Defending champions Rybakina and Djokovic advance to last eight at Wimbledon
Defending champions Elena Rybakina and Novak Djokovic moved into the last eight at Wimbledon on Monday following wins over Beatriz Haddad Maia and Hubert Hurkacz respectively.
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Rybakina's was the easier passage. She was ahead in the first set when Haddad Maia retired with a back injury sustained during the early stages of the opener.
Haddad Maia, the 13th seed, received treatment by the side of the court before leaving Centre Court for more assistance.
The 27-year-old returned in an attempt to resume the match but after Rybakina held her service to lead 4-1, Haddad Maia called it a day.
"Definitely not the way I wanted to finish the match," said the third seed. "But happy to be again in the quarter-final. Hopefully, she's going to get better soon."
Rybakina, who beat Ons Jabeur in the 2022 final to claim her first trophy at a Grand Slam tournament, entered the competition with health worries of her own.
Recovery
She pulled out of her third round match at the French Open due to the effects of a virus. And she was still suffering from the ailment when she withdrew from the Eastbourne International just before Wimbledon.
"Now I'm feeling much better and more confident coming and playing on Centre Court," she added.
"It is different from the first round. Then I think it was just the overall atmosphere and the nerves to play the first match to get used to the grass. I think now mentally I'm much better. Physically also good now."
Rybakina will take on either Jabeur or the ninth seed Petra Kvitova in the last eight.
Madison Keys moved into the quarter-finals with a gutsy win over the 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva.
Change
The 28-year-old American was on the rack trailing by a set and a break. But she reconfigured and advanced to the net behind penetrating groundstrokes. The change of tactics flummoxed the teenager who unravelled 3-6, 7-6, 6-2.
In the men's draw, Djokovic moved into the quarter-finals with a four-set win over the 17th seed. The pair were forced to stop on Sunday night with Djokovic leading 7-6, 7-6.
When they resumed on Monday afternoon Hurkacz claimed the third set 7-5 but Djokovic snuffed out any hint of rebellion in the fourth and claimed it 6-4.
The 36-year-old Serb will face the seventh seed Andrey Rublev on Tuesday
The third seed Daniil Medvedev reached his first quarter-final at Wimbledon after Jiri Lehecka retired at the end of the second set.
The 27-year-old Russian will play the unseeded American Christopher Eubanks who beat the fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets to reach his first quarter-final at a Grand Slam tournament.
"I feel I'm living the dream. It's surreal," said Eubanks after the three-hour tussle. "I came up clutch at the right time," added the 27-year-old.
"Thank you to everyone who came out to support me. The grass and I have had a strenuous relationship over the years but I have to say that it's now my best friend."
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