<p> Defending champion Novak Djokovic won a third Wimbledon title and a ninth Grand Slam crown on Sunday, ruthlessly shattering Roger Federer's bid for a record eighth All England Club triumph.<br /><br /></p>.<p>World number one Djokovic won 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (10-12), 6-4, 6-3 to add the Wimbledon title to the Australian Open he captured in January.<br /><br />It was a cathartic moment for Djokovic just a month after his heartbreaking French Open final defeat against Stanislas Wawrinka -- a loss that denied him the only major title he has yet to win.<br /><br />For 33-year-old Federer, it was a bitterly disappointing end to his bid to become the oldest Wimbledon champion of the Open Era.<br /><br />The 17-time major winner has now gone three years since his last Grand Slam triumph.<br />But he had his chances.<br /><br />In a rollercoaster rematch of last year's final, he was 4-2 up in the first set and had two set points.<br /><br />Federer then had to save seven set points in the second set before bravely levelling the contest.<br /><br />However, Djokovic, five years Federer's junior, stepped on the gas and raced away to the title.<br /><br />Sunday's final was the pair's 40th career meeting and 12th in the Grand Slams.<br />Djokovic was playing in his 17th major final compared to Federer's 26th.<br /><br />In front of a Royal Box crammed with tennis and Hollywood A-listers, including Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Grant and Bradley Cooper, Federer was in the early ascendancy.<br /><br />He broke for a 4-2 lead but Djokovic hit straight back condemning the Swiss to just his second lost service game in 94 served up at the tournament.<br /><br />Federer then saw two set points disappear in the 12th game, both saved courtesy of back-to-back 120mph serves.<br /><br />Djokovic capitalised on his escape, racing through the tiebreaker with six consecutive points to claim the opener when Federer served up a double fault.<br /><br />The Serb committed just three unforced errors in the first set, a key statistic in what would always be a tight encounter. By contrast, Federer hit 11, the same as he suffered throughout his semifinal win over Murray.<br /><br />Federer wasted two break points in the fifth and 11th games of the second set having saved a first set point in the 10th.<br /><br />That paved the way for a titanic tiebreak where the 33-year-old saved six more set points before levelling the final on his second set point.<br /><br />At 12-10, it was the longest tiebreak in a Wimbledon final since 2000 when Pat Rafter faced Pete Sampras with the set taking 65 gripping minutes to complete.<br /><br />To his credit, Djokovic swiftly recovered, breaking for a 2-1 lead in the third set which became 3-2 when rain forced them off for 20 minutes.<br /><br />The world number one confidently wrapped up the set 6-4 with just two unforced errors even if the brief stoppage had dampened the fireworks of the second set.<br /><br />Djokovic was strangling the life out of Federer's game and another break gave him a 3-2 lead in the fourth set.<br /><br />The title was his on the stroke of the third hour with a sweeping forehand into an open court.<br /><br />As has become the Serb's tradition, he celebrated by pulling out a piece of Centre Court grass and eating it.<br /><br /></p>
<p> Defending champion Novak Djokovic won a third Wimbledon title and a ninth Grand Slam crown on Sunday, ruthlessly shattering Roger Federer's bid for a record eighth All England Club triumph.<br /><br /></p>.<p>World number one Djokovic won 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (10-12), 6-4, 6-3 to add the Wimbledon title to the Australian Open he captured in January.<br /><br />It was a cathartic moment for Djokovic just a month after his heartbreaking French Open final defeat against Stanislas Wawrinka -- a loss that denied him the only major title he has yet to win.<br /><br />For 33-year-old Federer, it was a bitterly disappointing end to his bid to become the oldest Wimbledon champion of the Open Era.<br /><br />The 17-time major winner has now gone three years since his last Grand Slam triumph.<br />But he had his chances.<br /><br />In a rollercoaster rematch of last year's final, he was 4-2 up in the first set and had two set points.<br /><br />Federer then had to save seven set points in the second set before bravely levelling the contest.<br /><br />However, Djokovic, five years Federer's junior, stepped on the gas and raced away to the title.<br /><br />Sunday's final was the pair's 40th career meeting and 12th in the Grand Slams.<br />Djokovic was playing in his 17th major final compared to Federer's 26th.<br /><br />In front of a Royal Box crammed with tennis and Hollywood A-listers, including Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Grant and Bradley Cooper, Federer was in the early ascendancy.<br /><br />He broke for a 4-2 lead but Djokovic hit straight back condemning the Swiss to just his second lost service game in 94 served up at the tournament.<br /><br />Federer then saw two set points disappear in the 12th game, both saved courtesy of back-to-back 120mph serves.<br /><br />Djokovic capitalised on his escape, racing through the tiebreaker with six consecutive points to claim the opener when Federer served up a double fault.<br /><br />The Serb committed just three unforced errors in the first set, a key statistic in what would always be a tight encounter. By contrast, Federer hit 11, the same as he suffered throughout his semifinal win over Murray.<br /><br />Federer wasted two break points in the fifth and 11th games of the second set having saved a first set point in the 10th.<br /><br />That paved the way for a titanic tiebreak where the 33-year-old saved six more set points before levelling the final on his second set point.<br /><br />At 12-10, it was the longest tiebreak in a Wimbledon final since 2000 when Pat Rafter faced Pete Sampras with the set taking 65 gripping minutes to complete.<br /><br />To his credit, Djokovic swiftly recovered, breaking for a 2-1 lead in the third set which became 3-2 when rain forced them off for 20 minutes.<br /><br />The world number one confidently wrapped up the set 6-4 with just two unforced errors even if the brief stoppage had dampened the fireworks of the second set.<br /><br />Djokovic was strangling the life out of Federer's game and another break gave him a 3-2 lead in the fourth set.<br /><br />The title was his on the stroke of the third hour with a sweeping forehand into an open court.<br /><br />As has become the Serb's tradition, he celebrated by pulling out a piece of Centre Court grass and eating it.<br /><br /></p>