WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND - — Novak Djokovic, showing few effects from his marathon semifinal victory 24 hours earlier, won his fourth Wimbledon men’s singles title Sunday, defeating Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) at The All-England Lawn Tennis Club.
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It was also the 13th career Grand Slam victory for Djokovic, 31. Anderson, the eighth seed, lost his second Grand Slam final. He lost to Rafael Nadal in the 2017 U.S. Open title match.
Djokovic was coming off a grueling semifinal against Nadal, winning 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(9), 3-6, 10-8 in a 5-hour, 15-minute duel. It was the second-longest semifinal in Wimbledon history that began Friday and had to be resumed Saturday because of curfew rules.
The longest semifinal match was held Friday, when Anderson, 31, topped John Isner in a 7-hour, 36-minute five-set marathon.
Temperatures on Centre Court broke 100 degrees as the two finalists began play.
Celebrities in the stands included Hugh Grant, Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Djokovic, the 12th seed, defeated Anderson in 2 hours, 15 minutes and took the first set in 29 minutes. He improved to 6-1 against Anderson and defeated the South African for the third time at Wimbledon.