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Breakfast at Wimbledon Sets the Stage at 8 a.m. ET
No. 1 Djokovic Seeks 7th Major Title: No. 2 Murray Simply Seeks to Make History, End 77-Year Drought
All TV-Court Matches on ESPN3 – Mixed Doubles, Juniors, Wheelchair Events
ESPN’s exclusive and all-live presentation of the 127th staging of The Championships, Wimbledon comes to a fitting conclusion Sunday, July 7, with a Gentlemen’s Championship that – for all the surprises the first few days of the fortnight – matches the top two seeds and best players in the world – No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 2 Andy Murray. It will be the third time in a year these two have met in a major final, with Murray winning the 2012 US Open and Djokovic taking the 2013 Australian Open title. Chris Fowler will call the match live with Patrick McEnroe and three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe at 9 a.m. ET. Tom Rinaldi will conduct a post-match interview with the winner as soon as they step off Centre Court.
Breakfast at Wimbledon hosted by Hannah Storm with the full roster of the ESPN tennis team starts the day off at 8 p.m. ET with one hour of reviews, previews, interviews, features and highlights. In addition, ABC will air an encore edition of The Gentlemen’s Championship at 3 p.m. ET (Noon PT), hosted by Mike Tirico.
In addition, ESPN3 will have all available TV court matches Sunday, including the Championships of Mixed Doubles, Boys’ Singles and Doubles, Girls’ Doubles and Wheelchair Doubles.
The 2013 Matchup – Top Two Survive the Carnage to Forge Sport’s New Rivalry
In a Wimbledon that served up numerous early shockers – No. 5 and two-time champion Rafael Nadal losing in the first round, and the second round claiming No. 4 and seven-time champion Roger Federer and No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – order has been restored with the top two seeds meeting for tennis’ most coveted crown.
This will be the fourth time the two – born just a week apart in 1987 – will meet in a major final, and the third time in the last four majors (Murray did not enter this year’s French Open due to a back injury). They also met in the semifinals of the 2012 Summer Olympics held at the All England Club in London. At 26, these two could be forging the next great rivalry in the sport as wear and tear begin to take a toll on 27-year old Rafael Nadal and the sport’s all-time leader in major championships, Roger Federer, turns 32 in August.
Resumes and Stats
- Djokovic of Serbia has won six majors: Wimbledon in 2011, along with four Australian Open titles and a US Open victory in 2011. He is 6-4 in major finals.
- In recent years, Murray of Scotland, has alternately teased, thrilled and exhuasted the home crowd with five consecutive appearances in the Wimbledon semifinals, reaching the finals a year ago for the first time. The hopes and dreams of Great Britain – along with the packed crowds watching his matches on the giant TV at Henman Hill – rest on his shoulders in a quest to end the host nation’s 77- year drought for men at the All England Lawn Tennis club; the last British Gentlemen’s champion was Fred Perry who captured the last of his three titles in 1936. Virginia Wade was the last to win the Ladies’ crown, in 1977.
- Murray is 1-5 in major finals, losing the first four, but unlike last year against Federer, he will enter Centre Court with a major title on his resume, last fall’s US Open. He also knows the feeling of winning on the sacred sod of the cathedral of tennis, albeit coming in the Olympics last summer.
- The two have met 18 times, with Djokovic holding an 11-7 edge, including 3-1 in majors and 2-1 in major finals. They have never met during The Championships, but they did play once on grass – at Centre Court in the 2012 Summer Olympics with Murray winning the semifinal match 7-5, 7-5 on his way to a Gold Medal.
- Murray has reached the final of the last four majors which he entered. Djokovic has reached the semifinals of 13 consecutive Grand Slam events, playing in the final in nine of his last 12.
- Djokovic enters the final after winning the longest semifinal in Wimbledon history, outlasting Juan Martin Del Potro 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 in a thrill-packed four hours, 43 minutes. In his six matches, he has played 14 hours, 26 minutes. Murray lost the first set of his semifinal to Jerzy Janowicz before recovering with a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 triumph. He has played 14 hours, 51 minutes in reaching the final round.
- Murray enters Sunday’s Championship riding a 16-match winning streak on grass.
- Djokovic is 39-5 in 2013; Murray stands at 33-5. Each has won three titles this year.
- The last time the Gentlemen’s final saw No. 1 and No. 2 square off was Djokovic’s victory over then-No. 1 Rafael Nadal in 2011.
- The duo will retain their current ranking – Djokovic at No. 1 followed by Murray, regardless of Sunday’s outcome.
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Network | |
| Sun, July 7 | 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Gentlemen’s ChampionshipNo. 1 Novak Djokovic vs.No. 2 Andy Murray | ESPN / ESPN 3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| 3 – 6 p.m. | Gentlemen’s ChampionshipNo. 1 Novak Djokovic vs.No. 2 Andy Murray | ABC | Encore |
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