LONDON — Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in a five-set thriller Sunday to win the Wimbledon men’s singles tennis championship 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-4.
Federer won the last five games of the fourth set and saved a match point to take it 7-5 and force a deciding set.
Federer won the opening set 7-6 (7) but Djokovic came back to win the next two 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Federer trailed 5-2 in the fourth set which featured five breaks of serve.
Djokovic thought he had won the match at 30-40 in the 10th game in the fourth set, but Federer challenged the call and the ball that was initially ruled out was on the line.
Federer went on to hold his serve to keep him in the match.
There has been only one service break through the first three sets — by Djokovic in the second set, only the second time Federer has had his service broken this tournament.
Both players were serving strongly and there were very few unforced errors in the high-quality match.
The victory by Djokovic returns him to the No. 1 ranking for the first time since September of last year, taking over from Rafael Nadal. Djokovic first rose to No. 1 when he won his only Wimbledon title in 2011, although he was already guaranteed of securing the top ranking even before beating Nadal in that final.
It was only the second time Federer and Djokovic met in a Grand Slam final — Federer won in straight sets at the 2007 U.S. Open.
Watching Sunday’s final from the Royal Box were Prince William and his wife Kate, David Beckham and actors Bradley Cooper, Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Hemsworth.
