Match reports from day five
It’s all over on Centre Court, Roger Federer sealing a comfortable 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over Dan Evans. He’ll face either Grigor Dimitrov or Steve Johnson in the fourth round on Monday. That’s all from me today. Join me tomorrow as we discover whether Novak Djokovic can fight back from two sets down against Sam Querrey. Until then. Thanks for reading and emailing. Bye.
Federer batters a forehand deep, Evans nets, Federer breaks again. He leads 6-4, 6-2, 4-1.
On Centre Court, meanwhile, Roger Federer breaks to lead 6-4, 6-2, 2-1. Dan Evans is no match for the great man.
We have confirmation that there will be play on Sunday. That’s not happened since 2004.
There will be play on Middle Sunday. Details announced 1pm tomorrow.
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2016
All tickets to be purchased in advance online, none available on day.
Roger Federer whistles a forehand from right to left to earn two set points. The first goes begging but the second’s in the bag when Evans sends a return long. Federer leads 6-4, 6-2.
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Dan Evans whips a forehand down the line and holds. Unfortunately Roger Federer leads 6-4, 5-2.
I suspect we won’t be seeing an upset on Centre Court today. A regal Roger Federer leads 6-4, 4-0 against Dan Evans.
The difference between Djokovic’s plight now and his win over Kevin Anderson last year is that he had already come back from two sets down against Anderson before they went off because of bad light. He came back to polish off the fifth set the following morning. Tomorrow he’s got to come back and win three sets. It’s doable, of course. He has come back from two sets down four times. The rest might do him some good. He was playing very badly. For Querrey, he also gets a chance to rest and return refreshed tomorrow morning but it might be tough for the American to regain the level he hit tonight. Anything less than 100% and Djokovic will be the favourite. “You’d still back Djokovic,” says Kevin Mitchell, sitting to my right.
Roger Federer takes the first set off Dan Evans 6-4. Give us a break, Roger, Michael Gove might be prime minister soon, and then what?
Play abandoned on the outside courts
The referee has decided that there will be no more play on the outside courts. How will Novak Djokovic, two sets down to Sam Querrey, sleep tonight? How will Sam Querrey, two sets up against Novak Djokovic, sleep tonight?
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There was a rousing comeback on Court 16, meanwhile, Feliciano Lopez clawing his way into the third round at the expense of Fabio Fognini. The 22nd seed came back from two sets down to beat the Italian 3-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. He’ll play Nick Kyrgios tomorrow.
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Elsewhere, in slightly lesser but still worthy news, Ekaterina Makarova is a set up against Petra Kvitova. The Russian won it 7-5 against the former champion. On Court 12, Marin Cilic was two sets up against Lukas Lacko before the rain came.
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Play suspended!
Here comes the rain! Was Boris Becker doing a rain dance in the box?
Sam Querrey wins the second set to lead Novak Djokovic 7-6, 6-1!
The American can’t take the first set point. So he just crashes an ace out wide past the world No1 to lead by two sets!
Novak Djokovic slaps three straight shots into the net to trail 0-40. This is very strange. It’s almost as if something’s affecting him. He saves the first break point, but not the second, netting a garbage volley at the net. Querrey breaks again and leads 5-1 in the second set! What on earth is going on?
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Sam Querrey holds to 30 and leads Novak Djokovic 7-6, 4-1. Roger Federer, meanwhile, really wants to go and watch Wales v Belgium. He leads 4-0 in the first set on Centre Court.
Novak Djokovic is a break down in the second set now! He knocks a backhand long and Sam Querrey leads 7-6, 3-1!
The heartless Roger Federer, fresh from slaying Marcus Willis, breaks Dan Evans in the first game on Centre Court. Where’s the romance, Roger?
Sam Querrey saves a break point with a forehand winner, then holds with a forehand winner. He leads Novak Djokovic 7-6, 2-1.
Alex Zverevz has been dragged kicking and screaming into a fifth set by Mikhail Youzhny. The 34-year-old Russian just won’t lie down and he wins the fourth 6-4.
On Centre Court, by the way, Roger Federer and Britain’s Dan Evans have arrived. That match will definitely finish tonight. Good old roof!
Sam Querrey takes the first set off Novak Djokovic!
You don’t get many chances against Novak Djokovic, so you need to take them when they come around. Leading 5-2 in the tie-break, Sam Querrey is guilty of a dismal forehand miss, blazing wide when Djokovic was stranded. Then he sees two set points come and go. Djokovic saved the first by reaching a volley, then the second when Querrey lifts a backhand long. But hang on just a moment. Djokovic then offers Querrey a chance with a tame second serve. Querrey’s backhand return is good and Djokovic nets. Another set point, then, a third opportunity to take a set off the world No1. On your serve. Querrey serves well. Djokovic somehow gets it back. But Querrey sears a forehand down the line and a stretching Djokovic nets his forehand! The first set goes to Sam Querrey, 7-6!
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Over on Court 8, Alex Zverev has the trainer on. Trailing 5-2 in the fourth set against the sturdy Mikhail Youzhny, the young German needs some treatment on his back.
That Novak Djokovic chap just saved a break point with an ace. He looks quite good actually. Might go far. Sam Querrey earns another chance but goofs it with a tight backhand that sails harmlessly wide. Eventually Djokovic clings on to his serve and leads 6-5 in the first se. Just.
Tara Moore has taken the second set off Svetlana Kuznetsova! The last British woman left in the draw lost the first set 6-1 but she’s pummelled the 13th seed since then, winning the second set 6-2.
Serena Williams grabs three match points with an ace. And another seals a 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 victory and her place in the third round. Oof. What a way to finish. Christina McHale is gutted. That was some effort from the world No65. But the world No1 - well, she’s not the world No1 for nothing.
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Elsewhere Marin Cilic, the ninth seed, has taken the first set 6-3 against Lucas Lacko on Court 12. And Feliciano Lopez, who was two sets down, has taken Fabio Fognini into a fifth set.
At 15-30 and 4-all, Christina McHale has to use all her speed and scampering skills to stay with a menacing Serena Williams and eventually win a 26-shot rally when a backhand down the line forces Williams to hit long. The game goes to deuce. Williams, ever the amateur thespian, looks like she’s going to cry after one forehand winner. A double fault from McHale on a game point, her seventh of the match, keeps the game in the balance - and Williams seizes a break point with a rasping forehand return down the line. Yet she plays a pretty dismal drop shot and McHale skips forward to dab a backhand down the line for deuce. She’s saved 14 break points. She’s going to have to save aa 15th, though, as Williams knocks another forehand return away. McHale isn’t making any first serves. And she’s broken when she sends a forehand wide. Williams leads 5-4 in the third set and will serve for the match.
John Isner beats Matthew Barton. 7-6, 7-6, 7-6. That’s all you’re getting on that.
Christina McHale holds to lead 4-3 in the final set. She saved a break point when Williams nets a forehand off a second serve. What a fight this is turning out to be. McHale, the world No65, is digging so deep.
Alex Zverev appears to have recovered from that wobble in the second set. He leads Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 3-6, 6-0. Having said that, he’s just been broken in the first game of the fourth set.
Christina McHale is 3-2 up in the third set on Centre Court, holding serve from 0-40 down. She’s making Serena Williams work so hard.
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Over on Court 3, Tara Moore dropped the first set 6-1 to Svetlana Kuznetsova. Dropped it. Smashed it to smithereens. But she’s piecing things back together slowly, breaking in the first game of the second set.
Dustin Brown hit 78 winners. And it still wasn’t enough.
There’s an embrace at the net but only one of them is going through to the third round. Nick Kyrgios has finally stamped out Dustin Brown’s scintillating and unorthodox challenge, getting the job done with a 6-7, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory on Court 2, Brown sending a forehand wide on match point. Kyrgios, who was given a warning for an audible obscenity during the fifth set, will await the winner of Fabio Fognini or Feliciano Lopez and he will probably need to sharpen up if he’s going to make it into the fourth round. Lopez and Fognini are still going, though. Fognini leads by two sets but Lopez has a break in the third set.
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Some chap called Novak Djokovic has appeared on Court 1. He’s warming up before his match with Sam Querrey.
Christian McHale can’t consolidate that break. She double-faults three times in one game to drop her serve as the nerves take hold, pretty much doing the job for Serena Williams. They’re back on serve on Centre Court, McHale 2-1 up in the third set.
While Christina McHale tries to consolidate the break on Centre Court, Nick Kyrgios has broken in the fifth set on Court 2. Then he leads holds serve to lead Dustin Brown 5-3.
But back on Centre Court, drama. Because Christina McHale has broken Serena Williams to lead 2-0 in the third set. Little sister is in trouble.
A forehand winner, a cute volley, and Venus Williams leads 0-30. Kasatkina wins the next point but she comes unstuck in the next exchange, Williams too wily at the net, seizing two more match points. The pressure tells. Kasatkina nets a forehand and it’s all over. Williams is through to the third round after winning 7-5, 4-6, 10-8 against a young Russian who is surely going to go far in this sport.
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Daria Kasatkina arrows a superb backhand pass from left to right for a 15-30 lead. Yet Williams wins the next two points for a 40-30 lead and holds to 30 for a 9-8 lead.
Daria Kasatkina fends off a surge from Venus Williams and holds to 30, making it 8-all. Serena Williams, meanwhile, levels the match on Centre Court, winning the second set 6-2.
Is the crisis over? Serena Williams leads by two breaks in the second set and is about to serve for the second set. Venus, meanwhile, holds to lead 8-7.
She can! Venus Williams nets another forehand and Kasatkina holds to make it 7-all.
Venus Williams nets a backhand! Maria Kasatkina is still with us. Can she old?
Here we go ... Daria Kasatkina is about to serve to stay in the match.
They’re back on Court 1, where they might only be out there for one point. Venus Williams has a match point. Daria Kasatkina has a serve. Could it be more finely poised?
A semblance of order is restored on Centre Court. A lovely angled backhand from Serena Williams is enough for her to break in the third game of the second set.
They’re beginning to remove the covers on the outside courts. We might see some play on them soon.
A host of matches have been cancelled tonight. The weather is taking its toll on the schedule.
Christina McHale wins the first set 7-6!
First set tie-break: Williams* 7-9 McHale (*denotes server): Williams nets a forehand! Incredible! The first set goes to the underdog as Christina McHale takes her third set point! Serena Williams flings her racket to the ground and receives a code violation.
First set tie-break: Williams 7-8 McHale* (*denotes server): Williams nets a forehand return. Another set point.
First set tie-break: Williams 7-7 McHale* (*denotes server): Too passive from McHale and Williams wallops a blistering backhand away.
First set tie-break: Williams* 6-7 McHale (*denotes server): Williams double-faults! McHale has another set point - on her serve.
First set tie-break: Williams* 6-6 McHale (*denotes server): Williams saves it with a massive serve. She rams the return from McHale away.
First set tie-break: Williams 5-6 McHale* (*denotes server): Williams slips and nets a forehand return. It’s set point.
First set tie-break: Williams 5-5 McHale* (*denotes server): A vicious forehand from Williams is called long by the umpire! She challenges in vain!
First set tie-break: Williams* 5-4 McHale (*denotes server): A stunning, stretching backhand pass from McHale and Williams blocks a volley long!
First set tie-break: Williams* 5-3 McHale (*denotes server): McHale sends a forehand wide.
First set tie-break: Williams 4-3 McHale* (*denotes server): Williams misses a return.
First set tie-break: Williams 4-2 McHale* (*denotes server): Williams steams on to a drop shot and zings a forehand down the line.
First set tie-break: Williams* 3-2 McHale (*denotes server): Williams double-faults!
First set tie-break: Williams* 3-1 McHale (*denotes server): A huge forehand’s enough for Williams.
First set tie-break: Williams 2-1 McHale* (*denotes server): Williams sends a backhand long.
First set tie-break: Williams 2-0 McHale* (*denotes server): McHale misses a forehand down the line by inches.
First set tie-break: Williams* 1-0 McHale (*denotes server): Bang. Ace.
But Christina McHale holds to 15. Does she have nerves of steel yet? We’ll get a better indication in the upcoming tie-break.
Serena Williams holds to lead 6-5. The pressure is heaved back on to Christina McHale.
Facing set point, Christina McHale thinks it’s all over when a shot is called long. She challenges hopefully, not expecting too much. Serena Williams isn’t sure but she’s hanging around just to have a look and her instincts are correct. It was in by a whisker. Reprieved, McHale saves the break point, then holds for 5-all.
The roof is on Centre Court and play has resumed there. Serena Williams holds serve to lead 5-4 in the first set.
There will be no play on the outside courts before 6.15pm. Venus Williams has a match point, for crying out loud!
Play is also suspended on Centre Court, where they removed the roof after Del Potro’s win over Wawrinka. You silly people. The big, predictable news there is that Serena Williams has broken back against Christina McHale, as you always knew she would. It’s 4-all in the first set.
On Court 1, meanwhile, the umpire calls the players off with Venus Williams clutching a match point on Daria Kasatkina’s serve. Astonishing. It’s 7-6 to Williams in the fifth set and she’s up 30-40. They’ve both got a lot to think about during the delay.
Play suspended!
Dustin Brown is under severe pressure on his serve after dumping a volley into the net to hand Nick Kyrgios three break points. He saves the first with a deft volley, then the second, leaping to reach a backhand lob and tapping it down for a winner. He saves the third as well, ramming a backhand winner away for deuce. What drama! What a showman. Can they both go through? A double act, tag-teaming between sets. This is the good stuff. Kyrgios earns a fourth break point, pinging a backhand beyond Brown. That’s the cue for it to start tipping down.
Mandy Minella, a qualifier from Luxembourg, is giving Sloane Stephens a headache or two on Court 11. She’s taken the first set 6-3 off the 18th seed.
Tara Moore will need to play the match of her life on Court 3 to make it into the third round. But she’s made a poor start against Svetlana Kuznetsova, dropping serve in the first game. She saved three break points but not a fourth. Back on Court 2, meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios is arguing with the umpire after Dustin Brown holds for 3-2. He’s annoyed about a chuckling line judge.
Over on Court 2, Nick Kyrgios holds to love for 2-all. Neither he nor Dustin Brown have blinked in the fifth set yet.
Back on Court 1, Venus Williams holds to lead 6-5 in the third set. Will that match end before the rain arrives? Novak Djokovic and Sam Querrey can’t be amused.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is safely into the third round, beating Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 6-1. The 21st seed will face either Time Bacsinszky or Monica Niculescu next.
It seems that another shower could be on the way. Groundsmen and women are poised.
Venus Williams keeps putting the ball back into play, playing with her opponent’s mind, and Daria Kasatkina makes two backhand errors. She’s down 0-30. She fights back to 30-all but another error hands Williams a match point. Yet the Russian isn’t a quitter. She serves well, pushes a forehand down the line for deuce and seals a gritty hold for 5-all when Williams nets a low slice.
The punters on Court 2 will be delighted. They’re getting a fifth set. Nick Kyrgios keeps his cool and serves it out to level the match, winning the fourth set 6-4. Dustin Brown is under the cosh now.
Daria Kasatkina nets a forehand and Venus Williams leads 5-4 in the third set. Kasatkina will serve to stay in the match. How the pendulum swings.
I said we shouldn’t count out Mikhail Youzhny and I am clever, for he has won the second set 6-3 against Alex Zverev. They’re level on Court 8.
That lead didn’t last long for Daria Kasatkina. Venus Williams isn’t going away quietly. She breaks back to make it 4-all in the third set on Court 1.
Two Frenchmen are through to the third round. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 12th seed, has beaten Juan Monaco 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 and Lucas Pouille, the 32nd seed, has beaten Donald Young 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Pouille will face Juan Martin del Potro tomorrow.
A story is brewing on Court 1. Daria Kasatkina has broken to lead 4-3 in the decider against Venus Williams, the eighth seed. What must be going through the 19-year-old’s mind now?
In a stunning development, John Isner has won another tie-break. Exciting, I know. The 18th seed leads 7-6, 7-6 against Matthew Barton on Court 18.
Tomas Berdych, the 10th seed, has thrashed Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. He’s likely to face Alex Zverev, the 24th seed, tomorrow. Or Mikhail Youzhny. Let’s not count out the experienced Russian just yet, even though he’s a set down on Court 8.
Somehow, against all the odds, Christina McHale has consolidated the break on Centre Court. Serena Williams had four break points. McHale got there in the end - but that’s how hard it is to take a game off the world No1.
Another momentum shift on Court 2, where Nick Kyrgios breaks to lead 2-1 in the fourth set. That’ll be going to a fifth set, mark my words.
Barbora Strycova sails into the third round. The 24th seed thumps Evgeniya Rodina 6-4, 6-0 on Court 15. Meanwhile Jo-Wilfried Tsonga leads by two sets and a break against Juan Monaco on Court 12.
Christina McHale has broken in the first game against Serena Williams on Centre Court. What odds both Williams sisters going out on the same day?
Oh to spend 10 minutes inside Nick Kyrgios’s head. Life would never be the same again. The Australian nets a forehand to give up two set points and promptly double-faults to hand the third set to Dustin Brown. The wild card leads 7-6, 1-6, 6-2 and Kyrgios is chuntering at someone or other, possibly the umpire, possibly his box, as he takes his chair.
Switch your attention to Court 2. Nick Kyrgios and Dustin Brown are redefining the very concept of fun. Aces, tweeners, drop shots, lobs, they’ve got the lot. Kyrgios almost took Brown out with a forehand just now. Brown had to swerve and bend his body like The Mask in order to get out of the way. Eventually Kyrgios holds thanks to ... a half volleyed tweener winner. But Brown responds by holding easily to lead 5-2 in the third set.
BREAKING: all men’s doubles matches in the first and second rounds have been reduced from five sets to three because of the rain.
Here comes Serena. The world No1 meanders on to Centre Court. Her opponent today: fellow American, Christina McHale.
An inspired Dustin Brown has broken for a 3-0 lead in the third set against Nick Kyrgios. In an unsurprising turn of events, both men appear to be unhappy with the umpire. They never asked gto be born!
They’re whizzing through these matches now. Alex Zverev is a set up against Mikhail Youzhny, while Tomas Berdych leads 6-4, 6-1 against Benjamin Becker.
Daria Kasatkina survives a break point, relieved when Venus Williams sends a forehand well wide, and holds her nerve to hold serve and claim the second set 6-4! They’re going the distance on Court 1.
Annika Beck is through to the third round. After her marathon against Heather Watson, this one was a sprint. She beats Anastasia Sasnovich 6-2, 6-1 on Court 7.
It was always like to be flamboyant on Court 2 and they’re not disappointing. Dustin Brown has just hit a half-volley tweener winner, just because.
Speaking of youngsters and fightbacks, Daria Kasatkina trailed Venus Williams by a set and a break on Court 1 not so long ago. Now the Russian is serving for the second set at 5-4. Don’t these kids know their place? Apparently not.
Nick Kyrgios has responded wonderfully to losing that first set tie-break on Court 2. He’s ripped through the second set to level his match against Dustin Brown, winning it 6-1. Signs of a more mature Nick Kyrgios?
“I think I played much better after the first set,” Juan Martin del Potro says, revealing that his hands are still shaking as he walks into the interview room. “This is the second or third career in my short life. I was really sad at home in the last two years. My hands shaking, it’s a great sensation for me, because I am playing tennis again and I feel alive. I like to share moments with them, I like to do something fun for the crowd in every match. That’s why I keep fighting. Now I am in the third round in my first grand slam after three years. Now everything is positive for me. I think I am in a good way to be 100% soon.”
The bad news is that Juan Martin del Potro is that he’s going to have drag himself back on court tomorrow, against either Donald Young or Lucas Pouille. It’s looking like it will be Pouille, who leads by a set and a break on Court 17.
Juan Martin del Potro beats Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3!
Serving for the match, Juan Martin del Potro clobbers an ace down the middle to lead 15-0. Then a ripsnorter of a forehand makes it 30-0. Then, at 30-15, he finally hits his first backhand winner! Admittedly it’s a mishit, but still, he’s got two match points! He only needs one. Wawrinka’s seen enough, flinging one last backhand wide! That’s it! Juan Martin del Potro has beaten the fourth seed, in only his second grand slam match after his return from the awful, wretched, miserable wrist injury that took him away from us for almost three years! What an effort from the former US Open champion. He’s not beaten a mug. He’s beaten last year’s French Open champion, no less, and just think how good Del Potro could be if he ever regains 100% fitness.
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Serving at 4-3 down in the fourth set, Stan Wawrinka double-faults to make it 30-all, then nets a forehand to give Del Potro a break point. He’s teetering over the edge here. And after sending a backhand long, he’s clinging on by his fingertips. Del Potro breaks to lead 5-3 and will serve for the match!
Clinical from Tomas Berdych. The 10th seed, who no one’s talking about too much, takes the first set 6-4 against Benjamin Becker on Court 3. As for Centre Court, Juan Martin del Potro holds to lead 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 4-3.
Fresh from beating Heather Watson 12-10 in their rain delayed decider yesterday, a match that took three days to settle, Annika Beck is looking surprisingly sprightly on Court 7. The 22-year-old German leads 6-2, 2-0 against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
But back to Centre Court, where Stan Wawrinka angles a forehand wide, gifting Del Potro a break point. These are dangerous times for Wawrinka - so what a time it is for him to fire an ace past Del Potro for deuce. Another missed forehand, however, means he’s down a break point again. This time he saves himself with a backhand down the line. Eventually he holds for 3-all in the fourth set. A turning point/
More first sets are out of the way. Fabio Fognini has the lead on Court 16 after taking the first set 6-3 off Feliciano Lopez, while Lucas Pouille has taken the first set 6-4 against Donald Young.
Dustin Brown has taken that first set tie-break on Court 2. Rafael Nadal last year; Nick Kyrgios this year?
Over on Court 2, Dustin Brown has taken Nick Kyrgios to a tie-break. He’s got the early mini-break too.
Back on Centre Court, Juan Martin del Potro is under pressure at 30-all and 2-all in the fourth set. So he hammers a forehand into the left corner, then advances to the net to put a delicate volley away for 40-30. See, he can mix it up. He holds to 30 to lead 3-2.
Over on Court 18, meanwhile, I reckon we might see a tie-break between John Isner and Matthew Barton. On Court 15, Evgeniya Rodina is down a break against Barbora Strycova, while France’s Lucas Pouille is up a break against the USA’s Donald Young.
Let’s whistle around the courts, then. Nick Kyrgios and Dustin Brown are edging towards the end of the first set on Court 2, where they’re still waiting for the first break after seven games. The same’s true of Benjamin Becker and Tomas Berdych on Court 3 after five games. Yulia Putintseva has an early break against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Court 4, Annika Beck leads 3-2 against AliaksandraSasnovic on Court 7, Alex Zverev has broken Mikhail Youzhny on Court 8, while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is whizzing away with the first set against Juan Monaco on Court 12, where he leads 4-1. Feliciano Lopez is also struggling. The 22nd seed trails 5-1 against Fabio Fognini on Court 16.
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Venus Williams has doused Daria Kasatkina’s fire for now. No more funny business. The eighth seed takes the first set 7-5.
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In a bid to speed up the schedule, a few matches have been moved on to courts that weren’t being used. Evgeniya Rodina and Barbora Strycova are on Court 15 and Marina Erakovic and Carla Suarez Navarro are on Court 11.
Meanwhile, a tremendous fightback from Daria Kasatkina on Court 1. She was 5-1 down against Venus Williams when they returned but she’s since broken twice to trail 5-4.
Juan Martin del Potro wins the third set 7-6 to lead 3-6, 6-3, 7-6!
Third set tie-break: Del Potro 7-2 Wawrinka* (*denotes server): Wawrinka thinks he’s saved the first with an ace. Del Potro’s Hawkeye challenge shows that it was wide, though. Second serve, then. They rally. Wawrinka knocks a forehand long and Del Potro roars!
Third set tie-break: Del Potro 6-2 Wawrinka* (*denotes server): Wawrinka double-faults! Del Potro has four set points!
Third set tie-break: Del Potro* 5-2 Wawrinka (*denotes server): Wawrinka nets an attempted forehand pass up the line.
Third set tie-break: Del Potro* 4-2 Wawrinka (*denotes server): Another fine serve from Del Potro.
Third set tie-break: Del Potro 3-2 Wawrinka* (*denotes server): Wawrinka sends a backhand wide!
Third set tie-break: Del Potro 2-2 Wawrinka* (*denotes server): Del Potro chops a backhand slice long.
Third set tie-break: Del Potro* 2-1 Wawrinka (*denotes server): Wawrinka blocks a huge serve long.
Third set tie-break: Del Potro* 1-1 Wawrinka (*denotes server): Wawrinka nets a forehand return.
Third set tie-break: Del Potro 0-1 Wawrinka* (*denotes server): Wawrinka fizzes an ace down the middle.
At 30-15, Del Potro balloons a forehand. Wawrinka pumps his fist. He’s two points from the third set. But Del Potro holds to 30 thanks to two solid serves. We’ll have a tie-break.
Wawrinka holds to 15 with an ace and leads 6-5. Meanwhile players are back on the outside courts. There’s even some sun. On Court 1, Daria Kasatkina breaks with Venus Williams serving for the first set and trails 5-2.
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Del Potro holds to love. It’s 5-all in the third set. This is a cracking tennis match!
I can see blue skies! The covers are off! I don’t know why I’m getting excited, it will be raining again soon.
Wawrinka holds to 15 for 5-4. Del Potro bellows. “The bear coming out of hibernation,” says John McEnroe on the BBC.
You sense that winning this set is more important for Del Potro than for Wawrinka. Del Potro is 4-9 in five-set matches, while Wawrinka is 23-19. On those numbers alone, Del Potro will be up against it if this goes to a fifth set. Trailing 4-3 here, he rumbles into a 40-0 lead. But Wawrinka fights back to 40-30, then barrels a forehand down the line for deuce. He holds, though, making it 4-all. The Del Potro forehand versus the Wawrinka backhand is an engrossing duel, isn’t it? Go on - which shot is better?
Wawrinka seems to have rediscovered his poises. Shots that were going long or wide are finding the mark again; a beautiful backhand winner down the line makes it 15-30. Yet he then misses wildly – he challenges, ludicrously, and Del Potro jokingly wonders whether he should be awarded two points as a punishment. Wawrinka gestures that he needs glasses. Everyone laughs. It’s heartwarming stuff. On with the tennis, though, and Del Potro holds to 30 and makes it 3-all.
After four consecutive breaks of serve, Wawrinka finally holds. He leads 3-2 in the third set. Sanity at last.
On Court 1, Venus Williams has romped into a 5-1 lead over Daria Kasatkina – but the covers are coming on again.
Down 0-40, Del Potro saves one break point. He wipes his face as he walks back to the baseline. It’s hot and sticky under that roof. He’s sweating even more when he skews a forehand miles wide. Another break. It’s 2-all.
“Is it really so surprising Thiem lost?” says Michael Devine. “Have you noticed that a lot of players with form on grass have lost early? Thiem, Kohlschreiber, Muller, Florian Mayer, Baghdatis, Cuevas--winners, finalists and semi-finalists from the previous three weeks. A couple, like Steve Johnson and Marathon Mahut, are doing okay. Don’t you think that a certain level of player extends himself too far in the short grass season, getting as many points as they can at 250 and 500 tournaments, and enters Wimbledon exhausted? Almost as if they expect to lose early... Clearly Thiem has played far too much already this year, and didn’t really need to--he’s not desperate for points like Muller and Mayer.”
That’s a plausible theory. What do you think, readers?
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Wawrinka dips again, a lamentable miscued smash wonking past the baseline to make it 15-30. That’s the cue for Del Potro to let fly with the forehand again. When he hits it, it stays hit and he earns two break points, clumping a forehand down the line for 15-40. He can’t take the first, however, overcooking a wide forehand. But he can take the second. Wawrinka stoops and nets a sliced backhand. Del Potro breaks again to lead 2-1! Wawrinka could do with waking up.
“Come onnnnnnn!!!! Wawrinka cries. He spears a backhand down the line and hits back straight away, breaking to love!
The errors are piling up for Wawrinka. Three missed forehands hand Del Potro two break points in the first game of the third set. Wawrinka serves well but Del Potro’s desperate return drops just over the net and Wawrinka flicks an awful backhand wide. Del Potro breaks to lead 1-0! Meanwhile Venus Williams and Daria Kasatkina are back on Court 1.
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Juan Martin del Potro levels the match on Centre Court, winning the second set 6-3! A big serve brings up two set points and Wawrinka can only net a sliced backhand return. Wawrinka has dozed off here and you can’t do that against an opponent as dangerous as Del Potro, who should not be underestimated despite his physical limitations and long, dispiriting rehabilitation. The Argentinian will fancy this now!
Now the covers are off Court 1. The sun is shining. This weather makes no sense at all.
Facing a set point, Stan Wawrinka drags a backhand wide. That’s the set done. Or is it? Wawrinka challenges. Hawkeye shows that the ball kissed the outside of the line and Wawrinka, who had returned to his chair, springs back up again to serve. He’s still facing a set point but he saves it with a firm second serve, forcing deuce. From there, he holds to trail 5-3. Del Potro will serve for the second set.
There’s word from the Press Association that officials are considering play on Sunday.
#Breaking #Wimbledon organisers say Sunday play "is being discussed" pic.twitter.com/IQixZwWSfT
— PA Sport (@pasport) July 1, 2016
Play on the outside courts will not resume until ... 2.45pm at the earliest. Let’s just call the whole thing off.
Del Potro is looking unsteady at 15-30 but he punches a forehand volley away for 30-all. He’s very good at the net, but Wawrinka probably should have tried to lob him. The game goes to deuce, though, and this is hotting up. Del Potro is serving well and his forehand is causing damage. The backhand, though ... the backhand is a problem. It’s holding him back, preventing him from killing this game off. Still, he holds to lead 5-2. He’s a game away from levelling the match.
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At the risk of repeating myself, it’s raining. Farewell, for now, to Venus Williams and Daria Kastkina. The young Russian is on the scoreboard, belatedly, and trails 3-1 in the first set on Court 1.
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Del Potro seems to snort and snarl every time he hits a forehand. It’s pretty intimidating. He sounds like he’s dragging rocks up a mountain every time he unwinds. It’s like a bark from a large dog, loud, abrupt, dangerous. He holds to consolidate the break and lead 4-1.
Juan Martin del Potro breaks! Stan Wawrinka double-faults on break point and Del Potro leads 3-1 in the second set. Let’s just recalibrate those faltering expectations.
Venus Williams has made a strong start. The eighth seed is up an early break against Daria Kasatkina. She lost to the Russian in Auckland earlier this year.
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Back on Centre Court, Juan Martin del Potro emerges unscathed from a deuce game on his serve to lead 2-1 in the second set. Wawrinka had chances but Del Potro is beginning to compete on a more even footing despite trailing by a set. It’s hard to see the Argentinian winning this match, though.
The covers are on most of the outside couts, which is curious given that Venus Williams and Daria Kasatkina are up and running on Court 1. There’s no roof on that court until 2019. Maybe it exists in its own micro-climate.
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Wawrinka must have been happy to see Dominic Thiem lose to Jiri Vesely last night. He was due to face the world No8 in the quarter-final, a prospect it is unlikely he was relishing. Thiem is the rising star and it was a surprise to see him lose in straight sets, though it must be said that Vesely is a very tricky customer on his day. It might mean that Wawrinka faces Alex Zverev in the last eight instead. We’ll see, eh?
Serving for the first set, Stan Wawrinka falls to 15-30 with a double fault, before gifting Del Potro his first two break points with an errant forehand. This wasn’t in the script. Wawrinka saves the first, though, and then the second when he wrongfoots Del Potro with a forehand. Del Potro slips as he tries to readjust his body and it’s worrying to see him sitting on the floor for a few moments. He’s soon up again but he’s facing a set point after netting a forehand return. Wawrinka takes it, serving wide to the backhand, strolling forward to tap a short ball away with casual ease. The first set is Wawrinka’s. He takes it 6-3.
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Maybe not. It’s raining again.
Line judges and ballboys and girls are emerging on outside courts again. This tennis tournament might yet see some tennis.
Del Potro revives memories of that Djokovic semi-final, unleashing an enormous forehand from right to left for a 40-15 lead. That’s the first glimpse of his trademark weapon. After a slow start, though, he trails 4-2.
Wawrinka consolidates the break, pounding that fragile Del Potro backhand, to lead 4-1. He’s not dropped a point on his first serve yet.
Here’s the dilemma for Del Potro, Wawrinka aiming a rapier backhand towards the Argentinian’s backhand. Del Potro can only slice weakly into the net and he’s in a bit of a hole when Wawrinka sends a backhand winner down the line. He was never going to miss a target that big. He fights back to 30-all but sends a forehand long to give Wawrinka a break point. Another forehand error hands Wawrinka an early break.
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Wawrinka holds to lead 2-1, an ace polishing off another love hold. He’s mercilessly moving Del Potro around and doesn’t seem to be in the mood to hand out any free gifts this afternoon.
A crisp, clean start from Stan Wawrinka, who plays four wonderful points to hold to love. It’s already clear that Wawrinka is going to target Del Potro’s shaky backhand. The Argentinian didn’t hit a backhand winner in his first-round match.
While Stan Wawrinka and Juan Martin del Potro prepare to get underway, the covers are being removed on the outside courts. That’s put a smile back on your face.
There are plenty of empty seats on Centre Court. To be fair, it’s not as if people don’t know play starts now.
Tok! Tok! Tok! They’re knocking up. “Here with 35ºC in the sunshine as every single day in the summer (but we’ re in the city not, unfortunately, on the beach) we’d do anything for a bit of rain so perhaps we could do a swap?!” says Diana Badder. “Seriously, though, what a shame, this year absolutely all the tournaments have been affected by rain, at home and abroad. It`s just as frustrating for us trying to follow them on-line because one ends up not knowing who has won what when the matches go on the next day. Anyway, every cloud has a silver lining, so it must stop soon, the headache is for the organizers who have to make sure the schedules are accomplished, I do remember an important final played on a Monday a few years back.”
With the roof on Centre Court, Juan Martin del Potro and Stan Wawrinka stride out to huge acclaim. What a match this could be between two of the biggest hitters in the game. It’s tinged with sadness, though, because it’s impossible not to think wistfully about the spectacles we’ve been denied because of Del Potro’s injury problems in the past few years. This is their first meeting since 2012 and their first at Wimbledon since 2008, when Wawrinka won in the first round in straight sets. The Argentinian is a truly brilliant player, as he proved in that semi-final against Novak Djokovic three years ago, taking the Serbian to five sets. He could trouble Stan Wawrinka similarly today but it’s doubtful that he’ll be able to last with the world No5 over five sets. That said, Wawrinka, who has added former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek in his corner, has never looked entirely sure of himself on grass and has never been past the last eight here.
The roof will be closing on Centre Court. We’ll always have the roof.
The latest update is that the covers will not come off until 1pm at the earliest. They’ll surely have to put the roof on Centre Court. Woe is us, in so many awful ways.
Someone smash the emergency Cliff Richard glass.
Still the rain pours. Fans are milling past the press centre here, holding umbrellas and wearing anoraks and grim expressions. Call this summer? This country wouldn’t know summer if it came up to it and administered a well-deserved kick up the backside! Enough of this rain. Can’t we call a referendum about this or something? Should there be more rain? Yes or No? What do you say? What could possibly go wrong?
Play lasted for all of three seconds. The umbrellas are up on every court, the rain is teeming down, the covers are coming on and play is suspended. It’s going to be that kind of day. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
We have play. We have tennis.
Nick Kyrgios and Dustin Brown are out on Court 2. The umpire reminds them that the on-court microphones will pick up any bad language and warns them not to damage the court with any racquet smashing.
And here come those players. We’re going to have some tennis. Imagine that.
They’re “hopeful” that play will start shortly. Hip hip!
It’s gone 11.30 and we’re still waiting for players to emerge. At least the covers are off, though.
“Why is Djokovic scheduled on Court 1 and Wawrinka on Centre Court?” asks Tanan, sniffing out a conspiracy.
But there’s a very logical answer to this question. Djokovic is playing Sam Querrey and can be expected to dispense with him in three sets, while Wawrinka - the world No5 and a two-time grand slam champion - is playing Juan Martin del Potro, a former world No5 and US Open champion who is on the comeback trail after a dismal time with injuries. It’s a fascinating match with the potential to be one of the best of the fortnight.
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11am. No.2 Court. @NickKyrgios v @DreddyTennis.
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2016
The battle of the shot makers...#Wimbledonhttps://t.co/pbxMmjccsU
Back to Steve Johnson, he lifted the title in Nottingham last week and also thumped Richard Gasquet in the first round at Queen’s. Beating a player who’s seeded seventh here was no mean feat from the 26-year-old, who’s never been past the third round of a grand slam.
Blast! Play on the outside courts has been delayed until 11.30am.
The covers are still on a couple of courts, but presumably as a precautionary measure for the time being. The sun’s peeking out from behind the clouds now and then. But the skies do look ominously grey and there has been some rain in the air. It would be quite the setback if such a promising bunch of matches are disrupted. Also catching my eye, if it takes place today, is the USA’s Steve Johnson versus Grigor Dimitrov, a semi-finalist here in 2014. Dimitrov secured one of his best wins of 2016 yesterday - and there haven’t been many - by beating 16th seed Gilles Simon on Court 1. The Bulgarian appears to be discovering some form at last. But Johnson is one to watch. The American has risen to 29th in the world rankings after excelling on grass recently.
Preamble
Hello. It’s not been a great morning. I’ve picked up a parking ticket, locked myself out – in the rain, at 8am – and been bantered to within an inch of my life by the good old District Line. But that’s all in the past now. Here we are, day five of Wimbledon 2016, and it looks like to be a doozy even if the rain drenches the outside courts. Weather permitting, we’ve got a meeting between two of the most unpredictable talents in the men’s game on Court 2, where Nick Kyrgios meets Dustin Brown, conqueror of Rafael Nadal last year. Relegated to Court 18 yesterday, Venus Williams is back on Court 1. The former champion meets the rising Russian, Daria Kastkina and there’s an American flavour on that court today, with Novak Djokovic taking on big serving Sam Querrey and Jack Sock attempting to deal with Milos Raonic’s serve. God bless America? He/She/It might need to if we’re going to see wins for Querrey and Sock.
Elsewhere there’s Petra Kvitova versus Ekaterina Makarova, Kei Nishikori versus Andrey Kuznetsov, Simona Halep versus Kiki Bertens, BRITAIN’S Tara Moore versus Svetlana Kuznetsova, Alexander Zverev v Mikhail Youzhny, Juan Monaco versus Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Marin Cilic versus Lukas Lacko, Carina Witthoeft versus Angelique Kerber and much, much more. Why, Wimbledon, you’re spoiling us.
And even if the weather intervenes, have no fear, because there’s always Centre Court. First up, a potential epic, with fourth seed Stan Wawrinka unfortunate enough to be handed a second round draw against a resurgent Juan Martin del Potro. The Argentinian, who won the US Open in 2009, is back after his injury hell and Wawrinka will have his hands full, even though he’s the favourite.
Favourites don’t always win. That’s the hope for the USA’s Christina McHale and Britain’s Dan Evans. Once Wawrinka and Del Potro are done – will it go to five sets? – McHale has the unenviable task of trying to beat Serena Williams. Good luck. Once that’s done, Evans has the unenviable task of trying to beat Federer. Good luck.
Play begins: at 11am BST.
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