Wimbledon draw prised open as Djokovic’s reign ends

As Nick Kyrgios polished off Spain's Feliciano Lopez in four sets on Sunday, the Andy Murray story of a clear run to the final perished. The Scot and the Aussie, two players who have been hot all week, will meet in the last 16.

The mood in London on Saturday had moved from the dim glow of hope for a British win to flashing expectation when the news filtered through that Novak Djokovic’s 30-match winning run had crashed. He was after all flesh and blood.

The nature of the world number one's defeat by Sam Querrey, spiritless, beyond his control and low key, was far from the Djokovic who grandly held all four major titles.

His unwillingness to explain what it was that put him in such a moribund condition for his meek 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 defeat simply added another layer of mystery. “Sam just overpowered me. His serve was brutal,” said Djokovic. Of course that doesn’t stack up.

Something had damaged Djokovic before he took the outside number one court on Friday night. Even then, for the first two match defining sets, it was Djokovic lite.

His game is making opponents beat him twice for every point. For much of the opening exchanges he was generously handing scores to Querrey.

The big American served well but Djokovic eats up big servers and as he screamed and cast his eyes towards an unmoved but highly visible red track-suited Boris Becker, even a revival in the third set looked perilous and lightly held.

Four-time semi-finalist Tim Henman said it was more “mental than physical” and called it “a bizarre performance”. Distant and uncomfortable throughout, Djokovic afterwards made an effort to explain the defeat in tennis terms. No one followed him on that path, not even Rod Laver.

Pass on the mantle

Laver had hoped to pass on his Grand Slam mantle to the 29-year-old Serb. The Australian great was the last man to complete the true Grand Slam, winning all four titles in one year (Djokovic spanned two years), which he did in 1969. Now 77 years old, his educated eye also saw something array with the champion’s game.

“He just wasn’t himself, something was off,” said Laver. “I think maybe he felt winning all four titles and being the defending champion of all four was a grand slam in his mind.

“Way back in there somewhere you are thinking one thing, that it doesn’t matter. But you are thinking it does matter. Those are two different thoughts to have when you are playing.”

It was just one misplaced, crushing thought or perhaps something more prosaic. Djokovic wouldn’t tell. He was guarded and returned question about his fitness more expertly than he did Querrey’s serves. He was asked if he was healthy.

“Not really,” he said. “But, you know, it’s not the place and time to talk about it. Again, the opponent was playing on a very high level and he deserved to win.”

Djokovic was seen practising on Saturday morning on Court 14. Eyes are never off him. For those used to watching how he works, he didn’t appear himself. Was there something on his mind, he was asked.

“I just said, I just don’t want to talk about it. Please respect that. Thank you,” he replied. “I don’t want to take anything out of victory from my opponent today. He played very well and he deserved to win.”

Capricious draw

Amid the clamour for a Murray victory, Roger Federer was laying up his weary 34-year-old limbs with a few days off. The capricious draw and weather has been kind to the seven-times champion, who had the weekend off.

Alexander Zverev, the exciting 19-year-old German, who lost to 10th seed Tomas Berdych on Sunday, pointed to the disparity between Federer and Murray, who largely play on Centre Court with roof-insured schedules, and those who find themselves in the All England Club suburbia of outside courts. Zverev warmed up eight times for his second round match and because of rain interruptions played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

His first round match went overnight and his second round match was riddled with rain stoppages.

Federer now faces American Steve Johnson, who shattered the hopes of Grigor Dimitrov. The show court may expect chants of USA, USA. It is Johnson’s grand slam fourth round debut and it arrives days after his first career ATP Tour title at the Aegon Open.

The draw has been prised open with the Djokovic departure. But given who remains, maybe nothing changes.