Novak Djokovic wins fourth Wimbledon championship
Novak Djokovic of Serbia with the championship trophy as he celebrates beating Kevin Anderson of South Africa in the men's singles final of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in London, Britain, July 15, 2018. (EPA Photo)


Novak Djokovic is back at his best and the Wimbledon champion for a fourth time, grabbing a lead right away against a weary Kevin Anderson in the final and winning 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3) on Sunday.

Anderson nearly managed to extend the match, holding five set points to force a fourth set. Djokovic held steady, saving all five of those, then was as superior in the tiebreaker as he was most of the sun-drenched afternoon.

It is Djokovic's 13th major trophy, the fourth-highest total in the history of men's tennis.

But it's also his first in more than two years.

During that time, Djokovic struggled with a painful right elbow that eventually required surgery and as his losses accumulated, his ranking fell out of the top 20 for the first time in more than a decade. He grew so frustrated with his form that he spoke about skipping the grass-court circuit.

Fortunately for him, he changed his mind.

At No. 21, Djokovic is the lowest-ranked Wimbledon titlist since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001.