Wimbledon 2023: Djokovic vs Rublev, quarterfinal preview, Head-to-head record, where to watch

Four-time defending champion Novak Djokovic takes on Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals of The Championships Wimbledon 2023 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) in London on Tuesday.

The clash is scheduled to be the last match on the Centre Court on the ninth day of this year’s edition.

Second seed Djokovic comes into the quarterfinal after his toughest test so far. After straight-sets win in the first three rounds, he was taken to four sets including two very tight tiebreaks by 17th-seeded Pole Hubert Hurkacz.

The Serbian is chasing his 24th Major title to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record. He is also looking to win his fifth straight Wimbledon championship and eighth overall to tie Roger Federer’s all-time men’s record at the grass court Slam.

The 36-year-old Djokovic is unbeaten at The Championships in the last 32 matches and has not lost a match on Centre Court since his defeat against Andy Murray in the 2013 final.

Seventh-seeded Russian Rublev has had to work extremely hard to reach his maiden quarterfinal at Wimbledon. He dropped a set each in the second and third round but his biggest challenge came in the round of 16 when he squandered a two-set lead against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan. However, Rublev managed to stay calm and claim a thrilling 7-5, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-7(5), 6-4 win.

Head-to-head record

Played: 4 | Djokovic: 3 | Rublev: 1

Djokovic and Rublev have faced each other four times and the Serbian has won thrice. Rublev’s only victory against Djokovic came in front of the Serbian’s home crowd last year in the final of the ATP 250 event in Belgrade. Their most recent meeting took place in the quarterfinals of this year’s Australian Open where Djokovic simply thrashed Rublev.

Beating Djokovic on grass primarily requires a big serve but even that may not be enough, as proven by the fourth round match he had against Hurkacz. Rublev will need to do something special to win against the four-time defending champion and reach his first semifinal at The Championships.