Wimbledon 2023: Djokovic to play 400th Grand Slam match as Swiatek eyes semis

Mens world number two Novak Djokovic contests his 400th Grand Slam match at Wimbledon on Tuesday going against Russias Andrey Rublev for a place in a recordequalling 46th major semifinal Womens world number one Iga Swiatek who had never got past the fourth round before this year tackles Elina SvitolinaDjokovic chasing a recordequalling eighth Wimbledon title and 24th Grand Slam will be playing for a third day in succession The 36yearold boasts a 31 winning record against Rublev including a straightsets demolition in Januarys Australian Open quarterfinals where he lost just seven gamesAndrey is a fantastic player whos got one of the best forehands in the game Brings a lot of intensity to the court with his grunts said the world number twoHe kind of scares off his opponents across the net Extremely nice guyRublev is one of four Russian and Belarusian players three men one woman to make the quarterfinals Twelve months ago they were banned from the tournament in the aftermath of Russias invasion of Ukraine Belarus is a key ally of MoscowWorld number seven Rublev needed five sets to get past Russianborn Kazakh Alexander Bublik in the last 16 He is in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the first time and eighth at the majors but has never made it to a semifinalNovak is one of the best players on grass Nothing else to say said the 25yearoldAlso Read Novak Djokovic plays Wimbledon with 23 printed on shoes for Grand Slam recordThe winner of that quarterfinal will face either eighthseeded Jannik Sinner or world number 92 Roman Safiullin of RussiaSinner reached the same stage in 2022 losing to Djokovic from two sets up Slender in frame Sinner packs a huge punch delivering the thirdfastest serve of the tournament so far at 139 mph 2237 kmhWhile Sinner is playing in his fifth quarterfinal at the majors it will be a first for Safiullin The 25yearold had never previously got past the second round at a Slam but has knocked out two former semifinalists in Roberto Bautista Agut and Denis Shapovalov Understanding respect Swiatek saved two match points to defeat Belinda Bencic in the last 16 having been untroubled in the first three roundsAlso Read Topseed Iga Swiatek saves two match points to enter Wimbledon 2023 quartersThe 22yearold Pole faces crowd favourite Elina Svitolina who has made the lasteight for a second successive Slam after only returning from maternity leave in AprilHer threeset win over former world number one Victoria Azarenka on Sunday saw her Belarusian rival booed off Court OneThe jeers came after some fans had apparently been unaware of Svitolinas policy of refusing to shake hands with players from Belarus and Russia in protest at the warHowever the ire of some spectators was aimed at Azarenka who they believed had deliberately snubbed SvitolinaOn Monday the WTA which runs the womens game pleaded with fans to show understanding and respect when Ukraine players refuse to shake handsSvitolina was in tears as she conducted an oncourt TV interview after her triumph over Azarenka describing it as a victory for UkraineSwiatek has been vocal in her support of Ukraine and wears a ribbon in the colours of the country on her capIts good to have these kind of players Svitolina on tour that are nice and they have good values said Swiatek who won the pairs only previous meeting in straight sets on clay in Rome two years agoIn Tuesdays other quarterfinal US fourthranked Jessica Pegula takes on unseeded Marketa Vondrousova a former French Open runnerup now down at 42 in the worldPegula is in her sixth quarterfinal at the Slams but has yet to make it to a semifinalWith AFP inputs