Djokovic destroys Rune in Wimbledon fourth round

Novak Djokovic produced his best display so far at this year’s Wimbledon to dispatch Denmark’s Holger Rune 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 and reach the quarter-finals. 

The 37-year-old Serb won the opening 12 points of his Centre Court clash against the 15th seed and apart from a minor blip at the end of the second set was clinical throughout as he reached the last eight for the 15th time in his career.

It was a one-sided match in which Djokovic put down a serious statement of intent under the roof, closed again on yet another rainy day in south west London.

Any doubts about the knee that was operated on after he withdrew from the French Open were dispelled as he glided around the Centre Court turf in his usual silky precise fashion.

His only brief blip came when Rune served at 3-5 in the second set and fell 0-40 behind but managed to save those set points and three more before holding serve.

In the next game Rune suddenly looked dangerous and had a point to get back to 5-5 but once Djokovic saved that and brought up another set point with a backhand threaded down the line, which he then converted, it was as good as over.

The 21-year-old Rune occasionally produced the kind of shot-making that make him so good to watch but there were too many errors and a lack of belief as he lost a 10th successive Tour-level match against a top-five opponent.

Djokovic, bidding to become the first player to win 25 Grand Slam titles, will contest his record-extending 60th Grand Slam quarter-final against Australia’s Alex De Minaur today.

(Agencies)