LONDON -- In the end the Centre Court crowd cheered. But it came after Novak Djokovic had fallen, howled, cupped his hand to his ear and shown all manner of frustration, both with himself and the world on his way to his sixth Wimbledon final.
Djokovic had inhabited every character in his persona as he got through the men's semifinal challenge of Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. He got wound up by the crowd, he slid around on the baseline as if he was on clay, he dispatched those beautiful sweeping forehands, he fell in dramatic style, nudged those deft dropshots so they kissed the top of the net and clocked up the sets.