(July 2, 2016) Novak Djokovic’s quest for a calendar Grand Slam has come to an end. Sam Querrey, the 28th seed stunned the No. 1 player in the world and three-time Wimbledon champion 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5) in the third round, in a match which was played over two days due to rain.
The loss for 12-time major champion Djokovic, ended the Serb’s 30-match winning streak at major tournaments. His last early loss before the quarterfinal of a major came in the third round of the 2009 French Open.
“It’s incredible, especially to do it here at Wimbledon,” Querrey said of the win to the BBC after the match. “I’m just so ecstatic.”
The last American to beat a No. 1 player at a major was Andre Agassi at Wimbledon in 2002.
“Coming into this match, I knew that it was going to be very close, not easy to break his serve,” Djokovic said to media. “If he’s on a roll, as he was, it’s really hard to read his serve. He hits his spots really well.” Djokovic said.
“He was aggressive, and it paid off.”
“He just overpowered me.”
The 28-year-old Californian advances to the fourth round of a major for the second time at the All England Club and fourth time overall. He’ll face Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, who 2-0 against Querrey.
“I had my chances maybe in the fourth set, serving for the set. In the tiebreak, I was leading,” Djokovic said to media. “Just wasn’t feeling the ball as well as I wished. But that’s sport.”
The 29-year-old Djokovic came into Wimbledon, having won the last four majors in a row. His last loss at a major coming in last year’s French Open final to Stan Wawrinka.
“I believe in positive things in life, and I managed to win four Grand Slams in a row – two different seasons, though,” said the world No. 1. “I want to try to focus on that rather than failure.”
“He’s on his way to possibly being the best ever,” Querrey said of Djokovic.
“He served very well, as he usually does,” Djokovic said, “and I think that part of his game was brutal today.”