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Wimbledon 2015: Novak Djokovic passes Kevin Anderson test for a place in the quarterfinals

Novak Djokovic reacts after winning a point against Kevin Anderson 

Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals with a 6-7 (6), 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 win over Kevin Anderson in the fourth round.

Djokovic looked in all sorts of trouble when Anderson came all guns blazing in the first two sets of the match. The big serving South African did not let Djokovic dictate points from the baseline and kept points short.

The Serb had not dropped a set in the first week, but Anderson used his serve to good effect as he mixed up his fierce aces with aggressive groundstrokes. The World No. 1 served a double fault at 6-6 in the first set breaker. It cost him dear as Anderson hit an ace to close out the first set.

The second set saw Anderson break Djokovic’s serve for a 3-1 lead, but the Serb broke right back to keep it on serve. The set went to a tie-break and Djokovic led 4-2 at one point with two mini breaks. However, Anderson came back to eventually take it 8-6 in the breaker with couple of outstanding backhand winners.

Djokovic got the hang on Anderson’s sere in the third set and walked away with it after two breaks of serve. Djokovic won an impressive 88% points on second serve and a solitary break early in the fourth helped Djokovic level things at two sets apiece.

The match couldn’t be completed on Monday thanks to bad light. When play resumed on Tuesday, Anderson found his rhythm back on serve as held his first game to love. Djokovic was in trouble in the fifth game at 15-40, but a couple of good serves bailed him out. 

The World No. 1 got the crucial break in the eleventh game before serving it out without any hiccup.

Djokovic will face Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

 

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