Victoria Azarenka’s comeback is gathering steam. The former world No.1 ended British hopeful Heather Watson’s campaign to set up a blockbuster fourth-round showdown with No.2 seed Simona Halep.
Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray were also among the other winners on a hectic Friday at The Championships, defending champion Murray saving five fourth-set points to stop Fabio Fognini from taking their encounter into a fifth set en route to a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 win, while Nadal tamed towering young Russian Karen Khachanov to advance 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(3).
In her first Grand Slam since returning from the birth of her son, Leo, Azarenka overcame a resurgent Watson and a partisan Centre Court crowd with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 result.
Romania’s Halep kept alive her chances of taking the world No.1 ranking with a solid 6-4, 7-6(7) victory over flat-hitting Peng Shuai of China, on No.2 Court.
Big-hitting Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh has operated under the radar so far but her upset of No.8 seed Dominika Cibulkova 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2 was most impressive. A year ago the 19-year-old's campaign ended in tears after rolling her ankle. Venus Williams awaits in the fourth round after the five-time champion downed Japan's Naomi Osaka 7-6(3) 6-4.
No.6 seed Johanna Konta kept British hopes afloat in the ladies’ singles with a resounding 6-4, 6-1 third-round victory over Greek 21-year-old Maria Sakkari. Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia is next.
No.4 seed Elina Svitolina reached the second week at Wimbledon for the first time with a comprehensive 6-1, 7-5 victory over German Carina Witthoeft and plays French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko next.
Roberto Bautista Agut, the No.18 seed from Spain, is through to the fourth round at a Grand Slam for a ninth time after upsetting Japan’s No.9 seed Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-3.
He will have a tough time of it if he is to reach his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final when he takes on No.7 seed Marin Cilic. The Croatian, who has reached the quarter-finals for the past three years, breezed past US No.26 seed Steve Johnson 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-4.
Luxembourg’s No.16 seed Gilles Muller was the first man to progress to the fourth round. He proved too strong for Brit Aljaz Bedene 7-6(4), 7-5, 6-4.
Former champion Vasek Pospisil’s men's doubles campaign is over after he and one half of last year’s runner-up pairing, Julien Benneteau, fell in straight sets to No.6 seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers 7-6(1), 6-3, 6-4. The other half of last year’s runner-up duo, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, and Rohan Bopanna lost to British brothers Neal and Ken Skupski 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3.
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares' bid to win a third Grand Slam title together ended in five sets at the hands of Sam Groth and three-time runner-up Robert Lindstedt, who prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.
Ladies doubles' No.2 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina put disappointing singles exits behind them to dismiss Oceane Dodin and Tatjana Maria 6-4, 6-3 in the second round.
Quote of the day: “I’m happy I announced my retirement and Rybarikova had such a wonderful victory. Now I can go." – Daniela Hantuchova leaves Slovak tennis in capable hands after announcing her retirement.
Social of the day:
wearing these on court for you today @BMATTEKpic.twitter.com/KfwwxCUXKx
— Jack Sock (@JackSock) July 7, 2017
