NOVAK DJOKOVIC suffered his earliest defeat in a grand slam for seven years as his defence of the Wimbledon title came to a spluttering end on Saturday.

A third-round knock-out blow that improved the prospects of everyone else in the draw, whether they might admit it or not, was inflicted by big-serving Sam Querrey of the US on Court One.

Djokovic had not lost before the quarter-final stage of a slam since a third-round exit at the 2009 French Open, and hinted he was not 100 per cent fit after tumbling out.

The 28-year-old Querrey won 7-6 (8/6) 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7/5) after a run of rain delays, and the roar that emanated from the second-largest show court at the All England Club would have reached the ears of every aspiring champion.

Djokovic had won the last four grand slams, but the field have been given renewed hope that there is a clear path to glory without the previously indomitable Serbian.

Querrey said his win was the best of his career.

“To beat Novak, who’s playing such a high level for the past five years, I would say so,” he said.

Andy Murray was a short walk away, playing on Centre Court, when Djokovic hooked wide and Querrey was able to celebrate one of the best wins of his life.

The Scot was inevitably briefly distracted by the commotion surrounding nearby goings-on, but regained his focus to beat Australian John Millman 6-3 7-5 6-2.

Murray was asked whether it made any difference to him, knowing that he was now more strongly favoured for the title after the departure of Djokovic, whom he was seeded to meet in the final.

“It doesn’t,” Murray said, “because if I was to reach the final, then it may have some bearing really, but it doesn’t right now. My draw’s still exactly the same.”

Another man who will have his eyes on success is one of the more understated players on tour, Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

The fifth seed was a 7-5 6-3 7-5 winner over Andrey Kuznetsov, but seldom comes on to the radar when experts are tipping winners.

More focus has fallen on Canadian Milos Raonic during the championships and before, after he added three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe to his coaching team.

McEnroe believes the big-serving Raonic has a grand slam title in him, and would not have been dissuaded from that view by a 7-6 (7/2) 6-4 7-6 (7/1) win over Jack Sock of the US.

Raonic also works with former French Open winner Carlos Moya, and said of his team: “They’re definitely giving me a lot of insight on how I need to go about things, how I need to be off the court and also on the court and what things are really going to give me the chance to achieve the ambitions that I have for myself.”

David Goffin awaits Raonic in the fourth round after Belgium’s 11th seed saw off Uzbek opponent Denis Istomin.