Novak Djokovic knocked out of Wimbledon by Sam Querrey

• Sam Querrey wins 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 against Novak Djokovic in third round
• World No1’s calendar grand slam hopes ended in four sets by American

Sam Querrey is congratulated by Novak Djokovic after his upset win

So he is mortal after all. Novak Djokovic’s bid to win a fourth Wimbledon title, a fifth straight grand slam crown and the third leg of the coveted calendar year grand slam came crashing down in a barrage of aces on Saturday as he was beaten 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) in the third round by the American Sam Querrey. It is the first time Djokovic has gone out before the quarter-finals in a grand slam since the 2009 French Open and with the world No1 gone, the men’s title is there for the taking.

Querrey, the No28 seed, had gone past the third round here only once, in 2010, and even though he was leading by two sets to love overnight, most believed that Djokovic, who had won 30 grand slam matches in a row, would somehow find a way to win. Last year, he recovered from two sets down to beat the South African Kevin Anderson in round four but Querrey, a former winner at Queen’s, smashed 31 aces and kept going for it to record the best win of his career while simultaneously blasting a massive hole in the top half of the draw.

In terms of ranking differential, this was not quite in the same league as George Bastl’s win over Pete Sampras in 2002 or Rafael Nadal’s defeats to Lukas Rosol, Steve Darcis and Dustin Brown here in recent years. But in terms of magnitude, it sent tremors rippling around Wimbledon, the seemingly unbeatable Djokovic going down and going down with little more than a whimper.

There were few of the guttural roars that we have come to know so well whenever Djokovic has found himself from tough situations and though he continued to battle, it was like he was operating on power saver, unable to unleash his usual ferocity. Djokovic, who was pushing his usually brilliant backhand instead of ripping it and whose serve speed was down on its usual level, admitted that he was “not really” at 100% but did not want to elaborate. Amid rumours that he was struggling with his left shoulder, it was perhaps telling that he should clutch at it several times as he discussed the match soon after.

“He played very well and he deserved to win,” said Djokovic, trying hard to put a brave face on things despite the obvious disappointment. “I had my chances maybe in the fourth set, serving for the set. In the tie-break, I was leading. Just wasn’t feeling the ball as well as I wished. But that’s sport.”

Djokovic said the effort in winning his first French Open just a month ago, which gave him the career grand slam, had not drained him of energy, but he hinted that achieving such a goal may have been a factor in his display.

“It’s an amazing feeling, obviously, to be able to hold four grand slams at the same time,” he said. 

“Coming into Wimbledon, I knew that mentally it’s not going to be easy to kind of remotivate myself. But the importance of this tournament is so immense that you always find ways to really get inspired and prepare and try to give your best. Obviously my best wasn’t enough this year.”

Trailing 7-6, 6-1 overnight, Djokovic won the first four games on the resumption and, after the first of three rain delays, he wrapped up the third set. Yet he still looked flat, unable to find the rhythm and accuracy that has dominated the men’s game in recent years

Still he had his chances. After another rain break at 1-1 in the fourth, having already missed three break points in the opening game, he missed another three in the next and then, after saving two of his own, missed two more, as Querrey came with big serve after big serve, many of them with aces. But Djokovic broke to lead 5-4 only to falter, netting a forehand volley to give the break back. Querrey then held for 6-5 before another rain delay – this time of just over an hour – left Djokovic needing to hold to stay in the match.

He managed that, holding to love, but in the tie-break he squandered a 3-1 lead and then, after saving one match point at 4-6 with an ace, he pulled a forehand wide to hand a jubilant Querrey victory and a fourth-round match against the Frenchman Nicolas Mahut.

“It’s an unbelievable win and to do it here at Wimbledon is really special,” Querrey said. “I’m just so ecstatic right now, so happy. Today, I played the break points really well. Every time I had a break point I was able to come up with a big serve and then in the tie-break I hung in there and got a couple of loose points and that was it.”

Djokovic said he would not be playing in this month’s Davis Cup tie against Britain in Belgrade and that he needs a rest to get himself prepared for the remainder of the year, starting with the Olympic Games in Rio.

“Thankfully I have a family and I have a life outside of tennis [so] I have plenty of things to look forward to,” he said. “I’m going to obviously pay more attention to those things than tennis in the next period. I need it. It’s been a very successful year so far, but very long one, exhausting one, in every sense of that word. I just need some rest.”

---