Novak Djokovic vs. Hubert Hurkacz match halted until Monday

Djokovic one set away from Wimbledon quarterfinals after curfew suspension.

In a thrilling match at Wimbledon, World No. 2 Novak Djokovic is on the verge of reaching the quarterfinals. However, due to a curfew, the match was suspended on Sunday, and Djokovic will have to wait until Monday to resume play against No. 17 Hubert Hurkacz. When play was halted, Djokovic had a 7-6 (6), 7-6 (6) lead.

Djokovic, who is aiming to equal Roger Federer's record of eight Wimbledon men's singles titles, has yet to drop a set in this year's tournament. In the first-round tie-breaker, he had to come back from a 6-3 deficit. The Serbian star showed his resilience by winning five consecutive points, while his opponent, the 26-year-old Hubert Hurkacz from Poland, let three set points slip away.

Hurkacz, who famously defeated Federer in the Swiss legend's final Wimbledon appearance in 2021, showcased his powerful serve by producing 22 aces in the opening two sets, with his fastest serve reaching an impressive 139 mph. However, he couldn't maintain his momentum and lost the second-round tie-breaker.

The winner of this match will face Andrey Rublev of Russia in the quarterfinals. Rublev secured his first Wimbledon quarterfinal berth with a hard-fought five-set victory over No. 23 Alexander Bublik from Kazakhstan. The No. 7 seed, Rublev, won the match 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-4, and his diving shot to secure the penultimate point earned him a standing ovation. Rublev modestly attributed the shot to luck and expressed doubt about being able to replicate it.

Renowned tennis commentator John McEnroe, providing commentary on BBC TV, described Rublev's shot as one of the greatest shots seen at Wimbledon in recent years, adding that it was an electrifying way to end the match.

In other men's action on Sunday, World No. 92 Roman Safiullin of Russia staged a comeback after losing the first set to upset No. 26 Denis Shapovalov of Canada, winning the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3. Shapovalov, battling a knee injury, was visibly limping as he left the court after the loss.

Safiullin, who had never advanced beyond the second round of a Grand Slam event, will now face No. 8 Jannik Sinner of Italy in the next round. Sinner defeated Colombia's Daniel Elahi Galan 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-3. Despite not feeling great on the court, Sinner managed to win crucial points and acknowledged that there were some challenging calls during the match.

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, the No. 21 seed, had to wait until Sunday to finish off American Frances Tiafoe, the 10th seed, in straight sets, winning 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. The match was suspended on Saturday due to rain. Dimitrov will face No. 6 seed Holger Rune of Denmark in the next round.

Tiafoe expressed disappointment in his performance, calling it a "horrible" match and stating that he didn't showcase his true potential as a grass-court player. Despite his disappointment, he acknowledged that he had to accept the outcome and move forward.

Overall, the Wimbledon matches have provided fans with thrilling moments, unexpected comebacks, and impressive displays of skill. As the tournament progresses, the competition becomes fiercer, and the players are leaving it all on the court in their quest for the prestigious Wimbledon title.