“Craig has done an unbelievable job”, said Querrey.
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“It’s incredible, especially to do it here at Wimbledon”.
“If I didn’t win, there would have been a lot of, ‘Wow, it was kind of a fluky match against Novak, because you didn’t back it up, ‘” Querrey said.
“I haven’t felt many nerves yet this week”. “I managed to win four Grand Slams in a row – in two different seasons. I want to try to focus on that rather than on failure”, he added.
A jinx because: 1) Querrey was a set away from creating history and 2) the Southern California native has not been a beacon of mental fortitude in his career, his relaxed, go-with-the-flow vibe not something that fits in among tennis’ peak.
What also abandoned Novak?
In a third round Wimbledon match that started Friday and finished Saturday after several rain delays, No. 28 Sam Querrey and his massive serve were just too much for the world No. 1, who lost 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5).
Querrey had to save three break-points in the opening game of the fourth set and three more in the third for a 2-1 lead, his thunderous serve providing a welcome escape route.
Querrey would lock down from there, however, getting back to 3-all when Djokovic hit a backhand slice into the net.
Djokovic’s first loss at a Grand Slam since the 2015 French Open final came from a 6-foot-6 journeyman ranked No. 41, whose 31 aces and other service winners often got him out of thickets and break points with his serve.
A short rain break came to his rescue though and, while he lost the third set 6-3, the interruption gave the American time to remember what he had been doing the previous evening.
Djokovic took the third set, then went up a break in the fourth at 5-4 by pounding a forehand victor that brought coach Boris Becker to his feet.
Querrey will now face unseeded Nicolas Mahut from France in Wimbledon’s fourth round.
With rain delays during the first week forcing organizers to schedule Sunday matches for the first time since 2004, all 22,000 tickets were snapped up in 27 minutes when they went on sale online on Saturday. Not since 2004 has play been held on that day.
‘I couldn’t help but notice the noise from the crowd when Novak’s score flashed up on the Centre Court scoreboard, but I only thought about it for a few seconds. Obviously I’m going to feel better on the Centre Court. “He just overpowered me”, reported AP.
“I’m still happy to have the title, but I don’t own it, ” Laver said.
“But that’s sport”, Djokovic said of the Wimbledon 2016 loss.
Federer, whose record 17 Grand Slam titles include seven at the All England Club, faces 29th-ranked Steve Johnson of the US, as all 16 men’s and women’s fourth-round matches are on the Day 8 schedule.
“I was waiting all day long nearly every day to be scheduled on, and didn’t really have a chance to finish or step on the court”. “But I’m going to move on from this hopefully as a stronger player”.
The defeat by Djokovic to Querrey means that the Serbian will be stuck at 12 Grand Slam titles at this point of his career.
‘I remember that made it hard in terms of everyone focusing on me from early in the tournament and I spoke with Ivan about it at the time, because it’s an extra thing to deal with. The margins are small. She said, “I have never seen Sam playing with such a great vigor”. In high stress moments I might look relaxed but I’m feeling it inside. “The level of consistency he’s had is awesome, but it’s impossible to win every match”, said Murray.
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“You don’t just not see what’s going on”.
