{"id":82647,"date":"2023-07-10T09:44:06","date_gmt":"2023-07-10T09:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/07\/10\/novak-djokovic-leads-by-two-sets-against-hubert\/"},"modified":"2023-07-10T09:44:06","modified_gmt":"2023-07-10T09:44:06","slug":"novak-djokovic-leads-by-two-sets-against-hubert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/07\/10\/novak-djokovic-leads-by-two-sets-against-hubert\/","title":{"rendered":"Novak Djokovic leads by two sets against Hubert"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Novak
Novak Djokovic has won the Wimbledon men’s singles in each of the last four times it has been played
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Reigning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic needs just one set to reach the quarter-finals after his thrilling match with Hubert Hurkacz could not be completed in time on Sunday night.<\/p>\n

Djokovic edged out two fine tie-breaks, despite some powerful Hurkacz serving.<\/p>\n

When it resumes on Monday, Djokovic will have a 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (8-6) lead.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s\u00a0Andrey Rublev<\/strong>\u00a0reached his first Wimbledon quarter-final with a five-set victory over\u00a0Alexander Bublik,<\/strong>\u00a0making a wonder shot in the final game.<\/p>\n

Djokovic battles to lead against big-serving Hurkacz<\/strong><\/p>\n

Djokovic has won Wimbledon seven times and is aiming to equal Roger Federer\u2019s record of eight wins in the men\u2019s singles.<\/p>\n

The 36-year-old Serb is yet to lose a set in this year\u2019s championships but had to fight back from 6-3 down in the opening tie-break, winning five points in a row, against the big-serving Pole, who failed to convert three successive set points.<\/p>\n

The second set also went the distance as 17th seed Hurkacz, who beat Federer in the 2021 quarter-finals in what proved to be the Swiss legend\u2019s last game at Wimbledon, fought hard.<\/p>\n

Hurkacz had earlier saved three break points in the seventh game of the second set, reaching speeds of 139mph with his serve and producing 23 aces in the opening two sets, but could not hold off Djokovic who again won the tie-break 8-6.<\/p>\n

However, with the curfew of 23:00 BST coming, play was suspended with the match having to be played to a finish on Centre Court on Monday.<\/p>\n

Rublev hits wonder shot as he beats Bublik in thriller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Djokovic\u2019s match started at 20:49 BST on Sunday following an excellent five-set encounter in the opening match on Centre, which Rublev took with a thrilling 7-5 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 win.<\/p>\n

Bublik won the fourth and eighth games of the second set with underarm serves and fought back superbly before Rublev triumphed.<\/p>\n

In the penultimate point of the match, the seventh seed dived to his right and found a winner that stunned the crowd.<\/p>\n

Three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe, on commentary for BBC TV, described it as \u201cone of the great shots\u201d of recent years at the Championships, adding that it was \u201cincredible\u201d and \u201can electric way\u201d to end the match.<\/p>\n

Those who were inside a packed Centre Court crowd treated to one of the matches of the tournament, were on their feet to applaud after the point.<\/p>\n

Bublik looked stunned at the diving effort, before applauding from the other end of the court; however, Rublev later said it was a shot he would not be able to repeat.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the most lucky shot ever,\u201d said Rublev. \u201cIt was luck, nothing else. I don\u2019t think I can do it one more time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Andrey<\/figure>\n

Andrey Rublev won the match despite sustained a finger injury that needed a medical time out in the first set. He resumed with a bandaged finger<\/em><\/p>\n

Rublev, 25, sustained a painful injury to his finger at 4-4 in the opener, signalling he was hurt and needing a medical timeout, but, with his finger bandaged up he was gifted the set thanks to 23rd seed Bublik\u2019s double fault when set point down.<\/p>\n

But Bublik shocked and entertained the crowd with the underarm serves. The first came at the end of the fourth game in the second set, trailing 2-1, with Rublev just about getting there, but only sending his shot into the net.<\/p>\n

The second happened with Bublik 5-2 behind, Rublev reaching the ball on its second bounce. Amusingly, Bublik\u2019s service game in between, the sixth of the second set, was the one where he lost his serve while utilising a regular service action.<\/p>\n

Rublev was two points away from victory in the third set tie-break, as he fought back from 6-3 behind to 6-6, before Bublik clinched the set with a fine passing shot.<\/p>\n

Bublik fought back from 5-3 down to take the fourth set tie-break to force a deciding set.<\/p>\n

Russian players were banned at Wimbledon in 2022, following the country\u2019s military invasion of Ukraine, but they have returned this year, and Rublev advanced into the last eight after he gained a decisive break in the seventh game of the final set on his Centre Court debut.<\/p>\n

Shapovalov out, but Dimitrov and Sinner advance<\/strong><\/p>\n

World number 92\u00a0Roman Safiullin<\/strong>\u00a0had never got past the second round of a slam before this tournament but the Russian is into the quarter-finals after fighting back from a set down to beat Canada\u2019s 26th seed\u00a0Denis Shapovalov<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Safiullin, 25, won 3-6 6-3 6-1 6-3 and will face eighth seed\u00a0Jannik Sinner<\/strong>\u00a0after the 21-year-old Italian defeated Colombia\u2019s Daniel Elahi Galan 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 6-3.<\/p>\n

Bulgaria\u2019s\u00a0Grigor Dimitrov<\/strong>\u00a0wrapped up victory in the last of the third-round matches, beating American Frances Tiafoe, seeded 10th, in straight sets.<\/p>\n

Dimitrov, the 21st seed, was two sets ahead on Saturday when rain forced the match to be suspended, with the 2014 semi-finalist sealing a comfortable 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory on Sunday.<\/p>\n

He will face Danish sixth seed Holger Rune in the last 16 on Monday.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n