreak. Novak Djokovic holds the winner’s trophy as runner up Roger Federer looks on the Super Over with Jos But- land’s 44-year wait for a first Djokovic is the first man in 71 tler and although both teams World Cup crown had at last years to win the title from match as a restriction of any kind for by a 12-12 tiebreak for the first scored 15 runs, England won come to an end after three los- points down, saving two in the me at least. What I said on the time in a singles match at the by virtue of scoring more ing appearances in finals. 16th game of the deciding set. court, I really meant it: Roger tournament. boundaries in the match. “Absolutely unbelievable, I His major title tally is now really inspires me with his effort It was another display of stun- “It’s been phenomenal -- still can’t quite believe it,” he just two behind Rafael Nadal at his age. ning mental fortitude. people believed because we said. “I thought it was over and four off the all-time men’s KNOW WHAT “It just depends how long I’m He has been in similar pre- believed,” said Morgan. “It’s when Chris Woakes got out Grand Slam record of 20 held going to play, whether I’m going dicaments in the past against been an incredible day. Sport but then Liam Plunkett got by Federer. to have a chance to make histor- Federer -- saving two match is often about fine margins. To- us back into the game and we He has time on his side, being Since the start of 2015, ic No. 1 or Slams.” points in both of his semi-final day was the finest of margins.” had the rub of the green with a year younger than Nadal and Djokovic has won nine When asked if he sees him- victories over the Swiss at the “To come Ben’s overthrows more than five years younger self still playing at 37, Djokovic 2010 and 2011 US Opens. through it was (a deflection off than the legendary Swiss. of the 19 majors played said the motivation to be treated “I just try to never lose extraordinary, Stokes’s bat went with Nadal winning four After Sunday’s epic triumph, with the same respect is strong. self-belief, just stay calm, just almost a su - To come through it for four over- Djokovic revealed he was able and Federer three Eventually, hearing screams focus on trying to get the ball perhuman way throws).” to turn the overwhelmingly of “Let’s go, Novak, let’s go” will back, return, which wasn’t serv- to carry the was extraordinary, Victory com- pro-Federer, 14,000-strong Cen- be more than welcome. ing me very well today. innings. His almost a pleted four years tre Court crowd in his favour by “Hopefully in five years’ “But in the most important (Stokes’s) part- superhuman way to of painstaking training his mind. Federer and Nadal, in com- time I can be hearing the same moments, all three tiebreaks I nership with carry the innings. work for Mor- parison, are treated almost rev- chants.” guess, I found my best game.” Jos was ex - His (Stokes’s) gan, who cap - ‘They chant Roger, I hear erentially. He was off the pace for large traordinary -- tained the side Novak’ Most consistent of ‘Big Three’ partnership with Jos “It’s hard to not be aware of parts of the final, only carving everyone back was extraordinary -- to a humiliat - “I like to transmutate it in a the crowd. You have that kind of Djokovic is by far the most out his first break points in the home is hope- ing group-stage way: When the crowd is chant- electric atmosphere, that kind of consistent of the ‘Big Three’ at eighth game of the fourth set. fully trying to everyone back home exit at the 2015 ing ‘Roger’ I hear ‘Novak’,” said noise,” said Djokovic. the Slams. Federer won more points in be the next Ben is hopefully trying World Cup. the 32-year-old Djokovic. “Of course, if you have the Since the start of 2015, he the match with 218 to 204, broke Stokes,” Mor- to be the next Ben England have “It sounds silly, but it is like majority of the crowd on your has won nine of the 19 majors serve seven times compared to gan said. Stokes since recovered that.” side, it helps. When you don’t, played with Nadal winning four three, hit 25 aces to 10 and 94 All-rounder EOIN MORGAN to become the Djokovic has spent the best then you have to find it within, and Federer three. winners to Djokovic’s 54. Stokes’s hero- top-ranked side part of his career in pursuit of I guess.” The other three have been “I thought I could have played ics came three in the world, Nadal and Federer and attempt- Djokovic insists he won’t get split between Stan Wawrinka better. But the one thing that years after he but were on the ing to seduce fans sceptical of distracted by the pursuit of (two) and Andy Murray (one). probably allowed me to come he was hit for four straight verge of failing to make the his character. Federer’s record haul. On Sunday, Djokovic saved back and save match points and sixes by Carlos Brathwaite in semi-finals once more after For many he is viewed as too “Whether I’m going to be able match points in the 16th game of win this match was the mental the last over of West Indies’ losing to Pakistan, Sri Lanka intense, too insincere, too calcu- to do it or not, I don’t know. the deciding set, which ran for stability,” admitted the cham- stunning World Twenty20 fi- and Australia in the group lating and prone to fads. “I’m not really looking at age over two hours and was settled pion. nal win over England in India. stage. ‘Gutted’ Williamson says World Cup final defeat hard to swallow AFP | London ane Williamson admitted Kiwis praise team but query ‘cruel’ rules KNew Zealand’s agonising World Cup final defeat against AFP | Wellington and a Super Over shoot - on social media. England was “hard to swallow” out, with England’s superior “Congratulations to Eng- after his team were beaten on eartbroken New Zea - boundary count giving them land. And to the Black Caps, Sunday because they scored less Hlanders expressed pride victory. I feel nothing but pride. What boundaries than the new cham- yesterday in the Black Caps’ As Kiwi fans absorbed a sec- a team.” pions. fighting spirit after defeat to ond straight loss in the tourna- But her sports minister “What did they win it on, England in the Cricket World ment decider, Prime Minister Grant Robertson questioned boundaries? While the emo - Cup final, but also bemuse - Jacinda Ardern was concen- the tie-break method. tions are raw it’s pretty hard to ment at the obscure rules that trating on the positives. “What an extraordinary swallow when two teams work cost them the match. “That was undeniably an game. Not sure Super Over is so hard to get to this moment in New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson (R) shakes hands with Indian legend The Black Caps lost even incredible game.