AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER SAM QUERREY KEEPS ON TRUCKING AT WIMBLEDON, FOLLOWS UP WIN OVER NOVAK DJOKOVIC BY BEATING MARATHON MAN MAHUT

Written by: Staff on 4th July 2016

AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER SAM QUERREY KEEPS ON TRUCKING AT WIMBLEDON, FOLLOWS UP WIN OVER NOVAK DJOKOVIC BY BEATING MARATHON MAN MAHUT

epa05403538 Sam Querrey of the US serves against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in their third round match during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 02 July 2016. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO COMMERCIAL SALES |

By Ricky Dimon

No one will ever confuse a win over Nicolas Mahut with one over Novak Djokovic.

At the same time, though, following up monumental victories has proven to be extremely difficult for anyone outside of the top players on tour. As such, what Sam Querrey produced on Monday at the All-England Club was almost as impressive as the shockwaves he sent through the tournament two days earlier.

Querrey, who upset Djokovic during third-round action on Saturday, avenged two relatively recent losses to Mahut by cruising past the Frenchman 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-4. The 6’6” American surged into his first Grand Slam quarterfinal after one hour and 59 minutes of brilliant tennis that saw him blast 53 winners to only 15 unforced errors.

Querrey’s only service hiccup of the day came in the fifth game, at which point he already had a break in hand. The world No. 41 dominated the rest of the way with his biggest weapon and appropriately converted match point at 5-4, 40-15 with his 23rd ace.

“(I) felt like I did great today,” Querrey commented. “I knew in my mind it was going to be a tough match, even though on paper to the outsider, ‘Oh, he beat Novak, this is going to be an easy one.’ I knew he was a tough player and I was really, really happy with the way I played today.

Nicolas Mahut of France returns to Sam Querrey of the US in their fourth round match during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 04 July 2016. EPA/ANDY RAIN

“I lost to [Mahut] the last two times I played him. To get through is pretty exciting. In the Novak match I played great and played well again today, so hopefully I can keep it going.”

In order to do so he will have to get past the extremely dangerous Milos Raonic, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2014 and recently finished runner-up to Andy Murray at Queen’s Club. Raonic found himself on thin ice against David Goffin in the fourth round, but the Canadian stormed back from two sets down for a 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Although Raonic will be a heavy favorite on paper, Querrey is 2-1 lifetime in the head-to-head series and beat the current world No. 7 6-7(3), 7-6(7), 7-6(8), 6-4 in the 2012 second round at the All-England Club. Moreover, Querrey has never before enjoyed the kind of momentum that is behind him right now.

After ousting Mahut, he declared, “I’m as confident as I’ve ever been.”