Novak Djokovic dropped another set as he pursued his dream of matching his old rival Roger Federer’s eight Wimbledon titles and eventually overtaking the Swiss sport’s icon’s tally.
He was the better player for the first set, and then I stepped it up. I think I played a really good second and third. Fourth was really anybody’s game. Novak Djokovic
With his right leg still heavily strapped and a stubborn Aussie on the opposite side of the net, the Serbian world No.2 had to work hard to reach the last 16.
He overcame a slow start to beat Alexei Popyrin 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) and will face the Danish 21-year-old Holger Rune for a place in the quarter finals.
Popyrin, the world No.47, took full advantage of that slow start to break the 24-time grand slam champion in the seventh game of the opener which proved enough for the Australian to take a one set lead.
The Sydney born Aussie of Russian extraction produced some outstanding serving had kept the seven-time champion at bay for much of the first set and for the early part of the second, but it faltered badly in the fourth game when double faults and some unforced errors gave Djokovic the opportunity he wanted to break through.
And so he did to level and go ahead by also claiming the third.
In the fourth he was made to work much harder as Popyrin, know as Pop, battled to try and force a fifth, but Djokovic’s better and longer experience of pressure play, swept through the tiebreak to close out the match which he described as one of the best he has played this season.
“It was another tough match,” Djokovic admitted.
“I wasn’t expecting anything less than what I experienced on the court today from Alexei. I knew he was going to come into the match with confidence and a lot of self-belief. He was close to winning that match we played in Australia earlier this year. With that serve and powerful forehand, he’s dangerous on any surface.
“I watched him play the first couple rounds and I knew he was in-form and was going to obviously come out on the court believing he could win. That’s how he started. He was the better player for the first set, and then I stepped it up. I think I played a really good second and third.
“Fourth was really anybody’s game. He was serving very well with a lot of accuracy and a lot of speed. It was very difficult to read his serve in the fourth … Just a really challenging match today I think mentally as well to hang in there.
“[I was] not allowed to have big concentration lapses. I think I’ve done well in that regard. I think it reflected positively in the tiebreak that was one of the best tie-breaks I’ve played this year for sure.”
He also said his physical condition has improved with every match.
“I think each match it’s getting better,” the Serbian added. “My feeling of movement, confidence in my movement particularly in the extreme balls, you know, reaching, sliding, I definitely felt better today than I have in the second-round match.
“Hopefully the direction and trajectory will keep going in a positive way. As the tournament progresses, each match I will feel better. Let’s see what happens in the next one.”
Novak Djokovic (R)congratulates Alexei Popyrin on a good match
(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
