Djokovic faced a demanding day at Wimbledon as he booked his spot in the quarterfinals with a straight edge against Hubert Hurkacz, defeating him 7-6, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4. The Serbian star had to adjust to a late start caused by a municipal rest rule that had suspended games the night before, forcing a pause at 11 p.m. The restart brought a unique atmosphere, with Hurkacz maintaining a calm smile and glancing skyward before stepping back onto the court. Djokovic had not played in direct sun since his opening match, and the conditions were starkly different from the indoor, under-roof games he had played earlier. A strong breeze of about 30 kilometers per hour swept across the court, the skies were cloudy, and the temperature hovered around 21 degrees, all contributing to a challenging environment.
Serbian player lost the first set
The wind proved a factor, yet Hurkacz remained the same opponent who had captured the first two sets in a tie-break the day before. The match unfolded with Hurkacz delivering powerful serves and aggressive shot-making while Djokovic searched for moments to break serve or force another decisive tiebreak. In a sudden shift, Hurkacz managed to seize the first set with a pivotal break, despite Djokovic’s resilience in the later stages. The Croatian-born Pole finished the rally with a high tally of aces and a strong first-serve percentage, but Djokovic refused to back down, pushing for a response that would anchor the match in his favor.
32nd win
Djokovic moved past the initial hiccup with composed tennis, committing only a limited number of unforced errors and executing a timely timeout at a critical juncture to seize control of the fourth set and close the match with a 4-3 advantage in the deciding moments. This victory marked the 32nd consecutive win for Djokovic at Wimbledon and added to his remarkable record since 2017. It also boosted his overall tally at Wimbledon since his memorable debut in 2005, a tournament where his only major setback came at the hands of Andy Murray in 2013 after a long stretch of success. Djokovic’s patient, methodical game plan allowed him to navigate the pressure, preserve energy, and convert key moments into winners.
The next challenge for Djokovic is a date with Andrey Rublev, a Russian player currently ranked among the world’s top ten. Rublev has claimed three wins in previous encounters with Djokovic, promising another high-stakes matchup as the tournament progresses.