No. 4 seed Djokovic enjoys low-key success
WIMBLEDON, England — It's as if Novak Djokovic played his matches in the middle of the night up the road in East Dulwich, rather than in sunshine on the world's most famous tennis court, as was the case with his most recent victory.
The No. 4-seeded player at Wimbledon has advanced to the tournament's second week without fanfare. He doesn't mind one bit.
"I realize the situation that I am in right now," Djokovic said. "Andy Murray and Roger Federer are in the spotlight, and obviously they deserve to be in that situation, because they have been playing great tennis the last six, seven months.
"But you have to look from the brighter side. I think it's good. It kind of releases the pressure for me."
Djokovic said he played his best match of the week Friday, when he beat American Mardy Fish 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. In the round of 16 Monday, Djokovic will face unseeded Dudi Sela, the first Israeli man in 20 years to reach Wimbledon's fourth round.
Seal beat No. 15 Tommy Robredo 7-6 (8), 7-5, 2-6, 7-5.
As the first half of the fortnight winds down, most of the attention remains on Murray, seeking to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since 1936, and five-time champion Federer. They're on course to meet in the final, with big-serving American Andy Roddick considered the next-strongest title contender.
Federer advanced by beating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-1. Murray and Roddick had third-round matches scheduled for Saturday.
Also Saturday, former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic advanced to the women's fourth round by defeating French Open semifinalist Samantha Stosur 7-5, 6-2.
Ivanovic has dropped to 12th in the rankings but looked back to her fist-pumping best on a sun-drenched Court 2.
The 19th-ranked Stosur sought to attack Ivanovic at the net but was done in by unforced errors and the Serb's quickness.
Djokovic was a Wimbledon semifinalist at age 20 in 2007, then won the Australian Open the following year. He has 13 career titles, two this year, and while he has never won a grass-court tournament, he was the runner-up at a warmup tournament two weeks ago.
Four matches in the women's round of 16 Monday are set. Two-time champion Serena Williams will face Daniela Hantuchova; No. 4-seeded Elena Dementieva will play Elena Vesnina in an all-Russian matchup; No. 8-seeded Victoria Azarenka will take on No. 10 Nadia Petrova; and Francesca Schiavone will play Virginie Razzano.On the men's side, Federer will face No. 13 Robin Soderling on Monday, and No. 7 Fernando Verdasco will play No. 22 Ivo Karlovic. Soderling, who lost to Federer this month in the French Open final, advanced by beating No. 7 Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-4.
