World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Friday clinched his 75th Wimbledon match win, while Andy Murray slipped to his earliest exit since 2005, casting doubts over his future by asking: “Is it worth it?”
Defending champion Djokovic survived a nervy third set to defeat 114th-ranked US qualifier Denis Kudla 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) to book a place in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the 55th time.
Djokovic, chasing a record-equaling 20th major, cruised through the first two sets, but then had to fight back from 1-4 down and also 1/4 in the tiebreaker on Court One, saving a set point in the process.
Photo: AP
“It’s the trademark of every pro athlete that you never give up,” said Djokovic, who is halfway to becoming only the third man in history — and first since Rod Laver in 1969 — to complete the calendar Slam.
Next up for Djokovic is Chilean 17th seed Christian Garin who defeated Spain’s Pedro Martinez 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Murray, who has been locked in a lengthy battle against hip and groin injuries, and is now ranked at 118, went down 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 to Canada’s world No. 12 Denis Shapovalov.
Photo: AFP
It was the first time the 2013 and 2016 champion had lost in the third round since his debut in 2005.
“There is a part of me that feels a bit like I have put in so much work the last three months and ultimately didn’t play how I would want and expect, and it’s like: Is it worth it?,” Murray said.
“Is all of that training and everything that you’re doing in the gym, unless you’re able to practice and improve your game and get matches and continue, get a run of tournaments, is it worth all of the work that you’re doing?” he said.
Shapovalov faces Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the quarter-finals.
Other winners in the men’s singles were Karen Khachanov, Andrey Rublev, Marton Fucsovics and Sebastian Korda.
In the women’s singles, world No. 24 Ons Jabeur became the first Tunisian woman to make the last 16 when she defeated 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 on the back of 44 winners.
Other winners in the women’s singles were Iga Swiatek, Karolina Pliskova, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Liudmila Samsonova, Viktorija Golubic and Madison Keys.
In the first round of the men’s doubles, Taiwan’s Lu Yen-hsun and partner David Pel of the Netherlands lost to Colombians Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian 6-2, 6-4.
In the women’s doubles, Latisha Chan and Chan Hao-ching defeated Romania’s Patricia Maria Tig and Cornelia Lister of Sweden 6-3, 6-2 in the first round on Friday.
They advanced to the third round yesterday, defeating France’s Elixane Lechemia and Ingrid Neel of the US 6-4, 6-1 after rain suspended play with the sisters leading 3-2 in the first set.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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