Key events
The wins keep on coming on the outside courts. Which is great news considering the forecast isn’t good this evening. Madison Keys, the two-times quarter-finalist, has booked her place in the fourth round with a fairly routine 6-4, 6-3 win over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. Keys next faces Jasmine Paolini. And a huge win for Paula Badosa, the former world No 2 who’s been cut down by injuries since reaching that career-high ranking two years ago. The Spaniard has defeated the Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.
Tiafoe, not content with a two sets to one lead against the defending champion, is pushing on Alcaraz’s serve at 15-30, 1-1. But Alcaraz sends down a 130mph serve bomb and it’s 30-all. A 128mph one then gets Alcaraz to 40-30. Game. It’s Alcaraz 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 2-1 Tiafoe.
On the subject of obscenely wealthy tennis players (see about 40 minutes ago), here’s an email from Robert Dulgarian: “I am not sure about personal net worth, but the Pegula family is worth rather more than the Navarro family. Admittedly Jessica Pegula is better known on the WTA Tour than Emma Navarro, so perhaps your qualifier ‘that you have never heard of’ is definitive. Best, Robert (not much in the way of net worth)”
Lighten up Frances came into @Wimbledon with a 13-14 record on the year and struggling with the knee after a fall at queens, this is the greatness of tennis 🎾 no results given
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) July 5, 2024
Tiafoe wins the third set 6-4
This game goes to 30-all too. So will it next be set point or break point? Set point – as Alcaraz goes for the line but his backhand is just long. Tiafoe can’t take it as he blazes a backhand well wide. That was ugly. Deuce. Advantage Tiafoe, a second set point. Tiafoe puts the pressure on Alcaraz by rushing to the net … and Alcaraz’s attempted pass goes wide! The Spaniard is on the ropes – he’ll have to go to five sets if his title defence is to continue.
Crunch time for Alcaraz at 30-all, as he serves to stay in the set at 5-3 down. The defending champion produces a 127mph second-serve ace – which shows the risks he’s having to take against the inspired Tiafoe. Will enough of these low-percentage shots land? Alcaraz edges through from deuce – but Tiafoe will serve for the third set.
Daniil Medvedev, the fifth seed, has secured the first set 6-1 against Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff; Daria Kasatkina and Paula Badosa are into a deciding set; Madison Keys has taken the opening set 6-4 against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk; Fabio Fognini and Roberto Bautista Agut are locked at one set all; while France’s Ugo Humbert leads the young American Brandon Nakashima by two sets to love – they’re in a third-set tie-break.
A chance for Tiafoe, at 15-40 on Alcaraz’s serve. Tiafoe lobs … Alcaraz chases it back and has enough time to run around it, but, always the entertainer, tries the tweener and it doesn’t come off. Tiafoe breaks and leads 4-3 in the third set! If Tiafoe holds serve from here, Alcaraz will have to go to five sets if he’s to survive.
Dimitrov, who reached the semi-finals here 10 years ago, has just edged the first set 6-3. Monfils seems to have forgotten he’s playing on a grass court rather than clay, and is playing a bit too defensively. Hopefully he’ll find some of that flashy power of his in the next set.
If you’ve recovered from all the tear-jerking tributes to Murray and can handle another trip down memory lane, let’s get over to No 1 Court, where the 37-year-old Gael Monfils is taking on the 33-year-old Grigor Dimitrov. Incredibly, it’s the first time these two have met since 2016.
Tiafoe gets himself a break point with a volley so casual he almost didn’t make it. The American breathes a sigh of relief. But then has the wind knocked out of him, with another body serve from Alcaraz on break point. Alcaraz has been targeting Tiafoe with that tactic a lot this afternoon. Deuce. Advantage Alcaraz. Game Alcaraz. Alcaraz now leads 5-7, 6-2, 2-1, but they’re still on serve in this third set.
News of two more wins:
Emma Navarro, quite possibly the richest tennis player you’ve never heard of, has come from a set down to defeat Diana Shnaider 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Navarro, the daughter of an American billionaire investment tycoon, boasts an estimated worth that is more than Djokovic, Nadal and Federer combined. So it’s good to see she’s not afraid to slug out a three-set win on a wet day at Wimbledon.
And Lulu Sun, the 23-year-old New Zealander, has reached the fourth round on her debut here, beating China’s Zhu Lin 7-6, 7-6.
Remember this guy?
Nine years after pulling off one of the great Wimbledon shocks, taking out Rafael Nadal in the second round, Brown has been in men’s doubles action this afternoon. The German, who plans to retire at the end this year and is partnering Sebastian Baez of Argentina here, has won his opening-round match in three sets.
Alcaraz wins the second set 6-2 against Tiafoe
At 30-all on Tiafoe’s serve, Alcaraz looks in the mood to finish the set off in this game. That would leave him serving first in the third. Tiafoe moves forward on the next point, but takes a tumble at the net. Alcaraz comes over to check his opponent is OK. Nice touch. Tiafoe is good to continue, but must face a set point. A cross-court backhand winner from Alcaraz and they’re all square! What a response to losing the first set.
Tiafoe shows tremendous touch with a drop shot at the net. It gets him to 40-30 on the Alcaraz serve, and then Alcaraz’s feet don’t quite move fast enough on the next point and he mistimes his forehand. Deuce. A big body serve from Alcaraz and Tiafoe is winded. Advantage Alcaraz. Game Alcaraz – when he serve-volleys and is rewarded for his bravery. Tiafoe must serve to stay in the set at 5-2 down.
I’m in bits again, especially after listening to what Serena said about Murray’s fight for equality and his support for her and Venus. But I’m trying to dry my eyes because Alcaraz has just brought up a break point against Tiafoe at 3-2 in the second set, having lost the first set 7-5. Tiafoe thwacks away a smash. They’re back to deuce. Alcaraz gets himself another break point by charging to the net to take matters into his own hands. Tiafoe biffs a backhand into the net and Alcaraz has the break! It’s Alcaraz 5-7, 4-2 Tiafoe.
This is an emotional watch too, if you’ve not yet seen it.
Get the tissues out again. Serena Williams has just posted this for Andy Murray.
Jasmine Paolini 👉 the first Italian player in the Open Era to make the Round of 16 at each of the first three Women’s Singles Grand Slam events in a season 🇮🇹
She’s also the first player into the fourth round here at #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/R8akjv82we
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2024
Tommy Paul, that was picture perfect 🖼️
The No.12 seed powers through Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just one hour and 25 minutes – his eighth win in a row on grass 😯#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Ev9z84f9wH
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2024
RBA, by the way, took the first set on a tie-break, eight points to six, against Fognini. It’s going on serve in the second, with Fognini 3-2 up.
Paul isn’t far behind Paolini, because the highest-ranked American man has breezed past Bublik 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 – having refused to be derailed by Bublik’s ace with an underarm serve in the second set. Paul will face Fabio Fognini or Roberto Bautista Agut next – so has an excellent chance of reaching the quarter-finals here for the first time.
Paolini, with that infectious smile that is as wide as the No 1 Court, says:
I was enjoying it a lot. It was really nice to play in front of you guys. It’s a dream to play in this stadium. I played a good match, I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for cheering for me. It’s really fun to play on grass. I’m playing doubles here too, I think it’s helping me.
Paolini beats Andreescu 7-6, 6-1
Match point for Paolini on No 1 Court, at 7-6, 5-1, 15-40 on Andreescu’s serve. And a blistering backhand return gets the job done! The French Open runner-up is the first player through to the last 16. Having never been beyond the second round of a grand slam and the first round of Wimbledon before this year, the 28-year-old is just getting better and better and is fast becoming a crowd favourite here.
Elsewhere: the Queen’s champion Tommy Paul is closing in on the fourth round, leading Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-4, 4-1. And the tall, powerful Spaniard Paula Badosa has won the first set on a tie-break, eight points to six, against the 14th seed Daria Kasatkina, who served out a double bagel to Britain’s Lily Miyazaki yesterday.
Tiafoe takes the first set 7-5 against Alcaraz
15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game and set. Another nerveless love hold from Tiafoe, who’s pumping his fist repeatedly – and is still doing so as he sits down on his chair.
Alcaraz tries to take Tiafoe’s head off with a passing shot, but Tiafoe reacts quickly enough to put away the winning volley. 30-all. And Tiafoe tugs Alcaraz forward on the next point and the Spaniard goes wide. 30-40, break point. And a deep return is too much for Alcaraz! Tiafoe breaks! And from 4-2 down the 29th seed will serve for the first set at 6-5. A superb display of returning from Tiafoe.
