Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic: Wimbledon Final Preview and Prediction

After two weeks of non-stop action with a couple of upsets, some thrilling-cum nail-biting finishes, and some unexpected results, we are all set for the biggest stage- the men's singles final of Wimbledon 2019. The Big Three of the sport- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have shown that despite their advancing age, they still have their class intact in them and utilize their vast experience to annihilate their opponents. While, the NextGen is inconsistent and unpredictable as we saw with the likes of Tsitsipas, Zverev, and Auger crashing out in the early stages of the tournament without causing any significant trouble.

The two men's semifinals went the distance as Roberto Bautista Agut took a set off Novak Djokovic while Novak put the minor blip aside to wrap up the match convincingly in 4 sets. The 2 arch-rivals played a classic match once again after 11 years. The match has everything on its plate with Federer taking 5 consecutive points in the tie-break to clinch the first set. Nadal turned the tide with a ruthless 6-1 scoreline in the second set. Federer bounced back to break Nadal a couple of times to bag the third set 6-3. Another break and Federer won the 4th set 6-4 and followed it up with a jubilant celebration after an epic final game where Nadal literally saved every match point while Federer hunted him down with his strong backhand all over the court and clever attacking volleys.

Coming to the final, Federer and Djokovic have previous history in Wimbledon. They have met 3 times before with Djokovic leading H2H 2-1. Their first meeting was in the Wimbledon 2012 semi-finals where Federer trounced Novak in 4 sets followed by not winning Wimbledon for the next 4 years. They once again met in the 2014 Wimbledon Finals where Novak pulled off a stunning 5 set win in 3 hours and 56 minutes and also reclaimed the world number one spot from Nadal.

They crossed swords again in the Wimbledon 2015 finals a year later but it was Novak who again had the last laugh winning the match clinically in four sets. The rivalry resumes today with a 4th meeting in the iconic Centre Court with history on the line for both players. It is always special for the die-hard tennis fans in 2019 when an 8 time Wimbledon Champion- Roger Federer who last won it in 2017 meets a 4 time Wimbledon Champion- Novak Djokovic who last won it in 2018.

Federer will look to claim his record 9th Wimbledon title and equal Navratilova's record while Djokovic would look to defend his title and cause some dents in Federer's armor. Djokovic has won 8 of his last 10 matches plus the last 4 grand slam matches consecutively against Federer and has all the tricks in his bag to beat the legend on his favorite surface. Another motivation for Novak Djokovic would be to reduce the grand slam gap between the big 3 as a 16th Slam will narrow the gap with Nadal at 18 slams and Federer at 20 slams if he wins today. Federer's serves and Djokovic's returns will have to be on top for either of them to claim the coveted Wimbledon title once more. Execution of their game plan at the right time can make all the differences in this all-important final as only inches separate these 2 stalwarts of the game.

A statistical analysis of both the legends- Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic

Strengths and Weakness of Federer

Federer's strength lies in his vast grass-court experience and being an 8-time champion, he knows the in and outs of Wimbledon thoroughly and he has been in sublime form throughout the tournament and that would make him more determined

Federer's weakness is the fact that he has lost his last 4 matches in a row against Novak and the disappointment of losing back to back Wimbledon finals in 2014 and 2015. A losing head to head record must also be taken note of by Federer if he needs to clinch the crown

Strengths and Weakness of Djokovic

Djokovic's strength lies in being one of the best returners of the game who can grind any opponent by placing the ball everywhere and anywhere on the court going into this final. The fact that he improves systematically as the match progresses would keep him in good stead. Djokovic also has the best breakpoint conversion in Wimbledon 2019 with an impressive 48%

Djokovic's weakness lies in the fact that a few games of inconsistent play and a couple of repetitive unforced errors can make Novak Djokovic lose a set and also change the momentum of the match drastically. The Serb must watch out for that and strive for consistency.                

The X-Factor

Watch out for the jam-packed and houseful crowd as they go behind their favorite players in a big stake final. Most of the crowd will be behind the favorite Federer as we saw Novak fuming when he saw many members of the audience supporting Agut when he took set 2 in their semi-final match. It is all about handling the nerves and stepping up when it matters for both the players who continue to mesmerize the fans with their repertoire of shots and incredible fitness despite their growing age.

Prediction- Roger Federer to win in five sets.