(Reuters) – Following are reactions to Novak Djokovic winning his 20th Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon by beating Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 6-3 in Sunday’s final.
ROGER FEDERER, EIGHT-TIMES WIMBLEDON WINNER
“Congrats Novak on your 20th major. I’m proud to have the opportunity to play in a special era of tennis champions. Wonderful performance, well done!” he wrote on Twitter https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/1414267818992885765.
WIMBLEDON 2021 RUNNER-UP MATTEO BERRETTINI
“For sure, he (Djokovic) was better than me. Well done to him, he is writing the history of the sport and he deserves all the credit,” he said after the match.
“Congratulations to Novak’s team, they are doing something unbelievably every slam, every tournament.”
GORAN IVANISEVIC, DJOKOVIC’S COACH AND FORMER WIMBLEDON CHAMPION
“Feels great. What can I say? Unbelievable. I won this tournament as a player, now I won as a coach. I don’t have to come anymore,” he said after the match.
“With Novak, it’s like in the movies, you have to kill him 27 times to win. He keeps getting up.
ROD LAVER, 11-TIMES GRAND SLAM WINNER
“Congratulations Novak. Amazing achievement, you are on your way to a (calendar) Grand Slam,” he wrote on Twitter https://twitter.com/rodlaver/status/1414263596050120704. “Matteo, you played a fantastic tournament and I have no doubt your time will come.”
AMERICAN TENNIS GREAT BILLIE JEAN KING
“Congratulations to @DjokerNole, 6x Wimbledon champion! Hes simply the best, and thrives on pressure. The Golden Slam is still in his sights. Next up: the Olympics,” she wrote on Twitter https://twitter.com/BillieJeanKing/status/1414262758208679938.
BORIS BECKER, SIX-TIMES GRAND SLAM CHAMPION
“It has been a difficult three weeks, just playing and being in the hotel, you need great people around you on your side and it’s great for Novak to show his appreciation for his team,” he told the BBC.
SIMONA HALEP, TWICE GRAND SLAM WINNER
20 Grand Slams and 6 Wimbledon titles. Truly amazing. Congratulations @DjokerNole,” she wrote on Twitter https://twitter.com/Simona_Halep/status/1414270198459285511.
MARION BARTOLI, FORMER WIMBLEDON CHAMPION
“It is entirely sensational that Novak has been able to win the 20th Grand Slam,” she said on BBC Radio.
“What a final – we have been so lucky to witness such a great level from both players. Berrettini pushed Djokovic – it takes two players to have such a great fight. Novak Djokovic has just taken tennis to another level.”
TIM HENMAN, FORMER BRITISH NUMBER ONE
“It has really been a fantastic tournament with a very worthy winner. Djokovic had an incredible tournament, he came in as a huge favourite and he put in an absolute masterclass in the two weeks. No doubt the best player won this tournament,” he told the BBC.
(Compiled by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru)
