With that, day four draws to a close, with wins for nearly all the leading names, Alexander Zverev, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Matteo Berrettini, Flavio Cobolli, Frances Tiafoe and Marta Kostyuk included; defeats for three of the four remaining Brits, leaving Arthur Fery as the sole survivor; and an emotional victory for an inspired Grigor Dimitrov against Jakub Mensik. Want to do this all again tomorrow? Of course you do! See you then. Bye!
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What redemption for Dimitrov, after the cruellest of luck against Jannik Sinner last year. And he’s taken out one of the most dangerous young players in the draw, having needed a wildcard just to line up at this year’s tournament. It’s Dimitrov’s first win over a top-20 player since 2024, secured largely because he played the big points better. Mensik won only two of 15 break points and zero of eight in the first set, while Dimitrov was three for nine overall.
Dimitrov is then asked about whether the shadow of what happened last year was hanging over him when the roof closed. “Of course I was hoping I was going to finish the match before the roof closed, it was almost identical to last year, but all you can do is smile. Today was about embracing what comes next.” Finally, he’s told it’ll be Berrettini next, another player who’s suffered his own injury hell. “If nothing else, it’s going to be a pretty match,” smiles Dimitrov. “I’m looking forward to it, but right now I’m going to rest. I’m going to enjoy and cherish this moment.” As he should.
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Mensik has a warm embrace for Dimitrov, before the 15th seed leaves the court. He’ll have many more Wimbledons to shine, he’s such a big talent. But now Dimitrov is speaking to the crowd and says he has even more emotions than after his first-round win. “I’m so happy to be back. I’m very overwhelmed,” he says, before having to pause to regather his composure. “It was a great match today, all I wanted to do was come out and fight, I didn’t think about winning and losing. The atmosphere was spectacular as always, I feel so loved and supported, thank you for embracing me.”
Dimitrov defeats Mensik 7-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
The crowd are LOUD. It’s clear who they’re supporting, as Dimitrov steps up to serve for a spot in the third round against Matteo Berrettini. 15-0 develops into 30-15 but Dimitrov then slices a backhand into the net. Dimitrov slips on the baseline as he tries to get back Mensik’s punchy return and it’s break point. 30-40. But Mensik nets! And then again! Dimitrov has his first match point … and he finishes in some style, with a fizzing forehand winner! Dimitrov is screaming to the skies (or more accurately the roof that he really didn’t want to be closed) and all of the work that he’s done to recover from the torn pectoral muscle he suffered at Wimbledon last year is worth it. Lovely scenes.
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Not so for the Czech Mensik right now, though. Dimitrov is displaying the flexibility of a player half his age as he does the splits before dispatching an unreturned volley on his way to a hold from deuce. He then finds a way to hit through Mensik, who’s at the net, and it’s 30-all on Mensik’s serve … and then break point! That’s despite Mensik having just hit the 30 mark for aces tonight. Mensik saves the BP with another snarling serve, but Dimitrov gets a second … Dimitrov knifes a slice … and Mensik is cut into pieces!! Dimitrov has the break and from 3-1 down in the fourth set, he’ll now serve for the match at 5-3!
Noskova defeats Osorio 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
The ninth seed and Berlin warm-up winner is through, and the 21-year-old’s got the game to do some damage here. Czech players + grass = the perfect combination.
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Mensik is a huge server but it’s not fully firing in game six as Dimitrov secures a break-back point with a beautiful one-handed backhand winner down the line. And then lightning strikes twice as Dimitrov does it again to break! They’re back on serve at 3-3 and Dimitrov will be desperate to get this done in four sets. The 35-year-old certainly won’t be the favourite against the 20-year-old if this goes to five.
Dimitrov’s head seems a little clearer as he holds to 30, and applies a bit of pressure on Mensik’s serve at 30-all. But Dimitrov is wincing after missing a second-serve return, and then smacking into the net when the point was there for the taking. He throws his racket to the grass in frustration, and Mensik is well on his way to extending this match to a fifth set. It’s Mensik 6-7, 6-4, 5-7, 3-1 Dimitrov*.
On No 1 Court, play has resumed, but Dimitrov still seems to be deep in his funk about the roof being closed as he drops serve straight away, and his mood gets darker when Mensik consolidates the break for 2-0.
The crowd have quickly forgiven Tiafoe for taking out their home player and they’re cheering the American loudly as he speaks on court. “I didn’t want to play for another day in a row, I wanted to get this done before it got too dark,” he says. “A good performance from him. The Brit didn’t win today but I’m happy I did. It was a great atmosphere, thanks for staying, it got a little cold there [this is hot for London, Frances!], there’s nothing like Wimbledon. I get another chance to do it in a couple of days.”
Tiafoe defeats Choinski 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2
Choinski is the son of two professional ballet dancers but his feet barely move as Tiafoe skips to 15-0, 30-0, 40-0 and three match points. Choinski goes for broke with a forehand down the line … and misses. The British No 2 is out – having unsurprisingly faded in the fourth set given everything he’d put into the match before that – and Tiafoe is through to the third round at the only major where he hasn’t yet made the quarter-finals. And he’s got a potential blockbuster against Bublik in the third round.
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The roof is being closed on No 1 Court and Dimitrov isn’t at all happy. The Centre Court roof was closed during the match when Dimitrov was close to knocking out the eventual champion Jannik Sinner last year, and then Dimitrov suffered a torn pectoral muscle and had to quit. So this is probably bringing back some bad memories for the Bulgarian. He’s arguing with the umpire but in vain; there’ll be a break for 10 minutes or so, and Dimitrov will have to hope it doesn’t interrupt his rhythm or cause his body to stiffen up.
Well, well, well! Two set points for Dimitrov at 15-40 on Mensik’s serve. Take one of these and Dimitrov will have a two sets to one lead over the 15th seed, and given the age gap between them, you feel this is a set that Dimitrov surely needs to win. I’m not sure he’ll have enough in the tank to go to five. And Mensik double faults!! Cue a timely email from Gavriella Epstein-Lightman: “Dimitrov’s run at Wimbledon is incredibly uplifting considering he hadn’t got two wins in a row all year until Mallorca last week. Dimitrov’s forehand is a hammer as always, and his knifed slice backhand is especially deadly against Mensik, whose forehand has a tendency to break down under pressure.”
Bublik beats Jacquet 6-3, 6-4, 7-6
Victory for the enigma wrapped in an enigma that is Alexander Bublik, as the 10th seed gets past the French qualifier Kyrian Jacquet in straight sets. I’m not sure how many underarm serves or drop shots he hit, but I’m guessing probably about 963. Next for Bublik: Tiafoe or Choinski.
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Mensik, serving to stay in the third set at 4-5 against Dimitrov, is wobbling a little at 15-30. Cap backwards – just like Dimitrov, which is making is slightly hard to see who’s who (though I’d say the 20-year-old Mensik is carrying it off slightly better than the 35-year-old Dimitrov) – he calmly steadies himself to secure the next three points. So it’s Mensik 6-7, 6-4, 5-5 Dimitrov*.
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Big Foe is once again a Big Foe for the No 2 Court crowd as he breaks Choinski right at the start of the fourth set. He’s roaring and fist pumping; you can see what this means to him. He’s dialled in now and if he can hold serve from here victory is guaranteed. Tiafoe takes little time to back up the break as she extends his advantage to 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, 2-0.
Choinski’s race is run in the third set as Tiafoe breaks for 6-5, stares down the crowd and shakes his racket repeatedly in celebration, before nailing two aces and winning the set when Choinski plants a forehand into the net. It’s a long way back for the Brit from here, against an in-form 17th seed who won the title in Halle a couple of weeks ago. Tiafoe leads 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
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Paolini beats Golubic 7-6, 6-4
Celebrations elsewhere too. Jasmine Paolini has a smile as wide as court 17 as she completes a straight-sets victory over the Swiss Viktorija Golubic. Paolini, the runner-up at Wimbledon and the French Open two years ago, hasn’t been beyond the fourth round of a major since having that season of her life, but the 30-year-old is still such a joy to watch and crowd favourite, and everyone is queueing up for a photo as the Italian tries to leave the court. Paolini plays Maria Sakkari next.
Rybakina will play Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the third round – and if she reaches at least the quarter-finals she’s got a chance of ousting Aryna Sabalenka as the world No 1. “I’m trying not to think about it,” Rybakina says on court. “I need to focus on a match at a time. All the opponents are tough, you never know how you’ll wake up each day. But hopefully it happens soon. If not I’ll keep working.”
Rybakina defeats McNally 6-1, 6-2
And now let’s whizz over to Centre Court, because Rybakina is serving for the match at 6-1, 5-2 against McNally. Rybakina, the 2022 champion and this year’s Australian Open winner, has never lost before the third round at Wimbledon and that record will surely remain intact this year. She moves to 40-30 after a kamikaze rush to the net by McNally. A simple putaway for Rybakina on match point … and she thwacks into the net! Rybakina’s face hardly ever betrays any emotion, but there’s an eye roll from the second seed there. She quickly regains composure, though, to claim the next two points. Two sets, only three games conceded and 70 minutes played. It doesn’t get much more straightforward than that.
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Thanks Daniel. Another stellar stint. Right, first things first. Some match reports for your perusal:
Righto, that’s my day done; here’s Katy to take you through to the close.
Mensik makes advantage then, in the next rally, Dimitrov either decides he needs to shorten the points or loses patience, swatting a forehand wide, and we’re level at one set all. Does Wa Griggzy have it in him to reverse momentum?
Down 40-0, Dimitrov saves one set point with a forehand winner – he needs more of those – then a terrific volley helps him retrieve the second, Mesik going across the face of the net but wide. Oh, and then responding to a fine sliced return – Griggzy is so, so good at those – he goes long, so to deuce we go.
Yes he can, a backhand return punished line to the corner, and his celebration is as much one of relief as of joy; he’s worked out that he needs to give himself room to attack the body-serve Dimitrov likes to deliver when under pressure and he’ll shortly serve for one set all at 5-4 in the second.
Rybakina has broken McNally at the first time of asking in set two and also consolidated, so she leads 6-1 2-1, while Noskova has taken the first set against Osorio 6-3. Now, back on No 1, Mensik has raised an 11th break point at 6-7 4-4; can’ he finally make it happen?
Noskova, a recent top-1o entrant and former Roland Garros junior champ, is on top against Osorio, up 5-2, while Mensik flows a delightful backhand winner down the line to raise break point at 3-3 in the second. Dimitrov, though, saves it, and from there secures his hold to lead 7-6 4-3; he’s enjoying the battle a fair bit more than how he’s playing.
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On No 1, we’re on serve in set two. Dimitrov leading Mensik 7-6 3-2; Tiafoe serves out a 6-2 set to level with Choinski at a set apiece, and it feels like class has taken over from form. The Brit started superbly, but might just’ve spent himself in the process.
Rybakina is all over McNally, bousting through a 6-1 first set, while Tiafoe is playing more like himself now, up 4-2 in the second after Choinski dominated and eventually snaffled the first. And, as I type, he secures a double break, and this is a difference, I guess between the elite and the rest: anyone on tour can play well for a bit, but the best have the ability to sustain a level.
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In comms, they’re wondering if this, at 35, is Dimitrov’s last appearance at Wimbledon; I really hope not, because he’s still got so much to give, but of course his body may have had enough, just as he may fancy a change of lifestyle. He needed a wildcard to make it into the competition, but a win here would give him a decent shift up the rankings.
Those two are level at 5-5 in the first, while Bublik leads Jacqeut 6-3 1-4; Mertens leads Timofeeva 3-0 in the third; Lehecka leads Molcan 2-0 2-1 with a break; Cirstea, who did so well in Paris, leads Birrell 6-3 2-1 with a break; Noskova leads Osorio 2-1; Tiafoe leads Choinski 3-2 in the second, with a break but having lost the first; Dimitrov leads Mensik7-6 2-1; and Rybakina leads McNally 4-1.
Maria Sakkari beats Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 0-6 7-6(7)
Gosh, what a win that is for Sakkari, who survived a bagelling and, the last time we checked in, needed a break to stay in the match. next for her, Paolini or Golubic.
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Cobolli is so much fun – he tosses a towel into the crowd, then signals that’s it – and what a contest he’ll have with Dimitrov or Mensik. His competitive charisma burns through the screen, and though I’m not sure he’ll win a major, I’d love for him to.
OK, so let’s see what Cobolli had to say. He’s really happy his dad’s still here, and it was a tough match against a good opponent.
Today is his trainer’s 10th anniversary, so he congratulates him, saying he’s in time for dinner.
Duckworth, he says, hits very flat which, on grass, makes him hard to break and he didn’t play well, but he’s happy to have won – and it was windy, which isn’t easy. But he’s happy to have the honour to play at Wimbledon and he’s looking forward to the next round.
Busted harvesting towels, he says they’re for his team, before thanking the crowd and the Italian support, saying he didn’t play that well today, but it’s easier with them cheering and he hopes they come for the next round.
Unsurprisingly given the mental dump he must’ve experienced, Choinski is broken in game one of set two, but again, he makes deuce on the Tiafoe serve…
Dimitrov makes 6-5 then, as they slug it out from the back, he’s the one looking to dominate, blocking back the return then slicing hard before moving to the forehand and pushing Mensik over the baseline ... until the error comes! That is a burglary, and doesn’t Wa Griggzy love it! He leads by a set, Mensik having burned seven break points while he won none – and yet.
Mensik gets to 4-2 in the breaker then nails an ace, and when Mensik comes in next point, he realises he’s run past the ball and can’t get back at it; 4-4.
Next on Centre: Caty McNally v Elena Rybakina (2).
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Back with Berrettini, he says his career has been great and though he’s had tough moments, he’s back, he’s smiling when he’s playing, it’s a privilege.
Gosh, Choinski forces another opportunity to take the set … and this time, the sixth, he takes it, Tiafoe going long; he must be an exceptionally relieved young man, Thinking to do for the no 17 seed, who’s not been at it so far.
After Tiafoe doubles on game point, Choinski forces another advantage, and can he takes this one? Er no, he cannot, straying long; that’s 10 chances to break forsaken. You just can’t do that at this level, but when Tiafoe forges in front again, he plays a decent rally to restore deuce as the game hits the 10-minute mark; on No 1, Dimitrov serves out to force a first-ert breaker, but Mensik has been easily the better player so faar.
Flavio Cobolli (9) beats James Duckworth 7-6(4) 3-6 7-6(3) 6-1
Cobolli played his best tennis when he needed it, finishing hurling flamethrowers, and he meets Khachanov next, in another banger.
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This time, Choinski finds a decent return but, offered a chance to come in with Tiafoe stranded, he picks the wrong side, a stop-volley does the rest, and back to deuce we go. Back with Cobolli, he now leads 5-1 in the fourth and, serving for the match, makes 40-0; suddenly, he looks unstoppable.
Two big serves, two opportunities to clinch the set averted, then Choinski nets a forehand, and he’s now 0/8 on break points; Tiafoe is 0/0. No matter; a terrible drop is given the treatment, and here comes another opportunity…
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Berrettini is very happy, saying the first round was tough for so many reasons, but it was such a nice moment playing against a legend like Stan, four sets like that on No 1, a match he’ll remember for the rest of his life. But he also thinks that this one was pretty special, Centre Court, and it’s been a while since he played there – remember he lost the 20021 final.
He thinks he played a really high-level match – Arthur played well, especially from the baseline and on serve. He’s one of the best in the world and he knew he had to play well to beat him, he found the right energy in the fourth. But let’s interrupt him because Choinski has three set points at 5-4 0-40 against Tiafoe…
Before we hear from the handsome devil, let’s go around the courts. Rakhimova is about to serve for the match against Sakkari, leading 1-1 5-4; Cobolli, who’s enjoying himself, leads Duckworth 2-1 1-2; Mensik leads Dimitrov 5-4on serve; Tiafoe and Choinski are level at 4-4; Lehecka leads Molcan 6-3 2-1 with a break; Bublik leads Jacquet 2-0; and Golubic leads Paolini 1-0 with a break.
Mario Berrettini beats Arthur Fils (20) 6-4 7-5 3-6 6-3
After a terrific win over Wawrinka in round one, Berrettini delivers again; he knows his way around a grass court alright, and that backhand slice is a thing of vicious, dangerous beauty; if he had a drive backhand even half as good, he’d be almost unstoppable. Next up: Mensik or Dimitrov, and whichever make it through, it promises to be a bazza.
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Gosh, with Fils stranded at the net and so many options to finish, Berrettini, lost in the supermarket, dumps a forehand … but an ace down the T gives him advantage, and he’s back to a point away.
Not easily done. A missed forehand and double donate 0-30 … but it’s soon 30-all, a booming serve down the middle raising match point.
Serving to stay in the match, Fils swats a backhand wide for 30-all, and Berrettini is two points from victory. So he unloads on the forehand, two landed on the lines then another leaping beauty gets big on Fils, who can’t react. The match point, though, is saved, whereupon Fils serves out for 3-5; Berrettini will have to serve it out.
Fils plays two wonderful winers, but Berretini still holds, winning the biggest points to lead 2-1 5-2. The question with him, really, is how fit he can stay – he did brilliantly in Paris, but then couldn’t complete his quarter-final, which must be a terrible disappointment. His backhand slice, though, is working beautifully.
A terrific drop secures a 7-6 set an 2-1 lead for Cobolli, a raucous crowd singing his name as he punches air in exhibition style. I watched an interview with his mates during Roland Garros and they talked about how down to earth he is, and that they barely talk about tennis, just about their lives in Rome; he’s a very likeable dude.
Cobolli holds to force a third-set breaker, and when Duckworth nets, he leads 3-2 with a mini-break, then guides a backhand return down the line for 6-2 and four set points. On 2, Choinski has started well, a volley at net earning another break point, confiscated with a big serve; Tiafoe quickly closes out for 2-2.
Excellent work from Duckworth, who secures his hold for 2-1 6-5, while Tiafoe whizzes through deuce to level at 1-1 with Choinski. Berrettini, meanwhile, has taken full command on Centre breaking for 2-1 3-1, and he’ll take some stopping from here. Fils was threatening to break into the elite of the elite when he got injured, but though he’s back, he’s not yet back back.
They’re under way on Centre, Mensik holding for 1-0, while on 2, Choinski holds, then Tiafoe erases break point with an ace, and on 3, a ludicrous backhand pass down the line gives Cobolli 1-2 5-5 0-30 … but an ace quickly levels the game.
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I can’t imagine what that felt like for Wa Griggzy, because he really was playing well enough to make the final having presumably resigned himself, at 34 as he was then, to never doing that. He’s in form again, though, and I’d absolutely love it if he could make it happen this term.
Dimitrov v Mensik is a helluva contest. Mensik needed five sets to get by GB’s Toby Samuel in round one, but he’s in great form having made the semis in Paris and his game is more suited to grass than clay. Dimitrov, meanwhile, was the leader of the never generation, shut out of everything by the Big Three, but he’s a much better player now than then, and had he not torn a pec when leading Sinner 2-0 in last year’s round four, who knows? And we can sure it stuck with him, partly because he’s a human being, but also because he broke down in tears after winning his first-round match. If he hits the same level, though, he can do anything.
Moving around the courts, Sakkari leads Rakhimova 6-3 0-5; Khachanov leads Hanfmann 6-3 6-4 2-2; and Duckworth leads Cobolli 6-7 6-3 4-3, so I’m going to turn off Fearnley, who’s two sets and a break down to Munar to watch that one.
Next on No 1 Court: Jakub Mensik (15) v Grigor Dimitrov.
Zverev says for two and half sets he played an almost perfect match, then lost a bit of focus and concentration. He’s happy not to have played another set though he loves playing at Wimbledon and isn’t old yet but he’s getting to that point and needs to conserve energy, also noting that wining comfortably is good for your confidence. He loves this tournament but is still waiting for a big result; playing like this, it’s possible this year.
Asked if he has more confidence having won in Paris, he says in tennis you need to have a bad memory, whether good or bad, and though it was a big relief and now he knows he can do it, you have to take each match seriously and play at 100%.
On Centre, Fils has won the third set against Berretttini to trail 4-6 5-7 6-3 and will, imagine, back his fitness to get the job done from here, while Munar has broken Fearnley for 6-4 7-6 2-0.
Next on No 2 Court: Francis Tiafoe (17) v Jan Choinski.
Make no mistake, Anisimova can win this. She’s got the game to beat anyone and finding her best stuff when she needed it most will give her so much confidence. Her v Maddy will be a banger; I’d not like to be a ball in that one.
Anisimova says she went through a lot there – “some moments were really awful” – but she’s happy to be through. “I never thought I’d be saying this but thank you to my serve today. I’m not an amazing server, but now I ca finally say I can serve pretty good.”
Kenin is a tough opponent and a fighter, so she hoes the crowd enjoyed it and thanks them for the love and support. At 3-1 she told herself to keep fighting, this might be her last moment so just have fun – she tries to bring herself to the present moment especially when stressed and remind herself to have fun as she’s playing at Wimbledon. These are the tyyes of matches she trains so hard for, these are the fun ones, the thrillers.
She was starting to get some French Open flashbacks of losing the breaker but the thing with tennis is you only have to experience something once to learn from it and she kept telling herself to do better.
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Alexander Zverev (2) beats Valentin Royer 6-1 6-3 7-6(3)
Another powerful display from the French Open champion. He might’ve got it won sooner, but 2 hr 4 min is no slouching. Next for him: Marcos Giron.
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Amanda Anisimova (6) beats Sofia Kenin 6-2 4-6 7-6(3)
Anisimova outlasts Kenin, the full extent of her power on display in the match breaker. Next for her: Madison Keys, and don’t mind if we do.
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Zverev makes it 5-1 and is two points from victory; the same is so of Anisimova at 8-3, then another unreturned serve takes her to within a point of round three. Kenin has given her loads, as we thought she might, but this has been a dominant breaker.
On No 1, Royer has forced a third-set breaker against Zverev, who leads it 3-1, while Fils is warming to it against Berrettini, up 4-2 though trailing 0-2. Meantime, an Anismova ace, her second of the breaker, gives her 7-2, and this is very impressive indeed.
Thanks Katy and hi again all. The match breaker on No 2 is under way, Anisimova taking an immediate mini-break and, regardless of how this shakes out, I hope it inspires Kenin to rediscover herself. She’s had a dreadful year, losing eight on the spin at one point, but she’s a grand slam champ and so much better that … but she’s down 4-1 and needs something badly. Oh, but Anisimova gets so low to punish an inside-out forehand winner to the corner and at 5-1, she’s five points away.
Right, Daniel is back with you for the next couple of hours. See you later …
It’s one-way traffic in the tie-break between Fearnley and Munar, and the Brit concedes it seven points to three, his fate sealed with an errant forehand. Fearnley did, however, come from two sets down in the first round, so all hope is not yet lost. But he trails 6-4, 7-6.
Kostyuk beats Blinkova 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. Kostyuk completes victory with two aces and an unreturned serve. Emphatic stuff from the 12th seed, who does a pirouette to celebrate victory, which doesn’t quite match the backflip she did after beating Mirra Andreeva in the Madrid final in May – but the Ukrainian says she’ll only do that again if she wins a grand slam. Up next for Kostyuk is the 2024 quarter-finalist Emma Navarro.
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… and Blinkova holds, forcing Kostyuk to serve out the match. Fearnley and Munar are into a second-set tie-break, which Fearnley must win if he’s to avoid going two sets to love down, and there’s been an unexpected blip by Zverev, who drops serve, and suddenly the third set is back on serve with the second seed leading 6-1, 6-3, 4-5.
Despite a more competitive third set, Zverev is getting closer to victory, leading Royer 6-1, 6-3, 4-3 with the break, Anisimova is in trouble at 3-1 down in the decider against Kenin, while Kostyuk, at 6-7, 6-3, 5-2, has a match point on Blinkova’s serve after two and a half hours. Kostyuk tries to give a meek second serve the treatment it deserves …. but bashes into the net. Deuce. Advantage Kostyuk. Deuce …
The second set is still going on court 12 where a Fearnley ace, only his second of the match, sees him scramble his way to 5-5, having faced a set point.
Berrettini hasn’t had much luck with injuries in recent years but he has some good fortune at break point down, 30-40, as Fils flies forward but nets his attempted pass down the line. Berrettini turns deuce into his advantage, a first set point, and the Italian gets some more luck when his shot clips the tape and goes over, and Fils fires long! Berrettini ended Stan Wawrinka’s Wimbledon career in the first round, and he’s a set away from ending the hopes of the young French challenger, who’s disgusted with himself for that missed chance at break point. Berrettini leads 6-4, 7-5.
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Fearnley, cap backwards like Berrettini, has three break points at 4-4, 0-40. Take one of these and he’ll be serving to level the match at one set all. But all three vanish into thin air, and a fourth too, and Munar doesn’t give the Brit a fifth chance. So Fearnley trails 6-4, 5-4 … just as Berrettini breaks for 6-5! How the Italian did it, I don’t know, I was focused on Fearnley. But I can tell you that it leaves Berrettini serving for a two sets to love lead at 6-4, 6-5.
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Fils, though, does have the benefit of some scoreboard pressure, given that Berrettini is serving to stay in the second set. Fils is applying a bit more pressure at 0-15 but Berrettini quickly recovers to 40-15, and despite missing a forehand on the first game point he settles things with a backhand volley. It’s 5-5.
There’s nothing giving at the moment on serve in Berrettini v Fils and Fearnley v Munar. It’s Berrettini* 6-4, 4-5 Fils and Fearnley 4-6, 4-4 Munar*.
Anisimova has been pulled back by Kenin in their all-American affair, with Kenin securing the second set 6-4. And Kostyuk has got back into her match against Blinkova, playing the big points better in set two, breaking twice and saving six break points, to take it 6-3 and take them into a decider.
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Meanwhile the man Zverev defeated in the French Open final, Flavio Cobolli, the flashy Italian who’s so fun to watch, has claimed the first set on a tie-break, seven points to four, against Australia’s James Duckworth. Cobolli revealed in Paris that he’s rather superstitious, and was using Nadal’s favourite shower cubicle after every match. I wonder if he’s using Federer’s here. Whatever he’s doing, it seems to be working, and he’s on his way to a place in the third round for the second successive year.
From 6-1, 3-0, The Zverev Supremacy has extended to 6-1, 5-2, though Royer does then gamely hold from 30-all. So Zverev is serving for the second set at 5-3 … and eases his way to 15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game and set, finishing with a forehand flourish. Zverev appears untouchable at 6-1, 6-3.
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Fils is coached by a certain Goran Ivanisevic, by the way, with this year being the 25th anniversary of Goran’s victory in the final over Pat Rafter. Yes, Roger v Rafa in 2008 is surely the best, and Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe in 1980 is very much up there, but Ivanisevic and Rafter’s Monday final is definitely in the conversation too. There was barely a dry eye in the house by the end.
Fearnley breaks Munar in the opening game of the second set … Munar breaks straight back. Ach. As you were, then.
I haven’t said much about Matteo Berrettini v Arthur Fils yet, the 2021 finalist against the young French phenomenon with the nuclear forehand, and while they may be at totally different stages of their careers, they can definitely empathise with each other when it comes to their injury problems. The 30-year-old Berrettini has had an awful time of it since finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic five years ago, while the 22-year-old Fils is playing his first slam in more than a year because of back and hip problems. At the moment age is winning out over youth, with Berrettini breaking in game seven and seeing out the rest of the set for a 6-4 lead.
Zverev, from 1-0 down in the opening set, has rattled off nine games on the spin and now leads 6-1, 3-0. Brutal stuff. And to make matters worse for Royer, he’s just slipped awkwardly on the grass. Zverev said the other day that he now feels free, having finally got that grand slam monkey off his back at Roland Garros, to have a deep run at Wimbledon after never previously going further than the last 16. And looking at his draw, there’s little danger until Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals.
Swan’s defeat earlier means there are no British women left in the singles, but Arthur Fery came from a set down to beat Ben Shelton’s vanquisher, Otto Virtanen, and Fearnley will have to do the same if he’s to advance, because he’s trudging back to his chair having lost the first set 6-4 against Munar.
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A third break for Zverev, sealed with a fine forehand, and he wraps up the opener, 6-1, in little more than half an hour.
Kenin has plenty of pedigree, having won the 2020 Australian Open and reached the final of the French Open that year too, but it’s Anisimova who’s had the far more impressive results over the past 12 months, despite that 6-0, 6-0 humbling by Swiatek in last year’s final here. And Kenin did rather hand the first set over to Anisimova, with two double faults in the final game.
Alexander Zverev, currently playing with the freedom of a man who recently won his first grand slam at the French Open rather than the pressure of a man who’s now expected to back that up, has zipped through another two games and leads France’s Valentin Royer, who took out Britain’s Harry Wendelken in the first round, 5-1. But Amanda Anisimova has beaten Zverev to the first-set finish line, taking it 6-2 against her fellow American Sofia Kenin.
On court 12, Fearnley flashes a forehand into the net at 30-40 on his serve and that’s the first break. Munar leads 4-2. Both of these players had the seasons of their careers in the grand slams last year, Fearnley reaching the third round of the Australian Open and French Open, Munar getting to the third round at Wimbledon and the fourth round at the US Open, but they’ve struggled to back that up in 2026. So this second-round match represents a superb opportunity for them both. Munar backs up the break and Fearnley finds himself 5-2 down.
So on Centre it’s Berrettini v Fils, No 1 it’s Zverev v Royer and No 2 it’s Anisimova v Kenin. All are now under way, with Zverev and Anisimova both leading 3-1 in the opening sets, and Berrettini and Fils level at 1-1.
Fancy some trout sushi washed down with some coffee kombucha for breakfast? Why not:
Kostyuk and Blinkova are duking it out in a first-set tie-break, and Blinkova brings up set point at 6-5, to add to the three she had in game 10. This time she gets the job done with a big serve that Kostyuk can’t get back. So Kostyuk, the 12th seed, is in trouble.
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“We had an insane match last year,” the 21-year-old Eala says. “It hit me hard, I cried a lot. I couldn’t watch the highlights for a few months. So I’m really happy now.” She then reveals it’s her coach’s birthday, so the strong Filipino contingent on No 3 Court start singing happy birthday. The only thing that may stop the party atmosphere is the news that she’s got to face Swiatek next. It’ll be Eala’s first ever appearance in the third round of a slam.
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Eala defeats Joint 3-6, 6-2, 6-0
Alexandra Eala is screaming into the blue Wimbledon skies after completing a come-from-behind win over the player who scuppered Serena Williams’s singles return, Maya Joint. And with it the Filipino superstar gains a measure of revenge for last year’s epic Eastbourne final, when Joint saved four match points before defeating Eala.
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Jacob Fearnley, after the superb victory for his fellow Brit Arthur Fery an hour ago, has got two break points in the opening game against Spain’s Jaume Munar, the 29-year-old Spaniard who’s never been beyond the third round at Wimbledon but does at least have the distinction of being the highest-ranked Mallorcan in men’s tennis since Rafa Nadal’s retirement. Fearnley can’t capitalise and Munar grabs four points on the spin to hold for 1-0 on court 12.
Thanks Daniel! So that flurry of wins means we’re waiting for Berrettini v Fils, Zverev v Royer, Anisimova v Kenin and Fearnley v Munar to get going. Meanwhile Kostyuk, a favourite of both Daniel’s and mine, who also gained many new fans at the French Open on her way to the semi-finals, has fended off three set points to break Blinkova who, erm, blinked serving for the set. It’s now 5-5.
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Right then, that’s the end of my stint; that’s the good news. And the other good news is Katy Murrells is here to take over, so I’ll leave you with her to enjoy what promises to be a banging afternoon.
Swiatek is feeling more stable now than after an emotional first-round win; this one felt more like a day at the office. It’s always better when you’re able to do that, she was consistent, hit a good level of focus, and is happy with the performance.
Told that Martina gave her an A+ for her performance, it means a lot and she’s really happy. She doesn’t know if it was A+ – it was really tricky with the wind and she felt that, especially in the last game, she played “some dirty shots, but if you keep your margins it goes in so maybe B, not A+.”
She believed she could be the more solid player and thinks her spin gives her control; that’s about it.
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Jodar says he was pretty nervous and wants to congratulate Carreno Busta for all he’s done. It was a tough match but he handled the pressure moments in the fifth set pretty well and he’s very happy about it.
He’s happy how he handled the recovery last evening after stopping and how he woke up and got his body ready. He and Carreno Busta know each other very well and he’s now down to prepare for the next round.
Jan-Leonard Struff has beaten Brandon Nakashima, meaning we’re just a few minutes away from Jaume Munar v Jacob Fearnley. Decent.
Next on Centre Court: Mario Berrettini v Arthur Fils (20). Oooh yeah!
It can’t just be me … who, the second they see or hear the name “Amanda” immediately thinks “Hugnkiss”?
Next on No 2 Court: Amanda Anisimova (6) v Sofia Kenin.
Iga Swiatek (3) beats Karolina Pliskova 6-1 6-3
Impressive stuff from the champ. Pliskova is still feeling her way back and didn’t move great before the surgeries, never mind after. She looked a bit wooden here, only holding twice when once she was the ace queen, but Swiatek was pretty good and meets Joint or Eala next.
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Next on No 1: Valentin Royer v Alexander Zverev (2).
On Centre, Swiatek is a game away, leading Pliskova 6-1 5-3 … and she quickly makes 0-30. This is nearly over.
Rafael Jodar (23) beats Pablo Carreno Busta 3-6 6-3 1-6 6-3 6-4
Jodar is a superstar. He played beautifully today, and I can’t wait to see how he goes against Mochizuki – with Sinner probably awaiting him in round four.
Let’s get back to the tenins, where Jodar now has match point…
This shouting out ligging celebs has really got to stop. The point of the interviews is emotion and insight, not oh look, there’s an alright golfer or royal.
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“It’s never easy to beat a Bitish player at Wimbledon,” Keys is advised having won 6-1 6-4. She’s really happy, saying she loves the court and even though the crowd are against her, it’s good fun.
She’s also happy to have won Eastbourne and wants to have the courts moved to here, but pending that hopes to go deep. But we’re now done with the sensible questioning – Keys is told the Princess of Wales was previously here – the so what of it is left to our imagination – and that’s pretty much it.
Madison Keys (26) beats Katie Swann 6-1 6-4
A booming forehand winner, whipped cross-court, has Keys bellowing, and she seems to fancy herself this year. Next for her, though, a proper tussle against either Kenin or Anisimova ; if she gets through that, we’ll really be talking.
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Keys, though, plays a poor shot with Swan caught at net, the putaway volley inciting the Brit to noise up the crowd. But a netted backhand means another match point ... then Keys goes long on the forehand, a careless shot suggesting she’s not feeling much jeopardy. A third opportunity to close follows…
Oh dear. Pliskova sends down a double to cede a break, Swiatek leading 6-1 3-2, while Swan gets to 15-30 then attacks a second serve. But Keys takes over in the rally, her backhand too strong, and a match-point raising ace follows.
A standing ovation on No 1 as Swan breaks Keys back for 4-4 in the second .. then is broken again, meaning keys will shortly serve for the match at 6-1 5-4. Elsewhere, Kostyuk leads Blinkova 2-0, Eala has just taken set two off Joint to force a decider, ad Svajda leads Majchrzak 1-1 3-2
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Rafael Jodar is undeniable. After an iffy display yesterday, today he’s attacking Carreno Busta’s second serve in the proper manner and generally hitting it harder and truer. He breaks again for 4-1 in the fifth and is seeded to meet Jannik Sinner in round four; tasty.
Ach, Swiatek breaks Pliskova back, but now it’s time to give Fery his moment and check in with his interview .. oh, there isn’t one. Instead, though, Kostyuk and Blinkova are out, the former now firmly installed as a favourite of this blog, so let’s stay with that match for now.
Perhaps settling on the grass and trusting her body, perhaps a bit less nervous, Pliskova has appeared into the match, breaking Swiatek for 1-6 2-0. She’s serving well now, and when that’s the case, anything can happen.
On No 1, meantime, Swan is making a better fist of things, trailing Keys 1-6 3-3 – they’ve just exchanged breaks and, as I type, a second serve barely clambers over the net and is given the treatment, the American then nailing a return to break once more. And Jodar has broken Carreno Busta in the fifth for 2-1, consolidating as I type for 3-1.
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Arthur Fery beats Otto Virtanen 5-7 7-6(3) 6-3 6-3
Arthur Fery is a player. a forehand winner seals the deal – that’s the technical aspect – but the mental one is equally impressive. Next for him it’s Bergs or Faria – he now has the no 4 seed’s path through the draw – and he’ll fancy himself to do whichever of those he faces.
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Back on 18, Virtanen holds, but at 2-1 5-3, Fery will shortly serve for the match.
On Centre, Swiatek is serving for the first set at 5-1 and she closes it out in short order. So far, this is a performance or authority and ruthlessness from the champ.
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Swan, I’m afraid, has nothing for Keys, who leads 6-1 1-1, while Jodar is serving for a decider against Carreno Busta. It’s amazing, really, how just eight months ago, he was nowhere and now he’s seeded at majors, his level improving alongside the level of his opponents. He gets the job done and at 3-6 6-3 1-6 6-3, it’s time to enjoy a fifth set.
Swiatek is just so much surer and swifter about the court than Pliskova, allowing her 0-40 and closing to 30-40 … only to send down a second double of the game. So Pliskova, who had a full year off getting ankle surgery, then getting it again and not walking for four months – gosh, imagine how much she loves tennis to put herself through all that – has one break back. Can she use that as a springboard to force her way into the game?
Swiatek is all over Pliskova, breaking a second time for 4-0, and she’s playing really well, nailing a decent second serve for a forehand winner to secure the advantage. Similarly, Fery has broken the back of it against Virtanen, leading 2-1 3-1 – what must Ben Shelton be thinking – and Jodar has turned up and exploded, a brilliant return game giving him a 5-2 fourth-set lead over Carreno Busta, who can feel it happening again. Jodar, though, is a superstar, so.
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We’re under way on Centre, Swiatek holding then making 15-40. And, though she’s sent out wide on return, she lands her shot on the baseline and Pliskova can’t return. Good start from the champ, who leads 2-0.
A few close games give Swan a sniff but Keys still leads 4-1 and now has two points for a double break. The first is snatched away with a forehand cross-court winner, but the no 26 seed is also useful off that flank and dominates the next rally to go further in front at 5-1.
“At what age is it no longer acceptable to wear a baseball hat backwards?” wonders Darrien Bold. “Asking for a 43 year old friend.”
I’m just not a hat guy, but I am known for many other crimes against age-appropriate dressing, centring around but not limited to shorts, flip-flops and brightly coloured Air Max, as well as a variety of hoodies and tracksuits.
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Back on 18, Fery has Virtanen all at sea, breaking him a second time in set three to take it 6-3 and lead 2-1. The way he’s playing, he’ll take some stopping.
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Jodar and Carreno Busta have arrived on to court; remember the former came back from 2-0 down to beat the latter in Paris and, though he grew up on clay and grass is a different thing, he’s such a talent I don’t think it’ll be long before he acclimatises.
We’re minutes away from action on Centre, the 34-year-old vet and former world no 1, Karolina Pliskova, taking on Iga Swiatek, the champ. I’m looking forward to this one: even when she was at the top of the rankings, I never thought Pliskova could win a major – she was just a bit wooden – but she’s now canny enough to make this a contest.
Liudmila Samsonova beats Diana Shnaider 6-4 4-6 6-2
After making the last four in Paris, Shnaider will have hoped she was over a hump, establishing herself at the top end of the game. Er, or not. Next for Samsonova: Bouzkova.
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Next on Court 3: Jodar (23) 3-6 6-3 1-6 2-1 Carreno Busta.
Samsonova has broken Shnaider again, so is now serving for the mach at 5-2 in the third … and she quickly makes 30-0.
Fritz felt the third set getting difficult – he spurned a lot of chances so feared losing the breaker, and si delighted to get it done in three. His best results at Wimbledon have always come after winning Eastbourne, but he didn’t play that this time, so came in with different rhythm and is really happy to win again.
He’s then asked about his NBA trousers – apparently he made a bit of a thing about taking them off before the match – saying he’s not really into that kind of thing, so it’s a good change for him. Sadly, our photo bank is silent on the matter.
Keys breaks Swan immediately for 2-0 and Fery gets Virtanen to love so leads 1-1 3-2 – which is just as well, as no one wants to be trailing a grown man with a baseball hat on backwards. Samsonova, meantime, is moving nearer victory, up 4-2 in the third on Shnaider.
Taylor Fritz (6) beats Patrick Kypson 6-2 6-2 7-5
That’s six sets played, six sets one, and Fritz looks in really good control of himself. Next up, Diallo or Sonego, who are level at 1-1 3-3.
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On 2, with Kypson still serving for that third-set breaker, Fritz makes 15-40 and match point but as service winner is followed by a netted line backhand … then he middles one for advantage and another go at closing the show … which he also can’t take.
We’re just under way on No 1, Keys serving against Swan in game one, and backhand on the backpeddle, sent down and on to the line, earning the hold to 30. In theory, Keys should be a really good grass-courter – her serve and power work nicely and she’s won four tournaments on the surface – but I don’t think she moves well enough to win here. We shall see.
Back on 12, Samsonova still has her third-set break, leading Shnaider 302; Kypson is serving for a third-set breaker against Fritz, who leads by two sets to love; and Fery trails Virtanen 1-1 1-2 on serve.
Next on Court 3: Alexandra Eala (29) v Maya Joint.
“Super-stoked”, he says, and “super-grateful to be out here playing some great tennis”, while enjoying the London sun.
He was nervous before his first match but he started better today, playing with more intent and conviction. aHe knows how dangerous Mannarino is saying they hate playing each other as they make each other’s loves difficult. “not a lot of top-spin, lot of flat, low shots … I’ll need to get some treatment on my lower back.”
Otherwise, he hopes to stay here for a long time and I can’t lie, I’d absolutely love that for him – though I fear he won’t get by Cobolli if they meet in round four.
De Minaur is another for whom this is a massive tournament. He’s been really candid about the toll being not quite good enough to beat the best players in the biggest tournaments has taken on him – he’s hit his physical and technical ceiling while doing all he can to raise it, but it’s never looked like close to enough, excellent player though he is, and the frustration must be immense. Let’s hear what he’s got to say…
Alex de Minaur (5) beats Adrian Mannarino 6-3 6-2 6-2
Mannarino made that harder than the score suggests, but De Minaur moves on to face Svajda or Majchrzak next.
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Mannarino is not long for this competition, broken by Demon, who now leads 6-3 6-2 4-2. Kypson, on the other hand, is sticking with Fritz in set three, down 2-0 4-3, while Samsonova has broken Shnaider for 2-0 in the third. Between sets, the latter was advised by her coach to hit with more spin but, so far, it’s not working.
Fery nabs the first mini-break for 3-1, but then nets a forehand and wafts another long; 3-3. Oh! But then at 4-3, two brilliant volleys, one which hits the side line and dies, then another improbable winner, also close to the sideline, means at 6-3, he has two set points … and only needs one, stepping in to assault a backhand that Virtanen can’t get back. That’s brilliant behaviour, that top-20 potential evident for all to see, and the crowd enjoy the arse out of it. We’re level at one set apiece.
Fery does his best but Virtanen holds for the breaker looking strong in the process, and on 12, we’ve reached that point at which neither player can hold, Samsonova offering up a diet of unforced errors to be broken to love. That concludes a second 6-4 set, so we’ll shortly reconvene for a decider.
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Daria Snigur beats Leolia Jeanjean 6-4 6-3
After upsetting Elina Svitolina in the Ukraine derby, Snigur doesn’t waste her acquisition of the no 8 seed’s path through the draw; next for her, a qualifier, whether Bolkvadze or Krueger. She’ll take that.
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It’s getting tense on 18, Fery pushed to deuce when serving at 5-7 5-5, and the match is probably here. If he loses the set, a comeback will seem a remote prospect, but if he wins it, he’s got every chance … and rushing to his hold, he’s guaranteed a breaker at least, while Samsonova has just broken Shnaider back to love.
At 4-3 in the second, Shnaider makes 0-40, Sansonova saving the first break point with a forehand ushered to the corner and the second with a serve out wide and clean-up. But when a return, thudded flat and close to the baseline, arrives, the response falls long, and the French Open semi-finalist will now serve for a decider at 4-6 5-3.
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We get going on No1 at 1pm BST, 1.30pm on Centre, but before that, we’ve close matches on 12 and 18. Samsonova is still holding her own against Shanider, who beat Sabalenka – admittedly with help from Sabalenka herself – on her way to the semis at Roland Garros, leading 6-4 3-3 and refusing to wilt though her opponent has improved. And Fery – who our commentators reckon has the ability to break the top 20 – trails Virtanen 5-7 4-4. Back with our hidings, though, De Minaur has just served out a 6-2 set to lead Mannarino 2-0.
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Mannarino is a proper tennniser, a lefty stylist and touch-player – which makes me feel like I’m describing Henri Leconte, my old fella’s favourite in the 80s. But Demon is making him look like a leaden-footed butcher, ripping a pass for a double break and a 6-3 5-2 lead; he’s now serving for a two-set lead, which is what Fritz has just secured, up 6-2 6-2 on Kypson who has nowt for him.
Also going on:
Out on 12, Shnaider has begun her fightback, breaking Samsonova back to trail 4-6 2- while, in the time it took me to big-up his chances, Fritz broke Kypson for 6-2 5-2. De Minaur has also improved his position while that was going on, breaking Mannarino for 6-3 3-2, but we’re still on serve in set two on 18, Virtanen leading Fery 7-5 2-3.
We were saying earlier in the week that this is a huge chance for Fritz, and it is. He’s been getting closer the last couple of years – he played pretty much as well as he could losing last year’s semi to Alcaraz – and the next-highest seed in his eighth is Bublik. I’d be shocked if he didn’t beat him, and though it’d then be Zverev in the last eight, he’s 12-6 against him and, on grass, would be the favourite in my book, and were he to make it to the semis, with Shelton gone – against whom I’d back him in any event – we’re probably talking one of De Minaur, Dimitrov, Berrettini, Fils. Or, in other words, it’s never getting better.
Just to round up our other scores before we dig in properly:
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Diallo 6-7 0-1 Sonego
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Snigur 6-4 2-1 Jeanjean
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Grant 5-7 0-1 Bouzkova (21)
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Navarro (23) 3-6 4-1 Selekhmeteva
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I’ve gone for Ferry 5-7 Virtanen; De Minaur 6-3 1-2 Mannarino; Shnaider 4-6 0-2 Samsonova; and Fritz 6-3 3-2 Kypson.
I guess it’s about time for one of my favourite parts of the day: which matches am I going to watch? So bate your breath and get those hooks tentered, for here we go.
Preamble
Wotcha one and all and welcome to Wimbledon 2026 – day 4! And guess what? It’s yet another jazzer.
We begin with some attractive-looking contests on outside courts, Alex de Minaur taking on Adrian Mannarino and Diana Shnaider, French Open semi-finalist, meeting Liudmila Samsonova. And if to that we add GB’s Arthur Fery v Otto Virtanen – conqueror of Ben Shelton – and already we’re wondering if anyone’s got any spare eyes, though we’ve barely even got going.
No 1 Court opens with GB’s Katie Swan, back having battled potentially career-ending injury, against Madison Keys then, on Centre, Karolina Pliskova will try to overpower and out-think Iga Swiatek, our defending champion. But the match of the day may well be the one which follows, Mario Berrettini charged with halting the surging Arthur Fils – yet it might, just as easily, be our No 1 Court finale, where Jakub Mensik, also hot, will be threatened by the wily all-round game of Griggzy Dimitrov.
And, in between times, we’ve got Alexander Zverev; Rafael Jodar seeking another come back against Pablo Carreno Busta in a match that began yesterday; Amanda Anisimova, last year’s beaten finalist, must negotiate former Aussie Open champ, Sofia Kenin; Francis Tiafoe, the no 17 seed, takes on GB’s Jan Choinski; Jasmine Paolini, whose first-round match was one of the best we’ve seen so far, won’t find Viktoria Golubic a pushover; and I’m only ending this sentence because it’s becoming too unwieldy to continue.
But we’ve also got the exciting Alexandra Eala – she’ll address Serena’s vanquisher, Maya Joint – Flavio Cobolli, Linda Noskova, Jacob Fearnley, Alexander Bublik, Marta Kostyuk, Jiri Lehecka, Karen Khachanov and a whole lot else besides. So settle in, hold tight and biggup yourselves – it’s on.
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