Wimbledon Day 8: Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka into quarterfinals

After a week of rain-drenched and rain-delayed play, we're finally into the second week of Wimbledon. And if you're looking for good tennis, you found it on Day 8.

Carlos Alcaraz and Matteo Berrettini played a barn burner of a match Monday in which the momentum careened back and forth like a pinball. Even though the match ended with Alcaraz winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, it was a lot closer than the score would have you believe. Every point was contested and the grunts of effort were constant.

Alcaraz is a clay/hard surface guy and doesn't have a ton of grass court experience. He won his first grass court title just a few weeks ago at the Queen's Club Championships, and you can see how focused he has to be to play his best game on this surface. Alcaraz is one of the most joyful players you'll see on the court, but smiles have been in short supply. He hasn't been mopey or angry, just extremely serious about upping his grass game and concentrating on that 100%.

Berrettini, on the other hand, is a grass specialist. He made the final in 2021 (losing to Novak Djokovic), but missed Wimbledon 2022 due to injury. As a fantastic grass court player, he was pretty broken up about having to stay home. He spoke about it after one of his wins last week.

In Monday's match, Berrettini took advantage of Alcaraz's slow start to take a one-set lead, but Alcaraz fought back, winning the second set while making just three unforced errors. Then, early in the third set, Alcaraz pulled off this absolutely ridiculous round-the-post shot.

Alcaraz managed to close out the match in four sets and three hours, advancing to his first Wimbledon quarterfinal. With shots like that one, it's no wonder.

How did the Americans do?

There are only three Americans remaining at Wimbledon right now, and two of them — Chris Eubanks and Madison Keys — played Monday. Both won their matches and are headed to the quarterfinals. It's Eubanks' first Grand Slam quarterfinal and Keys' first Wimbledon quarterfinal since 2015. You can read more about their stupendous matches here.

Who's going to the quarterfinals: women's edition

• Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, had no problem dispatching Ekaterina Alexandrova. After a challenging first set, which Sabalenka won 6-4, she demolished Alexandrova and hung a bagel on her for a 6-0 second-set win.

• Ons Jabeur, seeded No. 7, positively crushed Petra Kvitova, who played nothing like herself. It's unusual to see Kvitova so meek and out of sorts. Jabeur, on the other hand, was playing with a strength and confidence that allowed her to be really free and daring. She beat Kvitova 6-0, 6-3 in just 63 minutes.

• Elena Rybakina, the 2022 defending champion, is headed to the quarterfinals after Beatriz Haddad Maia retired due to injury after just 27 minutes.

Who's going to the quarterfinals: men's edition

• Novak Djokovic triumphed over Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(6), 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-4 in a match that started on Sunday and was suspended due to the incredibly irritating Wimbledon curfew. Starting two sets down, Hurkacz won the third set to keep himself in it, but wasn't able to get past Djokovic in the fourth set.

• Daniil Medvedev only played 91 minutes Monday. Not because he was dominant, but because his opponent, Jiri Lehecka, was forced to retire due to an injury. That gives Medvedev his first trip to the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Highlight of the day

During the Medvedev-Lehecka match, one of Lehecka's returns ended up in a spectator's Pimm's Cup.