The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Wild-card entry outside top 100 gets Djokovic next
WIMBLEDON, England — It is, to be sure, the stuff of movies: An oft-injured guy ranked outside the top 100, making his Grand Slam debut thanks to a wild card, knocks out two seeded players on his way to a fourth-round matchup at Wimbledon against none other than No. 1 Novak Djokovic, the three-time defending champion.
We can guess what Hollywood might do with that script. Tim van Rijthoven, a 25-year-old Dutchman, earned the chance to see what will happen in real life across the net from Djokovic after both men won in straight sets Friday at the All England Club.
“Before the tournament started, it was a dream for me to play him, basically. So to be able to have that chance, and to maybe even play on Centre Court or Court 1, is beautiful and magical,” van Rijthoven
said after beating No. 22 Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 on Coufrt 12, with its capacity of 1,736, to become the first wild-card entry since 2015 to get to the round of 16 at Wimbledon.
“I go into every match thinking I can win the match,” said van Rijthoven, whose baseline-based style eliminated No. 15 Reilly Opelka earlier in the week. “Also, against Djokovic, I’ll go into that match thinking I can win that match.”
Actually, until June, the backward-ballcap-wearing van Rijthoven never had won a match on the ATP Tour. Since then, he hasn’t lost one, going 8-0, including a victory over current No. 1 Daniil Medvedev to claim the trophy at a grasscourt event in the Netherlands.
“It’s been a long one. I’ve had my ups and downs, injuries here and there. Also struggled mentally,” said van Rijthoven, whose health issues included wrist surgery, a procedure on a vein in his right arm because of thrombosis and nine months healing from “golfer’s elbow” that he noted with a smile he incurred from playing tennis.
“I’m just happy to be in the place I am right now,” he said. “I hope to be there for a couple more years — or a lot more years, actually.”
If he’s an unknown to most, he is not to Djokovic, who grabbed the initial seven games and then six of seven in a strong stretch later on, during a 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 22 Miomir Kecmanovic at nearly 15,000-seat Centre Court.
That’s in part because Djokovic is pals with van Rijthoven’s coach, Igor Sijsling. And in part because he’s been keeping an eye on the guy.
So Djokovic offered a bit of a scouting report.
“His game, from what I’ve seen, is quite suitable to this surface. His big serve, one-handed backhand. Uses the slice well. He’s an all-around player. He can play fast, he can also stay in the rally and come to the net,” said Djokovic, who seemed to enjoy the sunny, breezy conditions in the afternoon, compiling a 36-13 edge in winners against his Serbian Davis Cup teammate. “I’m sure he’s excited to play on a big stage. He doesn’t have much to lose. He’s on his dream run. He’s a young player that is just starting, so I’m sure his career will be very good.”