This used to be manic Monday at Wimbledon when all the last-16 matches would be played on one mad, helter-skelter day. It may be a little less hectic now the Sunday rest day has gone, but a magnificent Monday still awaits as the second-week dreamers knuckle down to what almost feels like a new tournament.
Some things never change, though. This will be bill-topper Novak Djokovic’s 16th date in the last-16, and the 65th time in any Grand Slam fourth round. As the figures get more insane, the more indomitable he seems, his wounded knee not stopping his march to a ripping encounter with Holger Rune.
In the fiery, intense, super dedicated young Dane, Djokovic sees a bit of himself. “We both have that fire. I'm sure we'll see a lot of fireworks on the court. He's a spectacular player, loves the big stage, loves playing on grass. A very, very tricky opponent.”
Rune, who practised with Djokovic when he returned to action after his knee surgery a month ago, is much admired by the Serb, who he’s beaten twice in five attempts, on clay and hard courts. The grass, though, is Nole’s kingdom. A reminder that he’s won 37 of his last 38 matches at Wimbledon. Unreal.
In the ladies’ fourth round, only one previous champion remains. Elena Rybakina, the victor in 2022, doesn’t usually get too bullish but suggests “I have all the possibilities, I have the shots and everything” as she prepares to face No.17 seed Anna Kalinskaya, an opponent she’s been friendly with for more than a decade.
That match between two cool operators may be very different to the potential volcano of a duel between Jelena Ostapenko, the unpredictable former Roland-Garros champion, and Yulia Putintseva, the feisty, funny Kazakh.
Putintseva, who’s on an eight-match winning streak, thinks it’s mildly hilarious that she’s become a grass court ‘specialist’ almost overnight, having gone to Edgbaston the other week and amazing herself by lifting the title.
Now in her 10th Wimbledon, the world No.35 had never been past the second round before but now reckons she feels “fearless” after ending the dreams of the world’s best, Iga Swiatek, for another year.
The farewell season of Danielle Collins has a fairytale touch to it. The 30-year-old American has won two tournaments this year, including a big one in Miami, and has now gone further than ever before at Wimbledon.
To the applause of the tennis world, she’s only seemed to get stronger while dealing with two chronic health conditions - rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis - and smiles that she’s “just trying to ride this thing out until I can play on Centre Court”.
For the moment, that bucket list ambition can wait but she’ll be getting ever nearer if she can topple another former Roland-Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova on No.1 Court.
Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, fresh from ending Ons Jabeur’s dream for another year, is savouring another run reminiscent of last year and that emotional march to the semi-finals. China’s Xinyu Wang, conqueror of Britain’s Harriet Dart in the previous round, now stands in her way of another quarter-final.
Actually, could it turn out to be a magnifique Monday, with two young French musketeers continuing to enjoy a break-out Championships?
The story of Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the 6’8” giant who’s keeping the monster-serving spirit of John Isner and Ivo Karlovic alive, keeps getting more outlandish as he celebrates his 21st birthday today with a potential coming-of-age match against Lorenzo Musetti.
Knocked out of the tournament in qualifying a week last Thursday by his fellow Frenchman Maxime Janvier, Mpetshi Perricard got a late call last Sunday to play in the main draw as a lucky loser.
Freed for his second chance, Mpetshi Perricard then bombed out No.20 seed Sebastian Korda to the tune of 51 aces in the first round and has since gone on to rain down 105 in total. That’s 35 more than anyone else.
His power now runs into Musetti’s elegance. The Italian, who enchanted Queen’s Club the other week on his run to the final, edged out Mpetshi Perricard in Stuttgart recently across two tie-break sets, but noted ruefully: “Pretty much I never broke him. That serve’s a lethal weapon.”
Mpetshi Perricard is a big mate of Arthur Fils, a 20-year-old with just as big a future, who’s also set for his first fourth round Grand Slam encounter against No.9 seed Alex de Minaur, the Aussie ‘Demon’ he’s already beaten on clay this year.
Finally, to a really power-packed encounter between Eastbourne champion Taylor Fritz and Roland-Garros finalist Alexander Zverev. Who’s got the edge? Zverev seemed to think a Pep talk from a Royal Box admirer might do the trick.
