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regular-article-logo Sunday, 05 May 2024

Novak Djokovic, Ons Jabeur put rivals to the sword

It was an easy day at the office for American teenager Coco Gauff, who unleashed her mighty serve to beat Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu

Reuters, PTI London Published 02.07.22, 02:36 AM
Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic File Photo

Novak Djokovic clinically disposed of fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic as he continued his relentless pursuit of a fourth successive Wimbledon title with a 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 victory on Friday.

The top seed was unplayable in the opening set of his third-round match on Centre Court, taking it in 24 minutes. Kecmanovic, seeded 25, received the biggest cheer of the day when he finally got on the scoreboard after 35 minutes by taking a long service game.

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But Djokovic was streets ahead of his 22-year-old rival as he reached the last 16 at Wimbledon for the 14th time.

The 35-year-old needed just one break of serve in the second set and broke twice in the third to lead 5-2 before blotting his copybook slightly with a couple of loose games.

It only delayed the inevitable, however, as Djokovic completed victory to set up a clash with Dutch wildcard Tim van Rijthoven.

Alcaraz on track

Carlos Alcaraz stayed on course for a potential quarter-final showdown with Djokovic after taking care of tricky German opponent Oscar Otte with a no-nonsense 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 win.

Otte had stretched twice champion Andy Murray to five sets in a late-night second-round blockbuster 12 months ago but any hopes of a repeat were quickly extinguished by the fifth seed who seems to have found his comfort zone on grass.

The 19-year-old Spaniard, who had won only one match on grass before this year’s championships, appears to have found his feet on the lush surface as he saved the only break point he faced on Friday while capturing his opponent’s serve six times.

Tunisian in hurry

Ons Jabeur was kept on court for more than hour — but only just — as the speedy Tunisian dispatched former junior No. 1 Diane Parry 6-2, 6-3 to reach the fourth round.

The world No. 2 has shown little mercy during her progress to the third round, spending less than two hours on court. Had she not been broken by Parry when serving for the first set at 5-0 up, she would have made it into the last 16 in less than three hours on court during the first five days of the grasscourt major.

That break not only earned 19-year-old Parry, one of four Frenchwomen to reach the third round, a rousing ovation from the Centre Court crowd but boosted her confidence as she raised her game to hit some sublime one-handed backhand winners.

Although the teenager could not rescue the first set, which Jabeur sealed with an ace, she stayed toe-to-toe with the third seed in the second set until 3-3.

It was at this point Jabeur moved in to deliver the knockout punch as she broke Parry to love and moments later she was celebrating her passage into the fourth round — having been kept on court for 68 minutes.

Sakkari knocked out

Germany’s Tatjana Maria, at 34 the oldest player left in the women’s draw, knocked fifth seed Maria Sakkari out 6-3, 7-5 to make the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time in her career.

Ranked 103rd, the mother of two rallied from 3-0 down in the deciding set to defeat Sorana Cirstea in her previous round.

Britain’s Heather Watson reached the fourth round of a grand slam tournament for the first time in 43 attempts over 12 years as she beat Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan 7-6 (6), 6-2 in front of a barely believing crowd on Court one.

Serving it hot

It was an easy day at the office for American teenager Coco Gauff, who unleashed her mighty serve to beat Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-2, 6-3 in the second round on Thursday.

The Roland-Garros finalist broke Buzarnescu’s serve in the fourth game and launched an 122 mph rocket to win the fifth, only to best that with a 124 mph torpedo in the second set, the fastest serves so far in the women’s tournament.

Tiafoe’s progress

American 23rd seed Frances Tiafoe kept his focus in the face of an Alexander Bublik circus act to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time.

The 24-year-old punched the air with delight as the crowd-pleasing Bublik double-faulted to seal a 3-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(3), 6-4 victory in front an enthralled audience on Court Two.

Sania, Pavic up

Sania Mirza and Mate Pavic advanced to the second round of mixed doubles with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10-3) win over David Vega Hernandez and Natela Dzalamidze. Sania had earlier lost in the opening round of womens doubles.

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