Djokovic survives a fighting Hewitt to reach the quarter-finals

It is a pity they do not offer a medal for age defying spirit at the Olympics. Leyton Hewitt, the veteran warrior from Australia laid his soul on the line in his battle against world No.2 Novak Djokovic adding yet another chapter to his legendary appetite for an unlikely battle. Unfortunately, that was not nearly enough to trounce the Serbian, though the Aussie succeeded in taking him down to the wire. Djokovic came from behind to outlast the fighting Hewitt 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 to advance to the quarter-finals.

The intensity was on the surface from the start of this marquee encounter. Hewitt sent down a thundering ace to hold serve in the second game, before letting his fist out in delight. With both men intent on playing percentages, the set played out to serve to 4-4.

It is then that the ageing warrior suddenly sprang to life, pushing Djokovic into defence before converting his third opportunity to break. Djokovic had already saved two break points in the game, but sent a forehand long to offer a third chance. Hewitt went on the attack to go 5-4 with a crisp backhand volley winner. Suitably excited, he held to love to close the set in 40 minutes.

With the crowd on Centre Court firmly behind the Aussie, the pressure started to build for the Serbian. But champions always find the extra gear when they need it most and Djokovic proved equal to the task. A rasping forehand down the line winner set up the first break point of the match for Djokovic in the eighth game. A hurried Hewitt sent a backhand wide on the next point to offer Djokovic to serve out the set and even score.

But then Hewitt is a street fighter by design, the raw instinct to grit his teeth and grind against the run of play is written into his DNA. At 30-30 in the next game, Hewitt stunned Djokovic with a sudden burst of aggression with his backhand. A cross court winner set up the break point and he wrestled the set back to serve with a down the line winner.

But just when it looked like the set was destined for a tie-breaker, Djokovic raised him game in the twelfth to snatch the second set and draw level. It was a brutal blow that left Hewitt wounded.

Hewitt made a couple of unforced errors in the fourth game of the final set to offer two break points to Djokovic. The Aussie saved the first with a forehand winner, but the Serbian converted the next to take a decisive 3-1 lead.

After Djokovic held on, Hewitt consolidated yet another break point in the next game. But he averted imminent danger with a forehand crosscourt winner by going behind the Serbian. But he solicited defeat by throwing in a double fault to offer a second break point. Hewitt followed that by dumping a backhand in the net to leave the match on the Serbian’s racket.

Djokovic just needed a single match point to book his place in the quarter-finals, when Hewitt failed to keep the ball in play at the end of a long rally. It took an hour and 46 minutes and most of it turned out to be a fine advertisement for the depth of desire among the best in the game to make a mark in these quadrennial games.

Over on court 1, Roger Federer defeated Denis Istomin 75 63 in a tight contest that lasted 81 minutes. Federer awaits the winner of John Isner and Janko Tipsarevic in the quarter-finals.

Juan Martin Del Potro took almost two hours to see off a gutsy Gilles Simon 61 46 63. His next opponent will be the winner between Spaniard David Ferrer and Japanese Kei Nishikori, who is slowly beginning to make his talent count on the tour.

Nicolas Almagro mirrored the effort of Federer in defeating Steve Darcis, who took out Tomas Berdych in the first round. The Spaniard scored a laboured 75 63 victory over the Belgian to book his spot against the winner between Marcos Baghdatis and Andy Murray.