Novak Djokovic swept aside Denmark's Holger Rune to reach his 15th quarter-final at Wimbledon, later accusing fans of disrespecting him.
Despite appearing to struggle with a stomach issue, Djokovic defeated the 15th seed 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 on a rowdy Centre Court. Rune received enthusiastic support from the crowd, who cheered his name loudly, which Djokovic perceived as booing.
They were [disrespecting me]," Djokovic said.I don't accept it. I know they were cheering for Rune, but that's an excuse to also boo. I've been on the tour for more than 20 years - trust me, I know all the tricks, I know how it works. You guys can't touch me.
The 37-year-old is aiming for his eighth Wimbledon title and a record 25th Grand Slam overall. He will next face Alex de Minaur, who secured his quarter-final spot with a 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over France's Arthur Fils.
In other dramatic men's singles action, American Taylor Fritz staged a remarkable comeback, battling from two sets down to defeat fourth seed Alexander Zverev. Fritz, the 13th seed, won 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 on Centre Court before Djokovic's match.
Zverev, aiming to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time, did not face a break point in the opening two sets. However, Fritz became the first player to break Zverev's serve in the tournament during the third set and eventually edged the match into a decider.
Despite Zverev wearing support on his left knee following an earlier slip, Fritz secured a crucial break in the fourth game of the final set. This marks Fritz's second appearance in the last eight at Wimbledon and his fourth Grand Slam quarter-final overall.
Fritz said, "It was amazing to do that on Centre Court, two sets down in front of this crowd. It's a dream. I still felt I was playing really well despite being down two sets. It's a second time in the quarter-finals, but this time I felt I earned it a lot more, so I'm really excited for the chance."
Next for Fritz will be Lorenzo Musetti, who reached his first Slam quarter-final by defeating lucky loser Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard earlier in the day. Italian 25th seed Musetti adapted his approach after a challenging first set, ultimately winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.
Mpetshi Perricard, playing on his 21st birthday, entertained the Court Two crowd with trick shots and huge serves. Despite losing in the final round of qualifying, he made significant progress after being given a spot in the main draw due to withdrawals. Musetti expressed his joy after the victory, saying, "It is a really phenomenal day for me."
Musetti's win continues his impressive grass-court season, following his runner-up finish to Tommy Paul at Queen's Club last month. Australian De Minaur, the ninth seed, also advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time with a win over Fils on Court One.
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