Davis Cup triumph gave Djokovic the zest and impetus for astonishing run

The Serbian clinched the world No 1 spot with his semi-final victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Friday but it would have taken the edge off his achievement had he been beaten by Nadal.

Spaniard Nadal had not lost at the All England Club since the final of 2007 but Djokovic played sublime tennis for two sets and then recovered from a third-set wobble to win 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3.

The new champion said: “I managed to achieve a lifetime goal and I managed to make my dream come true, all in three days.

“It’s just an incredible feeling that I’m never going to forget. This is the best day of my tennis career.

“For these kind of days, I was practising every day, being dedicated, being a tennis professional. Any athlete in the world dreams of being No 1.

“This is something that gives us a lot of motivation.

“So finally when you really do it and when you know that you’re the best, it’s just an amazing achievement.”

Djokovic’s win made it 48 victories from 49 matches in a phenomenal season that has also brought him the Australian Open and six ATP World Tour titles, with his only defeat coming against Roger Federer in the French Open semi-finals.

But the spark that set him on his way came in December when he helped Serbia win the Davis Cup for the first time.

He said: “After the Davis Cup win I was full of life, full of energy, eager to come back to the tennis court, eager to play some more, win some other tournaments.

“I lost my fear. I believed in my abilities more than ever. Australia was one of the best tournaments I played in my life.”

Nadal, with 20 straight wins behind him at Wimbledon until yesterday, began the brighter but Djokovic dug in and gradually gained the upper hand, breaking for the first time to take the opening set. The second was a master class from the Serbian, who was playing at a level even the great Nadal could not get anywhere near.

Djokovic said: “Winning two sets in just over an hour against the defending champion on the court that he hasn’t lost on for four years was incredible.

“I was just trying to enjoy the tennis that I was playing. Obviously, it was the best tennis match on grass courts that I’ve played ever. It came at the right moment.”

Djokovic was in complete control but suddenly his level dropped, Nadal broke for the first time at the start of the third set and went on to take it in just as dominant fashion as his opponent had the second.

The start of the fourth became key, and Djokovic saved a break point in the opening game before breaking himself for 2-0.

Back came Nadal, helped by a net cord, but in the eighth game he cracked and Centre Court hailed a new champion.

Explaining his third-set slump, Djokovic said: “I think I relaxed a little bit too much at the start. When you’re playing a player like Nadal, he uses his opportunity and he gets back into the match.

“But in the fourth set I was in the lead all the time. The first game was very important to hold serve. After that, it was really great tennis.”

Djokovic sealed victory when Nadal fired a backhand long, and collapsed to the ground in celebration before picking a blade of grass and eating it.

He said: “I wanted to see how it tastes. It tastes good. It came spontaneously really. I didn’t plan to do it. I didn’t know what to do for my excitement and joy.”

Yesterday’s win was Djokovic’s fifth in finals against Nadal this year, with the 24-year-old also collecting Masters Series titles in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome.

Nadal admitted that run had been a decisive factor, causing his belief to waver at the most crucial moments.

He said: “When I was 100 per cent to play, I lost against him five times. The rest of the year I won almost every match. So I’m doing things very well, but probably not against him. That’s what I have to change.

“Probably the mental part is a little bit dangerous for me, because when I was at 5-4 (in the first set), I played a bad game from 30-0. When I was 4-3 down in the fourth set, I played another bad game with my serve.

“To win these kind of matches, I have to play well (at those moments). These kind of points can change the match.

“When I had the break point in the first game of the fourth set, I didn’t play that point well. That was a big moment for me. If I started the fourth with a break it could have changed everything.

“To change things I probably have to be a little bit less nervous, play more aggressive, and all the time be confident with myself.”