Wimbledon 2016: Defending champion Novak Djokovic knocked out by Sam Querrey

New Delhi: World number one and two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic exited the 2016 Wimbledon in a stunning fashion, losing to Sam Querrey in four sets with intermittent rain interruptions creating havoc on Saturday.

Starting from a two-set deficit, the Serbian seemed to have recovered to win the all-important third set 6-3 in just 33 minutes but failed to recreate least year's rain-interrupted match against Kevin Anderson.

Querrey, ranked 41 in the world, however proved a different player to the South African, winning the fourth set tie-breaker. The set lasted one hour and 17 minutes.

Djokovic, who holds all four Grand Slam titles at present, was 7-6 (8/6), 6-1 down on Friday when he retreated to the locker room facing his earliest Wimbledon exit since a second round loss in 2008.

After two days of action, the 28th seeded American completed probably the biggest tennis heist in recent times with a 7-6(6),6-1,3-6, 7-6(5) win, thus ending Djokovic`s Open era record run of 30 successive wins at the majors and his streak of having reached 28 consecutive Grand Slam quarter-finals.

Querrey will now face 34-year-old Frenchman Nicolas Mahut for a place in the quarter-finals.

Djokovic was bidding for a third successive Wimbledon title and a rare calendar Grand Slam.

The 29-year-old Serb had made at least the quarter-finals on his last seven visits to Wimbledon since losing to Marat Safin in the second round eight years ago.

He has also made the last eight of each of the last 28 Grand Slams since losing to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round of the 2009 French Open.

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Following are the key points to the shock result:

- Querrey failed to convert on two set points at 6/4 in the first-set tiebreak on Friday, but made good on his third opportunity.

- He earned the first break of the match for a 3-1 lead in the second set and then broke Djokovic again in the following service game. Querrey clinched the second set with an ace for 6-1 before the match was suspended for rain.

- On Saturday, Djokovic broke for a 2-0 lead in the third set after Querrey sent down two aces on a couple of break points.

- Djokovic breaks again for 4-0 but after just 17 minutes, more rain sends the pair off court for two hours.

- On resumption, the Serb overcomes a blip at 5-0 to take set at 6-3.

- Querrey saves three break points in first game of third set and at 1-1, there`s another stoppage. The American goes on to save 11 in total but is broken in the 10th game.

- Djokovic can`t serve out the set and when more rain comes he is serving to stay in the tournament at 6-5 down.

- He gets to a tiebreak, saves a match point but balloons a forehand wide and his fate is sealed.

(With Agency inputs)