Incredible! Watson wins on the Williams serve once again to go a DOUBLE BREAK UP. I thought I’d write it in capitals just in case you didn’t believe it. It’s too soon to write off the 20-times grand slam champion though, and Williams breaks in a marathon fourth game to at least make some mark in the set. But it’s Watson leading 3-1.
It’s time to wrap this blog up now, so please join Jacob over in the game-by-game for the denouement of Watson v Williams. Though given the magnitude of what Watson could achieve, I think it’s now more of a point-by-point. Win or lose from here, it’s been remarkable from the British No1. Many thanks for reading. Bye!
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Watson v Williams and Isner v Cilic are two of only three remaining singles matches today.
So the fourth-round draw in the top half is almost complete:
Men’s singles
Djokovic v Anderson
Wawrinka v Goffin
Gasquet v Kyrgios
Cilic/Isner v Kudla/Giraldo
Women’s singles
S Williams/Watson v V Williams
Azarenka v Bencic
Sharapova v Diyas
Vandeweghe v Safarova
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Isner claims the tie-break 8-6 and it’s one set all.
Watson has only gone and broken at the start of the third set. Serena is looking super tight, perhaps the weight of history and that potential calendar slam is weighing heavy on her arm and mind, but Watson is playing with the full force of the Centre Court crowd behind her. This really would be remarkable if Watson was to pull this off. Watson consolidates the break and leads 2-0!
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Venus Williams awaits either Serena or Watson in the last 16. She’s had a much easier time of it than her sister, defeating Aleksandra Krunic 6-3, 6-2.
Watson takes Williams to a decider!
The Centre Court patrons are beside themselves as Watson comes from a break point down to take the second set 6-4 against Williams! After Dustin Brown dumped out Rafael Nadal last night, could there be an almighty shock this evening? The last time a British woman beat a world No1 was 36 years ago. There’s still some way to go, of course, but what’s the harm in dreaming?
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Cilic and Isner are into a ...
You don’t even need me to complete the sentence, do you?
Wild jubilation on Centre Court as a string of Serena errors gives Watson a break for 5-4 in second. She'll serve to force third. #wimbledon
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 3, 2015
Centre Court rises. Watson has broken and will serve for the second set! You can follow every twist and turn with Jacob here.
Cilic goes against the script, getting to 0-30 on Isner’s serve. The 6ft 10in American comes back at Cilic, 30-all. And despite Cilic forging his way to deuce, Isner holds. There still hasn’t been a single break point. It’s 5-5.
Watson is making a right good go of it on Centre, where she trails 4-3 on serve. And Venus is running away with the second set on Court No2, where the five-times champion now leads 6-3, 3-0. And it’s going with, yep, you’ve guessed it, serve on Court No1 where Cilic and Isner are level at 4-4.
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Just as I was about to type that Serena and Venus were marching towards a fourth-round meeting on Monday, Venus slips two break points down, 15-40, when serving for the set at 5-3 against Krunic on Court No2. Venus serves her way back to deuce, before whacking away a backhand to get to advantage. An errant forehand brings it back to deuce. Which becomes advantage Williams. And then game and first set Miss Williams by six games to three. This is the third match in a row that Venus has been scheduled on an outside court. Does one of Wimbledon’s greatest champions deserve better? Though if she comes through, she’ll surely be guaranteed a Centre Court date on Monday against her sister (or Watson).
Cilic takes the shoot-out seven points to four. He leads Isner by a set to love.
Marin County Cilic comes good in the 1st TB with Isman in a basic 39 min set that should have gone straight to a TB
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) July 3, 2015
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And the first set was probably always going to end the way it has on Centre Court. Williams takes it 6-2.
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Marin Cilic and John Isner are, somewhat inevitably, into a first-set tie-break. It was always going to turn out this way. There wasn’t a single break point in the set.
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Watson is going to have to find some way to break Williams if she’s to win this first set. Williams leads 4-2. The world No1 is serving smoothly, and hitting with power and penetration. It’s hard to see how Watson can hurt her. Williams was a bit on and off in her opening two matches, but she looks like she means business this afternoon.
Victoria Azarenka, the former world No1 who’s down at 24 in the rankings because of long-term injury problems, seals a 6-4, 6-4 victory over the Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic. Azarenka will play Bencic in the last 16.
Watson is on the board, 1-1 opening set. The winner here could face Venus in the last 16. She’s in the early stages on Court No2, against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic, and it’s also one game apiece.
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Watson and Williams are under way, you can follow every moment with Jacob’s game-by-game report.
Watson on Williams: “To get the opportunity to play her is really exciting. Do I believe I can beat her? Absolutely, there’s no point even going out there if you don’t believe you can win, because then there is no way I could possibly win anyway. I have to believe I can win from the first moment, from now. I’ll have to be very aggressive and push myself out of my comfort zone against her.”
Williams on Watson: “Yikes - I never like playing the Brits at home.” I think Williams is being kind, as she’s never faced a British player at Wimbledon in 84 singles matches.
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Here comes Heather. Djokovic’s win means that Watson has stepped on to Centre Court with Serena Williams, for the most daunting but also most exciting match of the British No1’s career. So how do you beat the five-times champion, world No1, owner of 20 grand slam titles and current holder of the US, Australian and French Open titles? Here are the thoughts of Alize Cornet, who stunned Serena here last year.
Lucie Safarova, the recent French Open runner-up, has just beaten Sloane Stephens, a player with terrific power and potential, but it just isn’t happening for the American at the moment. Safarova came from a set down to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Djokovic defeats Tomic 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Djokovic dominates in only an hour and 32 minutes, finishing off Tomic with an ace. Mightily impressive that from the world No1 and defending champion, against a potentially tricky opponent. Ian has more details over in the game-by-game.
So the top half of the fourth-round draw is taking shape:
Djokovic v Anderson
Wawrinka v Goffin
Gasquet v Kyrgios
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Sharapova beats Begu 6-4, 6-3
Begu’s on a roll. She gets to 0-30 with a forehand drive volley, after a desperate Sharapova switches the racket to her left hand in an attempt to stay in the point. It doesn’t work. But Sharapova comes back, 15-30, 30-all. Begu slumps to her knees in frustration. A Sharapova ace brings up match point, 40-30. Begu’s forehand return is wide and Sharapova clenches her fist and even allows herself a little smile. She’s through in straight sets, despite a few lapses in concentration.
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Begu wins a third successive game, having previously conceded seven on the spin. But Sharapova will, once again, serve for the match, this time at 5-3.
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Perhaps Begu can draw some inspiration from Belinda Bencic, who was 5-1 down in the first set against Bethanie Mattek-Sands before coming back to win 7-5, 7-5. The 18-year-old Bencic, who won the junior title here two years ago, is a real talent, and became the Eastbourne champion last week. The Swiss is one to watch.
A beauty from Begu to get to 15-all on Sharapova’s serve. And the Romanian isn’t going quietly, she works her way to two break points, 15-40. Cue a steely Sharapova stare. Sharapova hits deep and Begu, a little off balance, goes long. 30-40. And Sharapova nets! Begu breaks Sharapova for the first time since the opening game of the match. It’s 5-2 in the second set.
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A big cheer on Court No1 as Begu gets on the board in the second set against Sharapova. But it’s most likely to be in vain. Sharapova leads 5-1 and will serve for the match.
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Thanks Nick. I’m just back from the press conference room, which has been busy over the past hour with Kyrgios, Dimitrov, Gasquet and Wawrinka all facing the hacks.
There was an awkward start to Kyrgios’s presser, the Australian quite rightly giving short shrift to suggestion his win was down to his Wimbledon headband:
Q. You really turned it on from 4‑3 down in the second set. Was it the headband?
KYRGIOS: No.
Q. The headband help?
KYRGIOS: No.
Q. Was it a tip to anyone?
KYRGIOS: No.
Dimitrov, meanwhile reflected on his disappointing year:
Last year was a pretty intense year for me. Everything was quite intense for me to get into those rounds, quarterfinals, semifinals. Every tournament that I was playing was just something new for me.
To come back the following year, to repeat all that, it’s never easy because after you put quite a bit of pressure on yourself to do good and even better, I don’t know. It’s been a lot of ups and downs so far.
If there’s a good time for you to sort of see, and sort of see what you need to work on, whatever is ahead of you, you sit down with the team and see what we can do better, I think now is also the good time for it.
As I said, I don’t feel like I’m too far from it. Of course, the ranking speaks for itself. Of course, if you start winning a few matches here and there, everything would be just different.
And here are Gasquet’s thoughts on facing Kyrgios next:
It was an incredible match [against Kyrgios here last year]. Very tough because I had nine match points and I couldn’t do it, so it was a big match. Of course it was tough to lose. He played incredible.
Of course after that he won Nadal. It was a big thing for everybody. Of course it’s revenge. I played him this year in final in Estoril but it was on clay. It’s much different.
Of course last year, even if I lost, it was a match we never forget, me and him. And for sure because it was his first match he won against a good player, I was top 10, and me, when you are losing with nine match points it’s very difficult.
Life goes on after that. It’s not incredible. You have many tournaments. But of course it was a tough match. When you are with nine match points, it’s always difficult to forget.
It’s been brief and wonderful, but that’s it from me – Katy will be steering you once more from hereon...
Sharapova goes 3-0 up on her own serve without hindrance, so it’s left to Begu to at least make a match of it on hers. A touch more of the positive hitting she displayed at the start of the contest, followed by her second ace of the day, bring up 40-15. But another fine forehand and a two unforced errors give Sharapova her latest break point, which is saved with a lovely, clean forehand winner. Then Sharapova adjusts herself breathtakingly – still not sure how she did it – to return a shot she had no right to get...second break point and this time she converts for 4-0!
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Safarova, the sixth seed, is a break up on Stephens in their second set and on course to level the match up – let you know if we look set for a decider there.
Djokovic is going similarly great guns. He’s just won the second set against Tomic and leads 6-3, 6-3.
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Shaapova has Begu at 0-30 in the second game of the second set. A drop shot from the back of the court brings Begu in and she can’t stretch enough to return it, so Sharapova has three break points. She takes the first after Begu nets with an attempted drop shot of her own. 2-0 in the second set, and it’s hard to see much of a contest developing from here.
Azarenka, meanwhile, is a break up against Mladenovic, who is currently ranked 37. She leads 4-2 in the first set.
Another result is in: Anderson has completed the job against Mayer on Court 12 – he won 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 in two hours and 15 minutes.
Fully expect Sharapova to pull away in the second set now that she’s loosened up. It had been tight but Begu – although a tidy all-round player – doesn’t seem to have anything in particular to extend her.
Begu, serving to stay in the first set against Sharapova, misfires twice and is pegged back for 30-30. A fine second serve, under huge pressure with Sharapova swaying menacingly on the other side, brings up 40-30 but a third error means we have deuce. Sharapova bludgeons her into submission in the subsequent rally and has her first set point – which she gobbles up after Begu can only half-return a coruscating cross-court forehand. First set to Sharapova, 6-4!
Richard Gasquet’s victory over Grigor Dimitrov was certainly impressive and here’s Jacob Steinberg’s report.
Richard Gasquet strutted like it was 2005 and he was still the most talented teenager in the world, gliding into the second week of Wimbledon for the first time since 2012 with a surprisingly serene victory over Grigor Dimitrov, who needs a serious rethink about a game which is unravelling at an alarming rate.
Stephens took that first set against Safarova 6-3 out on Court No2.
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Begu, the world No30 who prefers clay and is on her best-ever run at Wimbledon, is playing well and holds serve for 4-4 after a small wobble, killing a Sharapova drive dead with a stop-volley that just fades away on the right side of the net for her.
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Not too much going on outside of the Djokovic and Sharapova games, so we’ll stick with Maria in the main for now. But in the men’s tournament, Kevin Anderson leads Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 7-6, 2-1, 2-2; in the women’s, Sloane Stephens leads Lucie Safarova 5-3 and Victoria Azarenka’s clash with Kristina Mladenovic is now underway. Mladenovic won the first game, on serve.
And that’s first blood to Djokovic against Tomic! He’s taken the first set 6-3 and, from what I’ve caught a glimpse of, looks in commanding form.
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Hello there. We’ll crack on. Sharapova is currently 2-2 with Irina-Camelia Begu, and about to receive. Fair to say she hasn’t got into her stride yet.
Djokovic is doing what Djokovic does on Centre, where he already leads Tomic 5-2. I’m off for a quick break, but Nick Ames will be with you for the next half an hour or so, and if you want to keep a closer eye on Djokovic’s progress you can do so here.
Some post-match thoughts from Kyrgios:
I knew my game plan today, to play aggressive tennis. I knew Raonic would serve well but I returned well, got a lot of balls back and created a lot of chances.
It will be tough against Richard Gasquet in the next round. I was two sets to love down against him last year. He is a savvy veteran on tour.
I will enjoy my day off. I am playing better tennis than last year, moving well. I don’t really fear anyone. If I play with the same mindset, play aggressively, then I have a pretty high chance to win the match.
Some mid-afternoon entertainment, from the men of the moment:
Flashback! Remember when @NickKyrgios interviewed @Wimbledon giantkiller @DreddyTennis? Watch: http://t.co/YlBvpAkSyk pic.twitter.com/HJq4NNrngu
— ATP World Tour (@ATPWorldTour) July 3, 2015
It’s also all-change on Court No18:
Big turnaround on Court 18 - Mattek Sands was leading Belinda Bencic 5-1, with three set points. Now Bencic ahead 7-5, 4-3 with a break
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) July 3, 2015
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A remarkable turnaround on Court No3, where Sam Stosur, who has never been beyond the Wimbledon third round, has finally remembered she doesn’t like playing here and has crumbled from 2-0 ahead in the opening set to lose 12 games on the spin and go down 6-2, 6-0 to Coco Vandeweghe.
All of this means Djokovic is warming up against Tomic on Centre Court (you can follow our game-by-game coverage here), while Sharapova is getting under way against Irina-Camelia Begu on Court No1.
It’s all happening because Wawrinka is through too, 6-4 6-3 6-4 against Verdasco. The French Open champion will next play Goffin.
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Stat attack. Kyrgios beat Raonic with 34 aces, 61 winners and only 13 unforced errors.
As a wise man said: It ain't bragging if you back it up ...kyrgios d. Raonic ...
— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) July 3, 2015
And he hasn’t wasted any time getting on Twitter.
Thanks to all my supporters. Giving me energy. 4th round LETS GO! #sw19 #alwayswatching http://t.co/XX0qSBUoxV
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) July 3, 2015
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Kyrgios beats Raonic 5-7, 7-5, 7-6, 6-3!
And Gasquet will play Kyrgios in the last 16 on Monday because Kyrgios has just completed a breathtaking four-set win over Raonic. Kyrgios broke in the penultimate game before serving it out, rounding things off with a huge forehand. The Fanatics rise. Kyrgios celebrates in true Kyrgios style, before clapping his racket to all sides of Court No2. He’s now being mobbed as he walks off court. Whatever you think of him, it’s impossible to take your eyes off him.
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Instead of walking straight off court, Dimitrov sits in his chair and contemplates the defeat. He looks like he can’t quite believe he didn’t play better. He was too inconsistent, too reckless with his shot selection. It’s been a disappointing season for last year’s semi-finalist.
Gasquet beats Dimitrov 6-3, 6-4, 6-4!
So Gasquet serving for the match ... he takes the first point with his go-to shot, that beautiful darting one-handed backhand. 15-0 becomes 30-0 and then 40-0, three match points. Matters are settled on the first when Dimitrov comes into net. 40-15. Gasquet then goes long with a backhand on the second match point. Gasquet can’t get a first serve in at the moment. And then misses on his second! A double fault. There go all three match points. The pair go rat a tat, rat a tat at the net, Dimitrov sliding Djokovic-like on the grass, but to no avail. A fourth match point. Dimitrov swats away a backhand winner! Deuce. Dimitrov’s the one pushing now, but he pushes too far and nets. A fifth match point. And this one Gasquet takes! Gasquet is through to the last 16 for the first time in three years and Dimitrov’s campaign ends with a somewhat meek surrender.
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Gasquet has been known to crack in the past, with this and this coming to mind. No sign of any jitters here though. He serves his way to 5-3, and then gets to 30-all on Dimitrov’s serve. Gasquet goes for broke down the line but misses. He was entitled to go for that, given his play today. And from 40-30, Dimitrov holds to ask one more question of Gasquet. I’m not sure Dimitrov looks like he expects anything other than a Gasquet win, mind.
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The ace count on Court No2: 31-16. So Raonic has the 31, right? Wrong. Kyrgios is out-serving one of the game’s best servers and the Australian leads 5-7, 7-5, 7-6, 2-1 (no breaks yet in the fourth set).
All of the excitement on Court No2 is distracting me from what’s happening on Centre, where Gasquet has broken in the third set.
Gasquet breaks with a backhand in the third set. He leads 6-3, 6-4, 3-2.
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) July 3, 2015
Kyrgios wins the third set tie-break 7-3 to lead Raonic by two sets to one!
Raonic absolutely shanks a forehand, which leaves Kyrgios crying “YES, YES”, ignoring the tennis etiquette of not applauding your opponent’s errors. 4-2 Kyrgios. Make that 5-2 with his 10th ace of the set. And Kyrgios brings up four set points by absolutely bludgeoning a backhand pass! That’s six points on the spin. But it’s not to be seven, Kyrgios nets his return. 6-3. He then sends down a second-serve ace to take the set!
The two sleeves are level at one set all but they’re into a third-set tie-break. Raonic takes the opening point on serve, and then grabs an early mini-break with a strong return, which he follows up with a forehand volley. 2-0. Kyrgios gets on the board to make it 2-1, and then gains parity with a pass. 2-2.
And Wimbledon suits have been getting their rule book out on Court No2.
Utterly pathetic that Nick Kyrgios has had to turn his Wimbledon official headband inside out to conform with all-white rules. What a joke
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) July 3, 2015
Speaking of Wawrinka, he’s now two sets to the good against Verdacso, 6-4, 6-3 on Court No1.
That backhand... 24 winners so far for @stanwawrinka - he leads Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-3 #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/3zUtkJOclp
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2015
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John McEnroe, speaking on the BBC, sheds some light on why Gasquet is playing so well:
Richard Gasquet has been working really hard on his fitness, training in Spain and Bulgaria. The way he is playing shows it is paying off. When you are dead tired you don’t want to run up a hill or do more sprints but it is for moments like this when you can see it.
And what of Dimitrov? When he dethroned Andy Murray here last year to reach his first grand slam semi-final, people spoke of the coming of Dimitrov, he looked to be finally fulfilling his immense talent. But it hasn’t happened. He’s reached only one Tour final since, and he’s not been beyond the fourth round at a major. There’s still time for him, mind. Look at Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic.
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Gasquet wins the second set 6-4 to lead Dimitrov by two sets to love
Gasquet is serving for the second set, leading 5-4. A good first serve from Gasquet down the middle gives him the opening point. Dimitrov’s chopped return clips the net before trickling over, Gasquet is able to reach it, but the initiative is now with Dimitrov, who dispatches a backhand pass. 15-all. Gasquet has Dimitrov on a piece of string, 30-15. Make that 30-all. Will it be set point Gasquet or break point Dimitrov? It’ll be set point Gasquet, courtesy of some wonderful hitting from the Frenchman. Dimitrov chips a return well wide and Gasquet opens up two sets to love lead!
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End of the road for Colin Fleming/Eric Butorac at Wimbledon, beaten in straight sets by title holders Sock/Pospisil, who look strong again
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) July 3, 2015
Jacob’s watching on Centre Court at the moment, where Gasquet is playing some of his best tennis I can remember for quite some time.
Gasquet saves three break points and then breaks Dimitrov in the next game for a 4-3 lead in the second set. Dimitrov in trouble.
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) July 3, 2015
Dimitrov balloons a forehand for 0-30, then nets another. The Bulgarian saves one break point, but his drop volley on the next point is reached by Gasquet, who flicks a forehand past Dimitrov at the net. Gasquet leads 6-3, 4-3.
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Goffin’s through, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 against Baghdatis, and the Belgian world No15 will now face the winner of the Wawrinka-Verdasco contest on Court No1. Verdasco is looking a little leggy after his two five-set matches in the previous rounds and Wawrinka is still a set ahead.
A bounced racket, some verbals & lots of fist pumping. Here's how Kyrgios won set 2. Watch: http://t.co/8EXnRcTlDV pic.twitter.com/iLrsE3GEyB
— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) July 3, 2015
Kyrgios has picked up one warning from the umpire so far, by the way, for chucking his racket into the crowd. It’s hard to take your eyes off him. Who can predict what he’ll do next?
If Kyrgios has the shots, let him celebrate hitting them @katymurrells. Not everyone has Federer's icy temperament.
— Mike Jakeman (@mikejakeman) July 3, 2015
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And Kyrgios serves out to love to take the set 7-5 and level the match at one set all! He fist pumps and jumps his way back to his seat. I wonder what he’ll produce from his bag at this changeover.
Kyrgios has three more break points on the Raonic serve, this time at 5-5, 0-40. Raonic dismisses the first with an ace. Raonic has Kyrgios scrambling from side to side on the next point, Kyrgios is pegged back deep behind the baseline, but somehow runs on to a forehand and comes up with a looping improvised forehand cross-court pass! You can imagine the Kyrgios celebration. He’ll serve for the second set.
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The shots keep on coming.
WATCH Showman @NickKyrgios with yet another piece of magic #Wimbledon http://t.co/aMxzxz56qZ
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2015
Gasquet withstands the pressure from Dimitrov to take the opening set 6-3. Elsewhere, Wawrinka leads Verdasco by a set to love, 6-4. And Goffin is now two sets and a break up against Baghdatis, 6-3, 6-4, 2-0.
Very impressive from Gasquet, who seals the first set 6-3 with a forehand down the line. Can he keep this going?
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) July 3, 2015
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Kyrgios has a chance to break here, at 4-4 and his advantage on Raonic’s serve. Raonic serves out wide, Kyrgios gets the return into play, but Raonic goes back behind the Australian. Deuce. Advantage Kyrgios. Deuce, as Raonic punches away a backhand volley. Kyrgios punches his racket. Advantage Raonic. Game Raonic, who edges 5-4 ahead.
Well, I guess they say variety is the spice of life. It would be boring if all the players were the same. But I do think Kyrgios takes it too far, and I wonder whether all the energy he expends on his on-court antics sometimes negatively affects his game. He’s still young, though. Only 20. I’d be surprised if he is still carrying on as much as this in a few years’ time.
Over on Court No2, Kyrgios perhaps made a quick trip to the club shop between sets, because he’s now sporting a Wimbledon-branded headband.
He’s up to his usual tricks too ...
Kyrgios hits a 125mph 2nd serve ace, chats with the crowd, star jumps trying (and failing) to distract Raonic. Live - http://t.co/crEA9UFLi2
— Piers Newbery (@piersnewbery) July 3, 2015
Which seems a good time to bring in David Wall:
What do you make of Kyrgios’s very demonstrative, expressive body-language in this contest with Raonic? Of course there is something to be said for a guy who gets emotionally involved in the match, and where that influences his performance, but there’s another argument that it’s distracting for the opponent. At the moment he’s muttering, or throwing his racket in the air, or something or other after almost every point. Perhaps he is so expressive naturally, but you can’t help think that maybe there’s a bit of gamesmanship going on (even if that might be a bit too devious a way of describing it). I don’t buy the ‘current players are boring’ line anyway. How can anyone watch what Federer did to Querrey yesterday simply by playing extraordinarily well, or the great contest in the French Open final a few weeks ago, and say that’s not as entertaining as sport can get?
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Dimitrov, known as “Baby Federer” early in his career, has only gone and done a Federer, pulling off a between-the-legs lob just as the great man did yesterday. Gasquet puts his volley wide in response. It seems to throw Gasquet off, because at 4-2, he’s struggling to hold serve, as a spectator is helped from the stands seemingly because of the heat.
WATCH @GrigorDimitrov is living up to his 'Baby Fed' tag on Centre #Wimbledon http://t.co/RssMaLJShG
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2015
In honour of Kygrios Raonic match am sporting a white jumper on my arm. Note the stylish way the jumper hangs off arm pic.twitter.com/NWarleQzbN
— Miranda Hart (@mermhart) July 3, 2015
Gasquet’s off to a flyer against Dimitrov. He leads 3-0 on Centre. But Dimitrov then demonstrates his own brand of brilliance at he rips a backhand down the line. Both of these players’ backhands are things of beauty. Dimitrov holds to reduce his arrears to 3-1.
Raonic wins the first set against Kyrgios 7-5
Look here, it’s 0-30 on Kyrgios’s serve, Raonic leading 6-5, so potentially two points from the set. And Kyrgios throws in his second double fault of the game and only his second of the match! 0-40, three set points. The pair go cross-court, cross-court, cross-court, then Kyrgios changes tack by going down the line and his ball skids off the baseline for a winner. 15-40. A 124mph second serve at match point and HawkEye confirms Kyrgios missed it! Three double faults hand Raonic the set. Kyrgios, no stranger to a sweary outburst, will be cursing himself. For all of Kyrgios’s style in the opening set, Raonic was the more solid and it’s the Canadian who takes it 7-5.
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Hearing Williams camp is less than thrilled by 5x champ Venus' repeated #Wimbledon court relegation, plus V+S scheduled simultaneously again
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 3, 2015
Another word on Rafa. Here’s our tennis correspondent, Kevin Mitchell, on Nadal’s decline:
Is Rafael Nadal finished at the highest level in tennis – or at least at Wimbledon? It would be a brave or foolish critic to retire a matador – because that is what he has been for more than a decade, the consummate Spanish executioner. Yet after a miserable European run on his favoured clay, the evidence is mounting at an alarming rate.
The juxtaposition of two matches at the All England Club on the fourth day of the 2015 championships could hardly have been more pointed.
Shortly after the 33-year-old Roger Federer had cruised through to the third round of a tournament he has won seven times, exciting his followers on Centre Court with an exquisite trick shot that went viral on his way to dismissing the American Sam Querrey, the 29-year-old Nadal, the Swiss’s personal tormentor since he beat him in Miami 11 years ago for the first of 23 times in 33 matches, looked spent and vulnerable on the same court as he tumbled out of the tournament against an opponent outside the top 100.
It was the fourth such calamity in four years.
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On Centre Court, here come Grigor Dimitrov and Richard Gasquet. And on Court No1, here come Stan Wawrinka and Fernando Verdasco. It’s difficult to know where to look today, there are so many intriguing match-ups. I’ll do my best to keep you up to date with what’s happening around the grounds, while later we’ll have game-by-game coverage of Novak Djokovic v Bernard Tomic and Heather Watson v Serena Williams.
“Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, Kyrgios, Kyrgios, we’ve got Kyrgios,” sing the Fanatics to the tune of Give It Up. Hopefully they’ll soon give it up, the singing at least. It’s not great. Meanwhile on court there’s still nothing giving. Raonic holds at it’s 5-4.
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It’s still going with serve on Court No2, by the way, Raonic claiming his first love service game of the match to edge ahead once more, 4-3.
Over on Court No3, David Goffin, the baby-faced assassin who knocked out Britain’s Liam Broady in the previous round, has taken the first set, 6-3, against Marcos Baghdatis, a semi-finalist here 10 years ago. Goffin, the 16th seed, also leads by an early break in the second, 1-0.
You could say Kyrgios is cramping Raonic’s style. When asked after his first-round match why he’d decided to sport a sleeve, Kyrgios replied: “No one wears something like that at Wimbledon, so I thought I’d give it a go,” seemingly forgetting that Raonic has been doing so for well over a year now.
Kyrgios holds serve, but has to come through from deuce to do so. The highlight in the next game is a nonchalant flicked forehand winner down the line from Kyrgios, who turns to the crowd and signals to them to up the applause. From the sublime to the ridiculous - as Kyrgios then throws in an air shot on the next point. Now the crowd are laughing. Raonic squeaks through from deuce himself and is 3-2 up on serve.
WATCH @NickKyrgios left motionless by a Raonic serve #Wimbledon http://t.co/FbVwxH8fnq
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2015
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Nick Kyrgios has won more matches in Majors (15) than all other tournaments & Davis Cup combined (12). Looking forward to Nick v Milos today
— Darren Cahill (@darren_cahill) July 3, 2015
A glimmer for Kyrgios at 15-30 on Raonic’s serve, and you think he’d be the favourite as the pair engage in a long rally, but Raonic prevails and it’s 30-all. 40-30, despite another missed first serve from Raonic. And from there Raonic holds to lead 2-1.
Kyrgios has the greater shot variety of the two, but he’ll have to find a way of getting through Raonic’s serve. The Canadian thwacked away the third-fastest serve in Wimbledon history on Wednesday, at 145mph. He holds to 15, courtesy of a 120mph effort, which seems rather tame in comparison. Kyrgios then signals his intent by holding to love. It’s one game all.
These two met in the quarter-finals last year, when Kyrgios, having bundled out Rafael Nadal in the previous round, lost in four sets. This match perhaps should be billed as the right sleeve of Raonic versus the left sleeve of Kyrgios, with both players sporting a basketball-style shooting sleeve because, well, why not. Kids today, eh? The Aussie Fanatics are already in full voice. Kyrgios, meanwhile, has managed to get through the warm-up without swearing. Which is more than he managed earlier in the week. This should be fun.
Nick Kyrgios and Milos Raonic have been weaving and winding their way through the grounds to get to Court No2, where they have just arrived. Raonic steps on to court first, followed by Kyrgios, who is wearing a bright pink pair of headphones.
A few highlights from yesterday to get you in the mood for some tennis:
And a wonderful recreation of Roger Federer’s between-the-legs lob:
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The silence ends and we’re just under 15 minutes away from the start of play.
The grounds fall silent as Wimbledon joins the nation in remembering those who died in Tunisia last week.
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The full order of play
Centre Court
1pm start
(11) Grigor Dimitrov (Bul) v (21) Richard Gasquet (Fr), (1) Novak Djokovic (Ser) v (27) Bernard Tomic (Aus), (1) Serena Williams (US) v Heather Watson (GB)
Court No1
1pm start
(4) Stanislas Wawrinka (Swi) v Fernando Verdasco (Sp), (4) Maria Sharapova (Rus) v (29) Irina-Camelia Begu (Rom), (9) Marin Cilic (Cro) v (17) John Isner (US)
Court No2
12:15pm start
(26) Nick Kyrgios (Aus) v (7) Milos Raonic (Can), Sloane Stephens (US) v (6) Lucie Safarova (Cz), Aleksandra Krunic (Ser) v (16) Venus Williams (US)
Court No3
12:15pm start
Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp) v (16) David Goffin (Bel), Coco Vandeweghe (US) v (22) Samantha Stosur (Aus), Kristina Mladenovic (Fr) v (23) Victoria Azarenka (Blr), (1) Bob Bryan (US) & Mike Bryan (US) v Steve Johnson (US) & Sam Querrey (US)
Court Six
12:15pm start
(4) Jean-Julien Rojer (Neth) & Horia Tecau (Rom) v Andre Begemann (Ger) & Julian Knowle (Aut), Adil Shamasdin (Can) & Gabriela Dabrowski (Can) v Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fr) & Alizé Cornet (Fr), Nenad Zimonjic (Ser) & Jarmila Gajdosova (Aus) v Chris Guccione (Aus) & Andreja Klepac (Slo), Marin Draganja (Cro) & Ana Konjuh (Cro) v Colin Fleming (GB) & Jocelyn Rae (GB)
Court Seven
12:15pm start
Mate Pavic (Cro) & Michael Venus (NZ) v (14) Raven Klaasen (RSA) & Rajeev Ram (US), Mahesh Bhupathi (Ind) & Alla Kudryavtseva (Rus) v Nicholas Monroe (US) & Madison Brengle (US), Michael Venus (NZ) & Ioana Raluca Olaru (Rom) v Andre Sa (Br) & Lara Arruabarrena (Sp), Rajeev Ram (US) & Arina Rodionova (Aus) v Andre Begemann (Ger) & Janette Husarova (Svk)
Court Eight
12:15pm start
(9) Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & Florin Mergea (Rom) v Thomaz Bellucci (Br) & Guillermo Duran (Arg), (8) Alexander Peya (Aut) & Bruno Soares (Br) v Sergey Betov (Blr) & Aliaksandr Bury (Blr), Lauren Davis (US) & Kurumi Nara (Jpn) v (2) Ekaterina Makarova (Rus) & Elena Vesnina (Rus)
Court 11
12:15pm start
(14) Michaella Krajicek (Neth) & Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Cz) v Vera Dushevina (Rus) & María José Martínez Sánchez (Sp), Lukasz Kubot (Pol) & Max Mirnyi (Blr) v (6) Marcel Granollers (Sp) & Marc López (Sp), Jürgen Melzer (Aut) & Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Cz) v Nick Kyrgios (Aus) & Madison Keys (US)
Court 12
12:15pm start
(6) Garbiñe Muguruza (Sp) & Carla Suárez Navarro (Sp) v Cara Black (Zim) & Lisa Raymond (US), (24) Leonardo Mayer (Arg) v (14) Kevin Anderson (RSA), Zarina Diyas (Kaz) v (14) Andrea Petkovic (Ger)
Court 16
12:15pm start
Mariusz Fyrstenberg (Pol) & Santiago González (Mex) v (2) Ivan Dodig (Cro) & Marcelo Melo (Br), Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukr) & Alicja Rosolska (Pol) v Robert Lindstedt (Swe) & Anabel Medina Garrigues (Sp), Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) & Casey Dellacqua (Aus) v Santiago González (Mex) & Abigail Spears (US), Mariusz Fyrstenberg (Pol) & Klaudia Jans-Ignacik (Pol) v Scott Lipsky (US) & Hao-Ching Chan (Tai)
Court 17
12:15pm start
Eric Butorac (US) & Colin Fleming (GB) v (3) Vasek Pospisil (Can) & Jack Sock (US), Artem Sitak (NZ) & Anastasia Rodionova (Aus) v Jonathan Marray (GB) & Anna Smith (GB), Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pak) & Vera Dushevina (Rus) v Kenneth Skupski (GB) & Johanna Konta (GB), Eric Butorac (US) & Katalin Marosi (Hun) v Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & María José Martínez Sánchez (Sp)
Court 18
12:15pm start
(7) Su-Wei Hsieh (Tai) & Flavia Pennetta (Ita) v Margarita Gasparyan (Rus) & Alexandra Panova (Rus), (30) Belinda Bencic (Swi) v Bethanie Mattek-Sands (US), Denis Kudla (US) v Santiago Giraldo (Col), Philipp Oswald (Aut) & Belinda Bencic (Swi) v Dominic Inglot (GB) & Elina Svitolina (Ukr)
A minute’s silence. Before play gets under way, Wimbledon will observe the national minute’s silence at midday to remember the British tourists killed in last week’s Tunisia beach attack. Play on the outside courts will start at the slightly later time of 12.15pm BST, with Centre Court and Court No1 beginning as usual at 1pm.
Good morning and welcome to day five
We’ve been here before, haven’t we? This is the fourth year in a row we’ve been left to reflect on an early Rafael Nadal defeat to a player outside the top 100, this time to the dazzling Dustin Brown. “Nadal’s ‘shock’ exit is no shock,” says one headline. “Paths increasingly diverge for Federer and Nadal,” writes the New York Times. John McEnroe, meanwhile, believes Nadal should axe Uncle Toni and “get a new damn coach”.
Nadal has spent his career bullying opponents, unravelling them with his vicious spin and ability to run and run. But the bully is now being bullied, his forehand is more fallible and his movement is not as sharp as it was. Nadal, in his press conference last night, spoke like a player who sees himself as a former Wimbledon champion rather than a future one.
“I don’t know if I will be back to the level of 2008 or 2010 or 2007 or 2006 or ‘11,” he said. “My motivation is try to be back to that level. But if I don’t make that happen ‑ actually I played five times here the last day, had the trophy back home two times, so is not bad. Going to be in my heart and in my memories forever the 2008 final. That was probably one of the most important moments of my career, and was here, no? You know, at the end of the day, today I lost. Don’t forget I played five finals here. I don’t know how many players did that.”
These words are still being discussed around the grounds of the All England Club today, but Wimbledon stops for no player, however dramatic the defeat, and after Nadal’s tumultuous Thursday, today could be a fabulous Friday given the line-up:
- It’s the British No1 against the world No1 as Heather Watson faces the biggest match of her career against Serena Williams.
- Novak Djokovic continues his title defence against the talented but temperamental Australian Bernard Tomic, who reached the quarter-finals here in 2011, when he was stopped by Djokovic in four sets.
- Milos Raonic, a semi-finalist last year, plays the talented and temperamental Australian Nick Kyrgios. What is it about those Aussies ...?
- Grigor Dimitrov and Richard Qasquet will be showing off their one-handed backhands while most likely exciting and infuriating the crowd in equal measure, as two players whose achievements have not matched their incredible ability go head to head.
- The US Open champion, Marin Cilic, and the 2010 marathon man John Isner will be doing their best to out-serve each other.
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Stan Wawrinka faces Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, Maria Sharapova plays Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu, it’s Sloane Stephens v Lucie Safarova, while Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Sam Stosur are also in action.
