Novak Djokovic kept a clean sheet on Wimbledon’s Centre Court on Monday as the second seed maintained his record of not losing at the iconic venue for a decade as he beat Hubert Hurkacz in their fourth-round contest.
The Serb bidding for a record-equalling eighth singles title here, finished off the job he started on Sunday night when he won the first two sets against the huge-hitting Pole.
Second seed Djokovic prevailed 7-6 (8), 7-6 (8), 5-7, 6-4 to next face Andrey Rublev.
Hurkacz, who ended Roger Federer’s ATP career in the fourth round here two years ago, threw down 33 aces in his losing effort.
“I don’t remember the last time I felt so miserable on return,” Djokovic said of his performance.
“Hubi has one of the best servers in the world, it’s so difficult to read and react to.
“It was not an enjoyable match for me – it could have easily gone a different way.
“I feel a great connection to this court. Every match I win I feel feel more comfortable and confident.”
The 36-year-old moved into his 14th Wimbledon quarter-final where he hopes to repeat January’s Australian Open quarter-final win over the seventh seed. “He’s looking for his first Grand Slam semi-final,” Djokovic said of his upcoming opponent.
“Hopefully that’s not gonna happen.”
Carlos Alcaraz came back after dropping the first set to former finalist Matteo Berrettini, with the Spaniard recovering to advance 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Alcaraz broke in the penultimate game for 5-3 as his opponent landed a forehand well wide and finished off victory on Centre Court where light rain had forced closure of the roof early in the fourth set.
But it took four match points to warp up the win in three hours for a career-first Wimbledon quarter-final.
“I’m hungry for more, this is something I really wanted,” Alcaraz said. “i came this year with quarters as a goal.
“But now I’m looking for more, My dream is to play a final and win this title someday.”
The top seed will test himself in a matchup of 20-year-old prodigies when he next faces Holger Rune.
The Dane, seeded sixth, held off dangerous veteran Grigor Dimitrov 3-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (4), 6-3 to equal his personal best by reaching a third quarter-final at a major.
“What a crazy match, he pushed me to the limit – we both pushed each other,” Rune said.
“I’m always fighting to the end, that’s what I focus on. Wimbledon happens only once per year, I want to have a chance to win it.”
Third seed Daniil Medvedev completed his matched set of Grand Slam quarter-finals, advancing when opponent Jiri Lehecka had to quit their fourth-round match with serious foot blisters.
The Czech took a medical time out after dropping the opening set to the former US Open winner whose progress to date had stalled in the fourth round on the All England Club grass.
But Medvedev pushed on not knowing the actual state of his opponent, carving out an abbreviated 6-4, 6-2 result when Lehecka was unable to start the third set.
“I honestly did not know until he retired,” Medvedev said. “I saw that his movement was a little bit restricted, but the way he struck the ball.
“I thought it was not going to cause him trouble. But when he retired, I was like, ‘OK, I see it’s different.”
The winner added: “During a match, you don’t have any other choice than to fight for every point.
“You think you are injured and then you win one game, one break, and get back into the match. You think, ‘OK, maybe I should continue playing’, and then you win the match.”
Medvedev will go up against American outsider and Wimbledon debutant Christopher Eubanks, who stunned fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
