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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
Sport
Paul Myers

Broady outwits Ruud to reach third round at Wimbledon

World number 142 Liam Broady beat the fourth seed Casper Ruud in five sets to advance to third round at Wimbledon. AP - Kirsty Wigglesworth

Unseeded Briton Liam Broady outmanoeuvred the fourth seed Casper Ruud on Thursday to reach the third round at Wimbledon.

The 29-year-old, who was invited to play in the main draw by the organisers, won 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 in three hours and 27 minutes to reach the last-32 for the second year running.

"I was thinking last night about what I would say if I won," said Broady during his post match on-court interview. "Now I'm here ... I don't what to say."

He could have recounted how his blend of grass court craft and lefty slice bedazzled the world number four who appeared leaden-hooved in comparison to the lesser ranked man's fleet feet.

The world number 142 will next take on the 26th seed Denis Shapovalov who beat the unseeded Frenchman Gregoire Barrere in straight sets.

"Denis is a mercurial talent," said Broady. "He's one of the best players in the world and he's won junior Wimbledon." Acknowledging the packed Centre Court, he added: "But with a crowd like this ... why not have a go again."

Ruud appeared to have wrested control after seizing the second and third set.

But Broady broke at the outset of the fourth set and held on to take it 6-3. He took Ruud's service at the beginning of the decider to put himself in the driving seat and he maintained his no nonsense flat ball-striking to secure a famous win.

Ruud said he had no complaints about the result. "If you look at what kind of player he is, what kind of player I am, there's no doubt that I think he's a much better grass court player than myself.

Expderience

"He has more experience. His shots are much more effective than mine on grass. He moves probably better,"

Ruud, who reached the final at the French Open in Paris last month, added. "You could see I was slipping a little here and there, losing my balance. He has a tricky lefty serve, which is tough on the grass where it skids off."

Elsewhere in the men's draw, 19th seed Alex Zverev moved into the second round following a straight sets win over the qualifier Gijs Brouwer.

And the seventh seed Andrey Rublev came from a set down to see off Aslan Karatsev and reach the third round.

In the women's draw, fifth seed Caroline Garcia recovered from a set down to beat the unseeded Canadian Leylay Fernandez in a third set tiebreaker.

Qualifier Sofia Kenin, who beat seventh seed Coco Gauff in the opening round, moved into the last-32 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Xinyu Wang from China. There were second round wins also for the former world number one Victoria Azarenka and the Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.

The 16-year-old, who came through the qualifying tournament, advanced after the 10th seed Barbora Krejcikova retired in the second set due to injury.

"It's not the way I wanted to win the match, of course," Andreeva said. "She had some problems with her foot. Of course, I wish her the speedy recovery."

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