The 14-time Grand Slam champion suffered a 1-6, 6-2,4-6,6-3, 6-7 (6-8) defeat against the 24th seed in the last eight contest that lasted nearly four hours.
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“It took everything. I could not dream better than that”, Pouille, the 22-year-old, said of his victory on Sunday. Just a lot of learning to do from it, which is a really good thing.
But Djokovic finally got to play a second proper match against Britain’s rising hope Kyle Edmund and came away wearing an expression that his rivals will recognise only too well – a Cheshire Cat grin, radiating health and self-assurance.
The British number three ripped a forehand victor to move to another break point, but the Serb did not allow him to capitalize.
“If you look back a year ago, where I was with my game, now where I’m at with my game, it’s nice to know I have improved over that year”. I’ve got to get better at my movement. To win three best-of-five sets, I’ve never done in my career.
Extending his run against Djokovic was always going to be a formidable task but, in front of a packed-out 23,700 crowd, the British number four looked overawed and struggled to show his best. “So I’m really glad to be back”, Djokovic said in his on-court interview.
“You don’t want to go out of a tournament”. “I was very pleased with my performance, except for a little drop in my level midway through the third set”.
By reaching the last eight Kerber has put herself in position to end Serena Williams’ long reign as world number one.
The world No 1, who was bothered by a left wrist injury that may have been a factor in his third-round exit from Wimbledon and first-round loss at the Rio Olympics, had his right arm and elbow area treated during a medical timeout at 2-1 in the third set against Edmund, but Djokovic downplayed it.
While the Lawn Tennis Association is primarily focussed on nourishing the game at grass roots level, there seems a greater appreciation of the realities involved in the complex business of producing elite players. “I’m feeling very good, to be honest”.
Edmund’s run to the fourth round included victories over 13th seed Richard Gasquet and 20th seed John Isner. For someone his age he’s showing mental maturity, no doubt. “I had some great matches against him in the past”.
At the start of the third, however, he called on the trainer to massage his troublesome right elbow and there was some temporary respite for Edmund, who broke twice to lead 3-2.
Djokovic’s victory put him into the last eight against ninth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a 6-3 6-3 6-7 (7) 6-2 victor against American 26th seed Jack Sock.
“Mentally I’m stronger, physically I’m stronger”, Pouille said of how his training has changed this season.
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He will never be another Murray, but the chances are that he will be somewhere among the group pressing their claims when the current handful of truly exceptional players have waned.
