We’re going to end our live coverage here, I’ll leave you with the order of play for tomorrow, when Jacob will be in the hot seat on what’s forecast to be another scorcher at Wimbledon. Thanks for your company. Bye!
SATURDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY (Centre Court, from 13:00 BST)
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
Alex De Minaur vs Rafael Nadal
Angelique Kerber vs Naomi Osaka
Kyle Edmund vs Novak Djokovic#Wimbledon
SATURDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY (No.1 Court, from 13:00 BST)
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
Simona Halep vs Su-wei Hsieh
Ernests Gulbis vs Alexander Zverev
Nick Kyrgios vs Kei Nishikori#Wimbledon
SATURDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY (No.2 Court, from 11:30 BST)
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
Juan Martin del Potro vs Benoit Paire
Dominika Cibulkova vs Elise Mertens#Wimbledon
SATURDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY (No.3 Court, from 11:30 BST)
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
Ashleigh Barty vs Daria Kasatkina
Jelena Ostapenko vs Vitalia Diatchenko
Jiri Vesely vs Fabio Fognini#Wimbledon
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Milos Raonic, who lost in the 2016 final to Andy Murray, is 5-5 in the opening set with Novak. Dennis Novak, that is. Meanwhile Guido Pella, who came from two sets down to bump out Marin Cilic in the previous round, will have to do the same again because he trails Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, 1-1.
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And the bottom half of the women’s:
Pliskova v Bertens
Goerges v Vekic
S Williams v Rodina
Giorgi v Makarova
Federer’s next victim will be Adrian Mannarino, who may now be wishing he hadn’t won a fifth set against Daniil Medvedev. Here’s how the top half of the men’s draw is shaping up:
Federer v Mannarino
Monfils v Anderson
Pella or McDonald v Novak or Raonic
Isner v Tsitsipas
Federer still hasn’t faced a break point during the tournament. Who’s going to stop him?
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The GOAT is gloating.
I think I did very well today. First set, not many chances, I was able to win. I created more chances in the second set and was always able to stay pretty clean on my own service game. I think I can be very happy today.
It’s a wonderful feeling walking out there, I try to put on a good match and try hard every time, regardless of how many times I’ve played at Wimbledon. It’s the most beautiful court in the world for me, hundreds of thousands must have come to see me play here.
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Roger Federer defeats Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 7-5, 6-2!
Federer is about to say goodbye to Struff in straight sets. He gets the double break for 5-2 and is now serving for the match. You know how this goes, right? 15-0, 30-0, 40-0. Ace. Federer wins his 478th sorry 29th consecutive set at Wimbledon and, with it, the match.
Through! The BFG John Isner, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 against Radu Albot. Isner plays the promising Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last 16.
Phew! Karolina Pliskova recovers from 4-1 down in the second set to fend off the in-form Mihaela Buzarnescu, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1.
Gasps of wonder on Centre at 3-1 as Federer decides to unleash the SABR - the sneaky attack by Roger. He steps into the second serve, chips and charges to the net, where of course he wins the point. And he follows it up with a dreamy backhand. 30-40, break point. Struff could be forgiven for deciding this is all too much for him, but instead opts to extend his misery for a little while longer. Deuce. And from there Struff holds.
Federer decides he’d quite like to break a little earlier than he did in the first and second sets, and has two break points at 1-1, 15-40. Crack. Thwack. Struff saves both, the second with an ace. But then he undoes his good work with a double fault. On the third break point, Federer’s shot hits the service line, which stops the ball dead. Federer breaks for 6-3, 7-5, 2-1.
Thanks Niall. Having worked so hard to come back from two sets down, the 22-year-old Medvedev will be bitterly disappointed not to reach the fourth round of a slam for the first time.
John Isner is now 6-3, 6-3, 4-4 against Radu Albot. He served 64 aces in the second round, today he’s only at 20. Come on John, sort it out.
Meanwhile Milos Raonic and Dennis Novak have got tired of waiting for Pliskova v Buzarnescu to finish on the No 1 Court, so they’ve moved to 12, where they’re currently warming up. Pliskova leads the final set 2-1 on serve.
Federer eases through his service game, thrumming between second and third gear and taking it to love. He’s two sets up and cruising. No 22 seed Adrian Mannarino has rallied to beat Medvedev in five sets, and will be next in Federer’s crosshairs.
With that, I’m handing back to Katy, who will see you through until the end of this one...
Struff saves a break point on serve in gutsy style, but goes long on the next point. His first serve is wild, his second is clinically dispatched into the open court by Federer, who will serve for the second set.
McDonald has taken the first set off Pella, 6-4. He’s a former US college champion, in the third round of a slam for the first time. I can’t help but feel he would have struggled to bother Cilic. On No 2 Court, Big Serving John Isner is two sets up on Moldova’s finest, Radu Albot.
Pliskova wins a terrific exchange of angled volleys at the net, and after a couple of errors from Buzarnescu, the No 7 seed levels things at one set all. On Centre, Struff is still level at 5-5, but can’t make a dent on Federer’s imperious service games.
Pliskova takes the second set to a tie-break, bidding to become only the second top-10 seed to make the last 16. She races into a 3-0 lead. Venus Williams’ exit earlier on means only Pliskova and Halep from the top 10 are still in the running:
Struff huffs and puffs through his next service game, saving a couple of break points as Federer begins to increase the pressure. That said, he holds with a lovely drop shot that even has Federer running, and failing to get there.
Pliskova has broken back against Buzarnescu – it’s now five-all in the second. There’s an epic contest on No 3, where Daniil Medvedev leads Adrian Mannarino in the fifth after fighting from two sets down. Out on Court 18, Marin Cilic’s conqueror, Guido Pella, is taking on American Mackenzie McDonald. 3-3 in the first set there.
Updated
Niall here for the next half-hour or so. Struff is showing plenty of spirit against Roger Federer, keeping the second set on serve – but not enough to suggest he won’t lose this in straight sets.
RF may have lost his RF logo now he’s signed his clothing deal with Uniqlo, but the man formerly known at RF is still playing like RF. It’s 6-3, 1-1, though Struff shows a couple of lovely touches to hold to 30 for 2-1.
Another seed is set to be scattered. Of course not Federer, he’s serving for the opening set and reels off four straight points to take it 6-3, but Karolina Pliskova, the former world No 1 who is seeded seven here. Pliskova is 6-3, 4-2 down to the Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu, who has a remarkable backstory. Here’s a cut-and-paste job from Wednesday’s live blog:
The 30-year-old was a very successful junior but did not make an impact on the seniors because of injuries. Eventually she decided to swap tennis for studying, and gained a PhD in sports science in 2016. Soon after, while having a hit, she realised her knee pain had almost disappeared and decided to launch a comeback. Her first grand slam appearance was at last year’s US Open and her first slam match win was at this year’s French Open, where she reached the fourth round.
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Federer fancies an early break. At 30-40 on the Struff serve, Federer flashes his wand and conjures up a backhand passing winner. He’s 4-2 ahead.
Federer and Struff have trod different paths to this third-round meeting. Federer has yet to lose a set; Struff has had to come from 2-0 down in both his matches. Federer, during his last match, won 35 consecutive points on serve. He’s on a run of 26 consecutive sets at Wimbledon, going back to last year. Even for Federer these are impressive numbers.
Federer, serving first in this opening set as the shadows start to move across Centre Court, leads 2-1. But he doesn’t look like he’s quite settled yet. Struff holds with ease and it’s 2-2.
Federer’s opponent today is Jan-Lennard Struff, the 6ft 5in German, ranked 64 in the world. Struff has taken off the tin hat he was wearing to withstand 61 aces against Ivo Karlovic in the previous round, but he’ll probably need to bring a tank on to Centre Court if he’s to repel Roger this evening.
The pair played each other at the Australian Open this year, when Federer won 6-4 6-4 7-6. “I played a good match against Federer in Melbourne,” says Struff. “That gives me courage. It will be brutally difficult, but I’m looking forward to it.” Perhaps he’s as much of a masochist as Alex Zverev.
Good stat ...here’s another: Federer is only 2017 semifinalist - male or female - left in draw https://t.co/sAL7bd0zlG
— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) July 6, 2018
Ladies, Gentlemen and small children. Now it's a little cooler, I will attend Centre Court. Watch every (quick) point as I won't be on long. For those new to tennis, I'll be the one you'll recognize #Wimbledon
— Not Roger Federer (@PseudoFed) July 6, 2018
From one GOAT to another ... here comes Roger.
Serena’s smiling. “I am really happy,” the seven-time champion says. “Had an early break in the second, so I will have to go back and see what went wrong with that. But this is only my second serious tournament back.
“I worked really, really hard [to get back playing] and it’s been a long arduous road, but I always expected to come out and do the best I can do.
“I doesn’t really matter who I face, every opponent is playing their A game. A lot of top players have lost, technically I am not one, though I have the wins of one. I get ready for anyone I play.”
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Serena Williams defeats Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 7-6 (2)!
Serena surges through the tie-break with some supreme serving. She takes it 7-2 with back-to-back aces. She looks fit. She looks focused. And with the seeds tumbling all around her, this tournament may already be hers to win.
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Serena has a match point at 6-5 on the Mladenovic serve. The Frenchwoman fights back to get to a tie-break, just rewards for her efforts in this second set.
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Bertens v Venus was one of three marathons this afternoon.
After nearly three hours, Julia Goerges has outlasted Barbora Strycova, 7-6, 3-6, 10-8.
And after a minute over five hours, Jay Clarke and Cameron Norrie have been denied 22-20 in the fifth by Arevalo and Podlipnik-Castillo.
Phew.
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The moment @kikibertens sealed a #Wimbledon fourth round spot for the first time
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
👏 pic.twitter.com/QgQUCj0KJD
I wonder if word of Venus’s defeat has reached Serena on Centre, it may have flashed up on the scoreboard during the last changeover. Knowing Serena, it’ll probably motivate her rather than blow her off course. A clinical service game and it’s 7-5, 6-5. Mladenovic must hold serve if she’s to inconvenience Serena for any longer.
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Who’d be a seed at these championships? Venus is the eighth top-10 seed in the women’s draw to exit. Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova are the only two remaining. But then there is someone called Serena Williams left too. She’s 7-5, 5-4 against Mladenovic, with Mladenovic serving at deuce.
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Kiki Bertens beats Venus Williams 6-2, 6-7 (5), 8-6!
Venus, having been comfortable at 40-15, is hauled back to deuce. Advantage Venus. Deuce. Advantage Venus. Deuce. And a staggering forehand from Bertens after a lengthy exchange brings up match point! Venus saves it with a forehand volley on the stretch. Two top-class points. Deuce. Venus has a volley in almost exactly the same spot but this time she misses it! A second match point. A seemingly nerveless Venus punches deep with a forehand. Deuce. Advantage Bertens, a third match point. Venus saved three match points against Bertens last time they met but she’s not about to repeat the feat. Venus tamely nets and last year’s finalist, the five-time champion, is out!
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Venus is once again serving for her survival, this time at 7-6 behind. This isn’t the only women’s match going the full distance. Julia Goerges leads Barbora Strycova 8-7 on the No 2 Court.
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Serena and Mladenovic have traded a break in the second set. Serena leads 7-5, 3-3.
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Anxious times for Venus at 6-5 and 0-30 down. But Bertens is the anxious one when she misfires from the baseline. Venus - at the net - knows to leave well alone and the ball sails long. 30-all. 40-30, game, as Venus batters the sideline to within about a millimetre of its life. She didn’t need to play it to quite such a fine margin, but she survives. 6-6.
Bertens holds to 30, playing a smart final point as she sprints forward and shows a lovely touch. She leads 6-5. There are no tie-breaks in the final set remember, as Jay Clarke and Cameron Norrie are finding out to their cost. They’re now staggering around Court 14 at 19-19 in their doubles match. They’ve saved seven match points so far.
Bertens holds. Venus holds. As you were, then. 5-5.
Tomorrow’s Centre Court order of play is out:
De Minaur v Nadal
Kerber v Osaka
Edmund v Djokovic
After Alex Zverev’s banter with a Yorkshire hack at the French Open, here’s another press conference gem from the German:
Q. Are you a little bit masochist?
AZ: Masochist?
Q. Yes.
AZ: What’s a masochist?
Q. You go down two sets here, then you win 6-2, 6-1.
AZ: I don’t know what a masochist is. I won 6-1, 6-2 fourth and fifth. It was very easy.
We're entering Isner-Mahut territory on Court 14...
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
Having saved four match points, Jay Clarke and Cameron Norrie find themselves tied with Marcelo Arevalo and Hans Podlipnik-Castillo at 17-17 in the fifth set #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/lyPbjuUzVS
Bertens is giving Venus a taste of her own medicine. After Venus came back at Bertens in the second set, Bertens is coming back at Venus in the third. Venus had led 2-0 in the decider but is now facing two break points at 4-3 down. A strong serve on the first followed by a 90mph winner on the second get her out of trouble. Deuce. Advantage Venus. Bertens hits a drop shot; Venus does the hard work by getting to the ball but then fluffs her lines and nets! Deuce. Advantage Venus. Game Venus. A hold of character. It’s 4-4.
Serena holds for 6-5. Mladenovic slides 0-30 down on serve. The Frenchwoman is rattled. Perhaps news of Les Bleus’ second goal would give her a welcome boost. 30-40, set point. Serena nets. Deuce. A second set point, after a treacherous top-spin forehand flies up off the grass. And an absorbing set of tennis ends in the most anti-climactic of ways when Mladenovic double faults. Serena steals the set 7-5.
So Mladenovic is serving for the set. At 15-all, she calmly dispatches an ace out wide. 30-15. Serena wrong-foots Mladenovic, going back behind the Frenchwoman, 30-all. Mladenovic slips just as she’s about to slice – and nets. Rotten luck that for a player who hasn’t made a single unforced error. But it’s break point Serena. And Serena does what Serena does, bringing her best when it matters. She levels for 5-5.
Venus has an early break in the third set, leading 2-0, as Serena serves to stay in the first. That she does, but Mladenovic has a 5-4 advantage.
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Brit watch: in the absence of any Brits in the singles today, it’s all about the doubles. Jay Clarke and Cameron Norrie have been going for nearly four hours on Court 14. It’s 13-13 in the fifth.
While Venus is in the ascendancy, Serena is struggling, 4-2 down to Mladenovic.
Updated
... 5-2. A winning volley from Venus, 6-2. Four set points. She takes a while with her second serve, she seems distracted by something, and double faults. 6-3. She asks for her towel, attempting to compose herself, but then hits long. 6-4. 6-5. This is getting tense. The last of her four set points. And Bertens blinks! Venus levels proceedings and, having been two points from defeat, she’s going to a final set.
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Tie-break time on the No 1 Court. The 38-year-old Venus, competing in her 21st Wimbledon, wins the first point and then shows there’s still life in her ageing legs with a superb sprint, but she loses the point. 1-1. 2-1 Venus, the first mini-break. 3-1. 4-1. 5-1 at the changeover ...
Venus edges ahead 6-5 in the second set. Serena holds for 2-1 in the first. Mladenovic could cause Serena a few problems this afternoon. The 25-year-old broke into the world’s top 10 last season before her progress was stalled by a knee injury, and Serena struggled against her at the French Open in 2016, before going on to win the title.
A rocket of a return from Venus when 0-15 down gets her to 15-all. She could do with a few more of those right now to get out of jail. At 30-15, with the court gaping, Bertens blazes long! That was a nervous shot. 30-all. 30-40, break point. Game Venus! We’re back on serve at 5-5.
Which Williams to watch? Venus, having given her opponent a one-set lead as she did in the first and second rounds, seems to have decided it’s time to get going, as she breaks Bertens for 4-4. But she undoes all of her good work by conceding the next game with a double fault! Bertens didn’t even need to do that much to win the game, but the Dutchwoman will serve for the match at 6-2, 5-4. Serena, meanwhile, is break point down in the opening game against Mladenovic.
Donna Vekic is into the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time, beating Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer 7-6 (2), 6-1. It’s good to see the Croatian doing so well here after two close defeats in the last couple of years. In 2016 she pushed Venus hard while last year she was in tears after being edged out 10-8 in the final set by Johanna Konta.
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Bertens still has the break against Venus, it’s 4-3.
Not only are Venus and Serena the last Wimbledon champions standing in the women’s draw, they’re also the only Americans after Madison Keys’ defeat earlier. Serena has just stepped on to Centre for her meeting with Kristina Mladenovic, who’ll need to take plenty of inspiration from her compatriot Gael Monfils’s victory if she’s to stop Serena securing another W by her name.
A best-ever performance at #Wimbledon for @Gael_Monfils.
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
Heading into the fourth round, he's now in new territory... pic.twitter.com/wJmGfY7A68
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares wrap up a straight-sets victory in the men’s doubles. Murray will be back later in the mixed doubles, where he defends his title with Victoria Azarenka. He won here last year with Martina Hingis, who has now retired.
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Venus Williams, already trailing Kiki Bertens by a set to love, slips a break down in the second, 2-1. Bertens backs up the break for 3-1. Perhaps Williams likes dicing with danger against Bertens; she saved three match points before winning their meeting in Miami in March.
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Gael Monfils beats Sam Querrey 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2!
Monfils, clearly in a hurry to get back to the locker room and watch Les Bleus, hammers an ace out wide on match point. Remarkably, this is the first time the Frenchman has reached the second week here. He’ll play Kevin Anderson next, a similar opponent to Querrey. “I’m very happy [to make the last 16 for the first time], long time I’ve been chasing for that,” says Monfils. “Allez Les Bleus!”
In other weather news, it’s blowing a Gael on Centre. Monfils breaks for 5-2 in the fourth and will serve for the match. He hasn’t made an unforced error in this set. You wonder what could have been for the 31-year-old when you see him playing this well.
Thanks Niall. Having escaped the overly air-conditioned press centre and gone for a walk around the grounds, I can confirm it’s hot out there. Very hot. I’m almost happy to be back in the ice box. I saw a few points of Jamie Murray’s doubles match on Court 12; he and Soares now lead Lorenzi and Ramost-Vinolas 7-5, 6-2, 4-1.
Murray and Soares, fifth seeds in the men’s doubles, are two sets and a break up on Lorenzi/Ramos-Viñolas. On Centre Court, Monfils is getting the job done in the fourth – holding serve to love to move 4-2 up. And with that, I’ll hand back to Katy...
Bertens races to 40-0 on her own serve, and powers down an ace to win the first set 6-2! Williams has fought back from a set down in both of her matches so far – but has looked comfortably second best in this one.
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Williams is still searching for any kind of consistency, but has managed to save three set points in her latest service game. She eventually digs out the hold, somehow – but Bertens will serve for the first set. On No 3, Donna Vekic, conqueror of Sloane Stephens, has taken the first set tie-break against Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer.
Monfils has an early chance to break Querrey in the fourth – and takes it in his trademark elastic style, stretching every sinew to scoop a drop-shot back over the net. Lovely shot, and he celebrates accordingly.
Two set points for Monfils after Querrey sends a return long – and he closes it out with an ace! Monfils leads 2-1 in sets. Bertens powers through her next service game to lead 5-1. The first set appears a done deal.
Venus Williams can’t get going – after earning one break back, she’s broken again after a long, scrappy game. Bertens now leads 4-1, while after a quick exchange of service holds, Monfils is about to serve for the third set...
Monfils earns two break points in the seventh game – and he snatches the second with a glorious, last-ditch passing shot that clips the baseline! Out on Court 12, Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares have begun their men’s doubles campaign – they’ve taken the first set from Paolo Lorenzi and Albert Ramos-Viñolas.
Querrey v Monfils is still on serve over on Centre. Monfils has reached this stage six times before, but has never gone further. He’s very much the Mexico of Wimbledon. On No 1, Venus Williams has a break point to get off the board – and takes it when Bertens double faults.
Venus, the No 9 seed, is the third-highest seed left in the women’s draw – but she’s wobbling early on as Bertens consolidates the break, then reels off four straight points to set up another break point. Williams saves the first but lets her opponent get a racket on what should be a finishing volley – and then fires a forehand wide to go a double break down!
Afternoon all, Niall here taking over briefly. Monfils has levelled the match on Centre, and it’s now one set all, one game all. Could be a long old battle there. Over on No 1 Court, Venus Williams is in action, taking on Kiki Bertens – and going a break down straight away.
@KatyMurrells Just want to point out that Sam Querrey has defeated the defending champions in the last two years.
— Siddhant Guru (@Siddhantguru) July 6, 2018
And he is slated to face Federer in the Quarter finals...
Monfils is leaping in the air on Centre Court, because he’s broken Querrey with a wonderful forehand return for 4-3. He backs up the break. And this despite having treatment for an ankle injury after losing the opening set.
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Threesy does it...
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
Alexander Zverev defeats Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-7(0), 6-1, 6-2 to book a spot in the third round of #Wimbledon for a third straight year pic.twitter.com/BkdjKBndyC
Alex Zverev defeats Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-7 (0), 6-1, 6-2!
Zverev, at 30-all, goes forehand to forehand with Fritz, who pings long. 40-30, match point. A strong serve from Zverev – Fritz can’t get the ball back into play – and that’s that. The man who one day could be king completes victory! It was fairly flawless from Zverev today; having resumed trailing by two sets to one he lost only three games.
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After all the debate over what to seed Serena Williams at #Wimbledon...
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 6, 2018
...the draw has collapsed to where she won't face any seed before the semifinals at the earliest.
With Madison Keys's surprise defeat to Rodina, once again the only American women left in the #Wimbledon singles are Venus and Serena Williams
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) July 6, 2018
S. Zverev has gone from winning too few five-set matches to winning too many. Likely to advance but didn’t need a 2r match to last 3+ hours....#wimbeldon
— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) July 6, 2018
Something of an anti-climax on the No 1 Court, where Fritz has been unable to reproduce his level of last night. Zverev, leading 4-2 in the fifth set, has a point for the double break. Fritz blazes an errant backhand well into the tramlines and Zverev will serve for the match, leading 6-4, 5-7, 6-7 (0), 6-1, 5-2.
Anderson has advanced, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 against Kohlschreiber. Next up for the South African giant: either Querrey or Monfils.
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Rodina’s reward for today’s endeavours? A potential fourth-round match with Serena Williams.
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Madison Keys knocked out 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 by Evgeniya Rodina!
Rodina is serving for the match against Keys, leading 5-4 in the third set. 0-30. 30-all. Keys rifles a return back at Rodina’s feet, but the Russian digs it out of the grass and gets it back with interest for the winner. Great shot. 40-30. Match point. Surely more drama will unfold in this strangest of matches? Well, no. Rodina gets the business done on the first match point and to the casualty list of Wozniacki, Muguruza, Stephens, Svitolina, Garcia and Kvitova, you can now add Keys. Only three of the top 10 women remain.
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Kevin Anderson, a player very much of the same ilk as Querrey, now leads Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-5, 5-5.
Monfils does his chances of wrapping up victory by 3pm no good by losing the first set 7-5 to Querrey.
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There’s nothing to pick between Keys and Rodina in the final set. It’s 4-4. A great stat from that match: Keys’s winners-unforced errors today is 56-42; Rodina’s winners-unforced errors for the whole tournament is 54-38. I think it’s fair to say the match is on Keys’s racket.
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Wozniacki may be surprised by that. “Makarova was lucky, she won’t go far in the event,” the second seed magnanimously muttered after her defeat on Wednesday.
Ekaterina Makarova has backed up her shock win over Caroline Wozniacki with another three-set victory, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 against Lucie Safarova. Makarova’s the first player into the last 16.
Zverev zips through the fourth set 6-1 in just 21 minutes. It’s Zverev 6-4, 5-7, 6-7 (0), 6-1 Fritz.
On Centre it’s a clash of styles between the rather robotic Sam Querrey and the flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils. While Querrey has quietly made his way into the third round, Monfils has, in the words of the Wimbledon programme, been “playing shots from the gods, making challenges against his own good serves and even disappearing down the pub to see England win the penalty shootout with Colombia”. Maybe he’ll be back in the pub for France v Uruguay at 3pm if this finishes early. They’re currently 4-4 in the opening set.
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Rodina is receiving treatment for a back injury. But it hasn’t hindered her progress in the final set. The Russian has a break and leads Keys 2-1.
A “COME ON” from Zverev as he grabs three break points at 0-40 on Fritz’s serve. Fritz moves Zverev from right to left and right to left and right to left on the first. Eventually Zverev waves the white flag. 15-40. Fritz fires long on the second break point and Zverev lets out an almighty roar. Zverev trails by two sets to one but has the break in the fourth, leading 3-1.
Zverev takes the opening game of the fourth set. Fritz, the 20-year-old American, responds with a hold of his own. Zverev, by the way, has plenty of recent experience of recovering from two sets to one down. The German did so in three consecutive matches at this year’s French Open but that run of five-setters took its toll and he had nothing left in the tank against the eventual runner-up Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals.
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Katerina Siniakova is in trouble on Court 18. The Czech leads Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-3, 4-3 but had a nasty fall which forced her to leave the court and she’s had quite a bit of treatment. She’s continuing but looks in some discomfort.
Keys and Rodina look to be going to a tie-break when Rodina takes charge on her serve. But Keys comes back at her, and seizes the game and set from deuce. They’re going to a decider. And given the way this match has gone, I’m going to make absolutely attempt to predict what will happen. It’s Keys 5-7, 7-5 Rodina.
As the clock strikes one, Sam Querrey and Gael Monfils step on to Centre Court, while Alex Zverev and Taylor Fritz are back on the No 1 Court for the resumption of their match. Zverev, the fourth seed, trails 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (0).
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After Rodina’s roll and Keys’ charge they now seem to be cancelling each other out. Rodina holds. Keys holds. Keys leads 6-5 and ensures she’ll get at least a tie-break in this most topsy-turvy of second sets.
Novak Djokovic is out on the practice courts before his match with Britain’s Kyle Edmund tomorrow. Djokovic injured his knee during his win yesterday but seems to be moving OK today.
Meanwhile in news of absolutely no relevance to this match but almost as surreal: on my way into the grounds this morning, I walked past some people with placards complaining about the fact Wimbledon serve only perfectly shaped strawberries.
Meanwhile in news of relevance to this surreal match: Keys decides it’s time to get serious and rattles off another three games to lead 5-4. Wonder what the protesters would make of this uneven match.
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A sign of life from Keys. The American saves four break points on her way to stopping a run of nine games against her. She rounds the game off with two aces, her first since the opening set. That will have felt good. The 10th seed, with a spring in her step, then breaks, but has she left herself with too much to do? Rodina leads 7-5, 4-2.
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The scores elsewhere: last year’s US Open runner-up Kevin Anderson has secured the first set 6-3 against Philipp Kohlschreiber; the feisty Italian Camila Giorgi has lost the opening set by the same score against the Czech Katerina Siniakova; and Ekaterina Makarova, who dumped Caroline Wozniacki out on Wednesday, trails the former French Open finalist Lucie Safarova 6-4.
Keys has a break point but can’t staunch the flow. Rodina recovers for the hold. 7-5, 4-0. The 29-year-old world No 120 is two games away from reaching the last 16 of a grand slam for the first time.
Keys is in better physical condition than Rodina, who has her knee taped, so the American should be doing more to move the Russian round. Having said that, Rodina shows she’s no slouch even on one good leg as she comes to the net and settles the point. Rodina claims the double break and Keys has an almighty job on her hands to come back from here. 7-5, 3-0.
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Keys looks like she’s stopped the rot when she races to 0-40 on Rodina’s serve. But from three consecutive points won, it’s three consecutive points lost. Make that five. Rodina holds for 7-5, 2-0.
Rodina rocks Keys with a break to love in the opening game of the second set. That’s six games on the spin. Rodina leads 7-5, 1-0.
"When these two played, it was like you were rooting for tennis"
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
Let's step back in time... https://t.co/CorIGM4YpN
Rodina, from 5-2 down, has two set points at 6-5, 40-15. Keys hits deep, forcing the error from Rodina. Another strike from Keys and it’s deuce. Keys is on the attack now; it’s very much all or nothing with her. She gets to advantage with another brutal shot but then misses by a good few feet on the next point. Which pretty much sums her up. Deuce. Advantage Rodina. Game and set Rodina. Could another seed be on their way out? We’ve already lost six of the top eight women; defeat for Keys would make it seven of the top 10.
But Keys’s serve is suddenly misfiring. From 5-2 up, she’s broken for the second consecutive time, and Rodina will step up to serve for the first set at 6-5. What an unexpected turnaround. Perhaps Keys has got the yips having seen so many seeds tumble around her. It’s contagious.
Keys is out-acing Kevin Anderson at the moment. The American has seven to the South African’s three. Anderson currently leads Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-1.
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Keys is serving for the set at 5-3 and Rodina gets her first break point, at 30-40. Keys clatters a backhand long and we’re back on serve. I didn’t see that coming.
Serena Williams isn’t the only mother playing today; the Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina is another. But Rodina is finding it tough going on No 3, where she trails the American 10th seed Madison Keys 5-2. Keys has made a final, quarter-final and semi-final in her last three slams. She has game to go one better here - but her inconsistency can let her down in the big matches.
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Boris Becker is analysing the women’s draw on BBC2 at the moment, despite turning the air blue on Monday when quizzed about his attempt to claim diplomatic immunity from ongoing bankruptcy proceedings in the UK by becoming an ambassador for the Central African Republic. No swearing today but equally bizarre scenes when Becker eats some grass in a montage about GOATs.
The third-round matches getting under way: Kevin Anderson v Philipp Kohlschreiber on No 2 Court; Madison Keys v Evgeniya Rodina on No 3; Lucie Safarova v Ekaterina Makarova on 12; and Katerina Siniakova v Camila Giorgi on 18.
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Tik, tok, tikity, tok, the players are warming up on the outside courts. Some more reading for you:
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Marion Bartoli’s taking a trip down memory lane today too.
06.07.2013 ➡️06.07.2018 #HappyBirthday to me!!! LOL 🤣🙈
— Marion bartoli (@bartoli_marion) July 6, 2018
🎾🇬🇧🏆 pic.twitter.com/CmCxhKOHYC
Today’s weather forecast. It’s going to be hot, hot, hot, with a top temperature of 31 degrees. “Please remember to cover up and drink plenty of water,” urges the Voice of Wimbledon over the PA system.
Today's order of play
CENTRE COURT – SHOW COURT – 13:00 (BST) START
1 Sam Querrey (USA) [11] 17 vs Gael Monfils (FRA) 23
2 Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 100 vs Serena Williams (USA) [25] 104
3 Roger Federer (SUI) [1] 1 vs Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 7
No.1 COURT – SHOW COURT – 13:00 START
1 Taylor Fritz (USA) 94 vs Alexander Zverev (GER) [4] 96 T/F 4/6 7/5 7/6(0) 0/0
2 Kiki Bertens (NED) [20] 73 vs Venus Williams (USA) [9] 80
3 Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [7] 65 vs Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) [29] 72
4 Dennis Novak (AUT) 44 vs Milos Raonic (CAN) [13] 48
No.2 COURT – SHOW COURT – 11:30 START
1 Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) [25] 25 vs Kevin Anderson (RSA) [8] 32
2 Julia Goerges (GER) [13] 81 vs Barbora Strycova (CZE) [23] 88
3 John Isner (USA) [9] 49 vs Radu Albot (MDA) 55
No.3 COURT – SHOW COURT – 11:30 START
1 Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) 107 vs Madison Keys (USA) [10] 112
2 Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 92 vs Donna Vekic (CRO) 95
3 Adrian Mannarino (FRA) [22] 9 vs Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 15
4 Neal Skupski (GBR) / Naomi Broady (GBR) 27 vs Joe Salisbury (GBR) / Katy Dunne (GBR) 28
COURT 12 – SHOW COURT – 11:30 START
1 Lucie Safarova (CZE) 124 vs Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 126
2 Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) / Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 15 vs Jamie Murray (GBR) / Bruno Soares (BRA) [5] 16
3 Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [31] 57 vs Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 62
COURT 18 – SHOW COURT – 11:30 START
1 Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 114 vs Camila Giorgi (ITA) 119
2 Oliver Marach (AUT) / Mate Pavic (CRO) [1] 1 vs Federico Delbonis (ARG) / Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela (MEX) 2
3 Guido Pella (ARG) 36 vs Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 38
COURT 5 – 11:30 START
1 Kevin Krawietz (GER) / Andreas Mies (GER) 54 vs Pablo Cuevas (URU) / Marcel Granollers (ESP) [11] 56
2 Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) / Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 21 vs Lucie Hradecka (CZE) / Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) [14] 24
COURT 6 – 13:00 START
1 Fabrice Martin (FRA) / Raluca Olaru (ROU) 35 vs Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) / Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 36
2 Irina Bara (ROU) / Alize Cornet (FRA) 47 vs Andreja Klepac (SLO) / Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) [4] 48 T/F 5/7 7/6(3) 0/0
3 Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) / Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) 37 vs Luke Bambridge (GBR) / Katie Boulter (GBR) 38
4 Antonio Sancic (CRO) / Petra Martic (CRO) 3 vs Artem Sitak (NZL) / Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) 4
COURT 7 – 13:00 START
1 Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) [12] 25 vs Frederik Nielsen (DEN) / Joe Salisbury (GBR) 28
2 Jamie Cerretani (USA) / Renata Voracova (CZE) 19 vs John-Patrick Smith (AUS) / Daria Gavrilova (AUS) 20
3 Mike Bryan (USA) / Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 21 vs Philipp Oswald (AUT) / Xenia Knoll (SUI) 22
COURT 8 – 11:30 START
1 Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) / Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) [9] 9 vs Ken Skupski (GBR) / Neal Skupski (GBR) 11
2 Xinyun Han (CHN) / Luksika Kumkhum (THA) 54 vs Vania King (USA) / Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) [17] 56
3 Nicholas Monroe (USA) / Oksana Kalashnikova (GEO) 53 vs Ken Skupski (GBR) / Anna Smith (GBR) 54
COURT 10 – 11:30 START
1 Roman Jebavy (CZE) / Andres Molteni (ARG) 30 vs Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) / Robert Farah (COL) [6] 32
2 Sofia Kenin (USA) / Sachia Vickery (USA) 5 vs Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) / Monica Niculescu (ROU) [13] 8
3 Christina McHale (USA) / Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 29 vs Hao-Ching Chan (TPE) / Zhaoxuan Yang (CHN) [7] 32
COURT 14 – 11:30 START
1 Mike Bryan (USA) / Jack Sock (USA) [7] 49 vs Sander Arends (NED) / Matwe Middelkoop (NED) 51
2 Jay Clarke (GBR) / Cameron Norrie (GBR) 5 vs Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) / Hans Podlipnik-Castillo (CHI) 6 T/F 4/6 7/6(5) 7/5 3/4
3 Raquel Atawo (USA) / Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) [11] 25 vs Tatjana Maria (GER) / Heather Watson (GBR) 28
4 John Peers (AUS) / Shuai Zhang (CHN) 61 vs Hans Podlipnik-Castillo (CHI) / Lidziya Marozava (BLR) 62
5 Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) / Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) 45 vs Andres Molteni (ARG) / Makoto Ninomiya (JPN) 46
COURT 15 – 11:30 START
1 Mandy Minella (LUX) / Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 37 vs Georgina Garcia Perez (ESP) / Fanny Stollar (HUN) 38
2 Dominic Inglot (GBR) / Franko Skugor (CRO) [15] 41 vs Marcelo Demoliner (BRA) / Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) 44
3 Nikola Mektic (CRO) / Alexander Peya (AUT) [8] 33 vs Mirza Basic (BIH) / Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 35
COURT 16 – 11:30 START
1 Antonio Sancic (CRO) / Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) 38 vs Robin Haase (NED) / Robert Lindstedt (SWE) 39
2 Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) / Yifan Xu (CHN) [6] 49 vs Shuko Aoyama (JPN) / Jennifer Brady (USA) 51
3 Alicja Rosolska (POL) / Abigail Spears (USA) 14 vs Latisha Chan (TPE) / Shuai Peng (CHN) [5] 16
4 Hugo Nys (FRA) / Shuko Aoyama (JPN) 11 vs Marcus Daniell (NZL) / Nadiia Kichenok (UKR) 12
5 Marcin Matkowski (POL) / Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) 43 vs Divij Sharan (IND) / Alicja Rosolska (POL) 44
COURT 17 – 13:00 START
1 Jonathan Erlich (ISR) / Marcin Matkowski (POL) 61 vs Lukasz Kubot (POL) / Marcelo Melo (BRA) [2] 64
2 Elise Mertens (BEL) / Demi Schuurs (NED) [8] 33 vs Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) / Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 35
3 Robin Haase (NED) / Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 13 vs Franko Skugor (CRO) / Vania King (USA) 14
4 Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) / Raquel Atawo (USA) 51 vs Nicolas Mahut (FRA) / Elina Svitolina (UKR) 52
MATCHES TO BE ARRANGED
NOT BEFORE 17.00
1 Jack Sock (USA) / Sloane Stephens (USA) 59 vs Dominic Inglot (GBR) / Samantha Stosur (AUS) 60
2 Robert Lindstedt (SWE) / Zhaoxuan Yang (CHN) 5 vs Jay Clarke (GBR) / Harriet Dart (GBR) 6
3 Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Elise Mertens (BEL) 29 vs Jamie Murray (GBR) / Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 3
10 years ago today...#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/tEfKDrtbsp
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2018
If you’re getting restless waiting for some tennis, these should keep you going. Enjoy.
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to day five of our live coverage from Wimbledon, where I’m feeling nostalgic. It was exactly 10 years ago today that the Greatest Wimbledon Final of All Time ™ took place between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. The fact they’re the top two seeds this year, having shared the last six grand slam titles between them at the ages of 32 and 36 respectively, is almost as remarkable as that match itself. Making predictions in this 2018 championships of shocks is a perilous business but if you had to bet your house on one player reaching the final it would be Federer. Nadal’s chances, however, appear less clear after his struggles on grass in recent years. Since defeating Federer in 2008 he has been to only two more finals, the last of which was in 2011.
Federer plays in the third round today against the German Jan-Lennard Struff, while Nadal has a rest day before facing the dangerous Australian Alex De Minaur tomorrow. Alex Zverev probably thought when he took the first set against Taylor Fritz yesterday that he’d be having today off too, but he lost the next two sets and returns this afternoon battling to avoid another early grand slam exit that would not do justice to his immense talent.
By the time Zverev left court last night 30 of the 64 men’s and women’s seeds had fallen, with the defending champion Garbiñe Muguruza’s departure meaning only two of the top eight women remain. Suddenly the tournament’s decision to seed the returning Serena Williams, world ranked 181, at 25 seems cautious rather than bold. The seven-time champion may be playing only the fourth event of her comeback but she takes to Centre Court today to face France’s Kristina Mladenovic as the favourite for the title.
Venus Williams – the only other former champion left in the women’s draw – plays too, as do the big-serving quartet of Milos Raonic, Sam Querrey, Kevin Anderson and John Isner, who boast a mere 230 aces between them.
Also in action: the former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova, the US Open runner-up Madison Keys and the exciting Daniil Medvedev, along with the conquerors of Marin Cilic and Caroline Wozniacki, Guido Pella and Ekaterina Makarova.
Play begins at: 11.30am BST on the outside courts and 1pm BST on the show courts. Don’t be late.
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