(AP) – It was the kind of tennis that Wimbledon’s Centre Court crowd would gladly have watched all night long.
The show being put on by Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was so good it could have been an instant classic had they been able to finish their semifinal before the tournament’s 11 p.m. curfew.
Instead, the two players — and a disappointed audience — were sent home after the third set on Friday with Djokovic leading 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9) following a tense tiebreaker that had more entertaining rallies than some entire matches.
The two players didn’t even get onto the court until after 8 p.m. because of an earlier marathon semifinal won by Kevin Anderson and when Djokovic converted his second set point in the tiebreaker — having saved three of Nadal’s — the clock had ticked a couple of minutes past 11. That left organizers no choice but to call it a night, although the announcement from the chair umpire led to a scattering of boos from some fans who clearly wanted more.
Most of them will have to watch the rest on TV.
The match will resume at 1 p.m. local time on Saturday, before the women’s final between Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber. At stake is a place in Sunday’s men’s final against the man who was partly at fault for keeping Nadal and Djokovic out there so late. Anderson’s win over John Isner lasted 6 ½ hours and went to 26-24 in the fifth set.
Djokovic-Nadal had clearly been the headline act of the day — they have five Wimbledon titles between them and met in the 2011 final while Anderson and Isner had never made the semifinals before — and their tennis was at another level from the earlier match. Even Anderson said he could feel during his match that the crowd would rather be watching the next one.
“They’ve paid to see two matches, and they came pretty close to only seeing one match,” Anderson said. “I can feel the crowd (get) pretty antsy for us to get off the court. They’ve been watching us for over six hours.”
While Anderson-Isner was mostly a serving duel with a few longer rallies thrown in, Djokovic and Nadal repeatedly slugged it out from the baseline, chasing each other around the court and coming up with spectacular winners from every corner.
Many of the best points came in the tiebreaker, including a 23-shot rally that Nadal finished off with a forehand half-volley drop shot to set up his first set point.
It was one of three successful drop shots from the Spaniard in the tiebreaker alone, but Djokovic answered with one of his own to save the second set point at 7-6.
He eventually went up 10-9 with the help of a backhand passing shot and an errant shot into the net by Nadal brought the entertainment to an end — for now.
It led to the unusual situation of both players leaving the court to a huge ovation — and applauding the fans in return — but without there being a clear winner or loser.
Source: AP
Oh im so upset and gutted for rafa. But he has had a fantastic wimbledon and hopefully he will remember this for next year. I will not be watching the final as i can now go to my cousins wedding which i can now confirm. In any event i would not watch in case novak is lifting that trophy. Caught the love cupping too and feel sick. Cmon kevin please do your best
I’m so pissed off. Smug Novak is through. Come on Kevin you deserve it. Serve him off the court. Rafa you are still the king. Love you.
Fuck off Novak! Wimbledon is a disgrace, it’s an outdoor event!
Think you’ve had the balls to say what most of us are thinking. Lol
Yes…that’s the truth
So happy England lost in the World cup…disgrasful nation
Ok not watching anymore
Oh dear
Come on Rafa. Hold on!
please Lord ! Have mercy on us Rafans. We need this win.
WE LOVE YOU RAFA NADAL AND YOUR TIMELY PRECIOUS ACES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )0 VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE THE BETTER STRONGER PLAYER SWEETHEART KEEP GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO HE HAS THE FALSE IDEA HE IS IN……PLEASE KEEP GOING SWEETHEART AND TAKE HIM OUT……GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU CAN DO IT SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE AND THE CROWD ARE ALL BEHIND YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : 0 XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
That was too close for comfort
Way too close
HERO
Oh Lord ! save us please
My heartbeat
I m gonna die today omg
BAD BAD BAD MISCALLS OVER AND OVER IN GS……VAMOS SWEETHEART FOR CHALLENGING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU AND PLEASE DO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THESE MISCALLS…….THE GOOD NEWS YOU ARE PLAYING BEAUTIFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
U can still do it Rafa. Vamos
FREEING IDIOT…WHAT IS NOVAK SCREAMING ABOUT….JERK LOOSER……
Ok good sign! I like frustrated djoker
Oh me too and rafa can hear it
Stand up tall again Rafa! Hold! You can do this!
Great hold Rafa! Keep this up and Djoker will crumble!
Just break him Rafa! C’mon u can do it. Vamos💪💪💪