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Djokovic Beats Nadal, Wins Wimbledon

Serb will ascend to No. 1 tomorrow

By the Associated Press

Posted Jul 3, 2011 11:02 AM CDT

(AP) – Novak Djokovic won his first Wimbledon title today, and he beat defending champion Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to do it. Djokovic, who was already guaranteed to take over the No. 1 ranking from the Spaniard tomorrow, extended his mastery over Nadal this season with a fifth straight head-to-head victory.

Djokovic assured himself of the top ranking just by reaching the final. He opened the season with 41 straight wins, including the Australian Open title, but his 43-match winning streak came to an end against Roger Federer in the French Open semifinals. The win over Nadal improved Djokovic's record in 2011 to 48-1, with five of them coming against the Spaniard in finals—two on hard courts, two on clay, and now one on grass.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a break point against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a break point against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic dives for a return shot to Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic dives for a return shot to Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a break point against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a break point against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic changes his shirt during the men's singles final match against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic changes his shirt during the men's singles final match against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Spain's Rafael Nadal watches the ball during the men's singles final match Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal watches the ball during the men's singles final match Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Stephen Pond)
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates during the men's singles final match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates during the men's singles final match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a break point against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a break point against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a break point against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a break point against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates during the men's singles final against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates during the men's singles final against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Alastair Grant)
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during the men's singles final match Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during the men's singles final match Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Stephen Pond)
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during the men's singles final match Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during the men's singles final match Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Stephen Pond)
Spain's Rafael Nadal serves during the men's singles final match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal serves during the men's singles final match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Stephen Pond)
Spain's Rafael Nadal and Serbia's Novak Djokovic, bottom, change their shirts during the men's singles final match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal and Serbia's Novak Djokovic, bottom, change their shirts during the men's singles final match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (Stephen Pond)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal in the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal in the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal in the men's singles final at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal in the men's singles final at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic wipes his face during the men's singles final against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic wipes his face during the men's singles final against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during the men's singles final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during the men's singles final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Spain's Rafael Nadal returns a shot to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal returns a shot to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates during the men's singles final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates during the men's singles final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 3, 2011.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Spanish player Rafael Nadal returns a shot to Serbian player Novak Djokovic during the men's single final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London on July 3, 2011.
Spanish player Rafael Nadal returns a shot to Serbian player Novak Djokovic during the men's single final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London on July 3, 2011.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Rammrodd
Jul 3, 2011 1:30 PM CDT
Why do media always show athletes with their ugly, hideous mouths wide open? Disgusting.
reno-reines
Jul 3, 2011 11:09 AM CDT
Caption for open-mouth man: "OMGGGGG!! I beat Nadal and I can't stop big-mouthing!" XD

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tennis • Rafael Nadal • Wimbledon • Novak Djokovic • Grand Slam tennis • men's tennis

 
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