Sam Querrey completed his shock win over three-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic in four sets 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-5) after the match was suspended due to rain on Saturday. Djokovic suffered his first loss at Grand Slam level since the 2015 French Open final against Stan Wawrinka. This defeat dashes his hopes to win a Calender Grand Slam
Querrey has clinched the biggest win of his career. He has reached the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the fourth time in his career after Wimbledon 2010 and the US Open twice in 2008 and 2010. He will face Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, who beat his compatriot Pierre Hugues Herbert 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 3-6 6-3.
Querrey took a 2-0 lead on sets before the match was suspended by rain. The match resumed on Saturday afternoon after another rain delay.
Djokovic got a double break in the second and fourth games to race out to a 5-0 lead. Querrey got one break back in the seventh hame to 30 as Djokovic made a forehand error at 5-1 and held his service game to claw his back into the set to 3-5. Djokovic hit a forehand winner to clinch the third set.
Djokovic did not convert his three break points in the first game of the fourth game amd three more break point opportunities to take a 2-1 lead. Querrey earned two break points but Djokovic saved them to draw level to 2-2.
Djokovic earned another break point in the fifth game but he failed to convert it to take the game to deuce. Djokovic hit a dropshot to win a 22-shot rally but Querrey forced the game to a second deuce with his 24th ace of the match. Querrey hit a forehand down the line to win his service game.
Querrey earned two break points but he hit into the net on his first opportunity. Djokovic hit a forehand winner into the corner to force the game to deuce. Querrey eraned another break point at deuce. Djokovic hit his first serve into the net before Querrey hit long at the baseline. Djokovic finally held his serve to draw level to 3-3 as Querrey hit his shot long.
Querrey hit his third game in the seventh game to take advantage but it went to deuce as the US player hit his forehand wide. Querrey fired his fourth ace of the game and his 28th overall to hold his serve. After five consecutive games at deuce Djokovic held his serve to 30 to draw level to 4-4.
Djokovic earned three break points in the ninth game but Querrey hit his 30th and 31st aces of the match to force the game to deuce. Djokovic earned a fourth break point chance but Querrey saved it with a stretch-volley. Djokovic converted his fifth chance of the ninth game and his 12th opportunity of the fourth set to take a 5-4 lead with a forehand winner. Querrey got two break back point chances and converted his second chance as Djokovic hit a half-volley into the net.
Querrey holds his service game to edge ahead Djokovic 6-5 before the match was interrupted for the fourth time by rain. Djokovic served to stay in the match as he was one game away from defeat but held his serve to love to force the fourth to the tie-break. Djokovic got a mini-break to take a 2-0 lead. Querrey broke back for 1-2 but Djokovic got another mini-break to take a 3-1 lead. Querrey won the longest rally of the match to break back to draw level to 3-3. Querrey got a mini-break to earn two match points at 6-4. Djokovic saved the first match point with an ace but Querrey converted his second chance as Djokovic hit a forehand wide.
The last time Djokovic failed to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament dates back to Roland Garros 2009. This defeat is his first after a 30-match winning streak at Grand Slam level. He lost against Querrey for the second time after Paris Bercy 2012.
The last top-seed not to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon was Lleyton Hewitt in 2003.
“It’s incredible, especially to do it here at Wimbledon, the biggest tournament in the world. I am so easy-to use right now, so happy. I think I played the break points really well. Every time I had a break point I was able to come up with a big serve. I fought in the tie-break, got a couple loose errors and that was it. I am just taking it one round at a time. I am not even sure who I will play next”, said Querrey
