Djokovic Finishes Off Hurkacz At Wimbledon, Rublev Next, Alcaraz Ousts Berrettini

Novak Djokovic dropped a set but survived an upset bid by Hurbert Hurkacz in the fourth round at Wimbledon.

The Serb was fortunately to go to sleep last night with a 2-set led, but quickly that led got cut in half when the Polish star took the third. Djokovic wouldn’t flinch and finally broke Hurkacz and eventually ran away with the match 7-6(8-6), 7-6(8-6), 5-7, 6-4.

“Big credit to Hubert for playing an amazing match, tough luck for him today but he put up a great performance,” said Djokovic who stopped Hurkacz service hold streak at 67.

“Honestly, I don’t recall the last time I felt this miserable on returning games to be honest due to his incredibly accurate and powerful serve.”

Carlos Alcaraz kept pace on the other side of the draw taking out former finalist Matteo Berrettini. Berrettini bullied Alcaraz early but the 20-year-old began reading the Italian’s serve and it was trouble for Berrettini who went down 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Alcaraz will now face fellow 20-year-old rival Holger Rune who also came from a set down to defeat Grigor Dimitrov 3-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(4), 6-3. Rune benefited from a controversial non-challenge on set point in the second. Rune signaled to challenge a Dimitrov shot but the referee never saw. The point continued and Rune won it and took the set. Had the umpire seen the signal, the point would have been stopped and the challenge overturned — the ball was in — and Dimitrov would have taken the point.

“Today was a crazy match,” Rune said. “Grigor is an incredible player and he pushed me to the limit. We both pushed each other. I think it was a great match and a tough match.

“I fight until the end always. That is what I focus on, especially when I am in a tough situation. I tell myself that there is Wimbledon once a year, so I am going to fight so I have a chance to win.”

Daniil Medvedev had an easy day reaching his first Wimbledon quarterfinal getting a retiring up two sets from Jiri Lehecka. The 21-year-old Lehecka was fighting blisters before pulling the plus down 6-4, 6-2.

And in the upset of the day, Christopher Eubanks kept his fairytale run going shocking Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

“I feel like I’m living a dream right now. This is absolutely insane,” Eubanks said on court. “When you paint all of the context… I’ve tried so much to just block everything out and focus on the next match, as cliché as it sounds, but [reaching my first major quarterfinal] is surreal. I can’t believe it.”

Eubanks was down two sets to one when Tsitsipas can unglued missing volleys and double faulting down break point in the fifth.

Eubanks threaded a backhand winner to grab an opening break and then after the two traded breaks, crossed the finish line in nervy fashion for his biggest career win. Weeks ago he hated grass. Now?

“The grass and I have had a very strenuous, I would say, relationship over the years,” said Eubanks. “But right now, I think it’s my best friend.”

In his first Wimbledon, Eubanks will now face Medvedev on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

The quarters begin tomorrow with Djokovic meeting No. 7 Andrey Rublev. Djokovic is up on on Rublev 3-1 in their tour-level encounters winning also easily in the Australian Open quarters.

No. 8 Jannik Sinner will meet Roman Safiullin and Sinner is a perfect 1-0 against Safiullin in their tour-level battles. Sinner won their only previous collision in the 2022 ATP Cup.

WIMBLEDON TUESDAY SCHEDULE
CENTRE COURT – 1:30PM
Iga Swiatek (POL) [1] v Elina Svitolina (UKR)
Andrey Rublev [7] v Novak Djokovic (SRB) [2]

NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
Jessica Pegula (USA) [4] v Marketa Vondrousova (CZE)
Jannik Sinner (ITA) [8] v Roman Safiullin

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