Novak Djokovic won the opening 12 points of his fourth-round match with Danish dangerman Holger Rune, as the 24-time Grand Slam champion blew into the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Monday for the 15th time.

The seven-time titlewinner who came to the major as a test for June’s keyhole knee surgery, again proved his fitness 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 against the 21-year-old who has defeated him twice in five meetings.

The second-seeded Djokovic swept the opening set in 29 minutes but his pace slowed from then on; after breaking the Dane for 4-3 in the second set, he wasted six set points as Rune held, 4-5.

Djokovic saved a break point a game later as he finally served out for a two-sets-to-love lead as Rune drove a return long over the baseline.

The 37-year-old began the third set with a break and raced on to the win.

“I’m very pleased, Holger has not played close to his best and it was a tough start for him,” the winner said.

“I think waiting around all day to get onto court got to him mentally. The tension builds up as the hours pass.

“You feel tense and stressed and want to get to the court.”

Djokovic, frequently jeered by the usually polite Centre Court crowd, said the key to victory was “doing the right things in the right moments.

“It was a very solid performance and I’m glad I got through in three sets.”

Taylor Fritz kept his self-belief even as he trailed by two sets to love against fourth seed Alexander Zverev, with the American pulling off a 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 6-3 upset to book his second quarter-final in the past three years.

The 13th seed said he took his comeback effort one game at a time and managed to turn the tide against his German opponent, runner-up last month at Roland Garros.

Zverev stalled again in the fourth round here as he failed to halt the Fritz fightback in a battle lasting for three and a half hours.

The German later revealed that he was playing injured.

“I had an MRI yesterday after a fall in (the Saturday Cam) Norrie match.

“Yesterday I could not walk. I do not need surgery Just rest. I hope to be ready to defend my title at the Olympics in three weeks.”

Zverev had won their two previous matches here, in 2018 and 2021.

“It was amazing to do this on Center Court at Wimbledon,” Fritz said. “I felt like I was playing really well even if I was down.

“I thought it sucked to play this well and lose in straight sets.

“So I took it one set at a time, I felt I could turn it around.”

Fritz hit 15 aces among his 69 winners, handing Zverev his first break of serve of the tournament this year.

Upcoming Fritz opponent Lorenzo Musetti held big-hitting lucky loser Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to just 10 aces as the Italian achieved a dream by reaching his first Grand Slam quarter-final.

The 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 fightback sent the No. 25 from Italy into the last eight of the major and left the winner overcome with emotion after beating his opponent on the French player’s 21st birthday.

Musetti clinched victory after two hours as he won a 30-shot rally from deep behind the baseline, with Mpetshi Perricard sending a backhand long on Musetti’s third match point.

“It’s tough for me to get emotions, but today is different,” the runner-up last month on the Queen’s Club grass said.

“I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I was a kid. I have a family that has supported me in chasing my dream.”

Musetti added: “This is such a big day for me, I’m happy and proud of this win

against a tough opponent.

“I struggled a bit at the beginning with his huge serve, it was so tough to return.

I’m still shaking a bit after that last game.

“At the end it was a really phenomenal day for me. The people who love me have pushed me and this is the result.”

Australian Alex de Minaur broke through for his first last-eight place here but left it late to wrap up victory in a tight fourth set against Frenchman Arthur Fils.

The ninth seed was poised to finish off victory with a 4-1 lead in the fourth set before his young opponent had other ideas.

After a run of three consecutive breaks of serve. de Minaur held on long enough for a 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win in a shade under three hours to reach his second career Grand Slam quarter-final and his first here.

De Minaur said he jammed his hip slightly in the closing stages but expects to pull up fit for his quarter-final.  

“I’m feeling pretty decent, the body went through a pretty physical match out there.

“It feels a little bit ginger everywhere; I’ve done my recovery. I’m sure I’ll be feeling great tomorrow.

“I’m super-proud of myself for being in the quarters,” he said. But I made it a lot harder than it should have been getting over the finish line.

“I’m so happy to get through, I did a great job mentally and stayed with it.

“I couldn’t hold serve at the end but I was backing my returns.”

He added: ‘On to the next one. I’m ready to have another battle and give myself a shot.

“You can count on me playing my heart out and trying my hardest.”

Main photo:- Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd