Wimbledon 2022 men’s final as it happened – Novak Djokovic claims 21st major title with four-set win over Nick Kyrgios

Kyrgios threatens again at 15-30 with a crushing crosscourt forehand and a blistering return winner. Djokovic responds with clutch serving and avoids deuce when Nick sizzles a backhand a whisker long.

A couple of powerhouse serves, an ace and a delightful forehand up the line on the stretch keep Nick in touch.

Kyrgios threatens an instant break back when a sensational crosscourt backhand and an emphatic smash at the second attempt see him battle back to deuce.

The Aussie engages in a rally off a second serve but hooks a make-able forehand into the net before a forehand attempt down the line suffers the same fate. Nole consolidates and looks on course to take his first ever set against this particular opponent.

Here we go! Djokovic starts his belated charge once again!

The Serb breaks to love when a backhand slaps the tape and bobbles over. The top seed is beginning to get more returns in play and Kyrgios dipped quite a lot there with a rash forehand long contributing significantly to his downfall.

Frustration for Nick. He reads Djokovic’s backhand pass and steers a beauty of a winner up the line for 15-15. The world No.40 then slaps a second serve return into the net. He’s not at all happy with himself but lures a forehand mistake out of Nole to pose a question at 30-30.

A lengthy cat and mouse rally ensues with Djoker standing firm throughout to eventually force the error long before the top seed seals a tricky hold with a magnificent crosscourt drop shot.

Djokovic produces two exceptional returns to surprise Kyrgios but it doesn’t even create any sort of opening. The Aussie cannons a trio of aces and a hefty serve to conclude and pull level.

The top seed slaps down a fifth ace of the match as he delivers a statement of a love hold to kick off Set 2.

It’s a magnificent set of tennis from Kyrgios and he deservedly serves out the opener in 31 minutes with an ace on his second set point. Djokovic tried to take advantage of some clear nerves from his opponent as he ate into a 30-0 lead and then made deuce from set point down when the Aussie drilled a tight backhand wide. Clutch serving got the Canberra-native over the line as he made it five out of five in terms of sets won in matches against Djokovic.

Djokovic retorts with another supercharged hold to love as we rush towards what could be a decisive moment in the set. If Kyrgios holds he’ll take the opener. If Djoker can break he’ll be right back in it having found the first chink in the world No.40’s armour.

Clutch work from the underdog. The big serve is firing and Djokovic just can’t get a read – or a racquet – on it. It’s a blink and you’ll miss it love hold that moves the Aussie to within a game of taking the first set.

Kyrgios is such a showman. Mid-rally he throws in a casual tweener following a Djokovic volley on the stretch but the six-time champion responds with an even better stun volley. The Serb refuses to let the showboating distract his intention to drag himself back into this set and polishes off a rapid love hold with an ace.

That is oh so impressive. Kyrgios darts into the net in quick succession to consolidate his break with a convincing love hold.

Nick wins the early psychological battle. He bamboozles Nole with a delicious drop shot from deep before manoeuvring the Serb into an uncomfortable position at the net to sizzle an attempted pass that his opponent can only jab into the net. It clocks up two break points that Djokovic looks nervy trying to defend. The top seed saves one but hands over the break with an ill-timed double fault.

Nick unleashes a pair of aces to conclude a rampant love hold. He’s made a fine start here – but so has his opponent, the 20-time Grand Slam champion.

Kyrgios produces one of the most casually brilliant winners of the tournament that curves into the corner of Nole’s left-hand wing. Unfortunately for the Aussie that’s as good as it gets as the former world No.1 crunches through a succession of cheap points to nudge the board once more.