Wimbledon 2015: Novak Djokovic completes comeback against Kevin Anderson to reach quarter-finals - and promises to apologise if he upset ballgirl

Defending champion completes victory over South African after match was hit by bad light on Monday, but his emotions ran high...

Novak Djokovic on his way to victory against Kevin Anderson after their fourth round match resumed (GETTY IMAGES)

Novak Djokovic won his one-set shoot-out against Kevin Anderson here, but the tension of the occasion clearly got to the world No 1. Before completing his 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 victory, Djokovic screamed in the general direction of his entourage and also appeared to upset a ballgirl by shouting at her when demanding his towel.

“It was a very, very intense fifth set,” Djokovic said. “I just took out everything I had, not on anybody but me. I was looking at the box, but I was talking to myself. Emotions are present, always going through ups and downs.”

The ballgirl incident recalled an episode in Miami three months ago when Djokovic apologised to a ballboy after startling him with an on-court outburst. Asked if he would make similar amends to the ballgirl here, Djokovic said: “I’m sorry. There was nothing towards her. Maybe she was just afraid of my screaming there. I was pretty close to her. I’m definitely going to try to apologise to her if I did something wrong.”

Anderson’s big serve has helped him to enjoy the best grass-court season of his career, but just when the South African needed it most, his greatest weapon misfired. Two successive double-faults by the world No 14 enabled Djokovic to make the crucial break of serve in the final set.

The match resumed at the start of the fifth set after play had been called off the previous evening because of bad light. Anderson was holding his serve without too much difficulty, but everything changed at 5-5. From 15-15, Anderson served two double-faults before Djokovic hit a brilliant return to break serve, then served out for the match to reach his 25th Grand Slam quarter-final in succession. He faces Marin Cilic, the US Open champion.