We’re going to wrap up today’s blog here. It’s been a pretty quiet day. Not! There’s only one story that matters. Novak Djokovic, the world No1, the defending champion, the winner of the past four grand slams, is out of after losing to Sam Querrey in one of the greatest shocks in Wimbledon history, indeed in tennis history. Gerard Meagher will have coverage of Middle Sunday for you. Thanks for reading and emailing. I’m off to watch the football. Bye!
Sam Querrey has been on the talk.
Q. What is the prevailing feeling right now after this big upset over Novak?
SAM QUERREY: Really excited. It’s an unbelievable win. To do it here at Wimbledon is really special. You know, I’m just looking forward to the next match. You know, there’s another one after this. I have to get ready for that.
Q. What about last night? The match was suspended after you were leading two sets to love. Did you have a good night’s sleep or was it tough to go to sleep?
SAM QUERREY: No, I slept great. I’m a pretty relaxed guy. Had an easy dinner at the house. My parents are there, some friends, my girlfriend. We just kind of hung out. Nothing exciting. Got back here today and went to work.
Q. The four sets, so many ups and downs, how did you manage to get through that?
SAM QUERREY: Just stayed the course, didn’t do anything special. Can be tricky with all those rain delays. But fortunately just went out there, served well the whole time, played a great tiebreaker at the end to get the win.
Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s report on Andy Murray’s win over John Millman.
And here’s Kevin on Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon blues. The man’s a machine.
David Goffin is two sets up against Denis Istomin on Court 3. The same’s true of Bernard Tomic on Court 17, where the unpredictable Australian has been generous enough to hand out a free tennis lesson to Roberto Bautista Agut.
Murray’s fourth-round opponent will be either Nick Kygios or Feliciano Lopez. Those two might not be able to finish their match tonight, though. They’re waiting for a spot to open up on Court 1, where Madison Keys took the first set 6-4 against Alize Cornet.
Novak Djokovic might be out but Andy Murray is through after beating John Millman 6-3, 7-5, 6-2, overcoming a late wobble in the second set to secure a handy win. Murray is asked about what Djokovic’s defeat might mean for him and his answer is typically sensible.
I mean I need to reach the final for that result to have any bearing on my performance at all. I have very tough guys left in my side of the draw, especially in the next round. Novak’s round has been amazing. What he’s done in the last 12 or 18 months, I don’t think we’ll see that for a long time, but amazing run he’s been on. Right now everyone expects Novak to win every match. It’s normal in a way to have one match or two matches where you’re not at your best and your opponent has a great match. It’s impossible to win every single match you win in every tournament.”
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Yaroslava Shvedova has soared into the fourth round, thumping Sabine Lisicki 7-6, 6-1. And she’ll play Lucie Safarova, who’s outlasted Jana Cepelova 4-6, 6-1, 12-10.
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They’re getting their money’s worth on Court 1. Madison Keys served for the first set but the ninth seed has been broken by Alize Cornet. Keys leads 5-4 but Cornet is about to serve.
Everything else feels so mundane now. It’s not but it does. Bernard Tomic leads by a set and a break against the 14th seed, Roberto Bautista Agut. It’s not going to plan for Sabine Lisicki, though. The 2013 finalist trails 7-6 4-0 against Yaroslava Shvedova on Court 16. As for Lucie Safarova and Jana Ceplova on Court 12, it’s currently 10-9 to Cepelova in the third set. Safarova is serving.
Having beaten Novak Djokovic, Sam Querrey is going to play doubles now. Bet he loses.
In the day’s big news, David Goffin leads against Denis Istomin on Court 3. The Belgian won the first set 6-4.
In terms of Wimbledon upsets, Djokovic’s defeat certainly ranks alongside Lukas Rosol beating Rafael Nadal in 2012 and Roger Federer’s defeat to Sergiy Stakhovsky a year later. Speaking of which, here’s a Joy of Six on Wimbledon upsets, published just before this tournament. How prescient of us. See, we do get things right from time to time.
“Well, the England footballers will be feeling a little better now,” says David Wall. “That’s just eclipsed their loss to Iceland as the upset of the summer.”
It was noticeable that Djokovic, perhaps without even realising it, was clutching his left shoulder a lot during his press conference. There are whispers that he was struggling with it.
The Djokovic drama is naturally going to obscure events elsewhere. But it shouldn’t be overlooked that another former Wimbledon champion is out. Petra Kvitova has lost 7-5, 7-6 to former world No8 Ekaterina Makarova.
That’s it for the questions in English. The rest of the press conference will be in Serbian.
Djokovic is laughing now, telling a journalist to keep his questions a bit shorter. I suppose you can afford to smile when you have 12 grand slam titles. “I have a family and a life outside tennis. I am going to pay more attention to those things in the next period.”
Djokovic says his decision not to play any warm-up events isn’t a factor. He points out that he’s won Wimbledon with the same approach in the past.
Did the emotion of winning the French Open play a part? Djokovic reckons he wasn’t thinking about it.
What is the overwhelming emotion now? “I’m not happy to lose a match.”
Djokovic is asked about playing on Court 1. He says he feels better playing on Centre Court.
You didn’t seem yourself on the practice courts this morning? “I don’t want to talk about it.”
How will you react now? “We’ll see. It’s been only 20 minutes since I went out of the court. It’s hard to speak about anything coming up. It’s not the first time I’m losing a grand slam match or any match. I know what to do. The first thing is to put my mind at ease and just relax and think about something very different.”
Did you feel the weight of history? “I don’t think it played a big effect coming into this match. I knew it would be not easy to break his serve if he is on a roll. He hits his spots very well. He was going for the shots and most were coming in.”
Were you 100% healthy? “Not really, but it’s not the time and place to talk about it.”
Djokovic rules himself out of Davis Cup!
Djokovic reveals that he will not play in Serbia’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Great Britain later this month.
Djokovic is asked whether the thought of winning the calendar slam played a part. “I believe in positive things in life. I managed to win four grand slams in a row. Two different seasons, though. I want to focus on that instead of failure. I don’t want to take anything away from my opponent today. He deserved to win. I wasn’t feeling the ball as well as I wished.”
Novak Djokovic: “Congratulations to Sam, he played a terrific match, he served very well. Part of his game was brutal today, he made a lot of free points with his first serve. He overpowered me.”
Novak Djokovic has appeared for his press conference...
Sam Querrey said he didn’t know who he’s got in the fourth round. Presumably he reads this blog - Sam, you have Nicolas Mahut.
Just looking ahead, Federer’s most likely semi-final opponent would be Milos Raonic. He beat the Canadian in straight sets at that stage two years ago.
I wonder what Roger Federer’s up to right now. His prospective semi-final opponent isn’t Novak Djokovic any more. His fourth-round opponent will be Steve Johnson, though, after the American’s 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Grigor Dimitrov on Court 18.
Sam Querrey, the 28th seed, speaks after pulling off the impossible and beating Novak Djokovic. “It’s incredible, especially to do it here at Wimbledon. I’m so happy and ecstatic. I think today I played the break points really well. I was able to come up with a big serve, fought in the tie-breaker and was able to force a couple of errors. You saw he came out and got the first four games. I had to regroup. He’s on his way to being possibly the best ever so I knew he was going to come back. I’m just going to take it one round at a time. I’m not even sure who I play next.”
Updated
Sam Querrey beats Novak Djokovic 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6!
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic 5-& Querrey (*denote server): Querrey misses a first serve. The second serve is in. They’re into the rally. Can Querrey get it on to that wavering Djokovic backhand? He can’t - but he doesn’t matter. He loops one towards the forehand and Djokovic hoicks one last forehand wide! That’s it! The world No1 and defending champion is out! It’s Djokovic’s earliest defeat at a grand slam since the third round of the 2009 French Open!
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Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic* 5-6 Querrey (*denote server): Djokovic saves the first with an ace.
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic* 4-6 Querrey (*denote server): Djokovic sends a forehand long! Sam Querrey has two match points!
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic 4-5 Querrey* (*denote server): Djokovic nets a backhand!
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic 4-4 Querrey* (*denote server): Djokovic hits a backhand long off a second serve.
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic* 4-3 Querrey (*denote server): Djokovic cracks an ace down the middle. Querrey challenges to no avail.
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic* 3-3 Querrey (*denote server): Djokovic nets a backhand slice!
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic 3-2 Querrey* (*denote server): Djokovic hits long. But he’s still ahead.
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic 3-1 Querrey* (*denote server): Querrey spoons a forehand wide after a fine return from Djokovic.
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic* 2-1 Querrey (*denote server): Djokovic balloons a forehand! It was a good return from Querrey.
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic* 2-0 Querrey (*denote server): Querrey drags a backhand wide after a lengthy rally.
Fourth set tie-break: Djokovic 1-0 Querrey* (*denote server): Sam Querrey lets a high ball drop out of the air - and then blooters a smash miles past the baseline. Oh dear.
Novak Djokovic forces a fourth set tie-break.
An hour and six minutes since the last point, this amazing match on Court 1 resumes, with Novak Djokovic serving to save his skin. He’s got new balls. Tennis balls, that is. And he wins the first three points, Querrey missing three times. He holds to love for 6-6. Tie-break!
Time. But for who?
Novak Djokovic’s first serve speed has been 111mph in this match and 92mph on his second serve. Is he injured? His average for the tournament last year was 117mph on his first serve and 97mph on his second serve.
Novak Djokovic and Sam Querrey are back on Court 1. I wonder what Boris has been saying to Djokovic during the latest delay. The camera, unsurprisingly, is fixed on Djokovic. He’s about to serve at 6-5 down in the fourth set. Any false moves and the champion is out - assuming Sam Querrey has brought a killer instinct with him.
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“Djexit would be brilliant for Andy M, but it’s surely all just a dream,” says Andrew Benton. “My bro’s one of the lucky spectators on court 1 now - what a place to be, what a match! I’m as green as the turf with envy.”
The covers are about to be improved, the courts will be inspected and play will begin soon. The forecast is looking better.
They should just hold every grand slam in Australia. It all seems quite calm there!
This just in: Middle Sunday at @Wimbledon has sold out in 27 mins flat. 111,00 applied for a ticket online, 20,000 tix were available
— Danielle Rossingh (@DRossingh) July 2, 2016
Here’s Simon Cambers on Heather Watson’s fine. It’s not been her “summer”.
Play will not resume until 4.45pm. It’s sunny.
Court 1 is covered by a tent. Why can’t they just play in that?
All the tickets for tomorrow are sold out. Meanwhile the roof is rolling over Centre Court.
The All England Club should seal this place inside the massive glass dome from The Simpsons Movie. That would solve everything.
Play suspended!
Etc, etc.
Play has resumed on a few of the outside courts. The USA’s Steve Johnson leads 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 4-2 against Grigor Dimitrov on Court 18. He’s so close to setting up a fourth round match with Roger Federer.
Updated
The covers are about to be lifted. How are your nerves? Even Andy Murray had a sneaky look at the Djokovic score when it flashed up on the Centre Court scoreboard. You can follow his match here.
Play suspended! Damn you, rain!
With Novak Djokovic about to serve to stay in the tournament, the rain starts to fall again! This is astonishing. Has weather ever been this interesting? Noah’s ark has nothing on this. Sam Querrey leads 6-5 in the fourth set, with Djokovic to serve soon.
Elsewhere, Kei Nishikori has beaten Andrey Kuznetsov 7-5, 6-3, 7-5! That doesn’t deserve an exclamation mark.
Sam Querrey begins the game by dumping a volley into the net with Djokovic more or less stranded over on the left. At 30-15, he slaps a backhand into the net. They’re both spluttering and choking now. Yet he holds to lead 6-5! At the very least, he’s got a tie-break!
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With Djokovic trying to serve for the fourth set, Sam Querrey snatches two break points with a lovely backhand pass down the line! The drama is unrelenting now. What a struggle. But Querrey hasn’t taken a break point in this set yet. Djokovic saves the first with a smash... but not the second. He does absolutely nothing with a volley! It’s 5-5!
Sam Querrey saves two break points with aces! It’s ace or bust for him at the moment. But when Djokovic has a look at a second serve, he’s in business. He puts a forehand away to earn his 11th break point of this set. Again, though, Querrey holds his nerve, reading a forehand down the line and putting a backhand volley away. Yet Djokovic has a 12th opportunity when Querrey drifts a backhand past the baseline. This time, he doesn’t come up with an ace. Djokovic is on to that second serve and he breaks for a 5-4 lead with a crisp forehand winner. This set hasn’t necessarily been about tennis ability, it’s been about the mind. Querrey simply hasn’t been aggressive enough in the rallies. He’s looked tight.
Novak Djokovic holds to 30. It’s 4-4 in the fourth set. The tension grows. A break either way now could decide the match.
Sam Querrey is so hard to break when he’s got his first serve firing. He holds to lead 4-3 in the fourth set.
Tomas Berdych knows his third-round opponent now. It’ll be the 19-year-old German, Alex Zverev. The 24th seed has finished off Mikhail Youzhny, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2.
Sam Querrey has two break points after Djokovic pushes a backhand long at 15-30! Yet he cracks a backhand into the net on the first. Djokovic’s second serve was very close to going long. But it wasn’t. Querrey isn’t given a chance on the next one, Djokovic gobbling up a short return. Querrey has a third chance after another Djokovic mistake, but he wastefully hoicks a backhand long. Djokovic is worryingly muted - until he stoops and somehow earns a game point with a stunning half volley. At long last, he roars. And he roars again when he holds for 3-3. Querrey is going to lose this match because of a lack of ruthlessness.
Sam Querrey holds for a 3-2 lead in the fourth set. He’s saved two break points along the way thanks to more aces. He’s saved eight break points in this set.
Updated
After a titanic first set, it’s a cruise for Angelique Kerber in the end. The fourth seed beats Carrina Withoeft 7-6, 6-1. She’ll play Misaki Doi in the fourth round after the Japanese beat Anna-Lena Friedsam 7-6 (1) 6-3.
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A crazy, spinning backhand volley from Sam Querrey earns him a 15-30 lead. That was quite bizarre. He misses a forehand to make it 30-all, but he’s got a break point when Djokovic nets a forehand. Can he take it? No! He nets a forehand return off a second serve! That is a poor miss. It’s deuce. He has another chance, though, when Djokovic stiffs a backhand long. Again, though, he wastes it. Djokovic pings a backhand straight at him and Querrey gets himself in a tangle, dribbling a forehand into the net. These are big moments. If Querrey goes on to lose this match, he’ll look back at them and wonder. Eventually Djokovic holds for 2-2. What an escape.
The heat is on. Sam Querrey is experiencing major problems getting out of this service game. But what a response when he’s facing break points. He comes up with stonking aces on two of them, then holds with an ace for a 2-1 lead. Well, the American is four games away from winning the match.
The covers are off. It’s stopped raining. We go again.
Play suspended again!
The blasted rain has returned. And they’d just opened the roof on Centre Court!
Jana Cepelova, the Slovakian qualifier with a knack of upsetting the bigger players, is doing it again. Having beaten Garbine Muguruza, she’s taken the first set off 28th seed Lucie Safarova 6-4.
Steve Johnson is on fire at the start of the third set on Court 18. Not literally, though, that would be real cause for concern. The American is a break up against Grigor Dimitrov - they split the first two sets.
You feel that Sam Querrey has to hold at the start of the fourth set. He’s struggling to get those first serves in. He saves three break points, though, partly thanks to two poor backhands from Djokovic. Eventually he does hold, rediscovering his first serve. That could be crucial.
Next on Centre Court: Andy Murray and John Millman. You can follow that match here with Les Roopanarine.
On Court 3, Kei Nishikori is making smooth progress against Andrey Kuznetsov. Nishikori, whose best result here is a fourth round appearance in 2014, leads 7-5, 6-3.
Novak Djokovic wins the third set 6-3; Sam Querrey leads 7-6, 6-1, 3-6!
With Djokovic serving for the third set again, he falls to 0-15 when Querrey wrongfoots him with a clever backhand down the line. But he makes it 15-all with a good serve before an ace makes it 30-15 and it’s not long before he’s clutching two set points. He can’t take the first, however, drifting a backhand slice past the baseline. He’s still looking quite sloppy but he takes the second, pouncing on a short return and ramming a forehand away. As most people expected, this one is heading into a fourth set. But will Djokovic be able to force a fifth?
Updated
Sam Querrey holds to 15. Novak Djokovic’s lead has been cut back to 5-3 but here comes another chance to serve for the third se.t
It’s all over on Centre Court. Simona Halep proves too strong for Kiki Bertens, beating the 26th seed 6-4, 6-3. The fifth seed will face either Madison Keys or Alize Cornet in the fourth round.
Updated
Looking to serve out the third set, Novak Djokovic sails into a 30-15 lead, before three straight errors gifts one of those breaks back to Sam Querrey. Djokovic leads 5-2 but this set isn’t quite over yet, with Querrey about to serve.
Sam Querrey is on the board in the third set, curving an ace down the middle to hold to 15 and trail 5-1. That’s more like it.
Sam Querrey was clearly up all night, staring at the ceiling, one thought going through his head. Didn’t sleep a wink. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. I’m two sets up against Novak Djokovic. Well, play has resumed on Court 1 and Djokovic holds to lead 5-0 in the third set.
Novak Djokovic and Sam Querrey are back on Court 1. All hail the tennis Gods, wherever they may be. Remember, Sam Querrey leads 7-6, 6-1, 0-4 and Novak Djokovic is looking resurgent. The way it was going earlier, it will be a major surprise if Djokovic doesn’t come back to win in five sets.
The covers are coming back off. They’re toying with us.
Conspiracy theory: delay everything long enough today to get more matches on tomorrow. Remember, those Centre Court tickets are £70 a pop.
Simona Halep’s motoring now. The Romanian leads Kiki Bertens 6-4, 3-0.
ALL RAIN AND NO TENNIS MAKES JACOB SOMETHING SOMETHING.
Updated
After an hour of sun, it appears to be raining again. The covers are coming back on. ALL RAIN AND NO TENNIS MAKES JACOB SOMETHING SOMETHING.
Updated
A stinging forehand down the line and Simona Halep seizes three set points. She can’t take the first but she’s clinical with the second, a searing forehand return enough to seal it 6-4!
Still struggling on her second serve but solid enough on her first serve, Simona Halep holds to lead 5-4 in the first set. It’s been a careless match in patches but a highly engaging contest is brewing.
Updated
Does anyone want to win this first set? Kiki Berten goes on the attack and Simona Halep is broken straight back after netting a tame backhand. They’re back on serve. Worryingly for Halep, she’s yet to win a point on her second serve.
Back on Centre Court, Simona Halep breaks for a 4-2 lead. The Romanian moves ahead as Kiki Bertens pulls a backhand too far wide. If all goes as expected today, how about this for a fourth round match: Madison Keys versus Simona Halep.
Sorry. Meteorologist.
The covers are coming off on the outside courts. I still he’s a very slick weatherman, though.
It’s still not rained since they went off. Hmm.
Or maybe not. Kiki Bertens lifts a forehand past the baseline to drop her serve and Simona Halep holds to 15 for a 2-1 lead in the first set.
Kiki Bertens seems to enjoy playing under the roof. She’s only gone and broken Simona Halep in the first game on Centre Court. There’s upset potential out there.
That’s a curious set of fines. Heather Watson receiving a bigger fine than Victor Troicki is a strange one given that the Serbian was guilty of a sustained and very ugly loss of control.
Tirade of the year? Watch Viktor Troicki's #Wimbledon meltdown. --> https://t.co/xkkkNVM7un pic.twitter.com/Z7xz8fsOWm
— TENNIS.com (@Tennis) July 1, 2016
It’s an expensive business smashing your racket up. Heather Watson was fined $12,000 and Serena Williams $10,000, while Victor Troicki was fined $10,000 for smashing his racket and abusing the umpire. Nick Kyrgios, meanwhile, has picked up a $6,5000 fine. I don’t know what to know how much those fines are in sterling.
Middle Sunday details
If you’re thinking about heading down to SW19 tomorrow, the details have just been released.
Tickets
- 22,000 tickets for sale from 3.00pm online only via Ticketmaster on a first come, first-served basis.
- Maximum of two tickets per household.
- No on-day ticket sales, so do not travel if you do not have a ticket. There is no Queue to purchase tickets at Wimbledon.
- Centre Court: 10,000 unreserved tickets on sale £70.00 each.
- No.1 Court: 8,000 unreserved tickets on sale at £40.00 each.
- Grounds Passes: 4,000 tickets allowing access to Courts 2-19 on sale at £20.00 each.
- Spectators advised to arrive early, expect delays for security. Avoid bringing bags where possible.
- Gates 3, 7 and 12 in operation for the public.
- No refund system if play is cancelled due to rain.
- Tickets for any other day of The Championships are not valid.
- No pass outs permitted.
- No Ticket Re-sales operation.
Entrance/Play
- Gates open from 8.45am.
- Play is scheduled to start at 11.30am on all courts (incl. Centre and No.1 Courts).
- Early arrival is strongly advised.
Transport/Travel
- Spectators strongly urged to use public transport and to use Southfields Underground and Wimbledon Mainline station.
- There will be limited public car parking in Car Parks 6 & 10.
- There will be no Park & Ride service.
- Limited Bus Shuttle available from Wimbledon Mainline Station.
At least we’re going to have some play on Centre Court soon. The roof is on and once all these introductions are out of the way, we’ll have Simona Halep versus Kiki Bertens. Halep, the fifth seed and pocket rocket, was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon and French Open finalist two years ago. Though she’s not won a grand slam yet, she’s definitely a good bet. This one has upset potential, though. Bertens, seeded 26th, was impressive on her run to the French Open last four last month.
The Royal Box is packed with a host of famous sporting stars today. They’re all being introduced to the crowd by none less than Sue Barker right now. This truly is one of my favourite occasions of the year.
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I’m back from lunch. Pasta, since you don’t ask. It’s not raining at the moment and the sun’s out but they’re expecting more showers, so there will be no play on the outside courts until at least 1.30pm.
Play suspended!
This time the rain has come at a good time for Sam Querrey. The American needs to shake his head clear before it’s too late!
Updated
“I reckon both Djokovic and Querrey slept like babies last night,” says Simon McMahon. “Woke up every half hour crying.” Querrey certainly looks drowsy. A slice into the net at deuce hands Djokovic another break point and he pings a forehand wide. This set is over. Djokovic leads 4-0. Crisis? What crisis?
Having suffered that heavy fall, now Grigor Dimitrov has let the second set slip out of his grasp on Court 18. Steve Johnson rules the tie-break, winning it 7-3 to level the match.
And so it begins. The errors are flying off Sam Querrey’s racket and Djokovic holds easily for a 3-0 lead. I think it’s fairly obvious which player had the better night’s sleep.
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Sam Querrey is looking tight to me, knocking a forehand long to give Djokovic a break point. But then what do I know, he saves it with a belting ace out wide. Yet he’s not found his first serve yet and he’s facing another break point after sending a backhand wide and long. He saves himself with a exact replica of the previous ace but Djokovic earns a third break point, attacking on a second serve. This time, Djokovic reads the serve. It’s delivered to a similar area but he gets it back and he’s in the rally. Querrey’s volley is poor, his approach his obvious and Djokovic picks him off with a forehand pass to break for the first time in the match. Here we go. The comeback is on. He’s two sets down but Djokovic leads 2-0 in the third set.
Novak Djokovic is taken to 30-all in the first game of the first set as Sam Querrey unloads a huge forehand down the line. But he clings on and holds to 30 to lead 1-0.
On Court 2, meanwhile, Angelique Kerber has won an epic tie-break against her fellow German, Carrina Witthoeft. The fourth seed saved set points before taking it 13-11. The first set is hers.
Angelique Kerber in action during the first set against Carina Witthoeft. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA
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They’re off on Court 1, with Novak Djokovic serving first in the third set. Watch this space. Do not keep your eyes off this space. I’ll know if you do. The defending champion and world No1 is on the brink.
Over on Court 16, Japan’s Misaki Doi is a set up against Anna-Lena Friedsam. She dominated the tie-break, gobbling it up 7-1.
They’re out on Court 1 and they’re warming up. A reminder: Sam Querrey leads 7-6, 6-1 against Novak Djokovic. You probably already knew that but it’s worth saying over and over again.
“Kei Nishikori is one of the not so young pretenders that have had their names thrown about for a while now,” says John McEnerney. “A potential champ sure in 3 or 4 years but this year but the same can be said for Milos, Nick Klownios, B Tomic & Grigor”no fear”Dimitrov. All of those lads are a long way off of having what it takes to win a slam. Good move by MR getting John Mc on board. That kind of knowledge & passion should push him up a level or two.”
Grirgor Dimitrov has just suffered a heavy fall midway through the second set on Court 18. Steve Johnson is concerned enough to wander over to check if the Bulgarian is injured. The umpire steps down from his chair too. Happily, however, Dimitrov slowly clambers back to his feet. Hopefully he’s not hurt.
Kei Nishikori was a break down against Andrey Kuznetsov midway through the first set. The fifth seed has recovered sufficiently, however, to snatch it 7-5. No one talks about the Japanese technician as a potential champion. Is he a contender?
11.48am, 2 July 2016. In 12 minutes, Novak Djokovic and Sam Querrey arrive on Court 1.
Marin Cilic is safely through to the fourth round as well. The ninth seed wraps up a straightforward victory over Lukas Lacko, winning 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. Cilic will be waiting for either Kei Nishikori or Andrey Kuznetsov on Monday.
Updated
Two women’s matches have finished. On Court 11, Sloane Stephens has squeezed through after beating Mandy Minella 3-6, 7-6 8-6 - it couldn’t have been much tighter - and Timea Bacsinszky is also through, beating Monica Niculescu 4-6, 6-2 6-1. Stephens, the 18th seed, meets 13th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round, while Bacsinszky, the 11th seed, faces the unseeded Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
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Having squandered the chance to serve for the first set, Steve Johnson loses the tie-break. The American is pulled wide by a Grigor Dimitrov forehand on set point and his riposte misses the target by a considerable distance. Dimitrov wins the tie-break 8-6 to move two sets away from reaching the fourth round. He’s not been past the third round of a grand slam since last year’s Australian Open.
Marin Cilic has picked up where he left off last night. The ninth seed is in command against Lukas Lacko, breaking in the third set to lead by two sets and a break. That means there could be a repeat of the 2014 US Open final in the fourth round - if Kei Nishikori beats Andrey Kuznetsov. Maybe not. Kuznetsov has broken the fifth seed to lead 4-3 in the first set.
Remember, there’ll be play tomorrow, for the first time since 2004. You won’t be able to queue for tickets but they will be available online from 1pm.
On Court 18, Steve Johnson halts the Grigor Dimitrov charge, holding for 6-6. They’ll have a tie-break.
The fourth seed and Australian Open champion, Angelique Kerber, has made an excellent start on Court 2. She’s broken Carina Witthoeft early on for a 2-1 lead. Kerber has been a semi-finalist here before and seems to have put her first-round defeat at the French Open behind her.
Back on Court 18, there’s mild hilarity as a small bird lands on the court, delaying play. Steve Johnson is attempting to serve out the first set at 5-4 but he’s quickly down 0-40. He saves one break point but Grigor Dimitrov breaks back for 5-5 when Johnson nets a forehand!
On Court 15, the 11th seed Timea Bacsinszky was in a spot of bother against Monica Niculescu, dropping the first set 6-2 to the Romanian. But she managed to take the second set 6-4 and they’re into a decider this morning.
And ... play! Let’s head to Court 18, where Steve Johnson, the world No29, is a break up against Grigor Dimitrov. The American leads 4-3 in the first set. He’s never made a lasting impression in any of the grand slams but the 26-year-old has hit a purple patch since the switch to grass. They’ve up and running and Johnson has to fend off a break point from Dimitrov, before holding to lead 5-3. The winner of this match faces Roger Federer in the fourth round.
Players are out on the outside courts. Play will begin soon.
At the moment, there is no rain. No rain! No. Rain. Play should begin shortly on the outside courts.
Preamble
Hello. How did you sleep last night? On a soft mattress? Your head resting on a nice, fluffy pillow? Peacefully, never stirring, sweet dreams floating around your head. Whatever the answer, it was probably better than Novak Djokovic, who found himself two sets down to Sam Querrey before the rain arrived, and it was probably better than Sam Querrey, who found himself two sets up against Novak Djokovic before the rain arrived. When Querrey wraps up a routine 7-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory over the world No1, he’ll probably tell you that he slept like a log. He’d be lying.
Ah, but if only it was that straightforward. They resume on Court 1 at 12pm, with Querrey leading 7-6, 6-1 and Djokovic in a world of trouble. Yet there are plenty of good judges who make Djokovic favourite. He’s fought back from two sets down on four occasions and the rain may well have saved him. Querrey played extremely well in the first set - he only dropped one point on his serve in the first four games - and kept his nerve in the tie-break, but it was a very strange performance from Djokovic in the second set, listless, strewn with errors, unfocused, sullen.
The way Djokovic was playing, Querrey probably would have beaten him in three sets before the weather intervened. Now? Well, the Djokovic we saw on Friday night might not be the Djokovic we see today. Then again, he has to win three sets. Querrey has to win one and the 28th seed has a great chance if he continues to serve brilliantly. Comparisons have been made with Djokovic’s five-set win over another big server, Kevin Anderson, last year - the difference there, though, is that he had already levelled the match at two sets apiece before bad light stopped play.
Whatever the outcome today, it’s bound to be fascinating. And there’s plenty more going on. We’ll have live game-by-game coverage elsewhere of Andy Murray versus John Millman, the second game on Centre, and this blog will be following Simona Halep versus Kiki Bertens, Milos Raonic versus Jack Sock, Alize Cornet versus Madison Keys, Andrey Kuznetsov versus Kei Nishikori, Steve Johnson versus Grigor Dimitrov, Nick Kyrgios versus Feliciano Lopez, Eugenie Bouchard versus Dominika Cibulkova and much, much more. The full order of play is here. Let’s just hope the skies stay blue.
Play begins at: 11am.
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