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feather_ghyllSecond round
Day three – My first look at Coco Gauff here, who was playing Anca Todoni, a tall Romanian qualifier only a few months younger than Gauff. You could see the makings of a better player in Todoni, but there wasn’t enough consistency. And although Gauff was mumbling and probably had a list of things she’d like to improve on, and the scoreline was maybe a little unrepresentative of the match, Gauff won through easily enough.
I was shocked to learn that Emma Navarro, even if she’s the 19th seed (never heard of her) had beaten Osaka in under an hour. Granted, Osaka has never done well on grass and I wasn’t much expecting her to make the second week, but that looked like a drubbing. Oh well, the horrible flounce is gone too.
I watched Alcaraz vs. Vucik, who’d done so well at Eastbourne, and was in the sixties in terms of ranking. He started well, but Alcaraz broke, playing some of his showreel tennis, and then played a loose game, Vukic, seeming to play within himself while playing at a very high level broke again. This would not do! Alcaraz found another gear to break back and take it to a tiebreak, where he dominated, and played so delightfully (more seriously, he had made adjustments and was playing aggressively) that he won nearly all of the shots on his first serve and broke Vukic. Fabulousness at the net.
I then watched Sinner vs Berrettini, one the world no. 1, the other on the comeback trail after injury again, possibly ranked somewhere near Vukic right now, but looking to rise (if his body holds it together). With the added sauce of their both being Italian. I soon called that the first set would go to a tiebreak, but Sinner was getting more chances and winning his serve a little more easily. He won the first set. Something similar happened in the second set (although I was getting drowsy), but at the start of the third, Berrettini played like a true believer and Sinner’s level maybe dropped in the first game. Berrettini cantered through, showing what he can do on a grass court. I left them (I was about half an hour behind because I’d joined the centre court stream.)
But I watched the fourth set the next morning, and I could appreciate the high-quality tennis. Sinner was not willing to make the same mistakes, and raised his level at the end of the set. Highest quality match on the show courts so far.
Day four - I chose not to watch the local derby involving Boulter vs Dart (or Draper vs Norrie) – in both the top ranked player who was a seed ought to win, but it looked close and painful between the women. Instead I decided to watch Jacob Fearnley test his mettle against Novak Djokovic. Scot Fearnley had got a wildcard here, having won the Challenger event in Nottingham, and at 22 had been a (the?) top US college player. I hadn’t seen him play before, but what I saw was good all round, good serve, backhand and willingness to come to the net. Meanwhile Djokovic was still moving well.
A competitive first set until Fearnley’s level dropped in one game and a hovering Djokovic won it and the set. Something similar happened in the second set, but I liked what I saw from Fearnley, and wondered where he’d end up.
But at the start of the third set, he was still there despite being two sets down against A Great One, still competing, and his forehand had improved. His college experiences had prepared him well – he’s a big match player – Djokovic was in a proper match instead of easing his way through the championship given his recent surgery, with Fearnley going toe to toe with him in some of the baseline rallies, pulling off some good volleys. Djokovic didn’t seem too happy, more with the wind and his tennis. Fearnley won the third set and continued to push in the fourth. Competitive in the first half, Djokovic did win, but Fearnley has put down a marker (as Draper did a couple of years ago) by getting a set off Djokovic. He starts his professional career knowing that he was able to compete with the GOAT, and if he can repeat that level of play, he should be out of the Challenger level soon. I think he’s got more talent than Norrie, who went a similar college route.
I then took my chance to watch Iga Swiatek for the first time (and listen to the interesting perspective of Ash Barty in the commentary box.) Swiatek was facing Perta Martic, who she had a 2-0 winning record against. Martic had a little slip, and had to get the trainer on, but Swiatek took her chances at the end of the first set. She had to wait to do something similar late in the second set, and was a little frustrated. Her serve has improved, but I don’t think she was tested enough for us to know whether the no. 1 seed can get similar results on the grass to other surfaces.
I then saw that Rybakina won in three sets, and watched the match to decide her opponent: Caroline Wozniacki versus Leyla Fernandez, the experienced counter-puncher vs. the young hitter. It was a bit up and down, too many errors from Fernandez, solid play from Wozniacki who won the first. Fernandez started the second set well, but the errors came back. Still, she forced her play and won the second set. Wozniacki started bleating about it being too dark. Eventually they stopped when the score was equal, to Fernandez’s surprise.
(Wozniacki would eventually be the one to go through to the third round.)
Harriet Dart won in the third set tiebreak (whoever she faces next must be quite pleased, I thought, and then learned it was an unseeded player who’d beaten Pegula.) Cameron Norrie also won in the third set tiebreak, but that’s a better win on the men’s side. He’s finally on a run of wins back here at Wimbledon, while Draper is not yet ready.
Third round
Day five – I sat down to watch the Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe match, and learned that Tiafoe has not had a good year, which is why the former top 10 player was seeded 29 here, and had come through one five-set match already. But today he was Mr Big Match Player, serving well, returning excellently, good at the net and moving almost as well as Alcaraz. Alcaraz still got the first break, though, but could not consolidate it, got broken again, and was down one set. Alcaraz imposed his game a bit more in the second set, but it didn’t fire him up in the third, where Tiafoe was winning his serve more easily, matching his opponent, beating him and Alcaraz was making a lot more errors than usual.
Worse, as Tim Henman noted in commentary, Alcaraz seemed so very flat, not much celebrating when he won points. If anything, Tiafoe had the crowd on side, although by the fourth set, given the rule that the crowd want as much tennis as possible, they were there for Alcaraz to take. Oh well, his second serve was very fast and he was using the body serve magnificently, so it went on serve. But Tiafoe was two points away from winning the match, when Alcaraz refused to let him and won his serve again, taking it to the tiebreak. And I was soon muttering ‘And where have you been all match?’ because there was Carlos Alcaraz the defending champion, French Open champion and top 3 player. Some magic shots, and his game was flowing. A dominant tiebreak, meaning it was down to the one set. Alcaraz took the momentum with him and continued to play at his high, brilliant level, and Tiafoe could no longer keep up with him. Break after break followed and Alcaraz was through to the fourth round.
For the last set and the tiebreak before, Alcaraz looked back to the level he’d shown so far that had made him one of the favourites. Before that? Tiafoe was matching him, and perhaps that’s because of the type of player Tiafoe is at his best. These so-so starts from Alcaraz are mildly concerning, although you’d rather be playing your best tennis at the end of the match, I suppose, but although Tiafoe is a level above anyone he’s faced so far in Wimbledon, the fact that Alcaraz couldn’t win the third set was disappointing.
Next a chance to watch Emma Raducanu, with Johanna Konta self-confessedly fangirling Ash Barty in the commentary box. Raducanu was facing Maria Sakkari, the no. 9 seed. They had played before in the semis of Raducanu’s dazzling run in New York. Since then Sakkari had found more consistency, making her a top 10 player AND finally won a final of her own.
But Raducanu started better, winning the first game – Sakkari was serving – and backing it up. Barty pointed out that Raducanu had been serving well so far at Wimbledon and that continued (though the roof was closed so the dodgy ball tosses were on her). Also, she was returning well, and playing a brand of offensive counter-punching (pace Konta) that, well, frustrated Sakkari. Very soon, Raducanu had won the first set, with the home crowd roaring every point its darling played.
This continued in the second, and although Sakkari was occasionally able to use her experience and wiles, she was making too many errors, forced to by the depth of shots Raducanu was maintaining. As the commentators observed, we don’t really know what her baseline is, she hasn’t played a full season yet, she’s only recently won in three sets – previously it was only rolling through matches or getting stopped. But looking at their body language and play alone, you’d have supposed Raducanu was the top 10 player, not her opponent. She managed to break Sakkari again to win the second set and the match. Right now she’s playing with joy – she was skipping between some points – and no wonder. That’s her second top 10 win, and her second defeat of Sakkari. She’s through to the fourth round of Wimbledon again. Her next opponent is a qualifier, which ought to make her the favourite, so we’ll see how she copes with that mentally, but this is exciting.
I didn’t watch it, but I saw that Sinner won his third round in three. With all due respect to his opponent, he was no Berrettini. Apparently, Dimitrov beat Mr Elina Svitolina in three sets, and Tommy Paul beat Bublik, even though the latter, of course, put in some under-arm serves.
Day six (or middle Saturday) - I chose to watch the Alexander Zverev vs. Cameron Norrie match, and after a few service games were exchanged, Norrie was unable to keep his serve, and an unstressed Zverev broke, and very nearly broke again, but easily won the first set. Norrie just didn’t have enough, while his opponent’s serve was forceful, his game has improved – even his net game. In the second set, Zverev had a nasty fall, over-extending one knee and banging the other. The trainer gave him a look over, did nothing, and as McEnroe said, Norrie really should have used the dropshot and short balls to make Zverev, who was able to serve, but limping, run. He didn’t. Instead he played another loose service game, and just didn’t look as though he had anything to trouble Zverev, who seemed to feel better once he got some tape on the knee (I don’t know how much he was injured, but he was obviously thinking of that dreadful fall at the French).
In the third set Norrie was better able to do what he ought to have done all match, and might have done in previous years – this year has not been good – and keep his serve, forcing it to a tiebreak, where Zverev was slightly nervier. But it was set point vs match point, repeatedly, and it was Norrie who blinked first, with Zverev through in three. I feel obliged to note that Zverev settled the assault case with the mother of his child, which is not an admission of guilt, but I kept thinking about it when the camera cut to his current girlfriend. Even if he's playing better and was certainly a class or two above Norrie, excellent serve aside, I don’t think he’s in the same class as the top three (he’s seeded no. 4, and has never gone deep at Wimbledon, though he claims to be feeling better about it this year.)
It was reported that Raducanu was withdrawing from the mixed doubles with Andy Murray because of something to do with her wrist – hopefully, she’ll still be able to play singles.
I then watched Ons Jabeur vs. Elina Svitolina, because I thought it would be entertaining. Both have gone deep here, although the last time Jabeur played on Centre Court, she lost in a final. She was the higher seed, but has been niggled with injuries this year, while Svitolina hasn’t beaten a top 10 player this year/for a year. But it was soon clear that Svitolina was going to be playing a more aggressive game, Jabeur never got to settle in the first set, her error count was too high because of Svitolina’s depth and attacking mentality. Svitolina raced through the first set to win it 6-1. Martina Navratilova observed that if she kept playing at that level, she’d win the Championship.
At the start of the second set, Jabeur saved a break point and played more competitive tennis, although she didn’t often get a sniff on Svitolina’s serve. It went to a tiebreak, and Svitolina won, despite her nerves.
I then switched court, fastforwarding from the start of play to see that Shelton beat Shapavalov in five sets in the battle of the North American lefties, and then that Putintseva beat Swiatek in three sets. Quite a big deal, although if you had to play Swiatek in a Slam, this would be the one, where she’s been least successful. Putintseva had won a grass-court tournament coming into Wimbledon, but still a brilliant match from her and a brilliant result.
But I wanted to watch her fellow Kazakh (though I think both were born Russian and took the money to switch countries), Elena Rybakina who was facing Caroline Wozniacki. Did the young big hitter and biggest server have it in her to deal with the counter-puncher and returner, and former world no. 1, who’d returned to the sport after having kids? Did she ever! The serves were big, the hitting clean, and she was having it her own way for most of the first set, with Wozniacki unable to put enough on her shots to stop Rybakina from hitting winner after winner. And coming in and winning from there. The Wimbledon champion bagelled the Australian Open champion.
And then they said they were closing the roof, giving Wozniacki time to regroup (the gap between play was almost as long as the first set had lasted.) If they knew the rain was coming, why open the roof – they couldn’t have known how short the set would have taken? I think Rybakina was entitled to feel a bit miffed.
But Rybakina, serving first, seemed to have lost none of her potency. To her credit, though, Wozniacki played a competitive service game and finally got a game on the board. She was even putting pressure on Rybakina for a couple of points, except that Rybakina could pull off aces and unreturnable serves in response, and was nigh on unplayable for the rest of the match. She broke and broke again, winning in just under an hour. She’s the last top 10 seed standing in her side of the draw, and after that mighty performance, she’s standing tall (Svitolina only played like a potential champion for one set). If she serves at anything like that level, and uses that as a platform for the rest of her game, she’s unplayable. (Having said that, she was pushed to three sets in the second round.)
They moved the Holger Rune vs Quentin Halys match from court no. 18 to court no. 1 because it was free and with the roof, they were guaranteed a finish. It was interestingly poised, French serve and volleyer Halys was two sets up to Rune’s one, but Rune took something from returning to a show court. Both served well, and it went to a tiebreak, where Halys showed a few more cracks – and notably failed to challenge a call (from the umpire as well as a linesperson) on a serve that he would have won. He lost the tiebreak and fourth set. Rune had momentum, and a fresher body – Halys had come through the qualifiers and a couple of long matches in the main draw. Rune, down to being seeded 14 will next face Djokovic.
Day three – My first look at Coco Gauff here, who was playing Anca Todoni, a tall Romanian qualifier only a few months younger than Gauff. You could see the makings of a better player in Todoni, but there wasn’t enough consistency. And although Gauff was mumbling and probably had a list of things she’d like to improve on, and the scoreline was maybe a little unrepresentative of the match, Gauff won through easily enough.
I was shocked to learn that Emma Navarro, even if she’s the 19th seed (never heard of her) had beaten Osaka in under an hour. Granted, Osaka has never done well on grass and I wasn’t much expecting her to make the second week, but that looked like a drubbing. Oh well, the horrible flounce is gone too.
I watched Alcaraz vs. Vucik, who’d done so well at Eastbourne, and was in the sixties in terms of ranking. He started well, but Alcaraz broke, playing some of his showreel tennis, and then played a loose game, Vukic, seeming to play within himself while playing at a very high level broke again. This would not do! Alcaraz found another gear to break back and take it to a tiebreak, where he dominated, and played so delightfully (more seriously, he had made adjustments and was playing aggressively) that he won nearly all of the shots on his first serve and broke Vukic. Fabulousness at the net.
I then watched Sinner vs Berrettini, one the world no. 1, the other on the comeback trail after injury again, possibly ranked somewhere near Vukic right now, but looking to rise (if his body holds it together). With the added sauce of their both being Italian. I soon called that the first set would go to a tiebreak, but Sinner was getting more chances and winning his serve a little more easily. He won the first set. Something similar happened in the second set (although I was getting drowsy), but at the start of the third, Berrettini played like a true believer and Sinner’s level maybe dropped in the first game. Berrettini cantered through, showing what he can do on a grass court. I left them (I was about half an hour behind because I’d joined the centre court stream.)
But I watched the fourth set the next morning, and I could appreciate the high-quality tennis. Sinner was not willing to make the same mistakes, and raised his level at the end of the set. Highest quality match on the show courts so far.
Day four - I chose not to watch the local derby involving Boulter vs Dart (or Draper vs Norrie) – in both the top ranked player who was a seed ought to win, but it looked close and painful between the women. Instead I decided to watch Jacob Fearnley test his mettle against Novak Djokovic. Scot Fearnley had got a wildcard here, having won the Challenger event in Nottingham, and at 22 had been a (the?) top US college player. I hadn’t seen him play before, but what I saw was good all round, good serve, backhand and willingness to come to the net. Meanwhile Djokovic was still moving well.
A competitive first set until Fearnley’s level dropped in one game and a hovering Djokovic won it and the set. Something similar happened in the second set, but I liked what I saw from Fearnley, and wondered where he’d end up.
But at the start of the third set, he was still there despite being two sets down against A Great One, still competing, and his forehand had improved. His college experiences had prepared him well – he’s a big match player – Djokovic was in a proper match instead of easing his way through the championship given his recent surgery, with Fearnley going toe to toe with him in some of the baseline rallies, pulling off some good volleys. Djokovic didn’t seem too happy, more with the wind and his tennis. Fearnley won the third set and continued to push in the fourth. Competitive in the first half, Djokovic did win, but Fearnley has put down a marker (as Draper did a couple of years ago) by getting a set off Djokovic. He starts his professional career knowing that he was able to compete with the GOAT, and if he can repeat that level of play, he should be out of the Challenger level soon. I think he’s got more talent than Norrie, who went a similar college route.
I then took my chance to watch Iga Swiatek for the first time (and listen to the interesting perspective of Ash Barty in the commentary box.) Swiatek was facing Perta Martic, who she had a 2-0 winning record against. Martic had a little slip, and had to get the trainer on, but Swiatek took her chances at the end of the first set. She had to wait to do something similar late in the second set, and was a little frustrated. Her serve has improved, but I don’t think she was tested enough for us to know whether the no. 1 seed can get similar results on the grass to other surfaces.
I then saw that Rybakina won in three sets, and watched the match to decide her opponent: Caroline Wozniacki versus Leyla Fernandez, the experienced counter-puncher vs. the young hitter. It was a bit up and down, too many errors from Fernandez, solid play from Wozniacki who won the first. Fernandez started the second set well, but the errors came back. Still, she forced her play and won the second set. Wozniacki started bleating about it being too dark. Eventually they stopped when the score was equal, to Fernandez’s surprise.
(Wozniacki would eventually be the one to go through to the third round.)
Harriet Dart won in the third set tiebreak (whoever she faces next must be quite pleased, I thought, and then learned it was an unseeded player who’d beaten Pegula.) Cameron Norrie also won in the third set tiebreak, but that’s a better win on the men’s side. He’s finally on a run of wins back here at Wimbledon, while Draper is not yet ready.
Third round
Day five – I sat down to watch the Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe match, and learned that Tiafoe has not had a good year, which is why the former top 10 player was seeded 29 here, and had come through one five-set match already. But today he was Mr Big Match Player, serving well, returning excellently, good at the net and moving almost as well as Alcaraz. Alcaraz still got the first break, though, but could not consolidate it, got broken again, and was down one set. Alcaraz imposed his game a bit more in the second set, but it didn’t fire him up in the third, where Tiafoe was winning his serve more easily, matching his opponent, beating him and Alcaraz was making a lot more errors than usual.
Worse, as Tim Henman noted in commentary, Alcaraz seemed so very flat, not much celebrating when he won points. If anything, Tiafoe had the crowd on side, although by the fourth set, given the rule that the crowd want as much tennis as possible, they were there for Alcaraz to take. Oh well, his second serve was very fast and he was using the body serve magnificently, so it went on serve. But Tiafoe was two points away from winning the match, when Alcaraz refused to let him and won his serve again, taking it to the tiebreak. And I was soon muttering ‘And where have you been all match?’ because there was Carlos Alcaraz the defending champion, French Open champion and top 3 player. Some magic shots, and his game was flowing. A dominant tiebreak, meaning it was down to the one set. Alcaraz took the momentum with him and continued to play at his high, brilliant level, and Tiafoe could no longer keep up with him. Break after break followed and Alcaraz was through to the fourth round.
For the last set and the tiebreak before, Alcaraz looked back to the level he’d shown so far that had made him one of the favourites. Before that? Tiafoe was matching him, and perhaps that’s because of the type of player Tiafoe is at his best. These so-so starts from Alcaraz are mildly concerning, although you’d rather be playing your best tennis at the end of the match, I suppose, but although Tiafoe is a level above anyone he’s faced so far in Wimbledon, the fact that Alcaraz couldn’t win the third set was disappointing.
Next a chance to watch Emma Raducanu, with Johanna Konta self-confessedly fangirling Ash Barty in the commentary box. Raducanu was facing Maria Sakkari, the no. 9 seed. They had played before in the semis of Raducanu’s dazzling run in New York. Since then Sakkari had found more consistency, making her a top 10 player AND finally won a final of her own.
But Raducanu started better, winning the first game – Sakkari was serving – and backing it up. Barty pointed out that Raducanu had been serving well so far at Wimbledon and that continued (though the roof was closed so the dodgy ball tosses were on her). Also, she was returning well, and playing a brand of offensive counter-punching (pace Konta) that, well, frustrated Sakkari. Very soon, Raducanu had won the first set, with the home crowd roaring every point its darling played.
This continued in the second, and although Sakkari was occasionally able to use her experience and wiles, she was making too many errors, forced to by the depth of shots Raducanu was maintaining. As the commentators observed, we don’t really know what her baseline is, she hasn’t played a full season yet, she’s only recently won in three sets – previously it was only rolling through matches or getting stopped. But looking at their body language and play alone, you’d have supposed Raducanu was the top 10 player, not her opponent. She managed to break Sakkari again to win the second set and the match. Right now she’s playing with joy – she was skipping between some points – and no wonder. That’s her second top 10 win, and her second defeat of Sakkari. She’s through to the fourth round of Wimbledon again. Her next opponent is a qualifier, which ought to make her the favourite, so we’ll see how she copes with that mentally, but this is exciting.
I didn’t watch it, but I saw that Sinner won his third round in three. With all due respect to his opponent, he was no Berrettini. Apparently, Dimitrov beat Mr Elina Svitolina in three sets, and Tommy Paul beat Bublik, even though the latter, of course, put in some under-arm serves.
Day six (or middle Saturday) - I chose to watch the Alexander Zverev vs. Cameron Norrie match, and after a few service games were exchanged, Norrie was unable to keep his serve, and an unstressed Zverev broke, and very nearly broke again, but easily won the first set. Norrie just didn’t have enough, while his opponent’s serve was forceful, his game has improved – even his net game. In the second set, Zverev had a nasty fall, over-extending one knee and banging the other. The trainer gave him a look over, did nothing, and as McEnroe said, Norrie really should have used the dropshot and short balls to make Zverev, who was able to serve, but limping, run. He didn’t. Instead he played another loose service game, and just didn’t look as though he had anything to trouble Zverev, who seemed to feel better once he got some tape on the knee (I don’t know how much he was injured, but he was obviously thinking of that dreadful fall at the French).
In the third set Norrie was better able to do what he ought to have done all match, and might have done in previous years – this year has not been good – and keep his serve, forcing it to a tiebreak, where Zverev was slightly nervier. But it was set point vs match point, repeatedly, and it was Norrie who blinked first, with Zverev through in three. I feel obliged to note that Zverev settled the assault case with the mother of his child, which is not an admission of guilt, but I kept thinking about it when the camera cut to his current girlfriend. Even if he's playing better and was certainly a class or two above Norrie, excellent serve aside, I don’t think he’s in the same class as the top three (he’s seeded no. 4, and has never gone deep at Wimbledon, though he claims to be feeling better about it this year.)
It was reported that Raducanu was withdrawing from the mixed doubles with Andy Murray because of something to do with her wrist – hopefully, she’ll still be able to play singles.
I then watched Ons Jabeur vs. Elina Svitolina, because I thought it would be entertaining. Both have gone deep here, although the last time Jabeur played on Centre Court, she lost in a final. She was the higher seed, but has been niggled with injuries this year, while Svitolina hasn’t beaten a top 10 player this year/for a year. But it was soon clear that Svitolina was going to be playing a more aggressive game, Jabeur never got to settle in the first set, her error count was too high because of Svitolina’s depth and attacking mentality. Svitolina raced through the first set to win it 6-1. Martina Navratilova observed that if she kept playing at that level, she’d win the Championship.
At the start of the second set, Jabeur saved a break point and played more competitive tennis, although she didn’t often get a sniff on Svitolina’s serve. It went to a tiebreak, and Svitolina won, despite her nerves.
I then switched court, fastforwarding from the start of play to see that Shelton beat Shapavalov in five sets in the battle of the North American lefties, and then that Putintseva beat Swiatek in three sets. Quite a big deal, although if you had to play Swiatek in a Slam, this would be the one, where she’s been least successful. Putintseva had won a grass-court tournament coming into Wimbledon, but still a brilliant match from her and a brilliant result.
But I wanted to watch her fellow Kazakh (though I think both were born Russian and took the money to switch countries), Elena Rybakina who was facing Caroline Wozniacki. Did the young big hitter and biggest server have it in her to deal with the counter-puncher and returner, and former world no. 1, who’d returned to the sport after having kids? Did she ever! The serves were big, the hitting clean, and she was having it her own way for most of the first set, with Wozniacki unable to put enough on her shots to stop Rybakina from hitting winner after winner. And coming in and winning from there. The Wimbledon champion bagelled the Australian Open champion.
And then they said they were closing the roof, giving Wozniacki time to regroup (the gap between play was almost as long as the first set had lasted.) If they knew the rain was coming, why open the roof – they couldn’t have known how short the set would have taken? I think Rybakina was entitled to feel a bit miffed.
But Rybakina, serving first, seemed to have lost none of her potency. To her credit, though, Wozniacki played a competitive service game and finally got a game on the board. She was even putting pressure on Rybakina for a couple of points, except that Rybakina could pull off aces and unreturnable serves in response, and was nigh on unplayable for the rest of the match. She broke and broke again, winning in just under an hour. She’s the last top 10 seed standing in her side of the draw, and after that mighty performance, she’s standing tall (Svitolina only played like a potential champion for one set). If she serves at anything like that level, and uses that as a platform for the rest of her game, she’s unplayable. (Having said that, she was pushed to three sets in the second round.)
They moved the Holger Rune vs Quentin Halys match from court no. 18 to court no. 1 because it was free and with the roof, they were guaranteed a finish. It was interestingly poised, French serve and volleyer Halys was two sets up to Rune’s one, but Rune took something from returning to a show court. Both served well, and it went to a tiebreak, where Halys showed a few more cracks – and notably failed to challenge a call (from the umpire as well as a linesperson) on a serve that he would have won. He lost the tiebreak and fourth set. Rune had momentum, and a fresher body – Halys had come through the qualifiers and a couple of long matches in the main draw. Rune, down to being seeded 14 will next face Djokovic.
