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By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 6, 2015

 
Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic rallied to defeat Kevin Anderson, 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5, settin up a Wimbledon quarterfinal with Marin Cilic.

Photo credit: AP Photo

The service line helped Novak Djokovic find the finish line.

Exploiting successive Kevin Anderson double faults, Djokovic broke in the 11th game then served out a demanding 6-7 (6), 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 victory to advance to his 25th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Attacking net behind an inside-out forehand, Djokovic drew one final error to close a demanding test. The relieved Serbian blew kisses toward the sky, then dropped to his knees and kissed the grass. You can understand his joy: The two-time champion crafted the fourth comeback of his career from a two-set deficit.

The world No. 1 will face ninth-seeded Marin Cilic in a battle of reigning Grand Slam champions for a spot in the Wimbledon semifinals.

More: Federer Rolls Into Wimbledon Quarterfinals


Light was fading when Djokovic dashed into the shadows and bolted a crackling forehand crosscourt to seal the fourth set and level the match on the last swing of the day on Monday. Screaming in celebration, Djokovic windmilled his arms in the air rallying from two sets down to deadlock his fourth-round duel with Kevin Anderson, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-4.

Chair umpire Carlos Bernardes suspended play on Court No. 1 shortly after Djokovic snatched the fourth set at about 9:01 p.m. local time Monday. Tournament officials could have closed the Centre Court roof and moved the match to Centre court for the decisive fifth set, but opted instead to suspend play.



When play resumed today, Anderson had the first opportunity to take charge earning double break point in the fourth game. Djokovic denied both as Anderson barely missed the mark on a backhand return on his second break point. Djokovic rallied from 15-40 down holding for 2-2.

The 6-foot-8 Anderson warmed up for Wimbledon practicing on golfing legend Jack Nicklaus' grass courts near his Florida home and clubbed the top seed into a grass trap plastering 22 of his 32 aces in the first two sets.

The serve that carried him to the brink of his biggest Grand Slam victory, brought him to his knees in the 11th game. Anderson overhit successive double faults to donate double break point. Sliding a slice serve out wide, the South African tried a surprise serve-and-volley, but Djokovic wasn't fooled. Cutting off the angle, Djokovic slashed a stretch forehand at the incoming Anderson's feet. The big man dribbled a futile volley then dropped the spare ball to the turf knowing his opportunity had passed.

Djokovic overcame one final obstacle, rallying from 15-30 down to serve out a tough test.

Anderson was calling many of the shots squeezing through the first two sets; Novak Djokovic was redirecting them brilliantly rallying to take the last two sets.

An uneven opening tie break began with four mini breaks in the first five points. Anderson pounded successive serve winners to earn set point, but Djokovic saved with his own unreturnable serve. Then the world No. 1 blinked, slapping a second serve into tape giving Anderson a second set point.

Whipping a 136 mph ace off the wall — his eighth of the set — Anderson grabbed the 55-minute opening set. It was the first set he'd taken from Djokovic since the 2008 Miami Masters when he beat the Serbian for the only time in five career meetings.

Zapping his flat forehand with vicious intent, the former all American at Illinois controlled the center of the court and took his cracks when he drew the mid-court ball. Attacking his second serve boldly and sometimes blasting second serves right into Djokovic's rib cage, Anderson had hit 19 aces against four double faults when he held for a 6-5 second-set lead. Serving to force the tie break, Djokovic fended off two set points, breathing a big sigh of relief when his opponent's return narrowly missed the sideline on the second, navigating a demanding hold for 6-all.

Djokovic burst out to a 4-0 lead in the tie break and held set point at 6-5. Anderson drilled an ace, dislodging a puff of paste from the service line, to deny it. A crackling forehand down the line gave the South African his third set point. Attacking net, Anderson showed agility lunging to his left and angling off an exquisite backhand volley to take a two-set lead as his wife, Kelsey, leaped out of her seat applauding the effort and result.

An attacking Anderson hit the ball harder and flatter — his ground strokes were about seven miles an hour faster — and he more than doubled Djokovic's winners, 40 to 19, through two strong sets.

At that point, Djokovic knew he had to amp up his aggression rather than wait for the bigger man to wilt. Driving the ball deeper, Djokovic broke for a 2-0 third-set advantage. Anderson's forehand can be a dangerous shot, but it's also the stroke that can stray under pressure. He sprayed a few forehands and Djokovic worked that wing over, finishing with a backhand volley to break again for 5-1. The two-time champion streaked through the third in 24 minutes.

Reading Anderson's better even as light faded, Djokovic won 18 of 25 points played on the South African's second serve during the final two sets. A brilliant return gave Djokovic the first break of the fourth set. He quickly consolidated for 3-1. Djokovic has worked diligently on his volley since hiring former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker as coach. He put that forward thinking to work, trying to take the net away in the fourth set and set up the fifth-set finish.


 

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