Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s report of Djokovic’s win over Edmund:
Time for me to do a Nick Kyrgios and throw in the towel. Thanks for reading and commenting. We’ll be back with the men’s and women’s fourth-round matches on Monday. Bye!
Kei Nishikori has gone two sets up against Nick Kyrgios, who rather threw in the towel during the second-set tie-break. Nishikori leads 6-1, 7-6 (3). Kyrgios left a looping, defensive shot from Nishikori on set point. Oh dear.
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For a set, Kyle Edmund’s fiendish forehand was causing Novak Djokovic all sorts of problems. But class told in the end, with Djokovic showing Edmund how far he still has to go. This was Edmund’s best ever run at Wimbledon - but it’s still only a run to the third round. He still has a lot of room for improvement. I feel he needs more variety. His groundstrokes are vicious, but Djokovic had the measure of them after the first set.
On Court 1, meanwhile, the improving Kei Nishikori leads 6-1, 4-4 against Nick Kyrgios. The word is that Kyrgios barely tried in the first set.
Novak Djokovic will play Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the fourth round. They’ve never met before. Khachanov has a big game. He’ll come out swinging.
Novak Djokovic speaks! “It was tough. Edmund has been playing really well lately. He won our last encounter. He has improved a lot, especially on the backhand side. He was a set up. Not an ideal situation for me. But I managed somehow to come back. I had to. I was 100% convinced. But everybody can make a mistake. I asked the chair umpire ‘How is it possible he plays the shot that he played if he lets go of the racquet and it doesn’t bounce twice?’ It doesn’t make sense. But I am just glad to come through this challenge in four sets. I have had plenty of success at Wimbledon in the last decade and I am very grateful for that.”
This is the first time there hasn’t been a British singles player in the second week at Wimbledon since 2007. Get well soon, Andy Murray.
Novak Djokovic beats Kyle Edmund 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4!
We’ve been going for almost three hours. We’re in the final knockings now. It’s been a valiant effort from Kyle Edmund, but Novak Djokovic has found an extra gear. He edges closer when Edmund nets a forehand at 15-0, an error that draws more pumping of the fist from Djokovic. Moments later he lets out a guttural, primal roar after driving a backhand down the line for 40-0. An ace down the middle seals it. It’s a weird moment. It looked out and there’s a slight delay. But Edmund has no challenges left. So Djokovic bellows again!
Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 5-4 Edmund* (*denotes server): Djokovic moves into a 0-15 lead. Edmund, now at Murray-esque levels of stubborngittery, wins the next three points. Djokovic is increasingly irascible. He isn’t going away, though. He fights back to deuce. Edmund wastes his last challenge on a missed backhand and he hands Djokovic a break point after pushing a forehand wide. Edmund batters a forehand into the left corner. He seems surprised that it comes back at him and loops a second effort miles wide. Djokovic pumps his fist at his box. He’ll serve for the match.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 4-4 Edmund (*denotes server): Djokovic lets out his anger with a couple of aces. He holds with a volley. The handshake at the end is going to be interesting.
Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-4 Edmund* (*denotes server): Down 0-15, Edmund rips an ace away to make it 15-all. Then Djokovic steers a backhand pass out of reach for 15-30. Djokovic loops a backhand deep to the baseline. It’s called long. Edmund blocks long. The umpire corrects the call and awards the point to Djokovic, enraging Edmund, who’s facing two break points. Edmund argues to no avail. At 15-40, Djokovic dinks a volley over. Edmund races forward to dab it past him. Did he make it? Djokovic thinks not. He thinks it was a double bounce and now it’s his turn to argue with the umpire, who’s on Edmund’s side this time. A replay suggests it was a double bounce. Djokovic isn’t letting this go. Can we have VAR? Do a VAR signal, Novak. An even slower replay strengthen’s Djokovic’s case. But the umpire isn’t changing his mind and Djokovic’s mood darkens even further when Edmund pings a forehand past him for deuce. After all that effort, however, Edmund double-faults to give Djokovic a third chance. He’s living on the edge. He avoids tumbling off it, forcing Djokovic to send a backhand wide. Djokovic carves out a fourth chance. Edmund denies him with a huge forehand. Edmund holds with a forehand winner. Djokovic will be livid. This match has taken on a new intensity. Did Edmund know it was a double bounce? Even more incredibly, Djokovic didn’t realise that Edmund’s shot went wide! He could have challenged that instead of the double bounce!
Fourth set: Djokovic* 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-3 Edmund (*denotes server): Djokovic looks in control for 30-0, only for Edmund to fight back to 30-all. Can he claim a break point? No. Edmund sticks a volley long. Djokovic glares at the crowd again. He is on one, relishing his role as pantomime villain. He holds, heaping the pressure back on Edmund.
Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 2-3 Edmund* (*denotes server): Edmund holds to 15, finishing it off with an ace. This is a much sterner effort from him now. He’s hanging in there.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 2-2 Edmund (*denotes server): The first two points are shared. Soon it’s 30-all. But Djokovic slams down an ace and holds to 30 when Edmund drags a backhand wide.
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Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-2 Edmund* (*denotes server): Djokovic dumps a drop shot into the net for 15-0. Then Edmund flays a forehand behind Djokovic for 30-0. A backhand drive makes it 40-0. An ace polishes off Edmund’s most impressive game since the first set.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-1 Edmund (*denotes server): Djokovic breezes through another hold. This feels like a matter of time. Can Edmund summon a second wind?
Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 0-1 Edmund* (*denotes server): “Come on!” cries Edmund. He’s held to 30. The comeback’s on!
Novak Djokovic wins the third set 6-2; he leads 4-6, 6-3, 6-2!
He’s worn Edmund down. It’s not long before it’s 40-0. Edmund cuts an increasingly forlorn figure. He knocks a backhand long. Djokovic edges closer to a fourth-round meeting with Karen Khachanov, who came back from two sets down to beat Frances Tiafoe earlier.
Third set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 5-2 Edmund* (*denotes server): Optimism is fading. More errors from Edmund make it 0-40. These are pretty much set points for Djokovic. He wastes the first, pinging a backhand long. But the net gets in Edmund’s way on the next one. Djokovic, raging against the world, will serve for the set. He taunts the crowd by pointing to his right ear.
Third set: Djokovic* 4-6, 6-3, 4-2 Edmund (*denotes server): At 15-30, Djokovic receives a time violation from the umpire because of how long he’s taking to serve. The crowd applauds. Djokovic glares at the man in the chair. Then he wins the next three points to hold. Meanwhile Ernests Gulbis has beaten Alexander Zverev 7-6, 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0. It’s another disappointing end to a grand slam for the fourth seed, but what a performance from the enigmatic Gulbis.
Third set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 3-2 Edmund* (*denotes server): Edmund gambols into a 40-0 lead. But back comes Djokovic, storming through the next three points to force deuce. Edmund has to be good to hold him off and stay in touch.
Third set: Djokovic* 4-6, 6-3, 3-1 Edmund (*denotes server): The game goes to 30-all and Edmund, interested again, seizes a break point with a crisp forehand. But with Djokovic at the net, Edmund steers a backhand wide. It’s a bad miss and it means Djokovic’s able to hold.
Third set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 2-1 Edmund* (*denotes server): Edmund needs to get back on track here. An ace for 40-0 is better from him. He holds to 30. Over on Court 1, Alexander Zverev is a break down to Ernests Gulbis in the fifth set.
Third set: Djokovic* 4-6, 6-3, 2-0 Edmund (*denotes server): On Court 1, Alexander Zverev has been taken to a fifth set by Ernests Gulbis. What are they going to do about Nick Kyrgios and Kei Nishikori? Could they put them under the Centre Court roof? There’s a slot open on Court 2 now. Maybe they could start there. On Centre Court, meanwhile, inevitability is descending.
Third set: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 Edmund* (*denotes server): Worrying signs: Edmund, whose level dropped at the end of the second set, begins this one with two poor errors. He steadies himself with a forehand winner, though, and makes it 30-all with a deft volley. It’s 40-30 when Djokovic completely misses a backhand, swiping at thin air, but the game goes to deuce. Edmund is all over the show now. Another forehand miss hands Djokovic a break point. Djokovic hangs in the rally. Edmund, off balance, plonks a forehand long. Djokovic roars.
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Novak Djokovic wins the second set 6-3 to level the match!
Serving for the set, Djokovic pounces on a high ball to push a forehand away for 15-0. But then he dumps a smash in the net; Edmund had given up on that, but Djokovic seemed to have too much time. The Serb makes up for it with an adroit piece of volleying for 30-15. Then he grabs two set points when his backhand clips the top of the net and leaves Edmund stranded. He serves wide and Edmund fires a forehand return wide. The match is level! Gareth Southgate needs to make his way to Centre Court with immediate haste.
Second set: Edmund* 6-4, 3-5 Djokovic (*denotes server): Edmund’s lost the first point on his service game a few times in this set - and it happens again here. He’s making a few errors. Soon it’s 15-30. The anxiety builds. The shouts of encouragement grow more strained. Suddenly Djokovic is more patient and methodical. Edmund snatches at a forehand, pulling it wide, and Djokovic has two break points. Edmund serves wide and Djokovic nets a forehand. Then Edmund forces deuce with an ace. But Djokovic is starting to draw errors from him. Edmund drags a slice wide. He responds with a smash to save the break point. Suddenly the rallies are more attritional. You sense it favours Djokovic. He pings a forehand from right to left - but Edmund runs on to it and fizzes a preposterous forehand down the line. Can he get out of this unscathed? Not yet. Djokovic is on the prowl and, having forced deuce, he earns a break point with a calm, smart volley. It’s a bad time for Edmund to double-fault. He challenges in vain. Djokovic breaks for the first time and will serve for the set. It was coming.
Second set: Edmund 6-4, 3-4 Djokovic* (*denotes server): This is where Edmund broke in the first set. Not this time. Djokovic skips to a second consecutive love hold, polishing it off with an ace.
Second set: Edmund* 6-4, 3-3 Djokovic (*denotes server): Djokovic is missing some easy balls. He wasn’t doing that in his pomp. But here we are. It’s 2018 and England are in a World Cup semi-final; we go with the flow and accept what happens. Edmund moves from 0-15 to 40-15 with brilliant serving. He holds to 15. Djokovic will serve with new balls.
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Second set: Edmund 6-4, 2-3 Djokovic* (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to love. Nothing to see here. A lull. Understandable in this heat.
Second set: Edmund* 6-4, 2-2 Djokovic (*denotes server): At 15-all, Edmund gets a bit too excited and spanks a smash off towards Wimbledon Village. He fights back to 30-all before working Djokovic over with the forehand, but the game goes to deuce. Edmund holds, though. Djokovic is still too inconsistent.
Second set: Edmund 6-4, 1-2 Djokovic* (*denotes server): The first two points are shared, both men netting as Rod Laver watches on from the Royal Box. Djokovic finds his range on his serve to make it 40-15. Then he’s annoyed with himself for inviting Edmund forward for a backhand down the line. But he holds to 30.
Second set: Edmund* 6-4, 1-1 Djokovic (*denotes server): Edmund whistles a forehand past Djokovic for 15-0. Djokovic comes up with a stinging riposte for 15-all. This is cracking entertainment. Edmund makes it 30-15 with a backhand down the line before a lame Djokovic return makes it 40-15. Djokovic fights back to deuce, though, and soon he has a break point. Edmund’s wheezing a bit in the next rally. Until Djokovic tries a stupid sliced drop shot. That allows Edmund to force deuce, rapping a backhand past Djokovic. But Djokovic is starting to return with interest and he has another chance when Edmund knocks a backhand long. The solution, then, is for Edmund to come up with a big first serve. He holds thanks to some huge hitting. He clenches his fist. Fantastic defiance.
Second set: Edmund 6-4, 0-1 Djokovic* (*denotes server): Sean Ingle has just returned from Centre Court. He says it’s very raucous out there. “Like a Murray semi-final.” That’s because it’s coming home. Unless an irritable Djokovic has something to say about it. He moves into a 40-0 lead and holds to 15 with an angry drive volley.
Kyle Edmund wins the first set 6-4!
It isn’t a good start from Edmund, a miss making it 0-15. Then Djokovic starts to move better. Bad news. Edmund misses a forehand down the line for 0-30. He’s relieved to see Djokovic concede the next point, netting a forehand, and the one after that with another errant forehand for 30-all. Djokovic has a moan. Moments later he slaps a ball into the ground and chunters a bit, much to the crowd’s disdain. There are a few jeers. And then come the cheers - for Edmund has a set point. Edmund smashes a serve down the middle and Djokovic barely gets a racquet on it! It. Is. Coming. Home. After two years of hurt.
First set: Djokovic* 4-5 Edmund (*denotes server): “Let’s go, Kyle, let’s go,” is the chant on Centre Court, where a slightly raucous atmosphere is building. Serving to stay in the set, Djokovic looks annoyed. He wallops a forehand long and wide to make it 0-15. Edmund can’t take advantage, though, netting two straight backhands. Djokovic steers a forehand away for 40-15 and holds with an ace. Edmund will have to hold his nerve and his serve.
First set: Djokovic 3-5 Edmund* (*denotes server): Edmund has to hang on to the momentum. He has to consolidate the break. He has come out with no fear; he surely must have been watching England. He’s moving like Jesse Lingard; defending like Harry Maguire; attacking like Harry Kane. But can he sustain it? The first two points are shared; Djokovic wastes a challenge when a shot’s called long at 0-15. The game goes to 30-all. Tense times. Edmund makes it 40-30 with an ace down the middle, but the game goes to deuce, a reminder that life in the company of Novak Djokovic is rarely straightforward on a tennis court. Suddenly it’s a little ragged from Edmund, who gives up a break point with a wild forehand. Djokovic lets him off, though, wafting a forehand long, and Edmund somehow scrambles clear thanks to more errors from the great on the other side of the net.
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First set: Djokovic* 3-4 Edmund (*denotes server): Another forehand missile down the line from Edmund leaves Djokovic reeling. Djokovic has become surprisingly passive in the last 10 minutes. It’s like he’s waiting for the youngster to miss. He realises he needs to be more assertive, but Edmund clobbers another forehand into the left corner for 30-all. Edmund’s going for it. He finds the mark with another forehand which causes Djokovic to tumble at the back of the court. It’s Edmund’s first break point. Can he take it? Nope. This time he smashes an inside-out forehand wide. He might have gone too early. But he has another when a rattled Djokovic pulls a forehand long. Djokovic moves forward and remains solid at the net, volleying off a tentative Edmund backhand to force deuce. Edmund, however, knows what he has to keep doing: hitting that forehand. More aggression brings Edmund a third chance. Yet Djokovic, who’s bouncing the ball a lot before serving, is relieved to see Edmund net a backhand return. Chances are coming, chances are going. Djokovic nets a backhand. More bouncing. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Serve. Rally. The pair engage in a cracking backhand battle. Then it turns into a battle at the net. Djokovic hangs in there, but he’s always second best and eventually Edmund has the room to block a backhand back into the open court. Edmund has the first break!
First set: Djokovic 3-3 Edmund* (*denotes server): Edmund tries another approach, but it’s difficult to fool Djokovic with the same move twice. A backhand from left to right draws an errant volley from Edmund. 0-15. Edmund levels with a good serve, though, before making it 30-15, drilling a backhand down the line. Then he sends a scorching forehand down the other flank for 40-15. He holds with a cute volley. The atmosphere’s building. It’s increasingly fascinating. Edmund’s holding his own at the moment.
First set: Djokovic* 3-2 Edmund (*denotes server): At 30-0, Edmund surprises Djokovic by coming to the net to put away a backhand volley. Djokovic responds by clipping an ace down the middle. Another easy hold in the end.
First set: Djokovic 2-2 Edmund* (*denotes server): Edmund could do with an easy service game to warm up the crowd, who like it when Djokovic nets a defensive backhand. Soon it’s 30-0, Djokovic dropping a backhand long, and Edmund holds to 15 with a hard ace down the middle.
First set: Djokovic* 2-1 Edmund (*denotes server): Djokovic finds the outside of the line with an ace for 15-0. Edmund’s making some errors and it isn’t long before Djokovic leads 40-15. Djokovic holds with an ace. Elsewhere Alexander Zverev has levelled his match against Ernests Gulbis after taking the second set, Frances Tiafoe is two sets up against Karen Khachanov and Jiri Vesely has beaten Fabio Fognini, the 19th seed, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
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First set: Djokovic 1-1 Edmund* (*denotes server): Centre Court isn’t that full at the moment. You’d hope there would be more of an atmosphere given that England have just won. But that probably won’t bother Edmund, who’s a calm guy. What will bother him is how good Djokovic is; the youngster will need a good start. He needs to not smack a forehand into the net at 15-all. Another error gives Djokovic two break points. Edmund is tight. Djokovic knocks a backhand long, making it 30-40, and Edmund saves the second break point with a drive forehand volley for deuce. That gives Edmund the belief to hold. “It’s coming home,” Tim Henman says. John McEnroe chuckles. “That might be jumping the gun,” he says.
First set: Djokovic* 1-0 Edmund (*denotes server): Novak Djokovic opens the serving in the afternoon sun. It’s a little bit cooler than it was earlier and Djokovic quickly races into a 40-0 lead. He holds to 15.
Novak Djokovic leads 3-1 in the head-to-head. But Kyle Edmund won his last meeting with the Serbian, beating him in three sets on the Madrid clay. Play will begin imminently.
On BBC2, John McEnroe is congratulating Sue Barker and Tim Henman on Centre Court. “Very cerebral match by the England team,” he says. “Two headers.” Yes, two headers. The big question, of course, is whether Kyle Edmund has been watching England watch the World Cup final. After all, the British No1 has a rather big task on his hands this evening: he takes on Novak Djokovic, the 12th seed and three-time champion. Edmund’s whipcrack forehand gives him a big chance of causing an upset, but he’s playing one of the best players of all time. It won’t be easy at all. Djokovic has looked good this week, although he had a bit of a knee issue in his second-round match. This blog will now be switching to game-by-game coverage of the third match on Centre Court.
The end of the England game was greeted by a big cheer on Centre Court. Well, I assume it wasn’t for Angelique Kerber.
Angeliqe Kerber beats Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4!
Naomi Osaka knocks a final groundstroke long and Angelique Kerber is through to face Belinda Bencic in the fourth round. The German is emerging as a big threat.
Angelique Kerber holds to lead 6-2, 5-3 on Centre Court. Naomi Osaka will serve to stay in it. Over on Court 1, meanwhile, Alexander Zverev has started the second set with a break against Ernests Gulbis, who’s a set up.
Alexander Zverev is going to have to do it the hard way again. The fourth seed only managed two points in that tie-break and Ernests Gulbis is a set up on Court 1. Gulbis beat Del Potro here last year. When he fancies it, he can be very dangerous.
It’s a first-set tie-break between Alexander Zverev and Ernests Gulbis on Court 1. Meanwhile Frances Tiafoe took the first set 6-4 against Karen Khachanov on Court 12.
I don’t like much tennis is being watched in the media centre today. There are lots of oohs and aahs because of some football match.
Another seed bites the dust: Aliaksandra Sasnovich has beaten the No26 seed Daria Gavrilova 6-3, 6-1. It hasn’t been a great day for Australia so far.
Angelique Kerber leads by a set on a break against Naomi Osaka, who doesn’t look capable of emulating her US Open win. Kyle Edmund and Novak Djokovic might be on Centre Court soon.
Benoit Paire was in a good mood after his defeat to Juan Martin del Potro.
Q. When you said to the umpire, You are a zero, what did you mean exactly?
BENOIT PAIRE: Zero is because when you stay on the chair and you don’t make an overrule and you just announce the score, I think I can do the job. So we don’t need one chair umpire if it’s just to stay and say the score.
Because for me, he has to do his job, he has to take some risk, he has to make some overrule. Yeah, sometimes he say the line very far from me so I’m not sure. But every time it was serve just in front of him and it was not one millimeter, it was every time on the line very clear. I say you’re a zero because you have to do something.
Q. Did you mean it in the sense, I would give you 0 out of 10 as an umpire?
BENOIT PAIRE: No, maybe 1 or 2 just for announcement of the score, because he did a good job. So “new balls,” “15-Love,” it was a good job for him today. But after, no.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich knocked Petra Kvitova out of these championships and now she could be about to send Daria Gavrilova on her way. The 26th seed trails 6-3, 4-1 on Court 18. Over on Court 12, meanwhile, there’s an intriguing encounter between two young guns. Russia’s Karen Khachanov and the USA’s Frances Tiafoe remain on serve early in the first set.
On Centre Court, Angelique Kerber has the early break against Naomi Osaka, who beat the German in the US Open last year. On Court 1, meanwhile, the match between Alexander Zverev and Ernests Gulbis is underway. You never know what to expect from Gulbis. He’ll cause problems for the fourth seed if he’s dialled in.
Dominika Cibulkova beats Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-2!
“I will avenge the loss of my seeding!” the angry Slovak roars. Watch out, All England Club suits!
Belinda Bencic has survived a second-set wobble to defeat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 7-6 (3). The talented young Swiss, who’s been described as the next Martina Hingis, is through to the fourth round for the first time since 2015. Elsewhere Daria Gavrilova, the 26th seed, is a set down to Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
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Simona Halep’s defeat means that nine of the top seeds in the women’s draw have fallen in the first week. Karolina Pliskova, the seventh seed, is the only one left in the draw.
Hsieh Su-wei beats Simona Halep 3-6, 6-4, 7-5!
Halep couldn’t serve it out. Can Hsieh? It’s looking tricky when Halep crunches into a -0-30 lead. A fine, see-sawing rally ensues, Hsieh winning it with a defiant backhand down the line. 15-30. But Halep finds the line with a killer forehand, earning two break points. She can’t take the first. Then comes another preposterous rally. Hsieh dinks and lobs and Halep nets a forehand for deuce. Soon she has her first match point. Hsieh serves and Halep, who served for the match and had a match point, nets her forehand return! The world No1 is out, beaten by a player ranked 47 places below her!
Rafa Nadal beats Alex De Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4!
The No2 seed is through to the fourth round. But the real drama is taking place on Court 1....
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Serving at 5-5, having seen a match point come and go, Simona Halep’s taken to deuce. That’s where it stays for a while. Hsieh isn’t letting go. She realises it could be on and ekes out a break point when she penetrates Halep’s defences. A tense rally ensues - and Hsieh seizes the upper hand with a piercing forehand that forces an error from Halep. Hsieh breaks for 6-5! She’ll serve to knock out the world No1.
Simona Halep earns a set point on Hsieh’s serve. But the underdog is so persistent. She saves it and holds for 5-5.
Juan Martin del Potro is the first Argentinian man to make the fourth round four times here. Well done, Juan Martin.
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Simona Halep serves for the match and soon finds herself facing two break points. She saves them both. But Hsieh earns another and she takes it. Halep leads 5-4 in the third and Hsieh will serve next.
Rafael Nadal is closing in on only his third fourth-round appearance here since 2011. He’s broken Alex De Minaur to lead 3-2 in the third set on Centre Court. Sir Bobby Charlton is still in the Royal Box.
I've spent a lot of summer weekends in London in my life but something feels different about this one! 🦁🦁🦁
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) July 7, 2018
Dominika Cibulkova is a set away from the fourth round. The two-time quarter-finalist has taken the first set 6-2 against Elise Mertens, the 15th seed.
Simona Halep breaks to lead 3-1 in the third set. Not that it means anything. Hsieh will probably break back in a minute.
Dominika Cibulkova, a woman with a point to prove, could be on her to taking down another seed. The Slovak, who missed out on a seeding because of that pesky Serena Williams, leads the No15 seed Elise Mertens 4-1 in the first set on Court 2.
They’ve shut the blinds in the media centre. Why, is something happening?
Simona Halep is having big problems putting Hsieh Su-wei away. Her serve isn’t clicking. She had a break at the start of the third set; not any more, though.
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Over on Court 12, Belinda Bencic leads the No27 seed Carla Suarez Navarro by a set and a break. The young Swiss really is too good to be unseeded. But that can happen when you suffer injuries.
Gilles Simon has seen off Matthew Ebden. The Frenchman celebrates his country’s victory over Uruguay with a 6-1, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 over the Australian.
Hello again. I did not find strawberries, cream or champagne, but I did find a sandwich and an orange. Simona Halep, meanwhile, has found a crucial break at the start of the third set on Court 1.
Right. . .luckily for all of you fine folk, Jacob is back so you will no longer be punished by having to deal with me.
Nicola Adams, David Haye and Carl Froch are all on Centre Court, resulting in a bucketload of puns about knockout blows.
Nadal served for the set to take a 2-0 lead in this match. De Minaur fought hard but fell short. Nadal looked in trouble for a split second in the game when De Minaur lobbed him, but recovered and sent the ball back between his legs and over the Australian who replicated his opponent’s shot but without the same success a it struck the net. The Spaniard also survived a couple of break points but eventually got through it.
Elsewhere Hsieh has won the second set! She has taken Halep to a decider.
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Now it’s 5-2 to Nadal, so it could be a bit of a procession from here on in. The Spaniard sits under an umbrella supping away on his drink as he contemplates how to get through this tie with minimal fuss. It really shouldn’t be too tricky from here.
A little update from Court 2, where the female spectator who fell ill was helped from the venue by paramedics before play restarted. Hope she makes a quick and full recovery.
It looks like Nadal is really in the mood now, with De Minaur unable to cope with the power the Spaniard is offering now. Nadal now has a 4-2 lead in the second set thanks to some big hitting.
Speaking of breaks Halep has just done one herself to make it 3-3 in the second set. She really won’t want to drag out her game against Hseih any longer than necessary.
Nadal breaks! The Spaniard his 3-2 up in the second now. He dominated the tempo there and won the game calmly. No looking back now, surely.
Juan Martin del Potro beats Benoit Paire 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3
Juan Martin del Potro has completed a straight sets win (6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3) over Benoit Paire. Del Potro wandered off after a standing ovation from the crowd. A popular man, who will be back for the second week.
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Nadal copies De Minaur there as he doesn’t drop a point to make it 2-2. A good set for serving and not running too far along the baseline in under the sun.
Hseih Su-wei is not lying down after Simona Halep’s opening set win, fighting back to break the Romanian, giving the world No 48 a 2-1 lead in the second.
De Minaur has just hit the fastest serve of the match as he looks to give Nadal a bit more of a challenge in the second set. It is going with serve here this time around as he wins the third game to love, making it 2-1 in the set.
As Jacob hunts for strawberries, cream and champagne, I will talk you through the action in the hot weather.
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I’m off to grab some lunch. Will Unwin will be your guide for a bit.
Alex De Minaur looks far too flimsy to inconvenience Rafa Nadal. The young Australian has a nice game, but he lacks the weight of shot to make a real impression. He nets a forehand and the first set goes to Nadal, who takes it 6-1.
It appears that someone in the crowd has collapsed on Court 2, where Juan Martin del Potro leads Benoit Paire 6-4, 7-6, 4-3. There’s been quite a long delay. It is very hot today.
It was a strange first set on Court 1, but Simona Halep’s belatedly found some consistency in the face of Hsieh Su-wei’s guile. The No1 seed wins it 6-3.
Milos Raonic has marched into round four, beating Dennis Novak 7-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. Raonic hit 28 aces and won 87% of his first serves.
On Court 18, Gilles Simon leads Matthew Ebden 6-1, 6-7, 6-3. As you were.
On Centre Court, Rafa Nadal cracks one of those forehands down the line to lead 0-15. Then Alex De Minaur makes the mistake off creeping to the net off a poor passing shot. Nadal passes him with ease. These are dangerous times for the young Aussie. He’s feeling better after winning the next three points, but the game goes to deuce. Nadal carves out a break point with a snorting backhand return, a second serve given the treatment, but he lets De Minaur off the hook, netting a backhand when he had him on the run. A second goes begging. Then De Minaur saves a third with a forehand down the line. Nadal can’t take a fourth chance either. As much as De Minaur’s fighting, though, he can’t keep Nadal from barging through. Nadal converts a fifth break point to lead 3-1 in the first set.
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Jelena Ostapenko wants to watch England v Sweden. She’s shoved a first-set bagel down Vitalia Diatchenko’s throat.
This is ridiculous. Five games, five breaks. Simona Halep leads 3-2 in the first set on Court 1 and nobody’s held yet. Hsieh Su-wei gave her three break points with a double-fault and a wild backhand handed Halep the game.
Jelena Ostapenko is in no mood to become the victim of an upset on Court 3. The 12th seed and former French Open champion leads 5-0 in the first set against Vitalia Diatchenko, who beat Maria Sharapova in the first round.
On Court 12, a match held over from last night has resumed. Milos Raonic, the 13th seed, and Dennis Novak, an Austrian qualifier, had split at two sets. Raonic has just taken the third 7-5 and will be confident of wrapping things up soon.
Hsieh Su-wei has such an unusual game - she loves an attacking slice - but Halep knows how to defend. The world No1’s hustle draws an error from the diminutive Hsieh, bringing up three break points, and breaks to 15 to lead 2-1 in the first set.
A gorgeous drop shot from the inventive Hsieh Su-wei is enough for her to get over the disappointment of losing her opening service game to Simona Halep on Court 1. Halep’s been broken straight back and, if she didn’t already, knows she’ll have to be at her best this afternoon.
Benoit Paire slaps a backhand into the net and that’s enough for Juan Martin del Potro to sail into a two-set lead on Court 2. Del Potro leads 6-4, 7-6 (4). Paire receives a code violation for an angry reaction. The Frenchman, who has bleached blonde hair below his cap, is bellowing.
Sir Bobby Charlton has stood up in the Royal Box. “IT’S COMING HOME!” he roars. Then he leads the crowd in a rendition of Three Lions. What a legend.
It’s Sports Day on Centre Court. Sue Barker is introducing us to a host of athletes in the Royal Box before the match between Rafael Nadal and Alex De Minaur can begin. De Minaur is a highly rated youngster, but the 19-year-old have his work cut out against Nadal this afternoon. Then again, Nadal has struggled against an Australian teenager on this court before.
Alison van Uytvanck beats Anett Kontaveit 6-2, 6-3!
Kontaveit saves three match points with some smart play. Van Uytvanck won’t stop hounding her, though, converts at the fourth time of asking, nailing a smash to seal a dominant win. The Belgian will play Daria Kasatakina in the fourth round.
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Daria Kasatkina beats Ashleigh Barty 7-5, 6-3!
Ashleigh Barty has fallen to pieces. Serving to stay in the second set and the match, she thumps a dire forehand long to give Daria Kasatkina three match points. The Russian, a quarter-finalist at the French Open, stays patient and waits for an opening. When she spots it, she drills a backhand down the line to finish off Barty, who led 4-1 in the first set.
Juan Martin Del Potro batters a forehand into the left corner and Benoit Paire, whose left leg is already heavily strapped, falls badly. He stays down for a while and Del Potro, ever the gent, hops over the net to check that the Frenchman’s not hurt. Paire clambers back to his feet. The big problem is he’s facing a break point. A poor drop shot lets Del Potro back into the second set. “Aw,” is the general reaction on Court 2.
Anett Kontaveit sticks a backhand down the line and Alyson van Uytvanck breaks again to lead 6-2, 4-3 on Court 12. The Belgian only needs two more holds, which sounds simple enough.
The only way forward for Ashleigh Barty is to keep fighting- and the Australian takes advantage of some poor serving from Daria Kasatkina to break straight back. What a strange match. Over on Court 2, meanwhile, Benoit Paire leads 4-2 in the second set against Juan Martin del Potro, who took the first set.
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This is turning into a very frustrating experience for Ashleigh Barty, who is making far too many unforced errors. It’s not been a perfect performance from Daria Kasatkina, but the youngster has broke for a 7-5, 3-2 lead.
Hold that thought. Anett Kontaveit has broken back against the second set. Alyson van Uytvanck still has a job on. Over on Court 2, meanwhile, Daria Kasatkina’s serve is fraying again, but the Russian does well to stave off three break points and hold for 2-2 against Ashleigh Barty.
Alyson van Uytvanck can spy the finishing line now. The unseeded Belgian leads by a set and a break against Anett Kontaveit. Is another seed about to fall?
Juan Martin del Potro bounces an awkward second serve at Benoit Paire, who stiffs a backhand long. That’s the first set done and dusted on Court 2. Del Potro takes it 6-4. All very routine. The real drama’s on Court 3, where Daria Kasatkina has battled back from 1-4 to take the first set 7-5 against Ashleigh Barty.
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Ashleigh Barty was 4-1 up in the first set. She had two break points for a 5-1 lead. Daria Kasatkina couldn’t stop double-faulting. But how the mood has changed on Court 3. Now Barty’s unravelled. Her backhand slice is letting her down and Kasatkina has broken to lead 6-5!
Alison van Uytvanck is breezing along against Anett Kontaveit. The unseeded Belgian has won the first set 6-2 against the 28th seed. She’s a really good player. She’s already ended Garbine Muguruza’s title defence and is emerging as a dark horse.
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Gilles Simon has taken the first set 6-1 against Australia’s Matthew Ebden, who had a good win over David Goffin in the first round. On Court 2, meanwhile, Benoit Paire has broken back against Juan Martin del Potro.
Daria Kasatkina has a spring in her step after surviving that tricky service game and she’s positively bouncing when she earns a break point thanks to a lucky net cord. She’s striking that backhand cleanly and she reels Ashleigh Barty in, breaking when the Australian nets a slice.
Benoit Paire lands himself in trouble, netting a drop shot to hand Juan Martin del Potro three break points. Paire saves the first with an ace, but his luck runs out when a Del Potro forehand clips the tape and lands dead on the Frenchman’s side. Del Potro breaks to lead 3-2 in the first set.
Daria Kasatkina’s serve is malfunctioning early on. The Russian has hit four double-faults already and she’s been very vulnerable on her second serve. It’s difficult to see her troubling Ashleigh Barty without an improvement on that front. But it’s getting worse. Her fifth break point gifts Barty a break point in the sixth game of the third set. What an irony, then, that she saves it with an ace before wiping out a second opening with a forehand winner. Eventually she clings on to stay in touch, but Barty leads 4-2.
Benoit Paire has his collar turned up, making him look like Eric Cantona. More interestingly the Frenchman’s left leg is heavily strapped. It could be tough for him against the power of Juan Martin del Potro on Court 2. But he holds his first service game easily enough, which is better than Daria Kasatkina has managed over on Court 3. The young Russian trails by an early break to Ashleigh Barty. Alison van Uytvanck has also made a fast start against Anett Kontaveit on Court 12.
And ... play! Day six is underway!
The sun’s shining. It’s bloody boiling and the players are arriving on court. Play will start soon.
Sir Bobby Charlton is in the Royal Box today. He might have to take a very long lunch.
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Our other early match of interest sees Juan Martin del Potro take on Benoit Paire on Court 2. This could have been Juan Martin del Potro against Andy Murray. But ... it isn’t. Oh well. We’ll make do. And Del Potro, the fifth seed, will certainly be one to watch if his fitness levels remain high. Who can forget the former US Open champion’s semi-final against Novak Djokovic in 2013?
Carnage has rippled through the women’s draw. Eight of the top 10 seeds are out, with Venus Williams and Madison Keys joining Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza, Caroline Garcia, Sloane Stephens and Elina Svitolina on the scrapheap. World No1 Simona Halep and No 7 seed Karolina Pliskova are the last two standing and one theory is that all the upsets have merely made it inevitable that Serena Williams will mark her comeback by winning the title. The 25th seed moved into the fourth round with a win over Kristina Mladenovic yesterday. But another way of looking at it is that unpredictability breeds excitement. Angelique Kerber, a former slam champion and a finalist here in 2016, could go far - assuming she can handle the challenge of Japan’s Naomi Osaka today. And early on today we have No17 seed Ashleigh Barty against No14 seed Daria Kasatkina on Court 14 and Belgium’s Alyson Van Uytvanck, who beat Muguruza on Thursday, meets No28 seed Anett Kontaveit on Court 12.
Anyway, about that thing that’s happening in Russia later. Here at the All England Club, you aren’t really supposed to talk about it. It isn’t happening. Today we are all Basil Fawlty: don’t mention the score. No, England’s World Cup quarter-final won’t be shown on the big screen on Henman Hill/Murray Mound/Edmund Edge, while I imagine they’ll be shutting the blinds in the media centre in order to stop the proles peering through the windows to squint at our televisions. I’ve seen a few people wearing England shirts, though, and the mood around the place is probably going to be a bit odd come 3pm, as Paul Macinnes reports:
Project “Don’t Mention the World Cup” update. It is the sporting event everyone in SW19 is pretending is not happening and as of Friday evening the line remained steadfast: not a single screen on the Wimbledon grounds will be showing England v Sweden on Saturday. That includes those in the members’ areas. Rather magnanimously, punters will still be allowed to stream the game on their own phones should they wish and that right might even extend to Centre Court, as long as the umpire does not deem them a disruption.
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Preamble
Hello. Apparently something else is going on later today. Might be a bit tough for the tennis to hold your attention between 3 and 5pm. It’s okay, I understand. I’m not angry. I’m just disappointed. Tell you what: do what you think is best and we’ll see where that leaves our relationship come the end of the day. Hmm?
There, that spot of passive-aggression’s got you listening. And now I have your attention, I can point out that there’s plenty of fantastic tennis taking place on day six of Wimbledon 2018. On Centre Court we begin with Rafael Nadal versus Australian teenager Alex de Minaur and over on it’s world No1 and French Open champion Simona Halep against Hsieh Su-wei. Everyone’s favourite Argentinian giant, Juan Martin del Potro, meets eccentricity’s Benoit Paire in the first match on Court 2. There’s Alexander Zverev against Latvian dandy Ernests Gulbis. A win for the German youngster and fourth seed could see him meet Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round - as long as the Australian beats Japan’s Kei Nishikori later on.
There are a host of intriguing women’s matches, even though the top seeds are dropping like flies, and none should be better than the ding-dong battle between Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka, who stunned the German in New York last year. Elsewhere Ashleigh Barty meets Daria Kasatkina, Elise Mertens meets up with Konta-conqueror Dominika Cibulkova, Jelena Ostapenko faces Sharapova-slayer Vitalia Diatchenko, Muguruza-masher Alison van Uytvanck takes on Anett Kontaveit, Belinda Bencic plays Carla Suarez-Navarro and Daria Gavrilova plays Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
Phew - that’s some line-up. And I haven’t even mentioned that British No1 Kyle Edmund meets a certain Novak Djokovic in the third match on Centre Court. Don’t worry: all being well it shouldn’t clash with that other thing. I trust I have your undivided attention.
Play begins at: 11.30am on the outside courts, 1pm on the show courts.
Order of play (selected singles matches)
Centre Court
From 1pm BST
Alex De Minaur v Rafael Nadal (2)
Angelique Kerber (11) v Naomi Osaka (18)
Kyle Edmund (21) v Novak Djokovic (12)
No 1 Court
From 1pm
Simona Halep (1) v Su-Wei Hsieh
Ernests Gulbis v Alexander Zverev (4)
Nick Kyrgios (15) v Kei Nishikori (24)
No 2 Court
From 11.30am
Juan Martín Del Potro (5) v Benoît Paire
Dominika Cibulkova v Elise Mertens (15)
