Ageless Federer Looks to Add A 9th Wimbledon Title With Win Over Djokovic

For many in the tennis world, the semifinal of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal would have been a nice way to end Wimbledon. Both men played at the top of their game, and, while it wasn’t a replay of the classic 2008 match the two performed so long ago, it was still a beautiful display of craft and power. Alas, there is one more match to be played, and Federer, the adopted hometown favorite, will have to defeat an even more formidable foe: #1 seed and #1 player in the world Novak Djokovic.

We’ve gone over the accomplishments of each of these all-time greats before. Federer is looking to build on his record 8^th Wimbledon and 21^st Grand Slam single titles, while Djokovic is after his 5^th Wimbledon and 16^th Grand Slam singles title. But here’s a fact that will blow you mind:

Since 2003, at least one of these two have been in the Wimbledon final every year except two.

So yes, both are familiar with the spotlight that the final Sunday at the All England Club brings with it. And both are very familiar with each other’s games as well. Let’s look at the history of this rivalry.

• Djokovic leads the series 25-22, 9-6 in Grand Slams, making theirs the second most prolific series in the tour after Djokovic/Nadal. In recent years (since 2011) Djokovic leads the series 19-9.
• Djokovic has won the last 4 matches, most recently a tight 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 7-6 (7-3) semifinal win at the 2018 Paris Masters.
• Djokovic leads 2-1 when playing against each other at Wimbledon, with victories in the Final in 2014 and 2015. 

With history, age, and ranking on his side, Djokovic goes into the match the favorite at -190 to Federer’s +150. And while a straight bet on Fed to pull the upset might be a nice win, there are bigger winnings to be had if you dig a little deeper.

• Total Sets: Think this will be an epic match? Their previous head-to-head went long, and despite Djokovic’s advantages in age and recent history, the crowd will be pulling for him on every point, so a +230 to go 5 sets seems probable.
• Set Spread: With a grueling match against Nadal, and an opponent who can start fast, will Federer be drained? If so, a straight set win by Djokovic is at +265.
• Set Betting: Picking the exact scores of the set is always a good way to find some good odds. The oddsmakers see Djokovic dominating to the lowest odds are a 3-0 sweep in favor of the Serb at +265. But if Federer can win a set (+325) or even two (+46) you can win as well.
• Correct Score- Set 1: Another good opportunity to win no matter your pick, with the lowest odds being a 6-4 win by Djokovic at +500. 

Whoever you pick, it’ll be a great match. Good luck and enjoy!