By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, July 8, 2017
Novak Djokovic unleashed a nine-game run dismissing Ernests Gulbis, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (2) to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the 10th time.
Photo credit: Ashley Western/CameraSport
Racing forward, Novak Djokovic caught up with the back-spinning ball only to get tangled up in the net.
Snarled up in frustration for six games, Djokovic disentangled himself.
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Then he tied Ernests Gulbis up in tactical knots flying into the fourth round in a clean, confident performance.
Erupting on a nine-game run, Djokovic dismantled the Latvian power player, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (2) to reach the Wimbledon round of 16 for the 10th time.
More importantly, Djokovic competed with conviction and clarity after a slow start.
"I am delighted with the performance," Djokovic said. "I thought I raised the level of tennis compared to the last couple of matches and last couple of weeks. It was the most focused I was on court and at the right time.
"It's not easy against a big server like that. He started very well. He was a break up and I managed to win seven or eight games in a row, which gave me lot of confidence. In general I'm very pleased with how I felt I played."
Djokovic hurdled both his former childhood hitting partner—and the third round where he suffered a shock loss to Sam Querrey last year—stretching his grass-court winning streak to eight matches.
Under the watchful eyes of coaches Andre Agassi and Mario Ancic, Djokovic is finally starting to look like the Djokovic who completed the career Grand Slam at Roland Garros last year only to fall into stretches of distracted and disinterested tennis.
Djokovic served with accuracy, denied three of four break points he faced, played with patience in baseline rallies and made minimal errors forcing his former childhood hitting partner to try to come up with something special.
In his opening service game, Gulbic came out booming rocking Centre Court with a 136 mph serve out wide in navigating a tricky game that saw him save break points.
An edgy Djokovic engaged chair umpire Jake Garner after catching the line with a backhand return that was incorrectly called out. Djokovic challenged and wanted the point when Hawk-Eye proved him right, but Garner ruled a replay of the point.
“That’s two points in a row…focus, please,” Djokovic told Garner.
After saving a break point in game two, Gulbis shattered break point in the third game.
Stepping inside the baseline, Gulbis plastered a forehand return winner breaking with a bang for 2-1.
A half volley-stab from the Latvian sat up and a streaking Djokovic got to it but ran into the net losing the point and ultimately the game as Gulbis extended to 3-1.
Detonating a 144 mph missile, Gulbis held for 4-2. That blast was really Gulbis’ last stand.
Recovering from shoulder and wrist injuries limited the explosive Latvian to just three main-draw matches this season. Lack of match play and adherence to his grip-and-rip style make Gulbis a volatile player capable of thundering winners and titanic misses—sometimes within the course of the same game.
Of course, Djokovic knows all that.
Knowledge is power and Djokovic used his head to completely defuse and discombobulate the hard hitter.
Withstanding the early storm, Djokovic played smart, steady tennis streaming through nine straight games to snatch the set.
The three-time champion often centered the ball baiting Gulbis to go after bid drives. Gulbis fell into a triple-break point hole in the eighth game then double faulted the break away.
Blocking back returns, Djokovic earned triple break point in the 10th game. Forcing Gulbis to play a backhand volley off his left hip, Djokovic drew the error to snatch a one-set lead. Though Gulbis doubled Djokovic’s winner total—14 to 7—he more than tripled the Serbian’s unforced error output (19 to 5) in an up-and-down set.
Breezing through a love hold to start the second set, Djokovic continued to put returns deep down the middle imploring his opponent to implode. Gulbis obliged with another timid volley that sat up for Djokovic to knock off a forehand pass for 2-0.
A focused Djokovic gave a frenzied Gulbis nothing to work with sending him hurtling into a free-fall. Serving at 0-5, Gulbis saved two set points to avoid the bagel.
Slashing his fourth ace, Djokovic seized a commanding two-set lead after 70 minutes of play.
Exploding off the mark, Djokovic burst up to a short ball and was well off the doubles alley when he shoveled a forehand around the net post and down the line for a circus-shot winner then left him near the photo pit in the third game of the third set.
Gulbis has streamlined his forehand backswing that previously featured a surfer-style exaggerated arm extension start. He hung tough throughout the third set denying the only break point he faced in the 11th game and holding for 6-5 with a bold backhand swing volley.
Hitting with depth and coaxing Gulbis to try to create his own angles, Djokovic opened the tie break with a mini break then drew errors for 3-0.
Throughout the match, Gulbis in adequacy at net was exploited as Djokovic drove a hard miss through the middle and bellowed in celebration for 4-1. A horrendous wild backhand from Gulbis stretched the lead to 5-1. A wild framed forehand gave Djokovic multiple match points. Gulbis saved the first with an ace.
On the second, Gulbis sprayed a forehand as Djokovic completed a confident two hour, 11-minute triumph.
The three-time champion has cruised through seven sets to reach the second week and a fourth-round clash with Adrian Mannarino.
The left-handed Frenchman outlasted 15th-seeded compatriot Gael Monfils, who was runner-up to Djokovic in Eastbourne, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 in three hours, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Djokovic has spent just four hours, 27 minutes on court storming into the second week.