Djokovic decries hole on Centre Court
Three-time champion survives injury scare to set up last eight clash with Berdych
Three-time champion Novak Djokovic overcame an injury scare to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the ninth time yesterday and then lashed out at the Centre Court, claiming a hole had opened up on the famous surface. The second seed needed treatment on his long-standing right shoulder injury during his 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 win over France’s Adrian Mannarino.
But as well as worrying about the state of his shoulder, the 30-year-old slammed the poor quality of the All England Club courts.
“I told the chair umpire that there was a hole in the middle of the court on the service line. I showed him and he was not very pleased about it,” said Djokovic. “The courts are not great this year and many of the players feel the same. I am sure the groundsmen are the best in the world, but grass is the most complex surface to maintain. “I have played on better courts.” Lleyton Hewitt, the last man to win Wimbledon outside the big four, tipped Roger Federer to face Andy Murray in this year’s final, though Marin Cilic could break their stranglehold.
Hewitt won Wimbledon in 2002, before Federer won the first of his seven titles, interspersed with three wins by Novak Djokovic and two each from Rafael Nadal and Murray.
The Australian former world number one said Murray and Federer were both experts at managing their bodies and stepping up a level when pushed by their opponents.
Djokovic needed treatment on his right shoulder after the fifth game of the third set and a medical timeout at 4-3 to treat the same problem.
He had already summoned the doctor after just three games of the opening set.
“We’ll see on the shoulder. It is something which I have been dragging back and forth for a while but I am still managing to play,” he added.