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Preview: Wimbledon final: Novak Djokovic vs. Nick Kyrgios - prediction, head to head, road to final

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Wimbledon men's final between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios, including predictions, head-to-head records and their route to the final.

Novak Djokovic will be looking to win a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title when he takes to Centre Court to face Nick Kyrgios in the men's final on Sunday.

The Australian, on the other hand, will participate in his first Grand Slam singles final after enjoying a memorable run in the tournament.


Match preview

Novak Djokovic reacts at Wimbledon on July 8, 2022© Reuters

Djokovic is looking to lift a 21st Grand Slam trophy on Sunday, while the Serbian also has the chance to become a seven-time champion at the All England Club.

The world number three has not lost in a competitive grass-court match since 2018, despite coming close to a defeat in the quarter-final against Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic dropped just two sets on his way to a last-eight tie against the Italian, but the 35-year-old looked to be heading out of the tournament after losing the first two sets.

However, he fought back superbly, dropping only seven games across the next three sets to clinch a dramatic victory and a place in the semi-finals.

The final-four tie against Cameron Norrie also saw the number one seed lose the opening set, but the Serbian cruised through the next three, keeping his hopes alive of a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title.

Having won six of his last eight Grand Slam finals, Djokovic will believe that history is on his side ahead of Sunday's showpiece match.

If Djokovic does win on Sunday, he will move level with Pete Sampras as a seven-time Wimbledon champion, while it would leave him just one Wimbledon title away from record winner Roger Federer.

Nick Kyrgios pictured at Wimbledon on June 29, 2021© Reuters

Meanwhile, Kyrgios will attempt to win his first Grand Slam singles title on Sunday when he takes to Centre Court to face the six-time champion.

The Australian has had a busy grass-court season, reaching the semi-finals in Stuttgart and Halle before withdrawing in the second round in Mallorca.

His journey to the Wimbledon final was nearly ended in the first-round by Paul Jubb, but Kyrgios managed to prevail in five sets before putting on arguably his best display of the tournament in the second-round, defeating Filip Krajinovic in straight sets.

While his second-round match may have been uneventful, his next contest against Stefanos Tsitsipas was anything but, with Kyrgios fighting back from one set down to beat the number four seed.

Brandon Nakashima was then ousted in five sets of gripping tennis in the fourth round, while Cristian Garin was swept aside to book what should have been a semi-final date with Rafael Nadal.

However, the Spaniard was forced to withdraw due to an abdominal tear that sent Kyrgios straight through to the final without having to hit a ball in anger.

The 27-year-old has already recorded a Grand Slam victory in the Australian Open doubles this year, and he will be looking to draw upon that success to spur him to victory on Sunday.


Route to final

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic in action at Wimbledon on June 29, 2022© Reuters

First round: vs. Kwon Soon-woo 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4
Second round: vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-1 6-4 6-2
Third round: vs. Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0 6-3 6-4
Fourth round: vs. Tim Van Rijthoven 6-2 4-6 6-1 6-2
Quarter-finals: vs. Jannik Sinner 5-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-2
Semi-finals: vs. Cameron Norrie 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-4

Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios in action at Wimbledon on July 2, 2022© Reuters

First round: vs. Paul Jubb 6-3 1-6 7-5 [3]6-7 7-5
Second round: vs. Filip Krajinovic 6-2 6-3 6-1
Third round: vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas [2]6-7 6-4 6-3 7-6[7]
Fourth round: vs. Brandon Nakashima 4-6 6-4 7-6[2] 3-6 6-2
Quarter-finals: vs. Cristian Garin 6-4 6-3 7-6[5]
Semi-finals: vs. Rafael Nadal - Walkover


Head To Head

Indian Wells (2017) - Round 16: Kyrgios def. Djokovic 6-4 7-6[3]
Acapulco (2017) - Quarter-finals: Kyrgios def. Djokovic 7-6[9] 7-5

If Djokovic is to claim his seventh Wimbledon title then the Serbian must beat Kyrgios for the first time in his career.

Although the pair have not met since 2017, Kyrgios will take confidence from the fact he has not dropped a set to Djokovic in their previous meetings.


SM words green background

We say: Nick Kyrgios to win in five sets

Djokovic will enter the contest as the favourite, but Kyrgios will try to draw upon his success in his previous two meetings with the number one seed.

As a result of Nadal's withdrawal from the competition, the Australian has had several days to prepare for the final, and with the final set to be a closely-fought contest, and with Kyrgios yet to lose a five-set match, we believe that he will make use of his extended rest to claim a victory over Djokovic in the Wimbledon final.

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Written by
Ben Sully

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Novak Djokovic reacts at Wimbledon on July 8, 2022
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