Novak Djokovic ready for Wimbledon ‘fireworks’

Seven-time defending champion Novak Djokovic aims to reach a seventh consecutive Wimbledon quarter-final on Monday.

Tiny giant-killer Yulia Putintseva will be aiming for another upset against former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko, while lucky loser Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will aim to write a new page in Wimbledon history.

AFP Sport looks back at three fourth-round matches to watch on the eighth day of the championship at the All England Club:

READ: Djokovic fights to save legacy of Wimbledon’s golden generation

Djokovic in top form for the title

Novak Djokovic has hit the right notes in the early rounds of his bid to make Wimbledon history, but the Serb cannot afford a misstep in his tricky round of 16 clash with the “spectacular” Holger Rune.

Seeking a record eighth title at the All England Club and a 25th Grand Slam crown, Djokovic beat Australian Alexei Popyrin 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) on Saturday to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon for the 16th time.

Still wearing a knee brace on his right leg after surgery in June, Djokovic also showed the more playful side of his polarising personality after overpowering the courageous Popyrin.

The Serbian, who last won Wimbledon in 2022, mimed playing the violin as he stood on Centre Court in a gesture apparently aimed at his daughter, who recently started playing the instrument.

READ: Djokovic to compete in Paris Olympics, Serbia says

Djokovic will need to stay in form against Rune after the 15th seed from Denmark staged an impressive third-round comeback, beating Frenchman Quentin Halys in five sets from two sets down.

“He seems to me to be a player ready to face big things. He is a spectacular player, without a doubt. He is a very tough opponent,” Djokovic said.

“Competition-wise, we both have that fire. I’m sure on Monday we’ll see a lot of fireworks on the court.”

Putintseva ready for fight against Ostapenko

After knocking out world number one Iga Swiatek in the third round, Yulia Putintseva is set for another potentially explosive clash when she takes on Jelena Ostapenko for a place in the quarter-finals.

The world number 35 fought back to upset Swiatek 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and end the Polish star’s 21-match winning streak on Saturday.

Putintseva’s victory continues a superb grass-court season for the 29-year-old who won the Birmingham Classic last month.

The Russian-born Kazakh reached the quarter-finals of Roland Garros and the US Open, but had never made it past the second round at Wimbledon.

“Last year I didn’t win a single match on grass. I mean, playing at a tournament like Wimbledon, when you win five in a row on grass, it’s pretty good. You feel this surface much better,” Putintseva said.

Putintseva will next face Ostapenko, who was equally emotional after the Latvian 13th seed’s 6-1, 6-3 victory over Bernarda Pera.

Ostapenko won the French Open in 2017 and reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon a year later, but has struggled to reach those heights since then.

Aces are at the top for Mpetshi Perricard

Two weeks ago, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard thought his Wimbledon campaign was over, but the big French server is now on the verge of reaching the quarter-finals.

Mpetshi Perricard, who is 2.03m (6ft 8in), lost in the final round of qualifying to Maxime Janvier last Thursday.

But the 20-year-old was relieved when he was called up to replace injured Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the main draw.

Taking advantage of this unexpected opportunity, Mpetshi Perricard beat Emil Ruusuvuori 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-/5), 6-4 on Saturday to become the first lucky loser to reach the Wimbledon round of 16 since Dick Norman in 1995.

Fuelled by his mammoth serve – which has produced 105 aces so far in the tournament – Mpetshi Perricard takes on 25th seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti as he aims to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.

It would be the perfect birthday present for the rising star, who turns 21 on Monday.

“I’m very proud of myself. How far can I go? I don’t know. I’m just focused on the next step,” he said.