Number ones supreme as Djoker and Serena take Wimbledon glory

IT was the year of the favourite at the All England club this year, with the world number one of both genders lifting the Wimbledon trophy.

The two finals over the weekend had very different levels of anticipation and build-up.

For the men, it was 17-time Grand Slam champion, current world number two and arguably the greatest tennis player of all-time, Roger Federer, up against the unstoppable Serbian machine, Novak Djokovic.

For the women, world number nine 21-year-old Garbine Muguruza was the combatant for the dominant Serena Williams in what was her first ever Grand Slam final.

The Djoker has the last laugh over the Fed

The men’s world number one Novak Djokovic won his second Grand Slam title in 2015, defeating Roger Federer in four sets in the final.

The win hands the Serbian his third Wimbledon title, and his ninth Grand Slam trophy overall.

Roger Federer was denied a record breaking eighth Wimbledon championship which would have affirmed his status as the greatest men’s player to take to the court in London.

Djokovic was too dominant throughout the match despite losing a second set tiebreak.

The world number one hit an incredible 46 winners throughout the match and committed just 16 unforced errors. He was able to do what Andy Murray was unable to in the semi-final, get on top of the Federer serve.

The Serbian world number one made it clear: Federer might be the greatest of all-time, but Djokovic is the best there is right at this moment.

While the record of Federer’s 17 Grand Slam titles is one that is unlikely to ever be superseded, Djokovic – who now sits at eighth in the overall standings of Slams won – has the opportunity in the coming years to rise into the upper echelon of the tennis history books.

“I’m 28,” Djokovic said.

“I feel good. I don’t feel old. I have hopefully many more years in front of me. I’m going to try to push my own limits and see how far I can go really with titles and with myself playing on this high level.”

Legendary American tennis player and current media personality John McEnroe believes that Djokovic will have a long and sustained run as world number one, and can challenge the game’s elite.

“Novak is just coming into his prime and it is pretty hard not to think that he is getting stronger and stronger,” McEnroe said.

“If he stays healthy, he is going to dominate the next couple of years.”

Although the Serbian missed out on winning the French Open this year after falling to Swiss slugger Stan Wawrinka, winning all four major titles will definitely be on the agenda for the world number one.

The fourth and final slam of the season is the US Open, where Djokovic is the overwhelming favourite.

Djokovic is the $2.25 favourite with Sportsbet to win the US Open title.

Former US Open champion Andy Roddick believes it will take a monumental effort for any player to defeat the world number one at flushing meadows.

“We saw with Stan Wawrinka in Paris the type of match that it takes to beat Novak right now,” Roddick said.

“To execute that over the course of three or four hours against the best defensive player on Earth, that’s really hard.

“I don’t think you can take two or three players and make them the favourite over Novak for the U.S. Open.”

Williams completes the Serena Slam

Women’s world number one Serena Williams was at her scintillating best as she made light work of 21 year old Spaniard Garbine Muguruza 6-4 6-4.

The win was Williams’ 21st Grand Slam title overall and completes the ‘Grand Slam’, or the ‘Serena-Slam’ as it has been dubbed, which means the dominant American currently holds the four major Grand Slam titles.

If she is able to claim victory at the US Open later in the year, which looks like a strong possibility given she has won the last three at flushing meadows; she will finish the year holding all four major titles – the first woman since Steffi Graf back in 1998 to complete the calendar slam.

Williams said her dominant 2015 season thus far has come as a complete surprise to the 33-year old.

“I honestly wouldn’t have thought last year after winning the U.S. Open I would win the Serena Slam at all,” Williams said.

“It’s super exciting.”

In the aftermath of her incredible victory, Williams said her focus shifted from London to New York.

“I did the whole presentation, I did the whole walk around the court,” said Williams.

“I was peaceful, feeling really good … a little after that I started thinking about New York.”

If breaking the all-time open era slams record was not enough, the world number one surpassed Martina Natratilova as the oldest woman ever to hoist a Grand Slam trophy in the open era.

The calendar Grand Slam beckons for the world number one, but Williams’ coach Patrick Mourtaglou believes the Wimbledon champion will need a partisan US crowd to help get secure the fourth and final title.

“I think if the crowd helps her, it’s going to be a plus,” Mourtaglou said.

“So of course I expect the American crowd to be the best ever for her because to have an American player like her who is probably the greatest (in) history writing history at the U.S. Open is huge.”

Serena Williams is a $2.20 favourite with Sportsbet to take out the US Open title and complete the calendar slam.