Defending champion Novak Djokovic may have hoped to sail through, but Kevin Anderson had not read the script. Pushing the Serbian all the way, Anderson set up the scene for a thrilling (if not late) finish, taking the first two sets 7-6(6) each.  Djokovic slammed the hammer down in the third set to close the deficit, however, and although Anderson rallied briefly in the fourth set, Djokovic would force the decider.

As the clock ticked over past 9pm, and with the crowd baying ‘Centre Court,’ the match was suspended to be played on Tuesday.

Tomas Berdych’s search for his game plan continues after the Czech and 2010 finalist exited stage right against France’s Gilles Simon. The Frenchman, who joins fellow countryman Richard Gasquet in the quarterfinals, looked in imperious form as he steamrolled past Berdych 6-3 6-3 6-2.

Berdych appears to have lost the ability to play with instinct, and while in Madrid he did indicate that he did not feel he would see any significant results for six months, we are still seeing him struggle to adapt his game or come up with a Plan B when his Plan A is clearly not working. With Kei Nishikori’s early withdrawal, and allowing for Stan Wawrinka’s position now in the top four, Berdych had a way clear to challenge the leading contenders. Yet once more he will be watching from the sidelines, on a surface he could have excelled at.

Returning to Gasquet, it was some timely revenge as the bubble burst for Aussie prodigy Nick Kyrgios against one of the names against whom he rose to fame last year. His fight-back from two sets to love down last year launched him into stardom as far as the bigger stage went.

The antics of Kyrgios continued, with a bizarre almost lack-of-effort at one stage, not to mention the usual commentary and crowd engagement. But Gasquet felt unfazed by it as he eradicated the memories of his loss to Kyrgios last year.

“It’s true, he likes the show, of course,” Gasquet commented. “Everybody can see that. But I still think it's good to have some players like that on the circuit. Sometimes people are talking because the players are boring or something. Now we have someone who is doing different things. I think it’s good for us.”

It is an interesting time for Kyrgios. Last year, he earned the admiration of one of my colleagues who praised him for the short sharp sound-bites he gave. But has the hype become too much for him? At times his demeanor was questionable in terms of effort and a will to win, and all the while Gasquet kept time like a metronome.

Over the weekend, he stood up admirably to the storm of controversy that had swirled around Bernard Tomic and his comments about Tennis Australia, to the point where Kyrgios distanced himself from Tomic’s assertions that he too would not play the forthcoming Davis Cup tie.

Finding himself under severe criticism and sustained questioning regarding not trying maybe as hard as he could have in the second set, Kyrgios seemed understandably defensive and borderline emotional, and he complained of being misunderstood. One senses there is still a long way to go where he is concerned.

British hopes were kept alive, but not without some angst as Andy Murray withstood the barrage of serves from Ivo Karlovic, dropping a set along the way. However, his next opponent, Vasek Pospisil, was pushed to five sets not only in the singles but also in the doubles, by Jamie Murray no less.

At the very top of the tree, Roger Federer’s path continued unabated, and indeed aided by a rough-looking fall to Roberto Bautista Agut, as he slipped on the dirt now gathered at the back of the court. The Spaniard went down hard and stayed down for some considerable time, before requiring some treatment on a twisted ankle. Although he took to the court once more, he was no match for a clinical Federer, who closed out a pretty routine 6-2 6-2 6-3 win.

Manic Monday almost made it over the line, and with less favorable weather forecast for tomorrow, it remains to be seen if the decision not to play the final set under the Centre Court roof was a wise one.