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Eating the grass

ESPN staff
July 3, 2011

Wimbledon Day 13 Gallery
Djokovic downs Nadal to win maiden Wimbledon title

Tasting sweet success
As Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal to claim his maiden Wimbledon title, the Serb sank to the floor in delight. After trotting over to console Nadal and thank the umpire, he returned to the court to soak up the atmosphere and after crossing himself, fell to his knees in disbelief. As the victory began to sink in, Djokovic plucked a few blades of grass and proceeded to munch on the hallowed Centre Court turf.

Rapid Novak
With Djokovic in the ascendancy early in the second set, the Serb continued to thwart Nadal with his extraordinary defence. Having reached a return, Djokovic pre-empted Nadal and began heading to the net before the Spaniard had even played his drop shot, and showed impressive pace to reach the ball, slotting the winner past the Spaniard to snatch an early break.

Champions only
US Open champion Rory McIlroy was back in the Royal Box on Sunday, but there was no room for 2010 winner and Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell, who was forced to sit with the masses on Centre Court. "Been ousted to the cheap seats today," McDowell wrote on his Twitter feed. "No Royal Box with @McIlroyRory. Current US Open champs only!! Great to be here though."

Just too good
Having just won the second set, Djokovic showed real grit to hang onto his opening service game in the third set before conjuring up two break points with a spectacular combination. Forcing Nadal out wide on his backhand, Djokovic stroked a sublime drop shot that not even Usain Bolt would have reached.

Djokovic silences his critics
If there was any doubt about who deserves to be the new world No. 1, Djokovic put those discussions well and truly to bed. Having lost just one match this year, the Serb now has eight titles to his name - including two grand slams and four Masters trophies - for the season. Djokovic was guaranteed to wake up on Monday morning at the top of the rankings regardless of Sunday's result, but what better way to underline his dominance than to wrest the Wimbledon title from the very man he is set to usurp at the top of the rankings?

Net gain
As Nadal's Wimbledon crown began slipping from his grasp, the Spaniard needed some inspiration, or even just a little help from Lady Luck. With Djokovic a break up in the fourth set, Nadal dug deep to forge a break-back point, piling the backspin on a service return, which appeared to sit on the net cord before plopping over the net. Game on.

We can't hear you
When BBC presenter Sue Barker made her way onto Centre Court to interview the two finalists, things did not go entirely to plan. As the former French Open champion began to address the defeated Nadal, the crowd began to boo. Not because they didn't agree with what Nadal had to say, but because they didn't hear a word of it - the microphones weren't working properly.

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