Alcaraz stretched, Sinner sublime,
Raducanu roars on at Wimbledon
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[July 06, 2024]
By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was stretched
to the limit en route to the Wimbledon fourth round but world number
one Jannik Sinner, his likely semi-final opponent, was unruffled as
he advanced in ominous fashion at rainy Wimbledon on Friday.
Play ended in late afternoon on most of the All England Club's
courts as the heavens opened over southwest London.
But the significant action, including wins for women's second seed
Coco Gauff and British favourite Emma Raducanu, went ahead under the
Centre Court and Court One roofs.
The 21-year-old Alcaraz, bidding for his fourth Grand Slam title,
ran into inspired American Frances Tiafoe in a repeat of their
thrilling semi-final the 2022 U.S. Open.
Just as in New York, the two players traded blows in a match
sprinkled with spectacular exchanges but once again it was Alcaraz
who boasted the greater firepower - racking up 55 winners to
Tiafoe's 39 in a 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2 win.
Put under extreme pressure by the all-action American, Alcaraz was
in trouble towards the end of the fourth set but found another gear
to dominate the tiebreak and then romp away to victory in the
deciding set.
He has now reached at least the fourth round in 10 of his first 14
Grand Slam appearances while his record in five-setters now stands
at a formidable 12-1.
"I'm playing with the statistics that I have just lost one match in
the fifth set. That's an advantage for me. That's why in those
situations I play at my high level," he said.
Alcaraz's day got even better as he finished in time to watch Spain
beat Germany at Euro 2024, although he insisted he had not asked the
schedulers for an early time slot.
Sinner no longer has an interest in the soccer after Italy's limp
exit. Instead, the top seed is looking in the mood to become the
second Italian to win multiple Grand Slam titles after Nicola
Pietrangeli.
CLINICAL SINNER
After being pushed hard by compatriot and 2021 runner-up Matteo
Berrettini in the first round, a clinical Sinner ran riot against
Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic, winning 6-1 6-4 6-2 in a little over one
and a half hours.
Nineteen British players began in the singles but Gauff's 6-4 6-0
win over plucky qualifier Sonay Kartal reduced that number down to
three as the tournament approaches halfway.
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Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club,
London, Britain - July 5, 2024 Britain's Emma Raducanu celebrates
after winning her third round match against Greece's Maria Sakkari
REUTERS/Paul Childs
But very much still standing is Raducanu whose run
so far is reminiscent of her fairytale in New York in 2021 when she
won the title as a teenager having come through qualifying.
Wildcard Raducanu, who skipped the French Open to focus on
Wimbledon, overpowered Greek ninth seed Maria Sakkari 6-2 6-3.
Raducanu also beat Sakkari in the U.S. Open semi-final and the
parallels are stirring up a British frenzy of excitement.
"I only focus on who I'm playing next. I think that's the best way
to be. I think staying present in the moment is what got me this
far. I'm not going to start changing anything," Raducanu, who has
not dropped a set so far, told reporters.
Next up is qualifer Lulu Sun, the first New Zealand woman to reach
the Wimbledon fourth round since 1959.
Lurking in Raducanu's half of the draw is Spain's former world
number two Paula Badosa who stunned Wimbledon dark horse Daria
Kasatkina on Friday to reach the last 16.
Badosa, whose career was derailed by back problems and who needs
cortisone injections, won 7-6(6) 4-6 6-4.
Italian Jasmine Paolini continued her impressive form as the French
Open runner-up beat former U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu
7-6(4) 6-1 to make the last-16 for the first time.
While several third-round matches were unfinished because of the
heavy rain, Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov made short work of Frenchman
Gael Monfils as did Queen's Club winner Tommy Paul against
unpredictable Kazakh Alexander Bublik.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Alison Williams)
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