Djokovic pulls off the great escape
The top seed Serb screams his way past South African Anderson in a thrilling five-set encounter
Top seed and reigning champion Novak Djokovic pulled off a great escape at Wimbledon beating South African Kevin Anderson on Tuesday after five tense sets to reach his 25th successive grand slam quarter-final.
In a match spanning two days, with the top seed fighting back to two sets all in fading light on Monday before play was stopped and carried over, Djokovic walked away a mightily relieved man with a 6-7(6) 6-7(6) 6-1 6-4 7-5 win.
“I think he served exceptionally well. This was one of the most difficult matches I have played at Wimbledon and maybe in my career,” the world number one said after a final set in which his frustration and pent-up emotion was audible. He now faces U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic of Croatia.
The players had walked out to cheers for the final set but the entry proved premature, with umbrellas going up and the rain covers hurriedly pulled across Court One as the pair returned to the locker room.
When the match did re-start, 16 hours and 33 minutes after the previous point was played, Djokovic was immediately back in the line of fire. Anderson blasted down two aces, followed by a backhand volley and another bullet that fizzed past Djokovic, to hold serve without giving the Serb any hope of replying.
Djokovic saved two break points in the fourth game, holding serve for 2-2, with Anderson -- who served 40 aces to his opponent’s 13 -- keeping up the pressure by rattling through the next game to love.
The games went with serve to 5-4, with Djokovic needing all his focus as he served to stay in the match. He then broke Anderson to go 6-5 up as the South African suddenly lost his aim and doubled-faulted twice to 15-40 before scooping a Djokovic service return into the net.
SHARAPOVA, SERENA IN SEMIS
Maria Sharapova survived a gamesmanship row to set up a showdown with old rival Serena Williams. The Russian battled into the semi-finals with a 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 victory over unseeded American Coco Vandeweghe. Sharapova needed two hours and 45 minutes before reaching her fifth Wimbledon semi-final, and her first since 2011. But the world No 4 was accused of unsporting behaviour by Vandeweghe, who was unhappy that Sharapova was moving during her service action. Vandeweghe protested to the umpire and repeated her complaint in the post-match press conference. Williams survived a scare to book a Wimbledon semi-final showdown with old rival Maria Sharapova as the world number one battled back to defeat Victoria Azarenka 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.