Novak
Djokovic continues to make history and equals Pete Sampras' record of
consecutive victories at
Wimbledon.
The Serbian
has dominated the tournament at the All England Club in recent years, winning
the last four editions consecutively. In his third-round appearance this year,
he defeated 3-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in three sets, marking his
31st consecutive victory at Wimbledon.
This achievement
equals what Pete Sampras accomplished, as he maintained that streak from the
start of the 1997 Wimbledon until his defeat in the fourth round in 2001
against a 20-year-old Roger Federer. During Sampras' reign, he won four
consecutive finals against Cedric Pioline (97'), Goran Ivanisevic (98'), Andre
Agassi (99'), and Patrick Rafter (00'). Sampras won a total of 14 Grand Slam
titles, seven of which were at Wimbledon, the same number Djokovic holds at
SW19.
Similar to
the American, Djokovic has defeated four different opponents in his four
consecutive final victories: Kevin Anderson (18'), Roger Federer (19'), Matteo
Berrettini (21'), and Nick Kyrgios (22'). The 2020 edition of Wimbledon was not
held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Djokovic is
now aiming to break a new record at Wimbledon. He has already won the
Australian Open and French Open this year and is the top favorite at the All
England Club. As the world No. 2, he holds the most Grand Slam titles in men's
tennis, equaling Steffi Graf and Serena Williams. If he wins at Wimbledon, he
will tie Margaret Court's all-time record in the history of the sport.
In the
fourth round, Djokovic will face Poland's
Hubert Hurkacz, and he an surpass
Sampras in consecutive matches won at Wimbledon while getting closer to his
24th Grand Slam title.
Hubert
Hurkacz entered Wimbledon as the 17th seed and defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the
third round. The Polish player is known for his skills on grass and has already
reached the semifinals of the London tournament in 2021, where he lost in four
sets to the Italian Matteo Berrettini. Hurkacz's previous success on grass
makes him a formidable opponent in the tournament.
