On Tuesday, Novak Djokovic put forth his strongest effort to defeat Andrey Rublev, ultimately winning with a score of 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-3 in a thrilling match and securing a spot in the Wimbledon semifinals.
Rublev, who has never made it to the semifinals of a major tournament, played exceptionally well in the first set. He utilized his powerful serve and strong groundstrokes to gain an early advantage.
Unfortunately, as is a common occurrence when competing against the dominant Djokovic, Rublev was unable to sustain the same level of skill and focus. This resulted in the Serb easily winning the second set.
Rublev regained his performance and challenged Djokovic in the third set, resulting in an intense 15-minute game where the 23-time grand slam winner held serve and gained a 2-1 advantage.
Despite Rublev’s continued effort, he was unable to regain the same level of play that led him to win the first set. This set now seemed like a distant memory as he suffered an early break in the fourth set, ultimately leading to a disappointing quarterfinal loss in the grand slam.
Djokovic’s ability to consistently perform at the highest level of his career at the age of 36 is truly remarkable. He has solidified his position as the clear favorite to win Wimbledon, showing his strength with each round.
Djokovic’s win against Rublev has secured his spot in his 46th grand slam semifinal, matching Roger Federer’s record. However, Djokovic claims he is not currently focused on breaking records.
During his on-court interview, Djokovic stated that he does not like to dwell on statistics, as they are simply numbers in the end, especially during tournaments.
“I am currently participating in an active tournament along with other players, and that is my sole focus at the moment.”
“It will be increasingly challenging, but I am pleased with my performance today and the energy I brought to the court. Hopefully, I can secure another victory in the coming days,” he stated.
Perhaps the person who will be most disappointed with Djokovic’s victory is his own daughter, Tara. The world No. 2 told the BBC before the quarterfinal that Rublev is Tara Djokovic’s favorite player, as she likes his headband and his intensity.
Novak Djokovic, who has been undefeated on Wimbledon’s Center Court for ten years, agrees with his daughter’s assessment of Andrey Rublev. Djokovic remarked, “There were some exciting rallies. He brings a lot of intensity to the court, and it’s quite intimidating with both the speed of the ball and the sound coming from his corner.”
“He has consistently ranked in the top 10 for several years. I would like to offer my congratulations for his excellent performance in today’s match and throughout the tournament.”
Next up for Djokovic is rising star Jannick Sinner, as he aims to equal Federer’s record of five consecutive Wimbledon titles (shared with Björn Borg) and eight overall. Sinner defeated Roman Safiullin earlier on Tuesday.
Source: cnn.com
