Italy’s Sinner claimed a 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory at the All England Club, avenging his brutal French Open defeat by Spanish world number two Alcaraz just 35 days ago.

Then, Sinner led by two sets – and held three championship points – before Alcaraz roared back to win a five-set classic lasting more than five hours.

Now, the 23-year-old has responded by taking two-time defending champion Alcaraz’s crown on the Centre Court grass, following another gripping contest which again showcased the pair’s shot-making, athleticism and star power.

“It is so special,” Sinner said. “I’m living my dream.”

Sinner, who served a three-month doping ban earlier this year, has claimed the fourth Grand Slam title of his career and a first major victory not on a hard court.

A composed and clinical performance from the top seed ended Alcaraz’s 24-match winning streak.

The manner in which he served out victory from going a break up at 3-1 in the fourth set – given his experience in Paris last month – was admirable.

There was a moment of knowing consternation among Sinner’s supporters when he missed a first match point, but he reset to take his second opportunity before dropping to his haunches at the net.

Sinner’s win stopped 22-year-old Alcaraz from becoming only the fifth man in the Open era to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles.

“It is always difficult to lose, but first of all I have to congratulate Jannik again,” Alcaraz said.

“It is a really well-deserved trophy. He has been playing great tennis and will continue to be a great rival.”

‘You have to accept the losses’ – resilient Sinner bounces back

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Jannik Sinner is the first Italian player to win a Wimbledon singles title

What makes Sinner so special above all else is his mentality.

The man from the mountains in northern Italy regularly remains ice-cold in the most decisive matches – which is why his fumble against Alcaraz in Paris felt so surprising.

Little appears to faze the mild-mannered Italian – on or off court.

He was able to stay sanguine during the doping controversy which rocked the sport and the manner in which he has moved on quickly from the brutal nature of his Roland Garros defeat has been impressive.

“I had a very tough loss in Paris, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter how you win or lose – you just have to understand what you did wrong,” Sinner said during his on-court speech.

“We accepted the loss, kept working and that’s why I’m holding this trophy.”

Sinner had shown more resilience over the Wimbledon fortnight by fighting through an elbow injury which needed an MRI scan.

However, he also had a huge slice of fortune. Trailing by two sets to love in his fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov, Sinner advanced when his luckless opponent retired with a pectoral injury.

Sinner and Alcaraz have created a duopoly in the men’s game over the past two seasons, forging a gripping rivalry that is starting to fill the void left by the sport’s retired or ageing superstars.

This was another demonstration of how the duel – which the ATP Tour has long pinned its hopes on replacing the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic gap – could be a blockbuster for years to come.

Few would have confidently predicted which way their first meeting in the Wimbledon final would go.

Alcaraz, having won 35 of his 38 grass-court matches, had the greater pedigree on the surface, but Sinner had won their sole previous encounter at Wimbledon in 2022.

When he lost serve and trailed 4-2 in the opener, it felt Alcaraz would again have to fight back from behind.

But he pounced when Sinner got sloppy in the eighth game to level and the subtle change of momentum led to Alcaraz claiming the lead with a stretching backhand which he somehow turned into an astonishing winner.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Alcaraz and Sinner have won the past seven Grand Slam titles between them

One of the factors that makes this rivalry intriguing is their opposite styles. Alcaraz has a higher ceiling of artistic shot-making, but his level can dip lower than the steadier Sinner.

That happened in the second set as Alcaraz’s serve – and concentration – went walkabout.

Sinner broke in the first game and, having survived pressure at 2-1 when his service motion was also disrupted by a champagne cork shooting on to the baseline, it was a decisive one.

With the scoreline locked at one set each, it felt like another classic in the making.

There continued to be little difference between the pair in the third set until Sinner swarmed over Alcaraz’s second serve in the ninth game to break and serve out for the lead.

Sinner’s relentlessly clean ball-striking from the back of the court, plus his fleetness of foot when his opponent tried to lure him forward, began to frustrate Alcaraz in the fourth set.

Another early break put Sinner in command, but most among an ebullient 15,000 crowd wondered if he had any scar tissue from the Roland Garros final.

The real test was serving out victory and – after Alcaraz generously batted a second serve into the net on the first of two break points at 4-3 – Sinner confidently came through.

Swiatek, 24, was also playing in her first final at the All England Club but looked more assured from the very start.

No woman had won a Wimbledon with a double bagel – the name given to a victory without dropping a game – since 1911.

It is the sixth Grand Slam victory of Swiatek’s career, having won on each of her appearances in major finals.

“It seems super surreal,” said Swiatek, whose five previous titles came on clay or hard courts.

“Honestly, I didn’t even dream of winning Wimbledon because it was way too far.

“I feel like I’m an experienced player, having won other Slams, but I didn’t expect this.”

Eighth seed Swiatek drew on all of her greater experience to race through the first set in just 25 minutes.

Anisimova, just three months younger than Swiatek, looked tense from the very start and made a flurry of errors in an opener where she won just nine points.

Despite a sympathetic Centre Court crowd willing her on, things did not improve in the second set for the 13th seed.

A total of 28 unforced errors, plus five double faults, starkly illustrated Anisimova’s struggles.

Fighting back the tears as she addressed the crowd, Anisimova said: “It’s been an incredible fortnight for me – even though I ran out of gas.

“I wish I could have put on a better performance for you today.”

Swiatek becomes an all-court great

If Swiatek had not already proved she should be ranked among the greats of the game, she has certainly done so now.

Mastering a surface considered her weakest – even though she won the Wimbledon junior title in 2018 – has added further credence to her case.

Swiatek has become the youngest woman since 23-time champion Serena Williams in 2002 to win Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces.

A sixth major takes her clear of Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis, with only a total of 10 women now having won more in the Open era.

Swiatek became known as the ‘Queen of Clay’ after winning four French Open titles in five years, while her two-year reign as the world number one – ended by Aryna Sabalenka last year – was underpinned by consistent success on the hard courts.

Grass was the surface she had not cracked.

Before this triumph, Swiatek had made the second week at the All England Club only once, when she reached the quarter-finals in 2023.

Losing in this year’s Roland Garros semi-finals – early by her previous standards – meant she had longer to prepare on the surface, helping her quickly readjust improve her confidence and game.

Anisimova’s struggles meant she was not fully tested. Nevertheless, the weight and depth of Swiatek’s ball provided constant pressure which her opponent could not deal with.

Now, 35 days on from that French Open thriller, they will meet again in Sunday’s men’s final at Wimbledon.

After ending Novak Djokovic’s hopes of achieving a 25th Grand Slam title, world number one Sinner was asked what fans could expect when he faces Alcaraz once again.

“We saw the last final – you never know [what will happen],” he said.

“Hopefully it’s going to be a good match like the last one, I don’t know if it can be better because I don’t think it’s possible.

“But we will do our best.”

For those who somehow missed that epic encounter at Roland Garros, here’s a reminder.

Alcaraz, the defending champion, recovered from two sets down – saving three championship points on the way – to beat Sinner.

Both players pushed themselves and each other to the limit in a classic contest that showcased all of their shot-making, athleticism and resilience.

Despite it being an all-time classic, Alcaraz has not yet got around to watching it back.

“I’ve just seen a few clips and a few points but not that much,” he said after his semi-final win over Taylor Fritz.

“I am still thinking about that moment sometimes. It was the best match I have ever played so far.

“I’m not surprised he pushed me to the limit. I expect that on Sunday.”

Advantage Alcaraz?

Sinner and Alcaraz are very much the dominant force in the men’s game as we enter the post-‘Big Three’ era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.

The pair have won the last six majors between them and will wrap up a seventh on Sunday.

Only once before in the Open era have the top two seeds met in the men’s singles final at the first three Grand Slams of the year – and that was in 1978.

“I reach the final stages, I reach the semis of every slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz,” Djokovic said following his defeat.

“These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with tank half empty.”

But Sinner does not believe his and Alcaraz’s recent dominance can be mentioned in the same breath as that of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

“You cannot compare what the big three did for 15-plus years,” he said

“Six Grand Slams are one-and-a-half years. It’s not that big yet.”

Last six Grand Slam champions

Men’s singles

Alcaraz is 22 and Sinner is 23, meaning there will be plenty more years of the two meeting in major finals.

Right now it is Alcaraz who has the measure of Sinner, with the world number two winning the past five meetings between them.

Since the start of his title-winning run at the China Open in September 2023, Sinner has lost just 11 of the 127 matches he has contested – meaning almost half of his losses in that time have been to Alcaraz.

But the last time they met at Wimbledon back in 2022, it was Sinner who came out on top.

“I remember that match, but it was three years ago,” Alcaraz added. “We are completely different player on grass, but on all surfaces.

“I’m pretty sure that it’s going to be different.”

Djokovic, 38, fell awkwardly late on in his quarter-final against Flavio Cobolli, but picked himself up to wrap up victory and progress.

Sinner, meanwhile, hurt his right elbow after slipping in the first game of his fourth-round tie with Grigor Dimitrov on Monday.

The Italian ultimately progressed after his opponent retired through injury, but he had heavy strapping on his elbow in his quarter-final win over Ben Shelton.

Sinner said he would be “100% fit” to face Djokovic, but the Serb has not been quite so definitive and cancelled a scheduled practice session on Thursday.

Sinner cancelled a scheduled session on Tuesday, heading indoors for some light hitting while he awaited the results of a scan.

Djokovic may have done likewise – but it does still cast some doubt over his fitness.

Djokovic reached the semi-finals of this year’s Australian Open but had to retire after the first set against Alexander Zverev, having injured his leg in the previous round.

Given his age, Djokovic accepts he has to work harder than 23-year-old Sinner or 22-year-old Wimbledon defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to keep up with them physically.

“Sometimes I get tired of all the chores I have to do on a daily basis to get my body ready to be able to perform,” he said.

“It’s a lot of hours spent off the court, in the gym or on the table just trying to work with what I have.

“Physically, I hope that I’ll be able to sustain that.”

Sinner, who is bidding to reach his first Wimbledon final, did take part in his scheduled practice session on Thursday but seemed in no discomfort as he laughed and joked with his team.

Alcaraz will face Taylor Fritz in the first men’s semi-final on Friday – but the American too had to take a medical timeout in his quarter-final win over Karen Khachanov.

Fifth seed Fritz had treatment on his feet – and concerns were heightened by the fact he had just lost the third set 6-1 after controlling the first two.

But Fritz, through to the last four at SW19 for the first time, allayed those fears after his victory, saying he just needed taping on his foot redone.

“It’s pretty common – a lot of players do this tape job so your foot doesn’t get irritated,” he said.

“I think I ripped it off at some point in the second so I just needed to get it redone.”

The only person who got through the quarter-finals without a hint of an injury was world number two Alcaraz.

A fully-fit Alcaraz is certainly a concern for his rivals as he bids for a third Wimbledon title in a row.

American Anisimova, the 13th seed, waved and blew kisses to the crowd after securing a remarkable 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory on a blazing hot day on Centre Court.

The 23-year-old saved 11 of the 14 break points she faced to seal her place in a maiden Grand Slam final, converting her fourth match point of a gruelling contest lasting two hours and 35 minutes.

“This doesn’t feel real, I was absolutely dying out there,” she said.

“I don’t know how I pulled it out. To come out on top today and be in the final of Wimbledon is so incredibly special.”

Sabalenka has twice suffered heartbreak in major finals this year – losing in Australia to Madison Keys and then in Paris to Coco Gauff.

This time she will not even feature in Saturday’s showpiece, having played in the past three Grand Slam finals.

Anisimova was a tipped to win Grand Slam titles as a teenager.

As a 17-year-old she reached the 2019 French Open semi-finals, stunning defending champion Simona Halep and Sabalenka along the way.

Four years later, Anisimova took a break for her mental health for about seven months.

The Wimbledon final was likely not on her radar. At least not yet.

A run to the final of Queen’s, where she lost to Tatjana Maria, set her up well for a good run at the All England Club but few would have betted against the power, and experience at this point in a major, of Sabalenka.

But against Anisimova, it quickly became apparent that simply overpowering her opponent – as she has done so effectively numerous times – was not going to work.

Anisimova moved well, anticipated well and, crucially, returned superbly, particularly on the backhand.

The two could barely be separated until an intense game at 5-4 on Sabalenka’s serve featuring six deuces was gifted to Anisimova after an untimely double fault from the three-time major champion.

The heat played its part in a dramatic encounter and Sabalenka twice handed out water bottles and ice packs to spectators who had fallen ill.

After more exhausting tennis in the second set, it was again a double fault that swung the momentum as Sabalenka broke at 3-3, having coaxed Anisimova into a couple of mistakes.

Set points swiftly followed but it was never going to be straightforward and Anisimova hung on in a tough service game to save four and force Sabalenka to serve it out.

An immediate break of serve in the third set teed up the potential for Sabalenka to assert some dominance, but a scruffy service game followed and Anisimova won the next four games to take a decisive lead.

She held two match points at 5-4 in her quarter-final match before finding herself in a tie-break, and there was a glimmer of those nerves again as Sabalenka earned three break points while Anisimova served for the match.

But grit and determination powered Anisimova through and she recovered to take the match at the third opportunity.

Meanwhile, Sabalenka’s pursuit of a first Wimbledon final and first major away from the hard courts goes on.

Swiatek makes statement with dominant win

Image source: PA Media

Image caption: Swiatek is the first Polish player to reach the women’s singles final since Agnieszka Radwanska in 2012

Anisimova will now likely have to produce a similar performance if she is to win a first Grand Slam title, with Swiatek looking dominant in her 6-2 6-0 win against Belinda Bencic to reach a maiden Wimbledon final.

These two played in an epic fourth-round match at Wimbledon two years ago, with Swiatek coming back from the brink by saving two match points to win.

But this was anything but close as Swiatek powered into her sixth Grand Slam final, and an ominous sign for her opponent is that she has won all five of those she has played in before.

“I am just super excited and proud of myself,” she said.

“Tennis keeps surprising me. I thought I’d experienced everything before but I didn’t experience playing well on grass.

“I feel with my movement and I am serving really well and it is working.”

Swiatek looked focused and composed from the moment she arrived on court with her headphones on, revealing afterwards that she listens to AC/DC to motivate her for her matches.

It clearly worked as Swiatek dropped just two games and wrapped up the win in just 74 minutes.

She set the tone from the outset, breaking Bencic’s serve at the first time of asking, although the unseeded Swiss hurt her knee as she extended her leg awkwardly making a return.

A delay because of a medical issue in the crowd gave Bencic time to recover and, although her movement initially seemed a bit stiff, she soon got into her flow.

There was little Bencic was doing wrong but she was simply facing an opponent who was playing better and a deft volley at the net helped seal a second break for Swiatek and the first set.

The Pole only dropped two points behind her first serve in the opener but back-to-back double faults in the first game of the second set were a concern, but she recovered to secure the hold.

Swiatek then immediately broke Bencic’s serve and with it her resolve it seemed as she raced through the remaining games to progress.

The 23-year-old Italian fell during the first game of his fourth-round tie with Grigor Dimitrov on Monday and took a medical time-out to receive treatment.

He was two sets down against Dimitrov but ultimately progressed after his opponent retired through injury.

Sinner only had a light 20-minute hit with his coaches on Tuesday and wore strapping and a protective sleeve on his racquet arm during Wednesday’s quarter-final victory over Shelton.

The only sign of discomfort he showed was when he grimaced and shook out his arm after returning one of Shelton’s huge serves in the second set.

“The pain is getting better,” Sinner told BBC Sport. “I played today with some painkillers which helped me to get through.

“Returning fast serves is not easy. But yes, it’s not something crazy serious because if not I would be much more concerned.

“Time will always help and [Thursday] is one day off, which is going to be good for me, and Friday I’m going to be 100%.”

Djokovic, bidding for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam singles title, lost to Sinner in the French Open last four earlier this year.

The two have also met twice before at Wimbledon – in the quarter-finals in 2022 and the semi-finals in 2023, with Djokovic winning on both occasions.

However, three-time Grand Slam champion Sinner has won their past four meetings.

“Me and Novak, we know each other better because we have played quite a lot,” Sinner said.

“I’ve never won against him here in Wimbledon so it’s going to be a very, very tough challenge.”

Sinner also said he decided to play in new shoes for his match with Shelton to reduce the chances of slipping again.

“I played with completely new shoes to have more grip,” he added.

“I haven’t even played practice [in them]. It was completely new, which usually on other surfaces I don’t do.

“On grass the main priority is to have lots of grip so I have to get used to it.”

It’s going to take best of me to win – Djokovic

Seven-time champion Djokovic beat Italian Flavio Cobolli in four sets to secure his semi-final spot but also suffered an injury scare himself during the match.

Leading 5-4 in the fourth set and serving for the match, he slipped and fell awkwardly as he attempted to move for a shot.

It prompted concern from the crowd and Djokovic initially appeared in discomfort when he got up, but shook it off to win the next two points and secure victory.

“There is a concern but we’ll see in the next 24 to 48 hours. It was an awkward, nasty fall,” Djokovic told BBC Sport.

“I’m going to address it with my team and hope that severity is not too bad.”

Djokovic has now broken the record for most Wimbledon men’s singles semi-final appearances with 14, moving one clear of eight-time champion Roger Federer.

It is also a 52nd Grand Slam semi-final appearance for Djokovic, extending his all-time record in the men’s game.

But regardless of his impressive record, he knows he will need to be at his very best against Sinner.

“I am just trying to focus on my recovery right now and getting my body in shape for very physical battle,” he said of his preparations for the match.

“Hopefully I can deliver the level and be able to stay with him because it’s going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik.

“That’s the only thing I’m thinking about right now – just getting myself physically and mentally in the right state so I can fight with him for as long as it’s necessary.”

Russian seventh seed Andreeva frequently looked out of sorts while Bencic was a picture of calm in a 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) win on Centre Court.

World number 35 and former Olympic champion Bencic served for the match at 5-4 and was two points away from the last four.

But a match that had gone blow for blow throughout was only heading one way and Bencic secured victory in a second-set tie-break.

After an emotional reaction when she booked her place in the last eight, the 28-year-old simply raised her arms in the air and smiled as she advanced again.

By contrast, 18-year-old Andreeva was in tears as she left the court having missed the chance to play in a second major semi-final.

Earlier, Poland’s Swiatek had booked a maiden semi-final at the All England Club with a 6-2 7-5 victory over Russian Liudmila Samsonova.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka and American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova will contest the other semi-final.

It has been a remarkable year for Bencic, who won the Abu Dhabi Open in February just 10 months after giving birth to her daughter Bella.

But in Andreeva she faced one of the favourites for the title at the All England Club.

Having won two WTA 1,000 titles – the tier of tournaments below the majors – she has climbed to a career-high ranking of sixth in the world this year.

In a match of long, intense rallies the pair could barely be separated.

Bencic saved break points at 5-5 in the first set but was the more composed in the tie-break while Andreeva lost her way and, despite producing some rapid serves, she could not match Bencic’s level.

That was the first set Andreeva had dropped at the tournament having previously cruised through her matches.

But nerves and frustration were evident from the teenager while Bencic quietly went under the radar with an assured performance.

Andreeva saved break points at 2-1 in the second set and Bencic did the same at 4-4 before finding the crucial break of serve to give herself an opportunity to serve out the match.

Andreeva immediately responded to force what felt like an inevitable tie-break as her coach Conchita Martinez – a former Wimbledon champion herself – watched on with an anxious look on her face in the coaching box.

But Andreeva’s nerves seemed to get the better of her and a double fault handed Bencic four match points and she took her chance at the second opportunity.

Swiatek’s pursuit of sixth Grand Slam title continues

Former world number one Swiatek showed her battling qualities to come out on top of a tricky second set and beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-2 7-5 to reach her first Wimbledon semi-final.

“It feels great. I got goosebumps after this win,” Swiatek, 24, said.

“I really worked hard to progress on this surface. This year I will just work with it and myself.”

After sealing the win, Swiatek was spotted stuffing some Wimbledon branded towels in her bag, before doing a ‘shushing’ motion to the camera.

The Pole has previously revealed she has been smuggling them out of SW19 at the request of friends and family.

Swiatek is enjoying her best form on grass with this victory her eighth on the surface in 2025 – the most she has managed in a season.

She appears to be peaking at just the right time as she chases a first Wimbledon title, although some erratic serving at times in the second set will remind her she cannot let her guard slip as she bids for a sixth Grand Slam title.

Seven-time champion Djokovic manoeuvred past Italian 22nd seed Cobolli 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 7-5 6-4 to reach a 14th semi-final at SW19.

It came after Italy’s Sinner put aside any discomfort from an elbow injury to beat American 10th seed Ben Shelton 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-4.

Djokovic, 38, bidding for a stand-alone record 25th Grand Slam title, overcame a few wobbles to beat Cobolli and book the last-four meeting many had hoped for when the draw was made.

It will be the second time Djokovic and Sinner have met in a major semi-final this year, with Sinner coming through in straight sets at the French Open in June.

Three-time major champion Sinner, who wore a sleeve to protect his right elbow after suffering a fall in his fourth-round match on Monday, has won the past four matches against Djokovic.

But Djokovic will back himself on grass against Sinner, having won both of their meetings at Wimbledon.

“I’m very happy with this performance,” said Sinner, who has reached at least the semi-finals in the past four majors.

“When you are in a match with a lot of tension you try not to think about [any pain]. It has improved a lot from yesterday to today.

“It is no excuse. There is no better stage to play tennis and I showed this today.”

Djokovic sets more Wimbledon records

Djokovic has now surpassed Roger Federer’s all-time record for the most Wimbledon men’s semi-final appearances.

But he had to work hard against a fired-up Cobolli, who said before the match that Djokovic is his “biggest idol”.

In the ultimate reward for a stellar run at SW19, Cobolli made the most of his moment on Wimbledon’s biggest stage, celebrating almost every point with a raised fist on his way to clinching the first set.

He matched Djokovic in the rallies, displaying some magnificent serving alongside brilliant shot range and variety.

But, after moving ahead in a nervy tie-break, the intensity that had swept Cobolli along in the opener could not be replicated, and Djokovic quickly wore him down to take the second set.

That level did, however, return in the third. Cobolli immediately responded to an early break of serve, then smiled as the crowd rose and chanted his name.

Djokovic grew frustrated when he could not take a break opportunity at 3-3, tossing his racquet in the air in frustration, but he tidied up the mistakes to break at 5-5 then served out the set.

The mistakes returned for Cobolli in the fourth as Djokovic’s experience and prowess on the surface shone through to win three games in a row and secure victory.

There was cause for concern when he took a nasty slip when doing the splits on his second match point, but he said afterwards that he was OK and an occasional fall is to be expected with the way he slides around the court.

The victory was Djokovic’s 102nd match win at Wimbledon – the most he has managed at a single ATP Tour event during his illustrious career.

Sinner not 100% fit but still a cut above

Sinner has been the dominant men’s player for the past 18 months and this performance – when he was not 100% fit – was another example of why.

A below-par display against Dimitrov went unpunished when the luckless Bulgarian popped a pectoral muscle in the third set.

If it felt like Sinner, 23, had been given a lifeline and he certainly made the most of it against Shelton.

Sinner’s serve speed dropped against Dimitrov because of his injury but it was back up to 125mph – more in tune with his tournament average – and the added pace combined with his precision spelled trouble for Shelton.

The huge-serving American, who has become a fan favourite at the All England Club over the past fortnight, won only one receiving point before the opening-set tie-break.

Then, in the tie-break, he was lured into Sinner’s trap.

Unsuccessfully going for broke, the under-pressure Shelton lamped aggressive groundstrokes in a bid to break down Sinner.

Neither player created a break point in the opening set but Shelton earned two immediately in the second thanks to improvements in his return game.

While he could not take either, Shelton earned another half chance at 4-3 with more pressure being applied particularly on Sinner’s second serve.

But Sinner survived and turned the tables on Shelton in the very next game. Shelton continued to hammer down serves at more than 140mph but was still broken after Sinner soaked up the pace and turned defence into attack with his relentless returning.

It was a similar pattern in the third set. Both players continued to dominate service games before Sinner upped the ante again with a decisive break as Shelton served to stay in the match.

Title favourite Sabalenka had to twice come back from a break down in the deciding set to beat the 37-year-old German 4-6 6-2 6-4.

Sabalenka has reached the final of the past three majors and, with most of her rivals falling in the first week of SW19, she has an incredible chance of reaching Saturday’s showpiece.

But few would have predicted the scare that Siegemund – who had previously never gone beyond the second round in singles here – came within touching distance of completing.

World number 104 Siegemund, more noted for her doubles prowess, drove Sabalenka to distraction with her slices, brilliant returning and slow pace of play.

It took all of Sabalenka’s grit and determination to hang in and eventually advance after two hours and 54 minutes.

“After the first set I was looking at my box and thinking, ‘book the tickets, we are about to leave’,” Sabalenka, 27, said.

“I had to make sure I didn’t show I was annoyed by her – even if I was slightly, I didn’t want to give her that energy.”

Belarusian Sabalenka will face 13th seed Amanda Anisimova for a place in a first Wimbledon final after the American beat Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 7-6 (11-9).

There was barely any part of the match on a sun-drenched Centre Court that was enjoyable for Sabalenka.

Siegemund previously described her own game style as annoying, and the frustration was written all over Sabalenka’s face as she spent nearly three hours chasing down drop shots and slices.

There were helpless looks towards her box, chuntering when she missed a vital point and a huge roar when she finally got the best of her opponent.

But Sabalenka has said she is making a conscious effort to stay calmer on court – and it is credit to her that she never lost control or gave up.

She said afterwards that she had learnt from her French Open final loss to Coco Gauff, adding: “I think there’s a big possibility that I would have lose this match if I didn’t learn that lesson.

“I’m really proud that I handled myself really well and didn’t repeat the same mistake I did at the French Open.”

‘Tough but beautiful’ win for Sabalenka

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Aryna Sabalenka is into a third Wimbledon semi-final

Nothing should take away from how brilliant Siegemund was. She stepped forward to the Sabalenka serve, taking it on early, and chopped her way through her opponent’s huge groundstrokes.

Sabalenka held serve just once in the opening set – and even that required three deuce games – and quickly found herself a double break down.

She rescued one as Siegemund served for the first set at 5-2 but slapped a return into the net to concede the opener in 57 minutes.

Sabalenka immediately left the court to reset herself and it seemed to have worked. She broke straight away for a 2-0 lead but, visibly unsettled, conceded it in the next game.

The match could have slipped away in Sabalenka’s next service game as she was taken from 40-0 to deuce – but roared on by the crowd, she held, then won four games in a row to force a decider.

An early break to love in the third set – secured on a brilliant passing winner from Siegemund – looked to have rattled Sabalenka.

She should have broken back in the next game but ended up falling to her knees at the net, arms outstretched as she sent the passing shot wide to go 3-1 down.

In a nervy ending, Sabalenka broke back, immediately conceded it and then capitalised as Siegemund served to stay in the match, ultimately securing victory with a relieved-looking smash at the net.

“It doesn’t matter if you are a big-hitter or a big server – you have to work, run and earn the victory,” Sabalenka added.

“It is tough, but beautiful.”

Nephew steals the show in Anisimova win

In the day’s other women’s quarter-final, the show was stolen at the end when Anisimova picked up her young nephew Jaxon and walked hand in hand with him across Court One to do her on-court interview.

She will have been relieved to have been able to do that for him as an early birthday present after a late wobble in her match against Pavlyuchenkova.

The American had been cruising, taking the opening set in 27 minutes and going a break up for 4-2 in the second.

But she then started making things complicated for herself, missing two match points at 5-4 and then finding herself in a tie-break where she had to save five set points before eventually sealing the win.

She promptly fell face first towards the grass in delight as she reached her first Wimbledon semi-final.

Second seed Alcaraz underlined why he is the tournament favourite with a scintillating 6-2 6-3 6-3 win.

The Spaniard will face Taylor Fritz – the American fifth seed bidding for a first major title – in the last four.

Fritz secured his place in the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time with a 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4) victory over Russia’s Karen Khachanov.

Alcaraz is seeded behind Italian rival Jannik Sinner because of their respective world rankings, but his superior record on grass courts – and current hot streak – makes him the man to beat.

Victory over Norrie marked a 23rd win in a row for Alcaraz, who is bidding to become the fifth man to win three successive Wimbledon titles in the Open era.

“I’m really happy. To play another Wimbledon semi-final is super special,” said Alcaraz, who secured victory in one hour and 39 minutes.

“My confidence is really high, I’m feeling great. It was my best match so far in the tournament.”

Norrie’s defeat signals the end of British interest in the Wimbledon singles for another year.

But, when the dust settles on a brutally one-sided result, the 29-year-old left-hander will take positives from his run after a difficult 18 months.

After saving four break points in his opening service game, five-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz quickly upped his level and wowed the Centre Court crowd with his all-court ability.

With Alcaraz serving strongly, hammering groundstrokes and moving elegantly around the court, 61st-ranked Norrie had little chance of causing a shock.

“His level was unreal. I felt if I didn’t do enough with the ball, he was going to punish me with a lot of his different options,” he said.

Norrie, who had been bidding to match his run to the last four in 2022, will regain his place in the world’s top 50 when the ATP rankings are updated next week.

Norrie puts Wimbledon run down to ‘enjoying life’

Many British tennis fans may have thought they would not see Norrie playing at this level again.

A forearm injury last year contributed to his ranking plummeting towards the bottom of the top 100 but, after soul-searching talks with his team after the Miami Open in March, he has rediscovered his form.

Since then, Norrie has reached the French Open fourth round before forging another deep run at Wimbledon – having followed Alcaraz’s lead of a short Ibiza break between the Grand Slam events.

“I’m enjoying my life on the tour, enjoying off the court as much as I can,” he added.

“I think just having a good perspective of just not putting too much pressure on yourself.”

Heading to party island is a strategy which has also served Alcaraz well.

He plays at his fluent best when completely relaxed and barely thinking about the shots he is producing – although he can be prone to occasionally losing concentration.

Alcaraz found the perfect balance against Norrie.

His deft touches at the net brought gasps of appreciation, and the explosive power and pinpoint accuracy of his baseline strokes were met by exhales of breath.

Norrie, simply, had no answer. Alcaraz lost just nine more points after seeing off the four break points and clinched the opening set after only 28 minutes.

Even when the Briton earned a break-back point at 3-2 in the second set, there was no mercy.

Alcaraz upped his serve and battered down three deliveries over 130mph to hold, breaking again to clinch the set and refusing to let his level drop in the third.

“When you’re serving great, you’re playing from the baseline and playing the return games with more confidence,” he said.

“You’re just playing more calm and thinking things clearly.”

Fritz recovers to reach first Wimbledon semi-final

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Taylor Fritz is looking to go one better than his run to the final of last year’s US Open

Fritz had to work hard to beat Khachanov, having looked on course to wrapping up the match in straight sets.

But things suddenly fell apart as he struggled to land his first serve while sending more shots beyond the baseline.

The 27-year-old then had a medical timeout to address some taping on his foot as he looked to avoid being taken to five sets for the third time in five matches at Wimbledon.

There was a bizarre incident at the start of the fourth set when a malfunction by the electronic line call system meant ‘fault’ was called during play, and the point was replayed.

But it didn’t impact Fritz’s return to form as he dug deep to come out on top of a tie-break.

“I’m feeling great to get through it,” he said in his on-court interview.

“I’ve never had a match really just flip so quickly, so I’m really happy with how I came back in the fourth set and got it done.

“I felt I couldn’t miss and then all of sudden I’m making a ton of mistakes. Momentum was definitely not going to be on my side going into a fifth.”

World number five Fritz is looking to end his country’s long wait for a male Grand Slam winner, with Andy Roddick the last to achieve it with a 2003 US Open success.

Bulgaria’s Dimitrov led an enthralling contest 6-3 7-5 2-2 when he fell to the grass holding his right pectoral after serving an ace.

He appeared to be in serious discomfort following the incident and Sinner immediately rushed over to help.

Dimitrov received medical treatment after returning to his chair and then briefly left court, before returning in tears to shake Sinner’s hand.

He left Centre Court to a standing ovation but was barely able to lift his right arm to wave in appreciation, with Sinner accompanying him off court.

It is the latest in a string of injury struggles for the 34-year-old, who retired injured from his first-round matches at the Australian Open and French Open.

It means Italian top seed Sinner is into the quarter-finals at SW19 for a second time – but the three-time major winner said afterwards it was “not the way we wanted it to end”.

In a cruel twist of irony, Sinner had also taken a medical timeout midway through the second set for an apparent elbow injury.

He had looked uncomfortable following a fall in the opening game but seemed to be rediscovering some sharpness when Dimitrov’s injury occurred.

Sinner will have an MRI on Tuesday to assess the seriousness of the elbow problem.

“It was an unfortunate fall – I checked the video and it didn’t seem a tough one, but I still felt it a lot during serve and forehands especially,” he told a news conference.

More injury heartbreak for Dimitrov

The latter stages of Dimitrov’s career have been plagued by injury.

No player has been forced to retire injured from ATP Tour matches more often than Dimitrov since the start of the 2020 season. He has now quit 12 matches in that time.

Remarkably, this Wimbledon exit means he has retired injured on each of his past five Grand Slam appearances, including at this year’s French and Australian Opens.

It is an unfortunate run for the man once nicknamed ‘baby Fed’ because of the similarity of his game to eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, who watched on from the Royal Box on Monday.

Federer looked down on proceedings with obvious great concern on his face as Dimitrov’s tournament came to a bitterly painful end.

Dimitrov, a Wimbledon semi-finalist 11 years ago, was emotional from the moment he felt the injury and did not do a news conference afterwards as he had it assessed.

Image source: BBC Sport

Sinner outplayed by dominant Dimitrov

Sinner started the match as the heavy favourite after a week of serene progress.

The 23-year-old had dropped just 17 games and spent only five hours and 23 minutes on court – less time than the entirety of his epic French Open final against Carlos Alcaraz – on his way to reaching the fourth round.

But it was a different story against the experienced Dimitrov – the first seeded player Sinner has come up against so far.

Dimitrov was alert, adaptable and quick, returning everything Sinner threw at him in a dominant display, and a break of serve at the first opportunity stunned a crowd expecting to watch another demolition job.

It proved to be decisive in the opener as Dimitrov produced a magnificent serving display, saving the sole break point he faced before closing out the first set.

Sinner looked nervy and, with Dimitrov going an immediate break up in the second set, struggled to find any momentum to get back into the contest.

Sinner called for a medical timeout midway through the second set and was in visible discomfort with his elbow. However, he recovered well enough to break back as Dimitrov served for the set at 5-4 up.

That was quickly forgotten when Dimitrov broke again, then hung in a tough service game to hand Sinner the exhausting task of overturning a two-set deficit – something he does not have a strong track record in.

A 10-minute break to close the Centre Court roof followed as the light faded with Dimitrov in the driving seat and playing some of his best tennis in years.

He served an impressive 14 aces in the match and it was that effort which perhaps proved to be his downfall as he sat down clutching his pectoral muscle having sent one down to hold at 2-2 in set three.

World number one Sinner was staring at the prospect of a shock defeat as he trailed Dimitrov by two sets when the Bulgarian 19th seed dropped to the floor in pain.

The 34-year-old Dimitrov, who has now been forced to retire in each of his past five Grand Slam appearances, clenched his right pectoral muscle and could not continue following a short medical timeout.

Italy’s Sinner, a three-time major winner, has become only the ninth man in the Open era to reach seven consecutive Grand Slam quarter-finals.

But that was not an achievement he felt that he could celebrate on Centre Court on Monday night, instead concerned only with his friend’s wellbeing after a heartbreaking conclusion.

Sinner, who reappeared for his on-court interview after assisting a devastated Dimitrov off the court, said: “I don’t take this as a win at all, this is just an unfortunate moment for all of us to witness.

“He has struggled in the last Grand Slams with injuries a lot, so seeing him again with this injury is very tough.

“We all saw by his reaction how much he cares about the sport. He is one of the hardest-working players on tour and it is very unfortunate.”

The 23-year-old added, before calling on the crowd to join him in applauding Dimitrov and his team: “This is not the end we wanted to see and it’s very sad. We all wish him only the best.”

Sinner, himself hampered by an elbow issue following a fall earlier in the match, looked set to be on the receiving end of a huge upset as he trailed 6-3 7-5 2-2 after two hours.

It came after his record-equalling start to the tournament, in which he lost just 17 games across three impressive performances – the joint-fewest in the Open era.

He would have set another record had he lost no more than nine games to Dimitrov – but his inspired opponent, who has reached eight major quarter-finals, had surpassed that total midway through the second set.

But, 12 months after he retired from his fourth-round match against Daniil Medvedev at the All England Club because of a knee injury, Dimitrov reappeared from his medical timeout in tears knowing his tournament was over.

“I don’t know what to say because he is an incredible player and we all saw this today,” said Sinner, who will play American 10th seed Ben Shelton next.

“He has been so unlucky in the past couple of years. He is a good friend of mine and we understand each other very well off the court too.

“Seeing him in this position, if there was a chance for him to play in the next round he would deserve it.

“Mostly, I hope he has a speedy recovery.”

Sinner later added in his news conference that he will have an MRI scan on his elbow on Tuesday “to see if there’s something serious”.

With men’s record eight-time winner Federer watching on from the Royal Box, Serbia’s Djokovic lost an error-strewn opener and had to fight back from 4-1 down in the fourth set to win 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4.

But, after enduring an uncomfortable three hours and 18 minutes on Centre Court against Australian 11th seed De Minaur, the 38-year-old is now within three wins of another piece of history.

Seven-time champion Djokovic said of playing in front of Federer: “This is probably the first time he is watching me and I have won the match!

“The last couple of times I lost, so it’s good to break the curse.

“Roger is a huge champion and someone I admired and respected a lot.

“We shared the stage for many years and it is great to have him back at his most successful and favourite tournament.”

In addition to chasing Federer’s Wimbledon record, Djokovic is attempting to win a standalone record 25th Grand Slam title.

He will face Italian 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli for a semi-final place, with world number one Jannik Sinner potentially waiting in the last four.

• Djokovic overcomes stern test to close in on history

It is not often that Djokovic – who has won 43 of his past 45 matches at Wimbledon – is made to endure such a stern test of his mental resilience on the stage he has dominated on over the past decade.

The sixth seed is through to a 16th Wimbledon quarter-final, second only to the 18 achieved by Federer, but at times it felt as though his progress was under threat.

In a puzzling first set, an out-of-sorts Djokovic had his serve broken three times by De Minaur as the Australian capitalised on his uncharacteristically messy start.

Djokovic was hampered by double faults, with two helping De Minaur go an immediate break up on Centre Court, before he recorded another on his way to going down 4-1.

It appeared he had already turned his attention to the second set when he was again broken to concede the first after 30 minutes on court – and that seemed to be confirmed when he broke his opponent’s serve in the first game.

But Djokovic’s struggles continued, with the Serb eventually falling to a sixth break point in a marathon second game to set the tone for a topsy-turvy second set.

Djokovic hinted at his improving level as he responded again, cupping his ear to the crowd after another exchange of breaks, but he still had to withstand two break points as he served out the set.

De Minaur stuck to his task, maintaining his high level to keep unsettling Djokovic, but it was the former world number one who found the breakthrough in the ninth game and landed a closing drop shot to complete the turnaround.

His revival was checked in the fourth set when the unfazed De Minaur went from saving a break point to seizing one on his way to taking a three-game advantage.

But Djokovic, having saved another break point to avoid going 5-1 down, finished with an impressive five-game streak to join Federer as one of only three men in the Open era to reach the last eight at Wimbledon over the age of 38.

“I don’t know how I’m feeling, to be honest. It wasn’t a great start for me,” Djokovic added.

“I was very pleased to hang in tough in the right moments and win this one.”

Alcaraz edged a step closer to becoming only the fifth man in the Open era to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles with a 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory over the Russian 14th seed under the Centre Court roof.

The 22-year-old Spaniard clinched his only break point in both the second and third sets to turn the match around, before a single break of serve again proved enough to end Rublev’s admirable resistance in the fourth.

Alcaraz will face Norrie for a semi-final place after the British number three withstood a fightback from Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry to win in five sets.

On executing his comeback, world number two Alcaraz said in his on-court interview: “It is just about belief in yourself. It doesn’t matter you are set down.

“Tennis can change in one point. One point can change a match completely. You have to stay there all the time, be strong mentally.”

On meeting home favourite Norrie in the next round, he added: “Every time I can turn up on this beautiful court is a gift, so I have to make the most of [it].

“It will be really difficult. Cam is playing great, I know him well. It will be interesting but I’m just excited about playing the quarter-final here.”

Alcaraz continues career-best streak

While expected title rivals Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic continue their serene progress through the draw, Alcaraz has certainly not had everything his own way.

Given a scare by Italian veteran Fabio Fognini before coming through his opener in five sets and almost five hours, he also lost a set in what he described as a “stressful” third-round victory over the 125th-ranked Jan-Lennard Struff.

The ebbs and flows of Alcaraz’s matches are quite the contrast to the near-robotic consistency of world number one Sinner, although the Spaniard tends to save his best for the biggest moments – as evidenced in their blockbuster French Open final.

It soon became apparent that this match – a first meeting between two top-20 men in this year’s draw – would be no different.

Rublev, renowned for his on-court outbursts but who has been working on controlling his emotions to help bridge the gap to the world’s best, settled quickly and seized the first break of serve – to love.

Alcaraz recovered from a 4-1 deficit, and whipped the crowd into a frenzy after taking a 5-3 lead in the tie-break, but Rublev demonstrated the progress he has made by regrouping impressively to close out with four straight points.

However, the momentum switched when, after a run of comfortable holds of serve, Rublev double-faulted on the first break point of the set – and Alcaraz made no mistake in serving out.

In further evidence of his increased resilience, Rublev forced the first three break points of the third set.

But Alcaraz displayed his class with a stunning winner, one which brought the crowd to their feet, to seize his only opportunity in the seventh game – and once again it proved enough as he closed out with a composed drop shot.

Unable to find a way through his opponent’s serve, Rublev conceded the decisive blow when he yielded to a fourth break point in the fifth game.

The former world number five continued to show great spirit, saving three more break points two games later, but Alcaraz would not be denied and served out victory after two hours and 44 minutes.

It means he will go into his eagerly anticipated showdown with Norrie on a career-best 22-match winning streak, having now not lost in 18 matches at the All-England Club.

Speaking after his defeat, Rublev said: “I’m learning to be more kind to myself. That’s why I was able today to be super positive, to fight until the end without saying a word.

“Definitely the level is there. Now it’s more about some details. In the last week and a half since I came to Wimbledon, I don’t remember myself on this kind of level [for a while]. If I will be able to keep it, then for sure something will happen.”

‘Extreme level’ of superstition behind Fritz’s title bid

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Taylor Fritz has won only one of his five quarter-final matches at Grand Slam tournaments

An “extreme level” of superstition is aiding Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon as the world number five bids for a first major title.

The American matched his best run in SW19 by reaching the quarter-finals on Sunday, after Australian opponent Jordan Thompson retired with injury when trailing 6-1 3-0.

After reaching his first major final at the US Open last year, Fritz hopes that sticking to a precise routine off the court can help him take the next step on it.

“I’m superstitious in a way that it just revolves [around] my routine. I don’t have superstitions on court but I take the saying ‘you don’t change a winning formula’ to an extreme,” Fritz said.

“Every single thing I’m doing, I do everything exactly the same. It’s like the second I get off the practice court, I eat, I organise my clothes, I go shower.

“Everything is in the same order to an extreme level.

“I’m a little bit superstitious, but when I repeat the same routines, it gives me confidence that I’m going to keep playing well.”

The 27-year-old denied a first Grand Slam trophy by world number one Sinner in New York 10 months ago, won titles at Stuttgart and Eastbourne in the build-up to Wimbledon.

He will face Karen Khachanov in the last eight after the Russian 17th seed recorded a straightforward 6-4 6-2 6-3 win over Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak.

The 27-year-old, who reached the semi-finals in 2021 and 2023, won 6-4 7-6 (7-4) and will next face world number 104 Laura Siegemund for a place in the last four.

This has been a tournament in which many seeds have tumbled and Sabalenka was the only top six seed remaining in the women’s draw.

It hasn’t been plain sailing for Sabalenka as she came through a tough match against British number one Emma Raducanu to set up her meeting with Mertens.

This again was perhaps tougher than expected, particularly as Sabalenka had beaten 24th seed Mertens nine times in a row prior to meeting at Wimbledon.

“I am super happy with the performance. It was a battle. I was happy to get this win,” said Sabalenka.

“She is a great player and great person. I know how smart she is and I knew she would fight until the very end. She really challenged me today.”

It did initially look like being a comfortable win for Sabalenka as she got an early break on her way to racing into a 4-1 lead, but Mertens got a break back as she started to move her opponent around the court more.

Sabalenka broke Mertens again to take the opening set – but the Belgian continued to cause problems with her aggressive tennis.

She was rewarded for her brave play when she got her first break of the match early in the second set, taking advantage as Sabalenka struggled to get her first serve working before thumping down a backhand winner, and then holding to lead 3-1.

Sabalenka broke back two games later but Mertens was undeterred, the two going toe-to-toe all the way to a tie-break.

But there Sabalenka showed her quality, fighting back from 2-0 down to win and progress.

“Everything is possible,” Sabalenka said of winning Wimbledon.

“I am just trying to give my best and really hope for the best.”

Lucky loser’s fairytale run comes to an end

At 37, Siegemund – Sabalenka’s next opponent – is the oldest woman left in the Wimbledon singles draw.

The veteran German ended lucky loser Solana Sierra’s hugely impressive run at the tournament.

Sierra had lost in qualifying but was invited into the main draw after a withdrawal, only finding out 15 minutes before her first-round match.

The 21-year-old from Argentina was looking to become the first lucky loser to make the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam but her journey was ended in round four as Siegemund won 6-3 6-2.

Finally, 13th seed Amanda Anisimova continued her fine form on grass this year as she beat 30th seed Linda Noskova 6-2 5-7 6-4.

This was her 10th win in 12 outings on this surface in 2025, underlining her credentials as a contender for the title.

Anisimova will next face world number 50 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who knocked out British number three Sonay Kartal earlier on Sunday.

Serb Djokovic was in no mood to delay his near-fated ton at the All England Club and secured the 6-3 6-0 6-4 victory in just one hour and 50 minutes.

It is a feat achieved only by Martina Navratilova and eight-time champion Roger Federer, who holds the record with 105.

If Djokovic wins the trophy at the end of the fortnight, he will still be one shy of the record.

But it would land him an even bigger accomplishment – the record 25th Grand Slam title he has been chasing since last winning a major at the 2023 US Open.

“Wimbledon is a favourite and a dream tournament of not just myself but the majority of players,” he said.

“Growing up, most kids dream of winning here and I’ve been blessed to do that many times here. Any history I make in my favourite tournament… I’m blessed.”

Djokovic celebrated the milestone by performing a ‘pumping’ dance which has become a tradition between him and his children after each win this tournament.

He demonstrated the dance with his daughter – who was sitting in his coaching box – during his on-court speech after the match.

The 38-year-old, seeded sixth, will take on Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur in the fourth round.

As Centre Court’s Royal Box hosted ‘Sporting Saturday’ with a plethora of stars in attendance, it was perhaps fitting that Djokovic continued his pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title in such devastating fashion.

Djokovic was brimming with confidence after his second-round victory over Briton Dan Evans, saying he played “almost flawless tennis” with his serve in particular impressing.

It was the serve that was once again the focal point as he breezed to victory, facing just one break point all match.

World number 49 Kecmanovic knows only too well what his Davis Cup team-mate is capable of and was largely unable to stem the flow from a free-hitting Djokovic.

Numerous rallies were met with gasps from the crowd as Djokovic demonstrated his still-sublime movement and prowess as one of the best returners in the sport.

A lengthy point which ended with Djokovic sat on the turf having fired down a brilliant backhand winner while off balance was met with a standing ovation from a crowd enthralled by the veteran’s capabilities.

Having needed just one break of serve to seal the opener, Djokovic immediately put his opponent on the backfoot in set two and swiftly wrapped up a triple break without giving Kecmanovic a sniff.

The contest was perhaps best summed up by Kecmanovic raising a fist to the crowd as he won the opening game of the third set, finally halting Djokovic’s nine-game streak.

The only blemish on a near-flawless performance from Djokovic came as he tried to serve out the win.

One fan shouted “Don’t panic Novak!” as he went 15-30 down on serve, ironically poking fun at what had largely been a demolition.

Sure of the inevitable outcome, the crowd began to get under his skin in an attempt to prolong the match and Djokovic suffered his only break of the match.

But it was not enough to turn the tide and Djokovic served out at the second opportunity, delivering a message to his peers that he remains someone to beat here.

If he continues on this trajectory, a semi-final meeting with Italian top seed Jannik Sinner feels inevitable, with the world number one producing an equally dominant performance on Centre Court earlier on Saturday.

Not since 2017 has Djokovic suffered defeat by someone other than Carlos Alcaraz at SW19, losing to the defending champion in the past two finals having won the previous four.

But if Djokovic is to clinch that record major it seems he knows this might just be his best chance.

The Czech, who had come into the tournament after an injury scare, had seemed to be in control of the match but became increasingly distressed after being taken to a third set in a 2-6 6-3 6-4 defeat.

“First of all, I thought that it was the food, that I ate too early,” she said. “That’s why I started with all the bananas and all the sugars and stuff inside. But I wasn’t really feeling better, I was actually feeling worse and worse with with the time on court.

“It’s very sad for me and very unfortunate.”

Krejcikova bent over several times behind the baseline at the end of points and had the trainer on midway through the third set to have her blood pressure taken.

When she was one game from defeat, the 29-year-old leaned against the screen at the back of the court and cried.

Wiping away tears as she held serve to stay in the match, the end came in the following game when she netted as 24-year-old Navarro booked a fourth-round meeting with 18-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva, who is the seventh seed.

Krejcikova had only played six matches in an injury-hit season and had pulled out of her Eastbourne quarter-final last month with a thigh injury.

Krejcikova was taken to three sets in her first two matches at the All England Club, coming into the match against Navarro having spent almost twice as long on the court as her opponent.

But she had started brightly, using her trademark shot variety to move Navarro around the court in a dominant first set.

She went a break up early in the second but allowed Navarro to get a foothold back in the match with a loose service game – featuring two double faults and a hugely overcooked forehand.

When she lost the second set, she swiftly left the court under a towel while a pumped Navarro stayed on her feet near the scoreboard for much of the break, seemingly keen to keep up the momentum.

Krejcikova’s difficulties worsened in the third set, when she missed five break points and then dropped serve in the third game.

The 17th seed’s troubles then spilled over into an emotional final few games as she saw her crown slip away.

“All I can say is that in the first half of the match I was definitely enjoying myself on the court and I was feeling quite well,” she added. “But then suddenly out of nowhere I just lost all my energy and I couldn’t really gain it back.

“Emma was just fitter than me, was having more energy, controlling the match at the end.”

In his most one-sided victory of the tournament so far, the 23-year-old comprehensively outclassed 52nd-ranked Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-1 6-3 6-1 in just one hour and 55 minutes under the Centre Court roof.

It is the fourth consecutive year Sinner, a three-time major winner, has reached the last 16 at the All England Club, where he is chasing a first Wimbledon title.

He is the only player in the men’s draw yet to drop a set, losing just 17 games across the six sets he has played and not once having had his serve broken.

Sinner, who will face Bulgarian 19th seed Grigor Dimitrov next, said: “Every time you enter a Grand Slam in the first week it is special, even more so at Wimbledon.

“We are trying to keep pushing but this week could not have gone better for me.”

Sinner cruises through to second week

Amid the unprecedented number of seeded players suffering early exits this week, Sinner has looked untouchable in his five hours and 23 minutes on court.

Martinez, aiming to reach the fourth round of a major for the first time, was seeking to cause a remarkable upset of his own, but against a player who has lost only once to an opponent ranked outside the top five seeds in his four Wimbledon appearances.

The efficiency with which Sinner continues to despatch his lower-ranked opponents has ensured this part of his tournament has felt a near-formality as he effortlessly closes in on an expected semi-final showdown with Novak Djokovic.

He cruised through to this stage, losing just five games against Aleksandar Vukic and seven to Luca Nardi, and once again never appeared under threat on Saturday against Martinez.

Sinner lost just six points in his four service games as he took only 37-minutes to capture the first set, which also included a medical timeout for Martinez to receive treatment for a shoulder problem.

Despite struggling physically, the Spaniard offered resistance at the start of the second with consecutive holds of serve, and again when he admirably battled his way to four break points after falling a break of serve down.

But he was ultimately powerless to stop Sinner closing out another set, before the top seed sealed victory by storming to the finish line.

Sinner has continued to show remarkable consistency over the past 22 months, losing just 11 of 125 matches since the Beijing Open in September 2023.

Almost half of those defeats have come in his past five meetings with Carlos Alcaraz, the defending Wimbledon champion and seeded second at the Championships.

But the Italian will increasingly believe this stellar form can lead him to avenge his painful French Open final loss to Alcaraz – should his Spanish rival also progress to next week’s showpiece as widely expected.

Djokovic, Cilic and Cobolli among Saturday’s winners

Djokovic remains a potential semi-final opponent for Sinner after the seven-time champion beat fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 6-0 6-4 to record his 100th victory at Wimbledon.

Three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Dimitrov set up a meeting with Sinner by defeating Austria’s Sebastian Ofner 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-0).

Former finalist Marin Cilic reached the fourth round for the first time since the Croat finished runner-up in 2017, beating Spain’s Jaume Munar 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-4.

Cilic, 36, will meet Italian 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli, after the 23-year-old knocked out Czech 15th seed Jakub Mensik 6-2 6-4 6-2.

Three Italian men will contest the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time, after Lorenzo Sonego won a 10-point match tie-break against American Brandon Nakashima to prevail 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 7-6 (10-3) after more than five hours.

Sonego faces another American, Ben Shelton, after the 10th seed defeated Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.

Italy’s Sinner, 23, lost just five games in another commanding display on Centre Court as he overpowered his 93rd-ranked opponent in just 100 minutes to reach the third round.

The three-time major winner won 6-1 6-1 6-3, having conceded only seven games in his opening match, as he offered another ominous warning to his rivals.

Spain’s world number 52 Pedro Martinez is his next opponent as he edges closer to a tantalising semi-final showdown against Novak Djokovic.

“Every opponent is very difficult. Third round matches in Grand Slams are always special. We saw there have been so many upsets this tournament so we will try to stay focused and raise our level,” said Sinner.

“Today I thought the level was one good point. I can improve a few things but I am looking forward to it.”

Seven-time champion Djokovic reached the third round by beating Britain’s Dan Evans on Thursday, while Australian world number 11 Alex de Minaur was among those to also progress.

But British world number four Jack Draper, American Tommy Paul, Czech player Tomas Machac and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime became the latest seeded players to exit the men’s draw – meaning just 13 of the 32 seeds remain.

Imperious Sinner building momentum

Since achieving the level of consistency which has brought him to a 56th consecutive week as world number one, Sinner has rarely lost to any player not named Carlos Alcaraz.

A surprise Halle Open defeat by Alexander Bublik in June, which cut short Sinner’s brief grass-court build-up following defeat in the French Open final, was his first loss to anyone other than his Spanish rival in 10 months – and to anyone outside of the top 20 in 67 matches.

Having never been beaten by a player ranked as low as Vukic at Grand Slam tournaments, Sinner’s progress never appeared under threat once he took charge on Centre Court.

Sinner was the first player to face a break point in his second service game, but Vukic, who has never reached the third round at the All England Club, was powerless to prevent his progress from that point.

Delighting the crowd with fierce hitting and trademark precision, Sinner proceeded to take 12 of 13 games from there as he captured the first two sets in just 54 minutes.

Aiming to reach the third round for a fourth consecutive year in the early stages of his bid to become the first Italian player to win a Wimbledon singles title, Sinner had to cope with the will of the crowd turning against him as Vukic offered resistance in the third set.

But he recovered from a brief lapse – and two break points – to make the ultimately decisive breakthrough in the eighth game.

He still had to endure the frustration of going from a fifth match point to break point but, after saving that with a stunning passing forehand winner and calling for more noise from the crowd, Sinner polished off victory at the sixth opportunity with an ace.

It means Sinner has conceded the fewest number of games over the first two rounds of the Wimbledon men’s singles at Wimbledon since record eight-time champion Roger Federer lost just nine in 2004.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Alex de Minaur reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year

More seeds fall as upsets continue

Exits for the seeded players continued on day four as Draper, Paul, Machac and Auger-Aliassime all fell to lower-ranked opponents.

Draper was beaten in four sets by Croatia’s Marin Cilic, while Paul fell 1-6 7-5 6-4 7-5 to Austria’s Sebastian Ofner.

Machac lost a five set marathon in a match tie-break against Denmark’s August Holmgren 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (8-10) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 7-6 (10-5), and Auger-Aliassime lost 3-6 7-6 (11-9) 6-3 6-4 to Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.

But De Minaur battled back after losing the first set to the 115th-ranked Frenchman Arthur Cazaux to win 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-0, a day after he watched fiancee and British number two Katie Boulter go out at the same stage.

“It’s not nice. I felt for Katie yesterday, and I’ve been in those positions myself. It’s not easy to forget about it. It’s something that kind of stays with you,” said De Minaur.

“On my side, there’s obviously the part of doing my best to comfort her and try to be there for her the same way she is there for me through the good stuff and the bad stuff. It definitely does have an impact on yourself.”

Czech player Krejcikova secured a 6-4 4-6 6-2 win over American Caroline Dolehide, while there were also wins for seventh seed Mirra Andreeva, eighth seed Iga Swiatek, 10th seed Emma Navarro and 11th seed Elena Rybakina.

It comes after 16 seeded players tumbled out of the women’s singles draw in the opening three days with nine top-10 seeds across the men’s and women’s singles draws out.

It is just the second time in the Open era that only one of the five top-seeded players – Aryna Sabalenka in this case – has made it through to the third round of the women’s singles at a Grand Slam event.

It leaves the women’s draw open for a potential surprise victor to take the Venus Rosewater Dish at the end of the fortnight, with the last seven women’s singles titles going to different players.

Serena Williams was the last player to successfully defend the trophy, winning back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016.

World number one Sabalenka said after her second-round win that she had put other top seeds’ early exits out of her mind.

That mentality seems to be one that has been adopted in the locker room at SW19 on Thursday as the top seeds made it safely through.

Former champion Rybakina secured an impressive 6-3 6-1 victory over Greek world number 77 Maria Sakkari after teenager Andreeva beat Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 6-1 7-6 (7-4) and American Navarro cruised past Veronika Kudermetova 6-1 6-2.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek later secured her place in round three with a 5-7 6-2 6-1 win over American Caty McNally, ranked 208 in the world.

Elsewhere, Zeynep Sonmez made history to become the first Turkish player to reach the third round of an Open-era Grand Slam, beating Wang Xinyu 7-5 7-5.

Krejcikova ‘feeling good’ after ‘difficult’ six months

Having watched fellow seeded players tumble out, world number 10 Navarro said after her win that “it is kind of anyone’s tournament” and will hope she can include herself in that conversation.

But she faces a tough task in the defending champion Krejcikova next.

Last year’s winner has endured a tumultuous six months and was playing just her eighth match of the year on Thursday, having missed much of the season with a back injury.

She had to pull out of Eastbourne with a thigh problem last week but expressed her joy at being back at Wimbledon following her opening-round win and seems to come alive at the All England Club with a game suited to the grass courts.

This time on the smaller, more intimate court two, having opened play on Centre Court on Tuesday, she came back from 3-1 in the first set against Dolehide, winning four games in a row to wrestle back control.

After world number 62 Dolehide levelled, Krejcikova responded by landing the decisive break in the sixth game of the third set before serving out the match.

“Definitely a huge relief,” she said.

“[I am] really happy and grateful to be here playing matches and feeing good and healthy. The last six to eight months were really difficult for me, really grateful to be here playing tennis and to keep going.”

Evans, now ranked 154th in the world and given a wildcard to play at the All England Club, lost 6-3 6-2 6-0 in their second-round match.

Serb great Djokovic, 38, produced a serving masterclass which even left Evans shaking his head in disbelief at several points.

The 35-year-old home favourite, who was willed on by an encouraging Centre Court crowd, won just nine of his 58 receiving points (16%) in the match.

Djokovic, seeded sixth this year, also demonstrated why he is still one of the best returners in the men’s game by converting six of his 16 break points.

It was an impressive display from the 24-time Grand Slam champion, who is aiming to equal his rival Roger Federer’s record tally of Wimbledon men’s singles titles.

Djokovic is also trying to finally land a standalone record 25th major, having not claimed one of the sport’s most prestigious prizes since the 2023 US Open.

“Everyone knew it was going to be a special atmosphere today – a Brit in Britain is never easy to face,” said Djokovic, who earned his 99th match win at Wimbledon.

“He’s a good quality player who possesses a lot of great talent, a great touch and, with the ball staying low with the slice, it can cause trouble if you’re not at the top of your game.

“But I think was. I executed perfectly. Sometimes you have these days where everything flows.”

Djokovic’s win teed up an all-Serb contest against Miomir Kecmanovic in the third round, with a place in the last 16 on the line.

With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal having retired, Djokovic is the last of the ‘Big Three’ still playing.

Eyeing a record 25th Grand Slam title, Djokovic said he has no time to think about joining his former rivals in retirement.

“I don’t pause to reflect, to be honest. I don’t have time,” he said.

“I think that’s going to come probably when I set the racquet aside and then sip margaritas on the beach with Federer and Nadal and just reflect on our rivalry and everything.

“If I play like today, I feel like I have a very good chance against anybody, really, on the Centre Court of Wimbledon, a place where I maybe feel the most comfortable on any court.”

Was this Evans’ last Wimbledon?

Stepping out again on Centre Court, this time to face arguably the greatest men’s player of all time, was a rich reward for Evans.

A loss of form and injuries over the past couple of seasons led to a brief exile outside the top 200 earlier this year.

The strain of the ageing process and an inescapable feeling of “letting down” his family and supporters have been particularly difficult to deal with.

It led to Evans becoming overcome with emotion in his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon when he opened up about his feelings.

The enthusiasm with which the former world number 21 celebrated beating fellow British wildcard Jay Clarke in the first round illustrated his delight at earning another priceless victory at Wimbledon.

While Evans has indicated he has no plans yet to retire, he also knows there is not much mileage left on the clock of his career.

Asked if this could be his final Wimbledon, he said: “I don’t know. See what this year brings.

“I have to decide at the end of the year. There will definitely be some sort of chat at the end of the year [about] what I want to do.

“It’s not getting any easier, that’s for sure. Waking up after playing matches is hard now.”

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Dan Evans has lost all four of his Wimbledon matches on Centre Court – including a 2016 defeat by Roger Federer

Evans, whose victory over Clarke was his first at the All England Club since 2021, knew there would be no better place to create a shock than beating Djokovic on Centre Court.

But it quickly became clear the gulf in class between the pair was too much.

Evans hung tough in the first set before finally buckling on the 10th break point he faced at 4-3, with Djokovic going on to win 13 of the next 15 games to secure a straightforward victory.

The majority of the 15,000 crowd waited patiently for Evans to pack his racquet bag, so they could send him off the most famous court in the sport with a passionate ovation.

“I believed I could win the match. I felt confident going into the match,” Evans said.

“I understand the occasion and what a moment it was for myself. Of course, it’s disappointing, but I’ll look back with a proud happiness.”

British duo Pinnington Jones and Fery knocked out

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: This was Jack Pinnington Jones’ main draw debut at Wimbledon

Evans was one of three British singles players to exit Wimbledon on Thursday, with wildcards Jack Pinnington Jones and Arthur Fery being beaten by Italian opponents.

Pinnington Jones, who made his debut at the Championships this year, lost 6-1 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 to Flavio Cobolli.

Fery, meanwhile, trailed Luciano Darderi by two sets when play was suspended on Tuesday and he was unable to stage a comeback once the match resumed, losing 6-4 6-3 6-3.

A record 36 seeds have exited Wimbledon after two rounds – 19 men and 17 women.

British world number four Jack Draper, American Tommy Paul, Czech player Tomas Machac and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime became the latest seeded players to exit the men’s draw on Thursday.

In an outstanding performance marked by authority and intensity, the 22-year-old won 6-3 6-3 in just 82 minutes amid an electric atmosphere on Centre Court.

It was a level the former US Open champion will need to replicate – if not improve – when she meets world number one Aryna Sabalenka next and seeks to equal her best run at the Championships in 2021 and 2024.

“I think today I played really, really well. There were some points that I have no idea how I turned around,” an elated Raducanu said in her on-court interview.

“I knew playing Marketa was going to be an incredibly difficult match. She has won this tournament which is a huge achievement.

“I’m really pleased with how I played my game the whole way through.”

Raducanu became the third British player to reach the third round on Wednesday, following earlier victories for Sonay Kartal and Cameron Norrie.

Her victory came on a day when the women’s draw further opened up, as 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini became the fourth top-five seed to exit the tournament.

It is just the second time in the Open era that only one of the top five players – Sabalenka – has made it through to the third round of the women’s singles at a Grand Slam event.

On facing the Belarusian top seed, Raducanu said: “She is number one in the world right now, so dominant on the tour and has won literally everything, so it is going to be a really difficult match.

“I’m just so happy with how I performed and all I can do is control my side of the court as best as possible.

“When you play an opponent like her you know you have to play well so I guess there is no pressure on me at all in the next round.”

Raducanu back to free-flowing best

After regaining her status as British number one following a run to the Queen’s quarter-finals last month, Raducanu spoke about how she is now feeling free to express herself on court.

Her final Wimbledon preparations did not go perfectly, though, and she admitted she needed to get her “head in the game” after losing to Australian teenager Maya Joint in Eastbourne last month.

But, after a comfortable opening victory over compatriot Mimi Xu, this was Raducanu at her free-flowing best.

Following an assured start, she made a deserved breakthrough in the sixth game with a stunning passing winner on the first break point of the match.

Vondrousova offered an immediate response but the Briton regained her composure and pounced again on a fourth break point opportunity for a 5-3 lead, before seeing out the set.

Raducanu did not allow her intensity to drop at the start of the second as, to the delight of her adoring home crowd, she again broke the 26-year-old Czech’s resistance with a third break point for a 2-1 lead.

She began her push for the finish line by avoiding a repeat of the immediate setback in the opening set, battling to a superb hold from two break points down.

Such was the consistency Raducanu had shown on serve, she closed in on victory untroubled, and the chair umpire had to remind the crowd to remain quiet during the points as their excitement increased.

Securing victory with a final break of serve, the manner of this success against a former champion will give her a major lift heading into a tantalising encounter with Sabalenka.

Raducanu has already made encouraging progress this year to return to the top 40, following a 2024 season which she began ranked 303rd following surgery on both wrists and her left ankle.

The continuation of her positive trajectory has been aided by the addition of former British number one Mark Petchey to her coaching team since March.

Technical work on Raducanu’s serve and forehand, as well as a push towards a more aggressive approach, have been among their key areas of focus.

That was all evident here in a statement success.

Despite her own injury issues, Vondrousova had proved a serious threat on grass by defeating five top-50 players, including Sabalenka, at the Berlin Open to lift her first title in 24 months.

But she was thoroughly outclassed by Raducanu, who had lost their previous two meetings, and the Briton will now prepare for the ultimate test of her progress on Friday.

The 21-year-old qualifier put up an entertaining fight – showing signs of his vast potential – but ultimately lost 6-1 6-4 6-4 on Centre Court.

Ranked 733rd in the world, Tarvet created 11 break points against the five-time Grand Slam champion.

But the Englishman – who studies in the United States – could only take two of those opportunities and never looked like seriously causing an upset.

“I want to give credit to Oliver – I love his game,” said second seed Alcaraz, who secured a 20th match win in a row.

“The level he played in his first match on Centre Court, which I know is difficult, was great.

“I knew I had to be really focused from the beginning. I’m happy with my performance.”

Tarvet’s run of four victories – three in qualifying and another in the first round proper – means he should be taking home prize money of £99,000.

However, he is only allowed to claim $10,000 (£7,290) in profit every year under American college rules, as well as any expenses incurred during the events.

Despite showing he can test the very best in the professional ranks, Tarvet still plans to return to the University of San Diego next year to conclude his four-year communications and marketing degree.​​​​​​​

How Tarvet pushed one of the sport’s superstars

Few British tennis fans had even heard of Tarvet this time last week.

But, after coming through qualifying to reach his first Grand Slam main draw, his stock has continued to rise.

A confident victory over Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi in the first round set up an eye-catching meeting with Alcaraz, who is looking to become only the fifth player to win three successive men’s titles in the Open era.

Stepping out on to the sport’s most iconic court to face a global superstar would be a daunting prospect for many inexperienced youngsters.

Tarvet had never played in front of more than several hundred people, but was greeted to a warm ovation from the 15,000 fans – many of who were dreaming of seeing a memorable upset.

With Alcaraz misfiring in the early exchanges, there were gasps of shock as the Briton found himself with three break points in the opening game.

Alcaraz recovered to save each of them, then broke in the next game, and the mood threatened to flatten.

But Tarvet continued to play with energy and expression – like he regularly does on the NCAA circuit – to create five more break points and reignite the atmosphere.

Highlights included coming out on top of a 27-shot rally, showing his speed to put away a trademark Alcaraz drop shot and lasering a passing forehand winner when the favourite came forward.

Tarvet’s level increased further in the second set. He kept a tight rein on his illustrious opponent until losing serve to love with the set delicately poised at 4-4.

Alcaraz served out for a two-set lead and, after threatening to break in a lengthy game to open the third, took his next opportunity for a 3-2 advantage.

Still Tarvet showed he was not prepared to roll over. The home fans were back on their feet as he hit straight back for 3-3, but the energy he exerted to do that meant a dip came in the next game and he lost serve again.

After Alcaraz completed victory, he congratulated Tarvet on his performance and appeared to offer advice as they chatted arm in arm.

He also graciously joined in with a standing ovation as Tarvet left the court and, while the Briton’s long-term future is unknown, he looks capable on this evidence of forging a decent professional career after his studies.

Alcaraz enjoys more comfortable afternoon

Coming through in straight sets represented a much more comfortable afternoon for Alcaraz, who was taken to a decider by Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in his opening match.

While his serve came under pressure again, the 22-year-old’s groundstrokes were generally cleaner and his injection of pace proved too much for Tarvet.

It meant Alcaraz was never in danger of becoming the latest seed to fall, with eight of the men’s top 20 already out.

Russian pair Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov also avoided adding to that tally with comeback wins over South Africa’s Lloyd Harris and Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki.

Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, who has quickly become the most hyped player on the ATP Tour, beat American Jenson Brooksby in four sets to set up a third-round meeting with Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry.

Jarry has fallen down the rankings because of an ear condition which affects his balance and vision, , externalbut followed up his stunning win over eighth seed Holger Rune with a straight-set victory over American teenager Learner Tien.

But Queen’s runner-up Jiri Lehecka, the Czech 23rd seed, was beaten 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 7-5 by Italy’s Mattia Bellucci.

Italian fourth seed Paolini’s 4-6 6-4 6-4 second-round defeat by Kamilla Rakhimova came after eight top-10 seeds across the men’s and women’s singles draws went out across the opening two days – the most at a Grand Slam in the Open era.

But Sabalenka avoided that same fate with a gritty 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 win over Czech world number 48 Marie Bouzkova.

It means the only top-five seed remaining in the women’s draw at the All England Club after day three of the Championships is top seed Sabalenka.

The Belarusian is aiming to add a maiden Wimbledon title to her three Grand Slam triumphs at the US and Australian Opens.

After her win, the top seed told the Centre Court crowd: “I hope it is no upsets any more in this tournament, if you know what I mean!”

Sabalenka, 27, has reached the final of both majors this year, but lost to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff at the French Open.

“Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament in both draws,” she added.

“I’m just trying to take it one step at a time. I know if I’m focused, if I’m there, if I’m fighting, I know I’m going to have my chance in each match.

“I think it’s really important to focus on yourself and to take it one step at a time – do not really look at the draw.

“This is something that can create a lot of nerves and a lot of doubts.”

Sabalenka will face Emma Raducanu in round three after the British number one overcame 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova later on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, American Keys breezed into the third round with a comfortable 6-4 6-2 win over Serbia’s Olga Danilovic, while four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka beat Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2.

After a scorching couple of days at SW19, handheld fans were replaced by umbrellas on a drizzly morning which delayed play on the outside courts by almost two hours but the sun came out in time for Sabalenka’s match.

The three-time major winner made tough work of the opening set, struggling to find consistency and, while not playing badly, she was not clinical in crucial moments.

Having watched three of the top five seeds fall on day two, including French Open champion Gauff, Sabalenka would have welcomed a draw that was beginning to open up.

But eye rolling and shouting in frustration at times, she could not conjure a break point in the first set and instead went down a break when she double-faulted at 5-5 to hand Bouzkova the lead.

That was met with a big cheer from a Wimbledon crowd desperate to back the Czech underdog, but they were equally as animated when Sabalenka let out a huge roar as she dug deep to force the tie-break.

A more straightforward second set followed as she secured the break in the fifth game, ramping up the aggression and executing each of her signature powerful groundstrokes with a loud grunt.

Paolini one of 16 seeds out of women’s draw

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Paolini reached the Wimbledon and French Open finals last year

Paolini’s energetic style and personality lit up SW19 last year as she reached a second career Grand Slam final but missed out to Barbora Krejcikova.

This year she is one of 16 seeds to exit the women’s draw in the opening two rounds so far.

The 29-year-old slumped to defeat on a shady Court Three, despite taking the first set with ease.

A lengthy game in set two where Russian world number 62 Rakhimova saved break points seemed to be the turning point for Paolini’s downfall.

She was broken at 3-3 then could not prevent Rakhimova serving out for the set.

Unable to muster a fightback after immediately being broken in the decider, she cut a disgruntled figure as she saved three match points but went out at the fourth.

While no upsets on day three were as significant as Paolini’s, more seeds tumbled out with 12th seed Diana Shnaider, Brazilian 21st seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, Croatian 22nd seed Donna Vekic and Canadian 29th seed Leylah Fernandez all heading out of the door.

The former British number one, who got to the semi-finals of the Championships in 2022, won 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 and will next face world number 73 Mattia Bellucci of Italy.

But there was disappointment for compatriot Katie Boulter as she was knocked out in a surprise 7-6 (9-7) 2-6 1-6 defeat by lucky loser Solana Sierra from Argentina.

British wildcard Billy Harris lost 6-3 6-4 7-6 (9-7) to world number 37 Nuno Borges, while the last home player in action on Wednesday, Arthur Fery, will return on Thursday after his match with Luciano Darderi was suspended due to fading light on Court 2, with the Italian leading 4-6 3-6.

Sonay Kartal had earlier become the first Briton to go through on day three, comfortably seeing off Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-2.

Norrie’s win did not come as easily but was just as impressive as he battled back from losing the first set to win the next three, undoing the American 12th seed with some brilliant tennis that had the Court One crowd on their feet.

Norrie climbed as high as eighth in the world three years ago but he is now 61st, with injury and poor form dropping him down the rankings.

“When I was in the top 10 and the top 20, everything was very automatic. It was on to the next thing and the next thing,” he said.

“I think it’s a good thing to go through, being injured, not winning, then having the resilience to back yourself.”

The pivotal moment in his tie came in the fourth set when, after having a break that would have put him on the cusp of victory immediately wiped out, Norrie dug in to get another and go on to seal the success.

It was the second match in a row he has had to come through four sets, having overcome Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut in sweltering conditions on Monday.

But this was a performance to give the 29-year-old encouragement he can progress beyond the third round at Wimbledon for only the second time.

“I’m enjoying my tennis more than ever,” added Norrie.

“It was really nice coming up to get into the top 10 but it’s just tough, really tough, to stay there.

“On the flip side side of that, I was coming into the match today against Frances, being the underdog, playing for free.”

Boulter bows out as Sierra cruises to success

Boulter had been hoping to continue the British success on Court One as her match followed on from Norrie’s.

Hopes were high when the 28-year-old made an eye-catching start to her Wimbledon tournament with a rare victory over a top 10 player, upsetting Spain’s Paula Badosa.

Boulter went into that match as the underdog, but faced Sierra – ranked 101st in the world – as the favourite and that change in expectation and pressure may have played a part in this disappointing loss.

She found herself 5-2 down in the first set but drew on the home support to battle back, winning the next three games before coming out on top in a tense tie-break.

But it was deja vu in the second set as Boulter was broken again and there was to be no response this time as she went down 6-2.

Too many double faults on her serve proved costly and Sierra raced into a commanding 4-0 lead in the decider.

That was too much for British number two Boulter to come back from as her 21-year-old opponent sealed the impressive win, dropping just one game.

Sierra originally lost in qualifying before being invited to the main draw as a lucky loser.

The victory does present her with a dilemma – albeit a welcome one – as her longer-than-expected stay means she has had to keep finding somewhere to stay.

“I lost in the third round of qualifying and I have already changed apartment three times,” said Sierra. “Now we are going to change again!”

Impressive Kartal continues progress

Kartal continued her impressive form at Wimbledon by becoming the first British player to reach round three this year with a dominant victory over Tomova.

After two days of blistering heat, the start to Wednesday’s play was delayed by more than two hours because of rain in the morning.

But once the action did begin, Kartal followed up her impressive first-round win against 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko by quickly despatching Tomova.

It is the second year in a row the British number three has reached the third round at Wimbledon.

“I felt good in the warm-up and on court I felt good. I was seeing it and hitting it very clean. It was one of those good days in the office,” said Kartal.

“I wanted to back up the run I had last year. I wanted to show I am at this level now and I can consistently play.

“The last couple of months I have thrown myself on the scene. This year I made a conscious effort to only play the bigger matches. I am feeling much more confidence in my game.”

After getting the first break of serve in the sixth game of the opening set, Kartal really got into her stride, hitting impressive winners before breaking again at 5-2 up to take the first set.

It did not get any better for Tomova in the second set as the 23-year-old home favourite won the first four games to asset her dominance.

Tomova managed to break serve in the fifth game, but it only delayed the Briton’s march to an excellent win.

Next up for Kartal is a match against French qualifier Diane Parry, who beat 12th seed and world number 15 Diana Shnaider 6-4 6-1.

The American second seed was beaten 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 by Ukraine world number 42 Dayana Yastremska on a packed Court One under the roof.

Gauff, 21, was a contender for the title at SW19 following her triumph at Roland Garros less than a month ago.

But a performance strewn with double faults and unforced errors handed Yastremska a rare opportunity against the world number two and she grasped it with both hands to reach the second round.

Gauff teared up as she expressed “disappointment” at the loss and said she would do things differently in the build-up to the grass-court swing next time, particularly after a deep run at the French Open.

“I think it’s just changing my playing style a little bit, which is difficult,” she said.

“I have faith that if I can make these adjustments, I can do well here. I really do want to do well here.

“I’m not someone who wants to write myself off grass this early in my career, but I definitely need to make changes if I want to be successful here.”

The shock result follows first-round exits for fellow top-five seeds Jessica Pegula and Zheng Qinwen on day two at the Championships.

American third seed Pegula lost 6-2 6-3 to Italy’s world number 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto while Olympic champion Zheng went down 7-5 4-6 6-1 to Katerina Siniakova.

Gauff questions Wimbledon preparations

Just three and a half weeks ago Gauff was on top of the world, having lifted the trophy at Roland Garros after beating world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

But a lacklustre performance laden with mistakes on her unfavoured surface saw the two-time major winner head out early against the unseeded Yastremska, leading her to question her build-up to the grass-court major.

“I just feel like the surface, I maybe could have used more matches,” she said.

“If you go deep in Roland Garros, you’re debating: ‘do I rush and play that week, or do I take time and play the week before?’ It’s a tricky thing.

“It’s like finding the puzzle. I don’t like to play the week before. It’s a quick turnaround, so I think just trying to learn whether it’s better to train more and maybe play Bad Homburg or Eastbourne.

“If that time comes around again I’ll approach it differently.”

Since winning her first title on the Paris clay last month Gauff has played just one match, a first-round defeat by qualifier Wang Xinyu of China at the Berlin Open.

In that match, she was plagued by double faults and those demons were back to haunt her again at SW19.

Gauff recorded nine double faults and 29 unforced errors compared with just six winners and struggled against Yastremska’s aggressive style and powerful ground strokes.

Success on grass continues to elude her with Wimbledon the only Grand Slam where Gauff is yet to reach the last eight.

Pegula records ‘worst result of year’ as Zheng also falls

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Pegula has never gone beyond the quarter-finals at Wimbledon

Pegula said her first-round exit earlier on Tuesday was her “worst result of the year” as she was beaten by a player ranked 113 places below her.

The 31-year-old had heavy strapping on her right knee but said that did not bother her as she was dismantled in just 58 minutes on Court Two by Cocciaretto.

“This is definitely probably the worst result I’ve had all year,” the American said.

“I’ve been winning lots of matches. It’s just all about it having to come together for two weeks. Sometimes it doesn’t quite all align when you need it to.”

Pegula has only once gone beyond the quarter-final stage of a major – at last year’s US Open where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the final – and has gone out before the last eight in all three Grand Slam tournaments since.

This marks her worst performance at a major since the 2020 French Open.

Less than three hours later she was followed out of the door by Chinese fifth seed Zheng after a grass-court lesson from doubles champion Siniakova.

Siniakova, who has won the Wimbledon women’s doubles title three times, showed her grass-court pedigree to ensure Zheng’s challenge ended at the first hurdle for the third year in a row. It was the Czech who also knocked her out at the same stage two years ago.

Polish eighth seed Iga Swiatek advanced with a comprehensive 7-5 6-1 victory over Russia’s Polina Kudermetova.

Teenager Mirra Andreeva was also a 6-3 6-3 winner against Egypt’s Mayar Sherif while 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina cruised through with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Armenia’s Elina Avanesyan.

Seven-time champion Djokovic, who could meet Sinner in the semi-finals, began his latest pursuit of an outright-record 25th major title by overcoming Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-1 6-7 (7-9) 6-2 6-2 on Centre Court.

The Serb appeared to struggle early in the third set – later confirming that “something was off with the stomach” – but rediscovered his form following a medical timeout to win 10 of the final 12 games.

“I went from feeling my absolute best for a set and a half to my absolute worst for about 45 minutes. Whether it was a stomach bug, I don’t know what it is,” Djokovic said.

“I struggled with that but the energy came back and I managed to finish the match on a good note.”

Contesting his first Grand Slam match since losing one of the all-time great French Open finals to Carlos Alcaraz last month, world number one Sinner lost just seven games in a dominant a 6-4 6-3 6-0 win over fellow Italian Luca Nardi.

But Germany’s Zverev became the fourth top-10 ranked men’s player to exit the tournament across the first two days of action.

Defeats for third seed Zverev and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti came on a day when French Open champion Coco Gauff became the third top-five seed to lose in the women’s draw.

Djokovic survives eventful opener

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Novak Djokovic has never lost in the Wimbledon first round in 19 appearances

Djokovic stated before the tournament his belief that Wimbledon offers his best chance of disrupting the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to land his 25th Grand Slam title.

The 38-year-old appeared set to cruise through his opener as he won six consecutive games and lost only two points on serve in a scintillating 30-minute first-set display.

But the remainder of the match proved a much sterner test of the former world number one’s resolve.

Djokovic could not find a way past an improving Muller, despite creating 11 break points – including four set points – before he was taken to a tie-break.

He also led that 5-2, only for the battling Muller to produce a stunning recovery in which he won seven of the next nine points to level the match before the roof was closed.

There was concern for Djokovic early in the third set when the sixth seed called a medical timeout amid an obvious shift in his body language.

The assistance he received from the doctor, in the form of a tablet, appeared to have an immediate effect as he wrested back control of the contest, rediscovering his former level to take the third set by winning five successive games.

Muller, who also received a medical timeout to have treatment on his right calf, continued to delight the crowd with his resistance and forced a first couple of break points on Djokovic’s serve at the beginning of the fourth set.

But Djokovic, outstanding on serve throughout, held firm before making his break for the finish line – eventually serving out the match to love less than 30 minutes before the 23:00 BST play curfew.

He will face Britain’s Dan Evans in the second round, having now won 40 of his past 42 matches at Wimbledon – his only two defeats coming against Alcaraz in the past two finals.

Sinner makes impressive start

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Image caption: Jannik Sinner has held the top ranking for 12 months, despite serving a three-month doping suspension this year

After his devastating defeat by Alcaraz in Paris, in which he squandered a two-set lead and three championship points in a five-and-a-half-hour epic, Sinner announced his arrival as one of the title favourites at SW19.

The top seed, a three-time major winner, comprehensively outclassed the 95th-ranked Nardi to complete an efficient victory in one hour and 48 minutes on the UK’s hottest day of the year.

The 23-year-old, who will face Australian Aleksandar Vukic next, reflected on his French Open loss in his post-match interview.

“New tournament, new chances, new challenges,” said Sinner, after demonstrating why he has reached at least the quarter-finals at Wimbledon for the past three years.

“If you don’t enjoy playing on these courts, I don’t know where you will enjoy [it]. I’m very happy to be here and let’s see what is coming.”

Nardi, 21, offered resistance in the first set and managed to escape the first five break points he faced – but it was not long before Sinner asserted himself.

Eventually taking his seventh opportunity to clinch the breakthrough and capture the first set, Sinner carried that momentum into the second as the gulf between the players became increasingly apparent as the match wore on.

Nardi was unable to live with Sinner’s devastating combination of pace, power and precision hitting and an entirely one-sided third set barely stretched beyond 20 minutes.

​​​​​​​Top men’s seeds continue to fall

In a match that finished almost 24 hours after it started, suspended at one set apiece late on Monday night, Zverev came up short against the inspired Rinderknech in five sets.

Zverev twice served to stay in the match in the fourth set, and recovered from a 4-1 deficit in the tie-break to force a decider.

But the 72nd-ranked Rinderknech held his nerve after securing an early break in the fifth to win 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (8-10) 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 and achieve his first career victory over a top-five player.

Italian Musetti, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, also suffered a surprise first-round defeat, losing 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1 to qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, of Georgia.

Those losses came after Danish eighth seed Holger Rune and Russian ninth seed Daniil Medvedev exited the tournament on Monday.

Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan’s 28th seed and winner of the Halle Open in the build-up to Wimbledon, served for the match in the fourth set against Spain’s Jaume Munar before losing 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2.

American fifth seed Taylor Fritz returned to complete a comeback victory from two sets down, winning 6-7 (6-8) 6-7 (8-10) 6-4 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 after his match against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard was suspended late on Monday.

The Tunisian former world number two, who has dropped down the rankings over the past year because of injuries and is now 59th, left the court for 14 minutes at 3-2 in the first set when she took a medical timeout.

She had looked distressed before that while sitting on her chair at the changeover, burying her head in her towel, drinking water and putting an ice towel around her neck before a physio took her blood pressure.

She returned to the court but never looked comfortable as the temperature at Wimbledon headed towards 30C and called it a day with Bulgaria’s Tomova leading 7-6 (7-5) 2-0.

“I wasn’t expecting not to feel good,” said Jabeur, who did not hold a news conference and left with a doctor. “I have been practising pretty well the last few days but I guess these things happen.

“I’m pretty sad, it really doesn’t really help with my confidence and what I keep pushing myself to do, even though it has been a very tough season for me.”

She added that she would now rest and just “try to disconnect a little bit from tennis” and spend some time with her family.

The weather forecast points to temperatures climbing as high as 33C in south-west London on Monday.

The hottest opening Wimbledon day on record was in 2001, when temperatures reached 29.3C. The hottest-ever day at SW19 was 1 July 2015, when it reached 35.7C.