Key events
-
Rybakina routs Sakkari 6-3, 6-1
-
Novak Djokovic (6) beats Dan Evans 6-3 6-2 6-0
-
Luciano Darderi beats Arthur Fery 6-4 6-3 6-3
-
Jan-Leonard Struff beats Felix Auger-Aliassime (25) 3-6 7-6(9) 6-3 6-4
-
Arthur Rinderknech beats Christian Garín 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3
-
Mirra Andreeva (7) beats Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 7-6 (4)
-
Jakub Mensik beats Marcus Giron 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4)
-
Elisabetta Cocciaretto beats Katie Volynets 6-0 6-4
-
De Minaur beats Cazaux 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-0
-
Cobolli beats Pinnington Jones 6-1, 7-6, 6-2
-
Navarro beats Kudermetova 6-1, 6-2
-
Today’s order of play
-
Preamble
Rybakina routs Sakkari 6-3, 6-1
Thanks Daniel. Yes let’s stay on No 1 Court, where Rybakina is serving for the match at 6-3, 5-1, 30-all. The 2022 champ gets match point when Sakkari hits long, and an unreturned serve settles matters. That’s a comprehensive, controlled and composed victory over the former No 3. Is there a better grass-court player in the draw? Probably not. Staying fit and healthy hasn’t always been easy for the 26-year-old – but on her day she can beat anyone here. Next up on No 1 will be Jack Draper v Marin Cilic.
Krejcikova serves out that first set and she now leads Dolehide 6-4 1-0, while Rybakina is absolutely rousting Sakarri, up 6-3 5-1. But my watch is over for now – Katy is back to guide you through the next couple of hours, after which I’ll be back to bring it home.
McEnroe, though, what a total hero. How lucky we were to have him and Martina dominating at the same time, two amazing players with principles, character and genius. I coujldn’t and still can’t get enough of either.
Also 40 years ago today, Back to the Future was released, so here’s something on the space-time continuum. Not much is perfect, but that film is perfect.
Oh man, I appear to be old. Forty years ago today, one of the first sporting shocks I can remember.
Rybakina breaks Sakkari back immediately and now leads 6-3 2-1, while Krejcikova will soon serve for set one at 5-4 against Dolehide.
Wrists! An amazing backhand winner, hit cross-court to break the sideline, earns Machac set point, then he stays in the next rally despite almost losing his footing, before a drop-pass combo secures a tiebreak in which he trailed 4-1. He and Holmgren are level at 1-1.
Alreet, Krejcikova breaks Dolehide for 4-3, while Sakkari does likewise to Rybakina at the start of set two so trails 3-6 0-1. Otherwise, Alexandrova leads Lamens 6-4 3-0 and Jacquemot is up 6-4 on Bencic.
“I’m sorry,” begins Martin, “but Andy Murray’s greatness is a bit like the Special Relationship. Sometimes foreigners pretend that it’s real it just to be polite, but nobody outside the UK really thinks that Andy Murray is on a par with Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.”
Does anyone actually think that? I’ve not met anyone who does.
Griggzy Dimitrov now leads MC Moutet 2-1 3-2, while there’s a potential shock brewing on Court 12, where Holmgren leads Machac 7-6 and they’re locked at 6-6 in the second set tiebreak.
Krejcikova breaks Dolehide back immediately, while Rybakina breaks Sakkari a second time to seal a 6-3 first set.
On No 2, the champ is in action, and Krejcikova has been broken early doors by Dolehide who leads 3-1 in the first.
“Good afternoon, everyone, thanks for coming out on the Centre Court again,” begins Djokovic, laughing away. He knew there’d be a special atmosphere and that Evans has a great touch, but he was at the top of his game from the beginning and had prepared a good tactical plan which he executed perfectly, then adds this was a note for his coach – and without getting all conspiracist, could it be one for his former coach too?
Told this was his 99th win at Wimbledon and the 19th time he’s made round three, he notes that almost as long as Sinner and Alcaraz have been alive. This is his favourite tournament and he’s hoping to do well again, but he doesn’t pause to reflect because he doesn’t have time. He’d like to but being at the top of professional tennis requires dedication on a daily basis; that’ll have to wait until he’s retired and sat on the beach drinking margaritas with Federer and Nadal.Again, I don’t want to read into that something that isn’t there, but was there a deliberate omission from that scene?
Novak Djokovic (6) beats Dan Evans 6-3 6-2 6-0
Djokovic enjoyed that – you can see he’s happy with his level there. Next for him is Kecmanovic.
Djokovic breaks Evans for a third time and at 6-3 6-2 5-0 is now serving for the match. He’s played supremely today.
Obviously Djokovic is already up a double break in set three against Evans, leading 6-3 6-2 3-0. But can he beat Sinner followed by Alcaraz, because if he wants to win, that’s probably what’ll be asked of him.
On No 1, Rybakina and Sakkari are under way, Martina insighting that the 2022 champ has really good shot-selection and doesn’t go for too much, which is necessary on grass. She breaks immediately., consolidates, and leads 2-0.
Looking around the courts, then, some latest scores:
Dimitrov 7-5 4-6 5-4 Moutet
Holmgren 7-6 1-2 Machac
Baotiste 7-6 5-2 Mboko
Colins 6-4 Erjavec
Luciano Darderi beats Arthur Fery 6-4 6-3 6-3
Pretty simple for Darderi, who meets Jordan Thompson next.
Back to Felix, I remember the first time Coach Calv saw him play because he messaged to tell me he’s seen something special – a 16-year-old he mentions in the same breath as Becker and Nadal. Problem being he hasn’t improved his weaknesses – volleying, returning and second serve – and granted the break of the pandemic, he still didn’t. It’s never too late, but when is he going to get so much time ever again?
While all that was going on, Djokovic continues assaulting Evans, taking set two 6-2 and losing just two points on serve this time. If he continues impriving through the rounds, he’s a very serious threat here.
Jan-Leonard Struff beats Felix Auger-Aliassime (25) 3-6 7-6(9) 6-3 6-4
At 24, it’s beginning to look like Felix isn’t going to realise the full extent of his talent.
And you know what? Should Rinderknech move on, he’ll fancy himself against Borges or Khachanov too – rightly so – and the big seed he’d meet in the quarters would probably be Fritz, someone he’s also capable of berating. We shall see…
Arthur Rinderknech beats Christian Garín 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3
He’s made to fight through deuce, but he forces it to happen and, with the no 3 seed’s passage through the draw, will fancy himself to see off Majchrzak, who he faces next.
On 17, Rinderknech is serving for the match against Garin; I’m not sure I’ve seen a player whose action is as face-on as his. It works, though.
Next on No 1 Court: Maria Sakkari v Elena Rybakina (11).
We must, though, credit Bronzetti, who forced Andreeva play the tiebreak that she did. If she can keep hitting that level, she’ll move up the rankings, but of course the difference between those at the top and the rest isn’t just how well they can play but how they play most often.
Mirra Andreeva (7) beats Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 7-6 (4)
When she needed to lift it, she launched it into the stratosphere; Mirra Andreeva knows, and next for her it’s Baptiste or Mboko.
Djokovic has been putting Evans under constant pressure, so it’s no surprise that there’s an early break in set two. Elastic Man leads 6-3 2-1.
Yeah, Mirra Mirra on the charge. She doubles that mini-break for 4-1, sticks in the next point when it’s tough, switches momentum, takes the point, and this is near-perfect behaviour, a gorgeous combination of class, intensity and certainty.
Andreeva holds easily, so here comes the breaker. I’d love to get a deciding set – we deserve it – but I’d not be shocked if she finds something. And, as I type, a sensational backhand cross-court earns her an immediate mini-break.
Elsewhere, Darderi has taken the second set against Fery; Dimitrov and Moutet are level at a set apiece; and Auger-Alissime trails Struff 1-2 2-3.
Wowwee! Down 30-40, Bronzetti saves break point with a glorious drop; had she missed it, she’d have had one chance to break, else she’d have been gone. And from deuce, she quickly closes out, so Andreeva must now serve to stay in the set at 6-1 5-6.
Munar, who leads Morzsan by two sets to love, has broken in set three. At 3-1, he’s nearly there.
Evans made him work for it, but Djokovic would not be denied. He only lost three points on serve the entire set and is looking pretty good out there, I must say. It’s almost as if he’s a seven-time champion.
Andreeva eventually holds for 5-5 in the second, while Evans saves a break point but can’t get out of the game; Djokovic breaks him for 5-3 in the third and quickly makes 30-0.
Jakub Mensik beats Marcus Giron 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Next for Mensik it’s Cobolli (22), and my advice is that you don’t miss it.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto beats Katie Volynets 6-0 6-4
Next for her, Jacquemot or Bencic, and I wonder if she might be the surprise hero of this year’s competition.
Andreeva is so mentally solid, saving both while, on 16, Cocciaretto has match point against Volynets…
Rinderknech, memorably described as a “handsome [redcated] with a huge serve” – you’d take it – by Coach Calv Betton on Tuesday’s blog, has broken Garin for 2-0 in the fifth. That’ll sting the Chilean badly, given how hard he had to work to win set four. Meantime, Bronzetti has made 15-40, securing two points! Here they come…
Ach, Bronzetti overhits a forehand that means she’s down 15-30, and when she misses her first serve, the pressure intensifies. Can she shut it out? Well Andreeva plays a terrific point, finishing with an overhead that, a little spooked by earlier failures, she ends up faking and instead pats away, then Bronzetti nets a forehand and there’s the break back. I couldn’t say with any certainty that she got tight, but I’m surer Andreeva found something extra when she needed it, which is one of the major differences between the best and the rest.
On No 1, Bronzetti is playing beautifully, but how are her nerves? Andreeva has just held, so she’ll need to hold to force a deciding set.
I’m watching: Evans 2-3 Djokovic, Andreeva 6-1 2-5 Bronzetti, Garin 6-3 3-6 6-7 6-4 0-0 Rinderknech and Volynets 0-6 4-3 Cocciaretto.
Thanks Katy and hi everyone. There’s so much going on I don’t really know where to begin, but let’s get on with it.
Right, with that settled, I’m off for some lunch. Daniel Harris is here to guide you through the next couple of hours …
De Minaur beats Cazaux 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-0
De Minaur has got himself three match points on No 2 Court, where he leads Cazaux 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 5-0. And the 11th seed gets the job done when Cazaux miscues a forehand. After a slow start, he was locked in, and avoids going the way of Zverev, Musetti and all the others. The Aussie fanatics are happy. And so is De Minaur, who has a winnable match against Tomas Machac or qualifier August Holmgren next.
Djokovic thunders another forehand winner or two to get himself to deuce on Evans’s serve. And here’s a first break point. Evans averts the danger, but a loopy forehand goes well long and here’s a second BP. This time Evans cuts Djokovic up with his backhand slice, before conceding a third BP. And a fourth. Evans eventually holds. But Djokovic has shown the Brit what he’s up against, as if he needed any reminder. It’s 2-2.
Some lunchtime (well, if you’re in the UK) viewing:
Despite never going beyond the third round at Wimbledon, Evans’s game is well suited to the grass, with his backhand slice that stays low, his serve and volley and his variety of pace. But he doesn’t have Djokovic’s power, and the seven-times champion comes out swinging to seize a 2-1 lead on serve.
Andreeva has the opening set 6-1 against Bronzetti. Dimitrov leads Moutet 7-5. Cocciaretto has claimed a first-set whitewash over Volynets. And the Canadian winning machine Victoria Mboko, who began the year ranked No 333 in the world but is now in the top 100 and is playing here as a lucky loser, has an early break against the American Hailey Baptiste, leading 2-0.
Evans has had an emotional summer so far, beating two top-20 players in Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, as the world No 154 bids to regain his best form at the age of 35. Djokovic, of course, at 38 is raging against the dying of the light too, and sees Wimbledon as his best chance to claim that elusive record-breaking grand slam No 25, having won No 24 two years ago. Djokovic credited a doctor’s “miracle pills” for helping him get through his first-round match when he was struggling with stomach problem, so let’s see what kind of condition he’s in today.
Here comes Dan Evans, as the rejuvenated Brit gets the Centre Court billing he so wanted against Novak Djokovic … a man he actually has a winning record against and has never lost to, which is something even Federer, Nadal and Murray can’t boast. Looking closer, they’ve only played each other once before, on the clay of Monte Carlo four years ago.
Alex de Minaur has come back brilliantly in his match against the French qualifier Arthur Cazaux. Having lost the first set 6-4, Demon has won the next two 6-2, 6-4.
One of the seed slayers, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, the Italian who took out the third seed Jessica Pegula in the first round, is out on Court 16. She’s facing the aptly named Katie Volynets (geddit?), who defeated Tatjana Maria, the 37-year-old former semi-finalist who had that fairytale run at Queen’s a couple of weeks ago. Cocciaretto is charging ahead and leads 4-0 in the opening set.
It’s show time on the show courts, with the Russian wonderkid Mirra Andreeva, already seeded seventh at the precocious age of 18, taking on Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti on No 1 Court. Andreeva stirs memories of Martina Hingis with her natural talent, high tennis IQ and varied all-court game – but she’s got more power than the 1997 runner-up, and she demonstrates that as she thunders to a 3-0 lead. Shortly on Centre Court it’ll be Novak Djokovic v Dan Evans.
