Second seed Novak Djokovic is into the fourth round of Wimbledon after he defeared Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-1, 7-6.
The Serbian was beaten by American Sam Querrey at this stage in the tournament in a shock upset, but there was little chance of this happening in this tie.
Gulbis did go up a break for 4-2 in the first set, with Djokovic voicing his frustration at a few key umpire decisions early on. Djokovic found his form though with the former Roland Garros semi-finalist Gulbis failing to win another game in the set. Djokovic improved to take the first set 6-4.
Gulbis, always an unpredictable enigma failed to take any of the first five games of the second set. He went down a pair of breaks and though he held two break points to retrieve one break, did not hold until 5-1.
Djokovic had few problems holding serve for the second set. Gulbis then received medical treatment for a back injury between the second and third sets. The Latvian had not won a tour level match in thirteen months before Wimbledon, but defeated Victor Estrella Burgos, and rather impressively former semi-finalist Juan Martin del Potro in the second round.
The back treatment appeared to provide some short term relief for Gulbis. He held to love before winning the first two points against the Djokovic serve in set three. Djokovic would save break points to emerge unscathed. Djokovic threatened in the next game with a highlight passing shot from a seemingly impossible position. Gulbis would hold to move to 2-1 in the third.
Gulbis continued to deny Djokovic a break and the set reached a tiebreak. Djokovic won the first mini-break when Gulbis missed into the net with a forehand on the first point. Djokovic quickly consolidated the break and sealed a second break when Gulbis missed into the tramlines. Djokovic won with a forehand error from Gulbis, moving into the second week of Wimbledon for the tenth time.
Djokovic: ” I’m delighted with the performance today I raised the level of tennis in comparing to the first matches it was the most focused I was. Gulbis presents a great challenge because he is very unpredictable. He started very well, a break up. In general very pleased. I think he was frustrated with me saying that maybe it was not the right word I apologise for that. The call should be diffeferent but he is trying to the best job that he can and so am I. He [Mannarino] beat Monfils today in five I thought it was a great effort. Very flat on both sides, and a good slice serve. he is in good form so am I.”
Djokovic will face Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the fourth round. The left-hander defeated his compatriot Gael Monfils in five sets. Monfils had led two sets to one, but fell away in the fourth and fifth sets. It means that the former Roland Garros and US Open semi-finalist is yet to move past the third round of Wimbledon in nine attempts.
Mannarino equals his previous best at Wimbledon. He last reached the fourth round in 2013, a run that included a win over Dustin Brown and a retirement win over John Isner.
