Wimbledon 2021: Serena Williams forced out, Ash Barty survives scare, Nick Kyrgios match delayed

Nick Kyrgios will be forced to wait to keep his Wimbledon hopes alive, while Serena Williams has exited the tournament in tears. Read the full overnight wrap here.

The wheels fell off for Nick Kyrgios as he went down two-sets-to-one against Frenchman Ugo Humbert in his first round match at Wimbledon, before roaring back to life in a see-sawing five-set thriller.

The match was supposed to start earlier on an outside court but because of two lengthy clashes beforehand, as well as some trademark English rain, the encounter was delayed and Kyrgios played under lights on Court 1.

However, the crowd booed because it was robbed of more drama when play was suspended midway through the fifth set at 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 3-3.

Wimbledon has an 11pm curfew and when the clock ticked over, the tournament referee came out to deliver the news the players would have to come back to finish their match after getting some sleep first.

According to the revised order of play, Kyrgios and Humbert won’t resume their match before 11pm tonight AEST.

To be continued...

Play is suspended with Kyrgios and Humbert tied at three games all in the deciding set - who will go on to claim victory?#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/1qDgmCByIi

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 29, 2021

Kyrgios won the first set 6-4 but dropped the next two as his temper started to boil. After going down 0-3 in the third following a series of poor decisions, the Aussie’s frustration was clear for all to see.

At the change of ends the 26-year-old knew the camera was on him and took the chance to complain to TV viewers tuning in about the court speed.

“For those of you guys at home right now, this should be fast. It’s grass court tennis,” he said. “This is slow. It’s slow.”

After starting so well, Kyrgios’ irritation grew. He muttered angrily to himself in between points and issued an angry plea.

“It’s turf, it should be fast. They made it slow. It’s not turf anymore, it’s a joke,” he said. “This isn’t grass anymore … start watering it … make it a grass court again please!”

Kyrgios’ mood only got worse when he dropped the third set 6-3 but he started the fourth with a vengeance, thundering down four straight aces in a remarkable service game.

He raced to 4-1 up and interacted with the crowd, which was buzzing as the match reached a new intensity. The wild child drew some laughs when he thanked a fan for giving him some serving advice that paid off.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios reacts to his return being ruled out during play against France's Ugo Humbert. Picture: AFP

Kyrgios maintained the rage to win the fourth set 6-1 in just 30 minutes and send the match to a decider. Astonishingly, he made 95 per cent of his first serves and committed zero unforced errors in the set — almost unheard of for any player, let alone one as enigmatic as Kyrgios.

The fifth set was a tense, even affair as both players hung on grimly before play was suspended at 3-3.

Kyrgios beat Humbert in a five set thriller in the Australian Open earlier this year and although the Frenchman has shown his class on grass with victory at Halle, Kyrgios drew first blood.

He went down a break early in the first set but recovered to get things back on level terms and even threatened to pull off a cheeky underarm serve in the opening games — much to the crowd’s delight as it chuckled along.

The Canberra product started to find his groove and erupted with roars of approval when he fired up after winning some crucial points. He broke again to take a 5-3 lead in the opener and kept his foot on the throat, closing the set out 6-4 in clinical fashion

Kyrgios’ serve was on fire after an early wobble, dominating off his own racquet as he kept Humbert guessing with his variety.

“Humbert has no idea what he’s trying to,” one commentator said.

However, Humbert kept himself in the contest and eventually broke Kyrgios’ serve, then held his nerve to win the second set 6-4.

It was more of the same in the third as Humbert rattled through Kyrgios, who looked short of match fitness. But the Aussie star found another gear in the fourth to ensure he wouldn’t be waving goodbye to the All England Club just yet.

Serena in tears as injury forces her out

American legend Serena Williams’s dreams of winning an eighth Wimbledon singles title and equalling Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record of 24 ended in tears on Tuesday as further doubt was cast on her future in the sport.

The 39-year-old was leading 3-1 in the first set of her first round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus when she slipped and had to have her left ankle examined.

Williams returned from receiving medical attention but called it a day at 3-3 and walked off Centre Court in tears.

Perhaps tellingly, she waved to all four sides of the court as she left. It is the first time that Williams has bowed out in the opening round of Wimbledon in 20 appearances.

She had only once previously lost in the first round at any Slam in the 2012 French Open.

Serena just fell down to the ground mid point. She's in tears and she retires. heartbreaking moment. #Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/qHxhVp6GRh

— Tennis GIFs 🎾🎥 (@tennis_gifs) June 29, 2021

The tears said it all as with the withdrawals of 2019 champion Simona Halep and of Naomi Osaka prior to the tournament the American would have fancied her chances of at last equalling the controversial Court’s landmark.

“Brutal for @serenawilliams but centre court is extremely slippy out there. Not easy to move out there,” tweeted British star Andy Murray.

Wimbledon’s 2019 star Coco Gauff said she could not look as the player who inspired her to take up tennis wept as she left the stage.

“I turned away,” said 17-year-old Gauff after beating British wildcard Francesca Jones in her first round match.

“I was in the gym actually stretching. I turned away because stuff like that makes me, like, really emotional.”

Gauff, who in 2019 as a qualifier beat Serena Williams’s elder sister Venus on her way to the last 16, said she hoped the injury was not too severe.

US player Serena Williams reacts as she withdraws from her women's singles first round match against Belarus's Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Picture: AFP

“I wish that hopefully she can have a speedy recovery,” said Gauff.

“Yeah, you could tell she was really emotional.

“Nobody ever wants to retire, but especially at a Grand Slam, a place as special as Wimbledon after waiting two years to come back (it was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic).”

Williams, who also had strapping on her right thigh, hasn’t won a Slam since the 2017 Australian Open losing in four finals, twice at Wimbledon and two at the US Open.

Sasnovich said she felt for her “a great champion, and it’s a sad story.”

“It was very slippery, I felt, as well.

“When she did the angled shot, I couldn’t run because it was so slippery.

“But, okay, it’s the same for everyone,” added Sasnovich.

Williams’s slip came at the same end of the court as that of Adrian Mannarino which brought a premature end to the Frenchman’s hard fought match with Roger Federer.

Mannarino slipped and fell late in the fourth set and pulled out at the beginning of the fifth set.

Federer felt the surface was more slippery when the roof is in use which it had been due to rain earlier on Tuesday.

“You do have to move very, very carefully out there. If you push too hard in the wrong moments, you do go down,” said Federer.

“This is obviously terrible that it’s back-to-back matches and it hits Serena as well. Oh, my God, I can’t believe it.”

Serena’s tearful exit does not mean the end of the Williams family’s interest in the singles.

Older sister Venus came through her first round match earlier on Tuesday in what is her record 90th Grand Slam appearance.

The 41-year-old five-time Wimbledon singles champion beat Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

Emotional Navarro out as Barty holds on

Carla Suarez Navarro’s mother Maria Dolores wiped away tears as her daughter walked off Wimbledon Centre Court to a standing ovation on Tuesday.

Her daughter later thanked her for being her constant companion while she underwent treatment for cancer but with emotions raw she broke down in her post-match press conference.

“My mum has been to Wimbledon two or three times,” said Suarez Navarro.

“She tries to record everything and I guess she gets a bit emotional too,” added Navarro before lowering her head and sobbing before going on “for all these months we’ve had to go through.

“It’s special to have her here, I really appreciate it and don’t ask me about my mother any more please.”

Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro (L) leaves the court after losing to Australia's Ashleigh Barty. Picture: AFP

Suarez Navarro put up a remarkable performance against world number one Ashleigh Barty losing in three sets -- 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 -- on her least favoured surface of grass.

Her only competitive outing prior to Wimbledon had been at the French Open. The popular 32-year-old Spaniard had retired last year and was diagnosed with cancer only to announce in April she had been cured and would return for a final tour of hand-picked tournaments culminating in the US Open in September.

Her mother watched from the players’ box and filmed her 11th and final Wimbledon.

“For her it was a really good moment. She really wants to be on Centre Court,” said Suarez Navarro.

“Well, I think she’s proud. I want to say thank you to my mom every day.”

Suarez Navarro managed to keep her emotions in check throughout the match and while walking off despite the pressure of the occasion and the warmth of the crowd.

She had shown the same resilience against Barty breaking the Australian when she served for the match at 5-4 in the second set and then taking the tie-breaker.

Although she says grass has always been tough for her she twice reached the last 16 only to be beaten by Venus Williams and then sister Serena.

Wimbledon has always held a certain place in her heart and being drawn with Barty ensured it carried on till the final curtain.

Australia's Ashleigh Barty embraces Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro. Picture: AFP

“I think Wimbledon make me a really good gift,” she said.

“I really enjoyed it. I cannot ask for anything else better than this day. “As you say, one of my last matches here against Ash, No. 1 in the world, on Centre Court, with the roof.

“It was amazing. I really enjoyed everything I pass through.

“I think now, today, I was or I am the most happy player in tournament.”

Barty is on her own mission to land the Wimbledon singles title on the 50th anniversary of her mentor and fellow indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s first crown.

However, she summed up the high regard and respect for Suarez Navarro among her fellow professionals.

“She’s an exceptional person, a great fighter, a great competitor, and very well-loved and respected in the locker room,” said Barty.

“She’s going to be sorely missed. I wanted to give her the appreciation that she thoroughly deserves.

“I kind of didn’t know what else to do (applauding her off). “I wanted to give her a hug, just say congratulations on an exceptional, remarkable career.” As for whether Suarez Navarro was having second thoughts on going back on her decision to retire the seven-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist gave a firm answer.

“No, no, no,” she said.

“For sure I’m going to play my last tournament in the US Open.

“Then I finish my career.”

Demon out, Bolt goes through

In other Australian results for the first round, 15th seed Alex De Minaur fought hard against American opponent Sebastian Korda but fell in four sets (6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 7-6), while

Queenslander John Millman lost to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6.

Marc Polmans impressed with a four set (6-2, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1) win over Taipei opponent Yen-Hsun Lu, while Alex Bolt also made it through going 7-6, 6-4, 7-5 over Serbian opponent Filip Krajinovic.

Meanwhile Aussie veteran Sam Stosur was also sent packing in the first round, fighting hard over three sets against American Shelby Rogers 6-1, 5-7, 6-3.