Novak Djokovic passes Wimbledon test as Kevin Anderson crashes out

Novak Djokovic overcame the first significant test of the defence of his Wimbledon title with a hard-fought victory over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. Djokovic lost his first set of the championship but responded in a manner which suggests he will take some stopping this year, going on to clinch the match 7-5, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4.

Hurkacz won plenty of admirers for his efforts, not least in a couple of remarkable points in taking the second set on a tie-break – Djokovic paying the price for his failure to convert a number of break points – and you sense it will not be long until the 22-year-old from Poland is reaching the second week here on a regular basis.

But Djokovic continues his calm progress. And if the authority with which he seized back control of the match in the third set did not serve as a reminder of the dominance of the defending champion, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer this year, Kevin Anderson’s shock defeat earlier in the day surely did. The big-serving fourth seed, who lost to Djokovic in last year’s final, has struggled badly with an elbow injury all year and it showed against Guido Pella, who eased to a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 victory.

Anderson’s preparations have been severely hampered – this was only his fifth tournament of the year and second since his recovery – but his departure, as well as that of Russia’s Karen Khachanov, leaves Kei Nishikori as the only other top 10 seed, aside from the Big Three, still standing.

“Those three guys are just really good tennis players,” said Anderson. “They’re just so experienced, they know what it’s like playing on centre courts week in, week out at the grand slams. They know what it’s like being in the semis, in the finals. That sort of experience just keeps on compounding because nobody else is really having nearly as many opportunities because of those guys.

“Nobody can simulate what it feels like going out and playing the finals of a grand slam. There’s only been a few players actually to experience that over the last while, significantly less than any of those guys. It’s not through a lack of quality other players. It’s just those three guys are really, really good, make life very difficult for everyone else.”

Last year’s runner-up Kevin Anderson lost to Guido Pella



Last year’s runner-up Kevin Anderson lost to Guido Pella. Photograph: Aflo/REX/Shutterstock

Anderson’s problems this year should not detract from Pella’s performance, however. The Argentinian has a habit of claiming the scalps of losing finalists – last year he defeated the 2017 runner-up, Marin Cilic, en route to the third round – and his reward is a meeting with Milos Raonic and the opportunity to continue his run – the Canadian 15th seed having lost to Andy Murray in the 2016 final.

Raonic made light work of the 6ft 11in American Reilly Opelka, coming through in straight sets 7-6, 6-2, 6-1. It was not the most engrossing of matches – both list their serve as their most potent weapon – but whereas Opelka claimed the scalp of Stan Wawrinka in the previous round, he was unable to find that sort of form again.

“I think it’s patience,” said Raonic. “Obviously against players like that I have struggled historically. I have struggled in those scenarios. So, it’s about the guy who can find a way to dictate first and also can put in more returns. I tried to specifically pay attention to those things today, and try to make it work out as best as possible for me.”

With Khachanov another top 10 seed to fall on Friday, going down in straight sets to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, the top half of the draw is now wide open, Djokovic aside. Bautista Agut is the 23rd seed but his 6-3, 7-6, 6-1 victory over Khachanov was a surprise nonetheless. He now faces Benoit Paire, seeded 28th, after the Frenchman recovered from a set down to defeat Jiri Vesely 5-7, 7-6, 6-3, 7-6.

Elsewhere, Fernando Verdasco continued his impressive form, having dumped Kyle Edmund out in the previous round with a 6-4. 7-6, 6-4 victory over Thomas Fabbiano of Italy.

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source: theguardian.com