IT’S SUNDAY PLAY, BUT NOVAK’S ON KNIFE-EDGE

WIMBLEDON will be open for play tomorrow as the tournament tries to catch up on a first week ruined by rain — but reigning champion Novak Djokovic could be out by then. The All England club took the decision last night to scrap the tournament’s traditional rest day for the first time since 2004. It came at the end of another stop-start day — but ironically the only person grateful for the poor weather was Djokovic, who had fallen two sets down to big-serving American Sam Querrey when the heavens opened just after 8pm. Unlike the three previous ‘People’s Sundays’ in 1991, 1997 and 2004, however, there will be no chance for fans to queue to get in. Tickets will only be available online with a limit of two per household. Full details will be announced at 1pm today. The decision was taken with three women’s singles from the second round still incomplete and one of the men’s, with 78 matches in all behind schedule. As for Djokovic, he faces a massive fight today to defend his Wimbledon title against Querrey. The World No 1, who currently holds all four of the sport’s major titles, walked off Court One trailing 7-6, 6-1 when rain came to his rescue, looking relieved at the chance to regroup overnight. Djokovic is on a 30-match unbeaten run at Grand Slam tournaments, and is chasing a Golden Slam of all four of the traditional prizes in a calendar year plus an Olympic Gold medal. But he will have to win three sets today against No 28 seed Querrey to keep that dream alive. The Serb went to consult with Boris Becker and the rest of his coaching team after the timely suspension of play, but the 29-year-old still faces a tough task to keep alive his bid for yet more history. Querrey, 28, could hardly look to his previous meetings with Djokovic for inspiration as he walked on court last night, having won just one of their nine previous meetings. He had taken no more than three games from the Serb in each of their past seven sets. But Djokovic was nowhere near his best in the early stages, though he still managed to force a tiebreak. Querrey looked tight as he failed to take two set points but he converted a third when Djokovic hit a backhand slice into the net. It was the first set Djokovic had dropped before the fourth round of a Grand Slam since Wimbledon two years ago, and the frustration was evident as he continued to struggle, particularly with his backhand and return of serve, in the second set. It took just 22 minutes for big-serving Querrey to extend his lead, breaking twice and comfortably serving it out.