30 Jun 2012

Djokovic overcomes his own Czech hurdle, Sharapova through

7:11 am on 30 June 2012

The defending Wimbledon tennis champion Novak Djokovic recovered from losing the first set to beat the Czech veteran Radek Stepanek in four and reach the fourth round in London.

For an hour it looked like another of the men's untouchables was in danger of falling through the same Wimbledon trapdoor as Rafa Nadal - a day after the Spanish world number two was blown off court by another Czech, Lukas Rosol.

Djokovic found himself outfoxed for a while by the 28th seed Stepanek before recovering to win in style, 4-6 6-2 6-2 6-2.

The match was played under cover after some early rain, although conditions outside soon turned sunny and breezy, allowing women's top seed Maria Sharapova of Russia to make hay against Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei, winning 6-1 6-4.