Van Rijthoven continues to win at Wimbledon; clash with Djokovic beckons | Tennis

The Serb will play against his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic later this Friday, in which the world’s number 1 is of course the big favorite. A duel with Djokovic would be the crowning glory of this tennis summer for Van Rijthoven, in which he surprisingly won the Libéma Open in Rosmalen last month and thus earned a wild card for Wimbledon. In the run-up to this tournament, the Brabant player already announced that he would be delighted if he would meet Djokovic at the All England Club.

That wish seems to come true after the victory over Basilashvili. Van Rijthoven previously won convincingly against the Argentinian Federico Delbonis and the American Reilly Opelka and also knocked Basilashvili, the number 26 in the world ranking, off the track on the first of July.

The Dutchman finished the first set in more than half an hour. Van Rijthoven played solid and did not give away a single break chance on his own service: 6-4. He quickly placed a double break in the second set, after which he led 4-1. Within half an hour, the number 104 in the world also took the second set: 6-3. With a 5-4 lead in the third set, Van Rijthoven got two match points, and immediately cashed in the first.

First man after eighteen years

Van Rijthoven is the first Dutch man to reach the eighth final in eighteen years. In 2004, Sjeng Schalken was the last to make it to the second week of the Grand Slam tournament in London. Four years ago, Kiki Bertens caused a stir by making it to the last eight in the women’s tournament.

On Saturday, Botic van de Zandschulp will also try to conquer a place in the last sixteen. Van de Zandschulp will face 36-year-old Frenchman Richard Gasquet in his third round match.