World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, with his sights firmly set on the title, was unconvincing on Saturday in his bid to reach the round of 16 of Wimbledon, where Daniil Medvedev (3rd) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (5th), less expected, were more effective.
After two rounds against less strong opponents, Alcaraz struggled to overcome Chilean Nicolas Jarry (28th) 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 7-5 in 3h56. “It was really tough. In Rio, it was already very tough (in the semi-final won in February by Alcaraz 6-7, 7-5, 6-0). So I’m very happy to have come through it and to have received this extra energy from the public,” commented the 20-year-old Spaniard. “The key is to always believe and stay focused. I knew I’d have my chances,” he asserted.
A big test of feasibility
On his second appearance at a grass-court Major last year, Alcaraz was eliminated in the round of 16 by Italy’s Jannik Sinner after a breathtaking match. This year, after winning his first grass-court title at Queen’s just before coming to Wimbledon, he says he is aiming for a second Grand Slam title after last year’s US Open. He’ll face a tough test of feasibility in the next round, where he’ll face either Germany’s Alexander Zverev (ranked 21st) or Italy’s Matteo Berrettini (ranked 38th), a finalist in 2021.
Medvedev, another player who had been less than comfortable on the London grass, dropped his first set of the tournament before clearly dominating Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics (67th) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. “The match was very tough, over three hours of play, and he’s already played in the quarter-finals here, whereas I haven’t yet… So yes, it was tough and I’m happy to have got through,” said the 27-year-old Russian, who had already reached this stage of the grass-court Major in 2021, but never got any further. This year, to reach the quarter-finals, he will have to overcome the Czech Jiri Lehecka (37th), who eliminated the American Tommy Paul (15th).
Wimbledon, where he was banned last year along with other Russian and Belarussian players due to Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine, is Medvedev’s least successful Grand Slam tournament. Winner of the 2021 US Open, he was a finalist in Australia (2021 and 2022) and played in the quarters at the French Open (2021). “I really want to do well here (at Wimbledon). It’s my worst Grand Slam: even at Roland-Garros (on clay, a surface he hates) I’ve already reached the quarters! Last year, I couldn’t play, so I want to go as far as possible this year,” he commented.
Tsitsipas imperious
Having struggled in the second round against Andy Murray, who was beaten in two days in a match that ended on Friday, Stefanos Tsitsipas (ranked 5th) was quick to beat Serbian Laslo Djere (ranked 60th) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6 in 2h11 on Saturday. A finalist at the Australian Open (2023) and Roland-Garros (2021), Tsitsipas has never progressed beyond the round of 16 at Wimbledon (reached in 2018 on his second appearance) or the third round at the US Open. The 24-year-old Greek will face American Christopher Eubanks (43rd) for a place in the quarter-finals, as he defeated Australian Christopher O’Connell (73rd) in his first Wimbledon.
Holger Rune (world No.6) also qualified for the third round after an epic super tie-break win over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich (34th) 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) in 3h59. In his second appearance, the 20-year-old Dane will face either Frances Tiafoe (10th) or Grigor Dimitrov (24th) in a bid to reach the quarters. Last year, Rune was knocked out at the start of Wimbledon and had only defeats on grass. His best Grand Slam results came at Roland-Garros, where he reached the quarter-finals twice in 2022 and 2023 (beaten both times by Casper Ruud).
Sabalenka authoritative
In the women’s draw, world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka, a serious contender for the title, was far more authoritative in reaching the third round than she had been in winning the previous round. The Belarussian, who teetered on the brink of the abyss on Friday, clearly dominated Russia’s Anna Blinkova (40th) 6-2, 6-3 in 1h21. Semi-finalist on the London turf in 2021 and banned from taking part last year, she will face another Russian in her bid to reach the quarters, Ekaterina Alexandrova (22nd), who eliminated Hungary’s Dalma Galfi 6-0, 6-4. As for Petra Kvitova, two-time Wimbledon winner (2011 and 2014), she easily qualified for the round of 16, a stage she hasn’t reached since 2019.
And during the night, matches on day six were once again abruptly interrupted by a downpour. Even matches on the Central and No.1 courts were interrupted, their roofs being open at the time of the rain shower. On Centre Court, Bianca Andreescu was leading Ons Jabeur 6-3, 3-6, 3-2, while on No.1, Matteo Berrettini was leading Alexander Zverev 6-3, 4-4.
