Djokovic passes Popyrin test to set round of 16 clash with Rune at Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic edged out Alexei Popyrin 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Saturday evening. He’ll play Dane Holger Rune, the No 15 seed, in the next round
Novak Djokovic Wimbledon 2024 | © Action Plus / Panoramic
Alarm bells were sounding as Novak Djokovic dropped the opening set to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin on Centre Court on Saturday at Wimbledon, but they were quickly silenced by a pitch-perfect performance from the seven-time champion as he rallied for a 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) victory to set a round of 16 battle with Denmark’s Holger Rune.
“He was the better player for the first set and then I stepped it up,” Djokovic said of the three hour and five-minute battle. “I think I played a really good second and third set, and then in the fourth I think it was anybody’s game.”
The match was the second meeting between Djokovic and Popyrin at the Grand Slams in 2024. The 24-year-old Aussie also pushed Djokovic to four sets when they met in the second round at this year’s Australian Open.
Djokovic improves to 3-0 lifetime against Popyrin, and 95-11 at Wimbledon, with his win. He needed to play a superb tiebreak as Popyrin was angling to push the match to a deciding fifth set in a fourth set that saw his level rise.
“It was a very challenging match today, mentally as well, to hang in there and not allow any concentration lapses,” Djokovic said. “I think I’ve done well in that regard, and I think it reflected well in the tiebreak – that was one of the best tiebreaks I played this year, that’s for sure.”
Improving with every round
Playing Wimbledon just one month after undergoing knee surgery to repair his right meniscus is a challenging endeavor, and Djokovic, who continues to sport a grey compression sleeve on his right leg, has had his difficulties in the first week.
He told reporters he felt some pain in his first-round match and added that the muscles around the knee are more sore than usual. After his second consecutive three hour match he gave the thumbs-up about his condition.
“I think each match is getting better,” he said. “My confidence in my movement, particularly on the extreme balls, reaching and sliding, I definitely felt better today than I have in the second round match, so hopefully the trajectory will keep going in a positive way, and as the tournament progresses each match I will feel better.
Djokovic holds a 3-2 lifetime edge against Rune, who came through in five sets against France’s Quentin Halys on Saturday. He has won their last two meetings.
London (Grand Slam), other third-round results (All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, grass, GBP 50.000.000, most recent results first):
- Taylor Fritz (13) beat Alejandro Tabilo (24): 7-6 (3), 6-3, 7-5
- Daniil Medvedev (5) beat Jan-Lennard Struff: 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3)
- Holger Rune beat Quentin Halys (Q): 1-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-1
- Lorenzo Musetti (25) beat Francisco Comesana: 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3
- Roberto Bautista Agut beat Fabio Fognini: 7-6 (6), 3-6, 5-7, 7-6 (1), 6-4
- Alexander Zverev (4) beat Cameron Norrie: 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (15)
- Ben Shelton (14) beat Denis Shapovalov: 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
- Arthur Fils beat Roman Safiullin: 4-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (LL) beat Emil Ruusuvuori: 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4
- Ugo Humbert (16) beat Brandon Nakashima: 7-6 (9), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6)
- Lucas Pouille vs. Alex De Minaur
- Jannik Sinner (1) beat Miomir Kecmanovic: 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
- Grigor Dimitrov (10) beat Gael Monfils: 6-3, 6-4, 6-3
- Carlos Alcaraz (3) beat Frances Tiafoe (29): 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2
- Tommy Paul (12) beat Alexander Bublik (23): 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
