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Wimbledon: Djokovic, Berrettini, Barty cruise into q/finals as Jabeur makes Tunisian history

TOP seed Novak Djokovic continued his bid for a record-equalling 20th men’s Grand Slam title with a routine last-16 win against Chile’s Cristian Garin.

The defending champion did not need to find his best level, still having enough quality to win 6-2 6-4 6-2 against 17th seed Garin.

The Serb will now contest the 50th Grand Slam quarter-final of his career.

Djokovic will play Marton Fucsovics in the last eight after the Hungarian best Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev.

Against Fucsovics, Djokovic is likely to be tested more than he was against clay-court specialist Garin on Centre Court.

The chasm between the five-time champion and an opponent who had never won a main-draw match at Wimbledon before this year was simply far too wide.

Djokovic served well and took five of his 12 break points, while the fact the Serb won 63% of the total points played demonstrated the one-sided nature of the match.

“I am delighted to reach the quarter-finals and I’m more delighted to see more fans on Centre Court,” said Djokovic, who won in front of a crowd which has increased to 75% of the 15,000 capacity.

Ons Jabeur’s historic Wimbledon campaign saw her reach the women’s quarter-finals on Monday, beating Poland’s 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in their fourth round match.

The 26-year-old is the first Tunisian and Arab woman to reach the last eight at Wimbledon and will face Belarus second seed Aryna Sabalenka who defeated Elena Rybakina 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Sabalenka will be playing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

Jabeur celebrated victory with a fist pump and a yell of delight but for once she was not a lone Tunisian voice as some spectators burst out into song.

Italian Matteo Berrettini cruised into the quarter-finals of the men’s singles at Wimbledon with a confident straight-set victory over Ilya Ivashka.

The seventh seed looked in the kind of imperious form that took him to the Queen’s title last month as he outclassed Ivashka 6-4 6-3 6-1.

Berrettini lost just one service game to the Belarusian as he sealed victory with a stylish forehand winner.

Russian Karen Khachanov booked his place in the last eight by winning a five-set thriller against American Sebastian Korda 3-6 6-4 6-3 5-7 10-8.

An enthralling final set on court 18 featured a remarkable 13 breaks of serve, as Khachanov squandered three opportunities to serve out for the match at 5-4, 6-5 and 7-6.

Khachanov will face Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, after Andy Murray’s conqueror breezed through with a 6-1 6-3 7-5 win over Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain.

Fifth seed Andrey Rublev of Russia has been knocked out as Hungarian Marton Fucsovics produced a brilliant comeback to triumph 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-0 6-3.

World number 48 Fucsovics will face top seed Novak Djokovic in the next round after the Serb’s routine 6-2 6-4 6-2 win over Chile’s Cristian Garin.

Meanwhile, 2018 winner Angelique Kerber overcame talented 17-year-old Coco Gauff 6-4 6-4.

The three-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one will face Australian Open semi-finalist Karolina Muchova in her quarter-final, after the Czech 19th seed recorded a 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 victory over Spain’s Paula Badosa.

World number four Sabalenka set up her match against Jabeur by beating Kazakh 18th seed Elena Rybakina 6-3 4-6 6-3 to also reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

Elsewhere, world number one Ashleigh Barty reached the last eight at Wimbledon for the first time with a 7-5 6-3 victory over French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.

Australian Barty will face compatriot Ajla Tomljanovic or British wildcard Emma Raducanu.

Czech eighth seed Karolina Pliskova will play Swiss world number 66 Viktorija Golubic in the quarters following her 6-2 6-3 win against Russian wildcard Liudmila Samsonova, while Golubic shocked American 23rd seed Madison Keys 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

BBC/AFP

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