Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic was sent crashing out of Wimbledon by big-serving Sam Querrey on Saturday, shattering the World No.1’s hopes of securing the first calendar Grand Slam in 47 years.
The 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5) defeat, played out after an overnight suspension and two further lengthy rain interruptions, also ended Djokovic’s Open era record run of 30 successive wins at the Majors, and his streak of having reached 28 consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals. It was his first loss before the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam tournament since 2009 when he bowed out in the third round at Roland Garros.
The Serbian top seed trailed by two sets overnight after the Court One match was interrupted by rain on Friday, and there was no escape for the 29-year-old as Querrey, the 28th seed, went on to complete a huge shock.
“Sam played a great match. His game was brutal and I was overpowered,” said Djokovic who added that he “wasn’t 100 per cent healthy”.
“But this is not the place or time to talk about it.”
This was Querrey’s second win in 10 meetings with Djokovic, and it was constructed on an epic serving performance over two days after the tie had been suspended with him two sets to the good on Friday.
The 28-year-old sent down 31 aces — 15 in the fourth set alone — and saved 14 of 17 break points while unleashing 56 winners.
His reward is a last-16 clash with Nicolas Mahut.
“It’s incredible, especially to do it here at Wimbledon. I’m so ecstatic right now and so happy,” said Querrey.
“I played the break-points really well. Got a couple of loose errors and that was it. Today he came out and got the first four games.
“He’s so amazing, he’s on the way to being possibly the best ever, so you know he’s mentally tough and going to come back.”
Rain had saved Djokovic on Friday when the match was halted with him trailing by two sets after being comprehensively outplayed.
He had been here before. Last year, he was two sets to love down to Kevin Anderson in the fourth round before staging a thrilling comeback.
On the resumption on Saturday, the US, Australian and Roland Garros champion broke for 2-0 in the third set and backed it up with a service hold. More rain returned after just 17 minutes of play with the top seed 4-0 ahead.
After two hours of shelter, Djokovic returned to grab a 5-0 lead and survive a blip before claiming the set, 6-3.
Querrey had to save three break-points in the opening game of the fourth set and three more in the third for a 2-1 lead, his thunderous serve providing a welcome escape route.
Djokovic had two more chances to break in the fifth game before finally breaking through at the 12th time of asking for a 5-4 lead.
But he couldn’t convert with the American hitting straight back for 5-5 and holding for 6-5 when, yet again, the rain returned to cause another suspension, this time lasting an hour.
Djokovic served to take the set into the tiebreak and was ahead 2-0 and 4-3 but the resolute Querrey still went to two match-points.
The top seed saved the first, but ballooned a forehand wide and his fate was sealed, leaving Rod Laver remaining as the last man to sweep all four majors in the same year (1969).
Fifth seed Kei Nishikori booked his spot in the last-16 with a 7-5, 6-3, 7-5 win over Andrey Kuznetsov. Joining him was Marin Cilic, the No.9 seed, who beat Lukas Lacko 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
Earlier, teenager Alexander Zverev became the last man through to the third round at Wimbledon after a marathon victory over veteran Mikhail Youzhny.
The 19-year-old German, the youngest player in the top-50, won 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 on Court 8 in a match that was halted for a final time due to rain on Friday with Zverev 2-1 up in the final set.
