Novak Djokovic came through a gruelling four-set match against Alexei Popyrin of Australia to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon.
The seven-time champion at SW19 lost the first set and was never able to run away with the match against his opponent on Centre Court — Popyrin producing some of his best tennis and unfortunate not to take the match to a fifth set despite coming close to breaking Djokovic in the fourth.
Instead it was Djokovic who moved into the second week of Wimbledon with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 victory.
This was more an affair defined by its big-serving than by long, cultured rallies, and Popyrin without doubt played his part, firing first serve aces crosscourt and down the tramlines and sending Djokovic this way and that.
Djokovic, losing finalist last year and seed seed this time out, will now face 15th seed Holger Rune of Denmark in the fourth round. Rune had to fight to get there, too, beating Quentin Halys of France in five sets earlier on Saturday evening.
Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slams in a glittering career, is aiming to become the first-ever player to lift two separate Grand Slams eight or more times each, having already won eight Australian Open title and now bidding for an eighth here at Wimbledon too.
The 37-year-old is not considered the favourite to win the men’s singles at Wimbledon this summer, having recently returned after knee surgery and with his knee still encased in a fabric sleeve as he has taken to the court in each match so far.
He knocked out Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva in the first round in straight sets, before a victory in four sets against British wildcard and Wimbledon debutant Jacob Fearnley in the second round.
