Follow Us on Google News
LONDON: Top seed Carlos Alcaraz survived his first big test at this year’s Wimbledon on Saturday and women’s champion Elena Rybakina doused British hopes as the big names moved through the gears into the second week.
Despite more rain on day six, the slow-burner tournament began to heat up with women’s second seed Aryna Sabalenka, two-time champion Petra Kvitova and last year’s runner-up Ons Jabeur all reaching the last 16.
In the men’s draw, third seed Daniil Medvedev and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas both swept through while 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini set up a showdown with Alcaraz.
World number one Alcaraz has raised expectations sky high after his title at Queen’s Club last month and a showdown next Sunday against seven-times champion Novak Djokovic is already being pencilled in by many.
What is sometimes forgotten, however, is that the 20-year-old Spaniard is playing just his fourth tournament on grass.
That showed at times against Chile’s Nicolas Jarry as he was pushed out of his comfort zone.
But despite at one stage heading towards a fifth-set decider he managed to land the telling blows when required to emerge with a 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3 7-5 victory on Centre Court.
Berrettini, unseeded after a season plagued by injury, looked razor-sharp as he beat former world number two Alexander Zverev in a high-octane Court One clash which ended under the roof after rain fell late on Saturday.
Medvedev, seeded three, dropped his first set of this year’s tournament but is in the fourth round for only the second time after downing Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4.
And the Russian is beginning to fancy his chances on a surface that has proved tricky for him in the past.
Rybakina ensured a demoralising 48 hours for Britain as she demolished Katie Boulter 6-1 6-1 to end home hopes in the singles. On Friday, Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie and Liam Broady all exited the men’s singles.
With Rybakina suffering with a virus at the French Open and having a disrupted preparation, British number one Boulter was tipped to cause a huge third-round shock.
But she lasted only 57 minutes as Kazakhstan’s Rybakina sent out an ominous warning to those wanting her title.
