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Novak Djokovic beat Ernests Gulbis 6/4 6/1 7/6(2) to advance into the fourth round at Wimbledon. The Serb player was satisfied with his performance, and the end of the match he said: 'Ernests Gulbis is someone that is very unpredictable and has a huge serve, with that kind of game, very powerful, fast game from back of the court.

It’s not easy to play against him on this surface. I’m really pleased that I managed to win in straight sets against him, especially in the third set where he started serving better, higher percentage of first serves.

He kind of gave it a last shot. I thought he played a good quality tennis. But I managed to hang on with him and play a very good tiebreak. I think that only can boost my confidence level for whatever is coming up next.' About his next opponent Adrian Mannarino, Djokovic said: 'He's lefty, has a good slice serve and a very tricky game.

He plays very flat and very low, moves well around the court and anticipates well. I think his game is very suitable for this kind of surface. You have to give him credit. He beat Monfils and a couple good players to reach the fourth round.

The matches are only going to get tougher as the tournament progresses.' Novak finally spoke about Centre Court condition which doesn't seem to be as safe as previous years: 'The first two matches I didn’t see any significant difference.

But I was hearing a lot of comments from the other players. They were complaining. Especially on the outside courts. But today I could see there is a difference in grass, in turf itself. It was a bit softer, I would say, especially around couple feet inside and outside, around the baseline area.

I haven’t had that kind of experience before in Wimbledon, to be honest. I mean, the courts are always perfect here. Obviously grass is very demanding surface for maintenance. So obviously different weather conditions can affect the quality of the grass, I would assume.

I’m not really to the full extent familiar with all the steps that are necessary for preparation and maintenance of the grass during the tournament. But the more you play on it, the worse it is, obviously. You don’t have as much grass already now end of the first week.

But I’m sure that the groundsmen will try to do everything possible to make it, you know, playable for the athletes as much as they can in the second week. Obviously now there is not much you can do. I’m sure they know what they’re doing.

They know their job the best in the world. But you can see that there is a slight difference in the quality of the grass. This year seems like it’s a bit softer.

Andre Agassi is enjoying his new role as Novak Djokovic's coach. The former American player is attending each of the Serb's practice session at Wimbledon and will be there until Novak ends his tournament in contrary of Roland Garros.

'Novak is a great person, I really enjoy him, I respect him and I think we are starting to trust each other more,' Agassi told Reuters. 'He is not directing me as much as we are learning. It is my job to learn him first and I am still learning.

Then to figure out what is it that keeps you from feeling in full flight and problem-solve.' Being confident is the key for Agassi: 'That requires trust -- trust that I am going to learn him first and trust from him that he is going to buy into it and believe it and you remove all the hesitation that happens in a tennis court that keep someone from executing at their highest level.' Agassi, who assured Nole is making as much effort as possible, takes his job very seriously: 'There is a level of pressure that is interesting because you are responsible for somebody else’s hopes and dreams.

I take that very seriously. That pressure comes and goes and in between you are more relaxed than as a player and you get to take in your environment.' Interviewed by Sky Sports, Agassi, who will follow the Belgrade native basically only in the Majors, added something important: 'What do you say about coaching someone who's won 12 grand slams? First of all, I don't feel like it's coaching because coaching is about moulding.

It's about figuring out some tools to give him so that he can have the clarity of mind to do it. He's going to get better every day and that is a pretty scary proposition if he keeps going.' Winning the title, Djokovic may be world no.

1 again. Asked if he is confident Novak can be at the top of the Rankings again, Agassi replied: 'I don't think that is the goal. The goal is to get better every day. I was no. 1 once. That was enough for me.

My goal was to be prepared for all those grand slams. Getting to no. 1 is a by-product and nice if you do it.'

Nadal's loss Monday leaves Djokovic as the only remaining threat this week to Murray's hold on top spot
Novak Djokovic is now the only player with an opportunity to wrestle World No. 1 honours from Andy Murray at Wimbledon following Rafael Nadal’s gut-wrenching loss at The Championships Monday.
Djokovic’s path towards a fourth Wimbledon title was delayed Monday when Gilles Muller’s epic 15-13 fifth-set win over Nadal on Court 1 prevented the Djokovic-Adrian Mannarino fourth-round match from starting. The match is now scheduled for noon Tuesday on Centre Court.
Djokovic must win the title to have a chance of returning to top spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings, but his fate is not in his own hands. Should Murray win his quarter-final clash with Sam Querrey on Wednesday, the two-time Wimbledon champion is guaranteed to hold onto No. 1.
Roger Federer has a realistic chance of finishing the year No. 1, but he cannot rise to top spot on the Monday after Wimbledon, even if he wins an eighth title at the All England Club.
The Emirates ATP Rankings are based on a player’s performance over the past 52 weeks. Learn More.

Novak Djokovic has dismissed the merits of extending fifth-set deciders at Grand Slam events and was critical of the surface at Wimbledon after his win over Adrian Mannarino.

The second seed at SW19 wrapped up a 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4 win Tuesday to book his place in the quarter-finals. However, he was initially scheduled to play on Monday, before Gilles Muller's epic win over Rafael Nadal meant time ran out.

Asked about Muller's shock 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 15-13 win over Nadal, Djokovic admitted he didn't enjoy the drama, per Christopher Clarey of the New York Times:

The Serbian, a three-time Wimbledon champion, then went on to complain about the condition the courts are in this year:

Speaking about his rescheduled match, Djokovic said "I just didn't see any logic in not playing us on Centre Court," per Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times.

The organisers opted to take a more proactive approach on Tuesday.

Per Stuart Fraser of the Times, with rain tipping down on the outside courts, the match between Coco Vandeweghe and Magdalena Rybarikova was rescheduled for Centre Court at the conclusion of the tie between Simona Halep and Jo Konta.

The marathon match Djokovic was referring to came in 2010, when John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the final set in the opening round. It took 11 hours and five minutes for the contest to reach a conclusion.

Muller and Nadal played out an epic match on Monday

Nadal's loss to Muller didn't quite measure up to those epic proportions, although it skewed the Wimbledon scheduling.

As Fraser noted, Djokovic became aware pretty quickly that his match wasn't going to be on Monday:

It means that Djokovic does find himself at something of a disadvantage ahead of his quarter-final showdown against Tomas Berdych. While the other seven men in the last eight of the competition had Tuesday off, the 12-time Grand Slam winner was in action.

However, for a player of such quality and durability, it would be no surprise to see him looking sharp when he takes to the court again on Wednesday.

Wimbledon is the only one of the four Grand Slam events that does not utilise a tie-break in the deciding set, with the players needing to win by two clear games in the fifth.

Novak Djokovic remains a work in progress, tinkering with his game, but the flashes of brilliance that hark back to his peak-performance days shine bright.
The Serbian occasionally doubted himself on serve and in his movement on Tuesday at The Championships, but when it came to the crunch against France’s Adrian Mannarino there were only roars of approval to the watching Andre Agassi and Mario Ancic, both brought in to help Djokovic rediscover his taste for Grand Slam championship glory.
For the first hour, the three-time former Wimbledon champion was faultless in his focus and execution, but in controlled conditions under the Centre Court roof, it was the firepower of his French opponent that temporarily put him on the back foot. Second seed Djokovic let slip a 4-1 lead in the second set, but ultimately triumphed 6-2, 7-6(5), 6-4 in two hours and 16 minutes for a place in the quarter-finals.
Djokovic raced to a 3-0 lead and as The Championships doctor came out, spectators reasoned towards a visit to Mannarino, who was seen to be nursing his lower back. However, the doctor stopped at Djokovic’s chair. Later, in the third set, Djokovic had on-court physio for a right upper arm and shoulder complaint, but resumed play to reach his 39th major championship quarter-final. Last year, Djokovic beat Mannarino in straight sets in the second round.

Djokovic has a 25-2 lead against his next opponent, Czech No. 11 seed Tomas Berdych, who the Serbian star will challenge on Wednesday at the All England Club. Berdych won their 2010 Wimbledon semi-final in straight sets en route to his lone Grand Slam final, but Djokovic clinched their second grass-court meeting 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3 in the 2013 quarter-finals.
"He beat me here in semi-finals in 2010," said Djokovic. "It was I think his first Grand Slam final. Obviously, he's been around many years. He was an established Top 10 player, big game, flat shots, which are pretty good for this surface where the ball bounces quite low. He's someone that understands the occasion of playing big matches, big tournaments. He will not get overwhelmed by the stadium or whatever. He's been there so many years. He's got experience. It's important to start off well. I've played him many times. I know what I need to do. Hopefully I can execute that."
Djokovic must win his fourth Wimbledon title to have a chance of returning to top spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings, but his fate is not in his own hands. Should Andy Murray win his quarter-final clash with Sam Querrey on Wednesday, the two-time Wimbledon champion is guaranteed to hold onto No. 1.

Novak Djokovic is ready to take a break from tennis and hinted at possibly getting surgery after a right elbow injury forced him out of Wimbledon.

Roger Federer explains how Andy Murray gained his respect during Wimbledon
The world No. 4 retired when a set-and-a-break down to Tomas Berdych on men’s quarter-finals day as he struggled to overcome the issue, which has been bothering him for almost a year and a half.
Djokovic was forced to compete on women’s quarter-finals day against Adrian Mannarino at the All England Club due to a scheduling fiasco, something he admitted played a part.
‘Those kind of particular circumstances don’t really help,’ he said. ‘But at the end of the day, it’s the kind of situation which you have to accept and try to make the most out of it.
Novak Djokovic ready to take break after injury forces him out of Wimbledon
The Serb went out (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)
‘As I’ve said, you know, I spend probably about two hours, two and a half hours today on the table in between the warmup and match, trying to do everything I possibly could to, you know, make me fit.
‘But it wasn’t to be. You know, for an athlete, especially in an individual sport, there is no way out. If you don’t feel fit, unfortunately that’s it. You know, there is no one to come instead of you.
‘It’s the elbow that already keeps bothering for over a year and a half actually.
Novak Djokovic ready to take break after injury forces him out of Wimbledon
Berdych is through to the semi-finals (Picture: Getty)
‘It’s unfortunate that I had to finish Wimbledon, Grand Slam, this way. I mean, if someone feels bad about it, it’s me.
‘But, you know, I tried. I tried what I could do from yesterday, you know, to get it in the condition where I’m able to play. I was able maybe, you know, for 30 minutes to play with some pain that was bearable, let’s call it that way. All the treatments couldn’t really help.
‘The serve and forehand were the shots where I could feel it the most. Just after that there was really no sense.’
Novak Djokovic ready to take break after injury forces him out of Wimbledon
No treatment helped the 12-time Grand Slam champion (Picture: Getty)
The 12-time Grand Slam champion also hinted he may have to get surgery on his elbow as he considers an extended break away from tennis.
‘I’m just going to talk with specialists, as I have done in the last year or so, try to figure out what’s the best way to treat it and to solve it, to find a long-term solution,’ he added. ‘Obviously short- term it’s probably rest is most appropriate. We will see.
‘The specialists that I’ve talked with, they haven’t been really too clear, mentioning also surgery, mentioning different options. Nobody was very clear in what needs to be done.
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‘As long as it kind of comes and goes, it’s fine. But obviously, adding up, maybe it worked for seven, eight, ten months, but now the next seven months is not working that great. Obviously it’s adding up more and more. The more I play, the worse it gets.
‘Yeah, I guess the break is something that I will have to consider right now.’


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Elbow injury forces Serbian to bow out on Wednesday
An old elbow injury unfortunately crept up on Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, just as he was regaining top form.
After a disappointing season by his lofty standards, the Serbian had been showing the grass-court prowess that brought him three Wimbledon titles. He won his first ATP World Tour title in nearly six months at the Aegon International (d. Monfils), then cruised into the quarter-finals this fortnight without losing a set.
But on Wednesday, his right elbow became too much to handle against Tomas Berdych. The second seed halted the contest after just 63 minutes, leaving him to ponder what comes next.
”It’s really hard to swallow when you have to retire, especially when you're playing well. I was playing the best tennis I've played in the last 10 months or so. I felt really good on the court,” said Djokovic. “It's just unfortunate. But in life, these particular things happen for a reason. It takes some time and thinking to understand why this happened, and to learn from it.”
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Djokovic admitted that his elbow troubles started at the beginning of the tournament. Despite his best efforts at recovery, he still played through uncomfortable moments in his first four rounds before the pain became too much to handle.
“The intensity and the level of pain was only increasing as the days went by,” admitted Djokovic. “I kept doing everything with my physiotherapist and the ATP [World Tour] physiotherapist to try and recover and get into the state where I'm actually able to perform. I was able to perform up to this stage, but it was only getting worse.
“Unfortunately, today was the worst day,” he admitted. “I was able to play for 30 minutes with some pain that was bearable. All the treatments couldn't really help. The serve and forehand were the shots where I could feel it the most. After that, there was really no sense [in playing]."
With his elbow troubles bothering him for about 18 months, and a wide range of specialists consulted on the injury, Djokovic said he’ll likely rest for now as he puts together a recovery plan. With his current treatment program appearing to no longer be effective, the Serbian said he would consider more aggressive options.
“Obviously it’s adding up more and more. The more I play, the worse it gets. In an individual sport, there is no way out. If you don't feel fit, that's it. There is no one to come out instead of you,” said Djokovic. “I'm just going to talk with specialists, as I have done in the past year or so, and try to figure out a long-term solution for the best way to treat it."

I’ve been watching Novak Djokovic play tennis for more than a decade, and I’ve never known quite what to make of him. He’s hard to read, which is strange, because few players seem so anxious, even desperate, to mean something. Still — you think of Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, and a clear sense of persona comes flooding through. You think of Djokovic and your brain starts buzzing with contradictions.

He’s been, at various moments, a giddy clown, mimicking other players for laughs; a peevish also-ran, faking injury rather than fighting through a loss; a spoiler; a moralist; a diet guru. He’s been, in some places and to some people, a figure of vaguely religious significance. He’s been a politician, moderating pronouncements for the cameras. He’s been a doting husband and father. He’s been a smirking patriarch. He’s been a loser. A genius. A fool.

Djokovic is out at Wimbledon, having retired with an elbow injury in the second set of his quarterfinal match against Tomas Berdych. Don’t be fooled, though — his absence is just another persona, another contradiction. Through it, he’ll loom larger over the final weekend at the All England Club than most players could manage with their presence.

It’s been that way all year. Djokovic is nowhere, a mysterious casualty of no one’s sure exactly what. At the same time, he’s everywhere, like a king on sick leave. Like an unanswered question.

It was just about a year ago, remember, that Djokovic was enjoying a merciless tear through men’s tennis. He’d won four majors in a row, six of the last eight. Through every postmatch interview, he grinned that amused and satisfied grin.

How did you feel out there, Novak?

How do you make it look so easy, Novak?

When will you run for office in Serbia, Novak?

Then, just when it seemed he couldn’t be stopped, just when people were talking seriously about an easy swerve around Nadal and Federer in the all-time major standings, something went hideously wrong. It’s still not entirely clear what. But it started last summer, right about when Sam Querrey shocked him at Wimbledon in the third round.

That ended the streak of majors. The No. 1 ranking fell in November. He lost in the first round at the Olympics, in the second round at the Australian Open. He made the quarterfinals at the French Open, but he was obliterated there in straight sets by Dominic Thiem. In the final set, he didn’t win a game.

The way he’d won before, he lost now. On the court, he looked not so much miserable as crazed. He’d always been tightly wound, a performer, a sideways glancer, at ease only in those brief intervals when the crowd bathed him in adoration. Now he added to this root nervousness a kind of wild-eyed, sped-up fidgetiness, like someone who’s got the jitters because he can’t sleep.

What happened, Novak?

Novak, the crowd-pleaser, never fires anyone. He cares too much about being the good guy, the benevolent patron — that’s a persona that matters to him. When he wants to be rid of an employee, what happens is that they “part ways,” by “mutual agreement,” and the employee releases a glowing statement about what a privilege it was to work with Djokovic.

In May he parted ways, by mutual agreement, with his entire coaching staff.

What‘s wrong, Novak?

What was most bizarre, throughout this phase of decline, was how little anyone seemed able to explain it. Novak himself was tongue-tied. “It was nothing physical,” he said in August, in the clearest explanation he ever offered for his wipeout. “It was some other things that I was going through privately.”

Oh, of course: some private … things. The tennis media is almost ritually circumspect. Tabloids have speculated furiously about the state of Djokovic’s marriage. Message-board posters have built elaborate theories on Jelena Djokovic’s air of wounded dignity in the player’s box. John McEnroe caused a minor dust up last week when he compared Djokovic’s downfall to that of Tiger Woods. But for the most part, the closer you get to the game itself, the more pundits have framed Djokovic’s nose-dive in terms that are careful and vague and respectful.

The vagueness may be appropriate. Djokovic’s marriage, if that was really the issue, is none of my business. (Which doesn’t mean I don’t find it fascinating.) It was disorienting, though, to see a great player’s decline take place inside this void of abashed euphemism.

Djokovic’s collapse helped both Federer and Nadal win majors. It made Murray the No. 1 player in the world. Yet when we try to explain it, it’s a weird blur, an afterimage of gossip. It’s left Djokovic’s identity even less clear — the rare instance when adversity seems to leave us knowing less, not more, about a player.

I learned a lot, along the way, about the steps Djokovic was taking to reverse course. At one point he hired a guru specializing in long hugs; a kind of New Age questiness is another one of his personas. I didn’t learn much at all about what was wrong, or how it felt.

He was looking better, before the injury this week. Is he on the right track? He won the Eastbourne Wimbledon warm-up tournament, though he beat an awfully weak field. He brought in Andre Agassi, who knows from comebacks, as an unpaid adviser. But now Djokovic says he may be out for months, and also that he’s been dealing with this elbow issue for a year and a half. That might clarify things, if it were true. But he’s also repeatedly denied being injured.

I wonder what this has been like for him. For a player as tensely strung as Djokovic, as eager to be admired, it must have been excruciating to find himself at the center of an amorphous scandal. Other players publish memoirs; Djokovic published a diet and lifestyle book. He is someone who wants less to be known than to be right. This helps to explain the shifting personas: He needs to be seen by the cameras, but he wants them to catch him from a certain angle, in a certain light.

So maybe this world of controlled euphemism, this half-public semi-privacy, can help me make sense of his character after all. In any case, it’s the world he’s made.