Wimbledon Day 5 wrap: Emma Raducanu storms into last 16
Emma Raducanu’s rise back to the top of the tennis world is well underway on an action-packed day of play at Wimbledon.
Welcome to news.com.au’s rolling coverage of Day 5 at Wimbledon.
Emma Raducanu cruised to a straight-set win against Greek star Maria Sakkari while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame Frances Tiafoe in a five-set thriller.
See how all the action panned out below.
Raducanu storms into Wimbledon last 16
Emma Raducanu reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time since her 2021 US Open triumph when she defeated world number nine Maria Sakkari at Wimbledon on Saturday morning AEST.
The 21-year-old British star defeated her Greek opponent 6-2, 6-3 for only her second win over a top-10 player.
She will now fancy her chances of making the quarter-finals when she tackles New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun, the world number 123, in the fourth round.
Raducanu, ranked at 135 and playing on a wildcard after struggling with a series of injuries, had defeated Sakkari in the semi-finals on her way to her history-making US Open breakthrough almost three years ago.
On Saturday, she was in control from the start under the roof of Centre Court with a break in the first game.
She broke serve again in the seventh on her way to pocketing the opener, having saved all five break points she had faced.
Backed by an expectant home crowd, Raducanu carved out a crucial break for a 2-1 lead in the second set and eventually sealed the tie on a third match point.
Raducanu had arrived at the All England Club after making her first semi-final of the year at Nottingham last month.
She then saved a match point to beat Jessica Pegula in Eastbourne for her first win against a top 10 player.
“I think today was really up there with the most fun I have had on a tennis court, I really enjoyed every single moment,” she told the BBC.
“I was telling myself you don’t know how many times you are going to get the chance in your life to play in front of a full Centre Court so I’m really grateful for the support.”
Emma Raducanu will be back in the top 100 when the new rankings come out.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 5, 2024
One year after having 3 surgeries at the same time… this is something special.
Today, she’s back to living her dream with the support of a nation behind her.
So deserved.
🇬🇧â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/iudCNb54SB
Former US Open champ Emma Raducanu beats the world #9 Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-3 to reach the last 16 at #Wimbledon for the second time (after 2021).
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 5, 2024
First time she is back into a Slam 2nd week since that USO title.
2nd top 10 win, both in the last 9 days.
Still 21 years old. pic.twitter.com/SYI1w7Ehim
Emma Raducanu’s reaction after reaching 2nd week of a Slam for the 1st time since winning the US Open
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 5, 2024
Smiling ear to ear.
The crowd is going absolutely insane.
Brings you straight back to the US Open.
Just a young woman who loves to play tennis 🥹
pic.twitter.com/E1X0V8bW6b
Sinner romps into last 16
Top seed Jannik Sinner dropped just seven games as he crushed Miomir Kecmanovic to reach the Wimbledon fourth round on Saturday morning (AEST).
The Italian, who was given a workout by compatriot Matteo Berrettini in the second round, had no such problems against the Serbian world number 52, winning 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
The Australian Open champion, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, faced just a single break point in the evening match on Centre Court, which lasted only 96 minutes.
“It feels great to be back here,” said Sinner. “It’s a very, very special place, if not the most special place to play tennis and I love the atmosphere here so this all combined makes me very happy.” He said it was important to make friends with the grass.
“Be very kind to the grass and something positive will happen,” he added.
“In the beginning, I was struggling a lot but every year I feel like I am improving so let’s see what I can do this year but being happy on the court is the most important.”
Sinner will face either Canada’s Denis Shapovalov or US 14th seed Ben Shelton for a place in the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz wins five-set thriller
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz defeated close friend Frances Tiafoe in a rollercoaster five sets to reach the Wimbledon last 16 overnight as US Open winner Coco Gauff breezed through.
Alcaraz came through 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 on the back of 16 aces in his 55 winners in a Centre Court thriller that stretched to the best part of four hours “Always a big challenge playing against Frances,” admitted Alcaraz, who was also pushed to five sets by the American in the semi-finals of the 2022 US Open on his way to a first Grand Slam title.
“He is a really talented player, really tough to face and he has shown again that he deserves to be at the top and fight for big things.”
Alcaraz, who is bidding to become only the sixth man to capture the French Open and Wimbledon titles back-to-back, has now reached the last 16 of a Slam for the 10th time.
The world number three will next take on either Ugo Humbert of France or Brandon Nakashima of the United States.
Guaff powers through
Women’s world number two Gauff ended the run of British qualifier Sonay Kartal, who had defied her humble ranking of 298 to reach the third round of a Slam for the first time.
Gauff won 6-4, 6-0, allowing her opponent just eight points in the second set.
Despite the loss, Kartal, who had arrived at the All England Club with just over $18,500 from her 2024 efforts on court, will go away with a windfall of more than $182,000.
“This is my first time playing a British player here so I was little nervous because I knew you’d be for her, which is understandable,” said Gauff.
“Thankfully you guys were pretty nice to me so that helped.”
Gauff will face American compatriot Emma Navarro for a place in the quarter-finals.
Tommy Paul makes fourth round
Tommy Paul, the US men’s 12th seed, made the fourth round for second time with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan.
It was Paul’s eighth successive win on grass after he claimed the Queen’s Club title on the eve of Wimbledon.
“I’m having fun on the grass,” said Paul.
Grigor Dimitrov, who was a semi-finalist 10 years ago, defeated 37-year-old Gael Monfils in straight sets.
Two-time quarter-finalist Madison Keys, the 12th seed, reached the second week for the fifth time with a straight-sets win over Marta Kostyuk.
Keys goes on to face French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini, who had never won a match at Wimbledon before this year.
Seventh-ranked Paolini saw off former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu in straight sets.
Lulu Sun became the first woman from New Zealand since 1959 to reach the last 16 with a straight-sets victory over China’s Zhu Lin.
Sun, 23, who had to come through qualifying to make her debut at the All England Club, won 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6).
Despite her lowly ranking of 123 in the world, Sun had knocked out Chinese eighth seed and Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen in the first round.
Sun, who has a Chinese mother and Croatian father, hopes her win will be big news in the small town of Te Anau on New Zealand’s South Island, where she was born.
- with AFP
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