Novak Djokovic rallies from two sets down to reach Wimbledon quarterfinals

Cristina Ledra

Novak Djokovic rallies from two sets down to reach Wimbledon quarterfinals image

Kevin Anderson had never made a Grand Slam quarterfinal. Novak Djokovic hadn't missed one since the 2009 French Open. After the two had a night to rest up, something had to give.

With the fifth set, which began Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. ET after the match was suspended overnight due to darkness on Monday, tied 5-5, Djokovic broke Anderson, then held serve to advance to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. The top-ranked Serb will face 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Čilić in the next round.

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Anderson, a big-serving South African, captured the first two sets at 7-6, rattling off 20 combined aces, including a number of big ones in the second-set tiebreak. He trailed that break 4-0 at one point. But Djokovic cruised to a 6-1 win in the third set in just 24 minutes.

By the fourth set, Anderson appeared to be fading, starting the set by putting an easy backhand into the net. His serves began to lack consistency as daylight ran out. Djokovic put away a cross-court shot to take the set and even the match before it was postponed due to darkness at around 9 p.m. local time.

 

Cristina Ledra