Indoors or outside, irrespective of the circumstances, returning Hubert Hurkacz’s serve stays one of many greatest challenges within the grass-court sport.

Novak Djokovic nonetheless discovered a strategy to blunt the Pole’s booming supply and seal fourth-round victory on Monday at Wimbledon, the place Hurkacz despatched down 33 aces however was unable to disclaim the seven-time champion in a match that started on Sunday night in London.

“[It was] type of two totally different matches: final evening and right now,” mentioned Djokovic, who had led Hurkacz by two units to like in a single day earlier than wrapping a 7-6(6), 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-4 win. “Utterly totally different circumstances. Taking part in underneath the was roof extra humid, extra slippery. Clearly, no wind. A bit simpler for the rhythm for the serve. On the similar time, it was a bit slower from the again of the courtroom.

“At the moment, fully totally different. Very, very windy. Tough to get the rhythm and tempo on the toss. It did not appear to have an effect on him a lot.

“I believed perhaps that may very well be my likelihood to begin studying his serve a bit higher. That wasn’t the case. He was serving extremely effectively. I do not recall being so helpless on the return video games, to be sincere. I knew that he is a giant server and he is a implausible participant on the grass notably, however I did not count on him to serve this effectively and this precisely. Credit score to him.”

Djokovic was visibly pissed off after dropping the third set to an opponent who had not, at that time, dropped serve at this yr’s Wimbledon. The World No. 2 regained his composure in trademark trend on Centre Courtroom, lastly breaking by way of in opposition to Hurkacz’s supply within the seventh sport of the fourth set earlier than serving out for his win.

“I’m going by way of my moments,” mentioned Djokovic, when requested about his psychological battle as Hurkacz threatened a comeback. “I believe in matches like this, the place you do not have many probabilities in any respect within the service video games of your opponent, after they’re introduced and you do not use them, then clearly the strain builds up.

“I haven’t got as robust a function Hurkacz. I needed to most likely work a bit extra for my service video games, and I knew that. Finally that strain that builds up simply goes out.

“I used to be pissed off the way in which I performed the final sport of the third set. Additionally credit score to him, he performed a extremely, actually good sport. I used to be a bit passive, and the set was gone. I favored my probabilities going right into a tie-break within the third set. That is why I used to be, in fact, extra pissed off.”

Djokovic’s resolve earned him a quarter-final conflict with Andrey Rublev on the grass-court main, the place he has now received 32 consecutive matches. The Serbian heads into that conflict with a 3-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence lead in opposition to Rublev, however is greater than conscious of what the seventh seed will convey to courtroom.

“Andrey Rublev is a implausible participant who’s obtained among the best forehands within the sport,” mentioned Djokovic. “He brings lots of depth to the courtroom along with his grunts. He type of scares off his opponents throughout the web. He’s an especially good man and works as arduous as anyone on the market to be a High 10 participant, which he has been for the final a number of years. He is one of the crucial constant gamers on all surfaces. I’ve numerous respect for him.

“I used to be shocked that he has really by no means reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, which clearly will function a motivation extra for him tomorrow, to be impressed, and play his finest tennis.”