Poljicak Defeats Zheng, Captures Wimbledon Title in Two Tiebreakers; Ngounoue Falls in 14 and Under Final on Last Day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships

©Colette Lewis 2022--

Wimbledon--

With his 7-6(2), 7-6(3) win over American Michael Zheng in the Wimbledon boys final, Mili Poljicak became the first junior singles champion from Croatia. Yet it was a famous Serbian player who proved most inspirational, with Poljicak having the opportunity to warm up with now 21-time slam champion Novak Djokovic prior to their respective finals today.

"It was a great feeling, great memory," said the 17-year-old, who also hit with Djokovic on his day off Saturday. "It helped me in one way because when you play against one of the best of all times, then you step on the court against a junior guy, you feel more comfortable. So I think it helped me a lot, and I'm very thankful for that."

Poljicak had been beaten by Zheng in the second round at Roland Garros this year, supplying what he deemed "additional motivation." And while he started that match in Paris well, winning the first set, Poljicak lost his mental edge. 

"I was playing good, then I completely disappeared from the court,"  Poljicak said. "He started to play better and better. He was better player throughout second and third set, and he beat me."

In front of a large pre-men's final crowd basking, or baking, in the brilliant sunshine on Court One, Poljicak turned the tables on his opponent. Zheng had won the only break point of a high-quality first set, after Poljicak had let a 40-0 lead slip away, but his 4-2 lead didn't last.

Serving for the set at 5-3, Zheng went up 40-15, but was unable to convert either set point. Poljicak won the first with a forehand return winner, and Zheng made a backhand error on the second, although making only one of six first serves to start the game was also a significant factor.

"He returned the second serves well," said Zheng, an 18-year-old from Montville New Jersey. "I think a winner on the first one and another deep return. But yeah, it kind of sucked, no first serves. I think I was winning a lot of points when I made the first serve, but at the same time, he was returning well."

Poljicak also failed to make first serves in his next two service games--both players were barely at 50% first serves in the match--but he held at 40-30 for 5-all and at deuce for 6-all.

In the tiebreaker, Poljicak raised his level, got an ace call overturned via Hawkeye review, then won the subsequent second serve point to go up 6-2. Another great return ended the 57-minute set, with the Court One crowd enthusiastically supporting both players as they began the second.

Again Zheng went up a break, then consolidated after saving two break points for a 3-1 lead. But he lost his advantage in his next service game, while Poljicak, initially agitated by his errors early in the set, began to have less difficulty holding serve.

"The second set also he broke me first, but I was calm," said Poljicak.  "I played every point. I think I was better player today, and that's what result says also."

Poljicak said he does not do strategy, but he had success in the second set when he drew Zheng to the net, with short slices and drop shots.

"I'm trying to play my game and to see where it goes," Poljicak said. "Maybe in match to change something, if something or other is not going well. But I think I usually play a lot of the drop shots, a lot of slices, changing the rhythm. It's not something new for me."

Because of his size and his serve, which topped out at 127 mph today, Poljicak does not look as if his game would feature that variety, but Zheng wasn't surprised.

"That's just part of his game," said Zheng, who will begin classes at Columbia this fall. "I think he does that against most players. He has great feel, and his cat-and-mouse skills were good. If I get to the ball, he reads where I'm going to go well and gets the next ball back. But his feel and his slice are one of the strongest parts of his game. I was expecting it, and he executed well."

To get to the tiebreaker, Zheng needed a good service game, and he found his first serve just in time, with a service winner and a 120 mph ace from 30-all.

But as in the first set tiebreaker, it was Poljicak who took an early mini-break lead, with two good first serves earning him a 6-3 advantage. Zheng made an excellent first serve on match point, but Poljicak's return was even better, and he celebrated his place in history by taking a moment to kiss the grass.

"Yeah, I am the first one, and it's a great feeling," said Poljicak, who was the first Croatian boy to make a Wimbledon final since Mario Ancic in 2000. "I'm proud of myself because it was a lot of big names in Croatian tennis throughout the last years. I'm so happy to be the first one. I think I'm not going to stay as the only one, that some other Croatian guys will come do what I did, then Croatian tennis will go up as much as it can go in future years."

Poljicak said he is undecided about playing the US Open Junior Championships this September, but he is glad he competed at Wimbledon, despite earning no points for his junior slam triumph.

"I'm going to drop because I'm losing points from last year," said Poljicak, who made the quarterfinals in 2021. "It doesn't really matter. When you come to Wimbledon to play, it's a special tournament. Also in pros there is no points, and they are playing, fighting. You are trying to do as good as you can in a tournament like this."

Zheng will head home to rest, before playing the USTA Pro Circuit $25,000 tournament in Edwardsville, the Kalamazoo Nationals and the US Open Junior Championships. Although disappointed in the outcome of today's final, he admits he's leaving England with more success than he expected when he arrived.

"I'm happy," Zheng said. "Obviously it was a great run. It's tough to lose in the finals but it's been a great week. I didn't think I'd make it this far, especially after I lost third round in Roehampton, wasn't feeling the grass well, but I'm happy to get this far."

The other young players hoisting Wimbledon trophies Sunday afternoon were the winners of the 14-and-under championships, being played for the first time this year.

The girls and boys finals were contested on Show Court 12, with top seed Alexia Tatu defeating Andreea Soare 7-6(2), 6-4 in an all-Romanian final. 

The boys title went to No. 5 seed Se Hyuk Cho of Korea, who defeated American Carel Ngounoue, the No. 3 seed, 7-6(5), 6-3.

Ngounoue was not familiar with Cho, who did not play any of the major 14s event in the United States or Europe last year. 

"It was my first time seeing this guy, never seen him at any tournament," said the 13-year-old from Washington DC. "I'm guessing he played more in his area, in Asia. But yeah, I had my chances. The guy played great, served well, returned great, but I had my chances and it could have gone either way."

Sarah Johnson, the manager of the event established to honor the legacy of British Davis Cup coach Paul Hutchins, said the tournament has been well received by the local fans.

"The crowds we've had from the initial round robin stages has been phenomenal," said Johnson. "The interest from people, stopping, wanting to know more about the players, and lots of people asking us if it's a permanent fixture now, which yes, it is. And hopefully in years to come, when we have a few more courts to play with, we may be able to expand it."

Complete draws for the event can be found here.