Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, offered an apology after pranking a ball kid during his recent Wimbledon victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas. The incident occurred between the second and third sets of a match that saw Djokovic advance to the third round.

During a break, Djokovic requested assistance from a ball kid to cut some excess material from the shoulder of his playing kit. As the ball kid prepared to make the cut, Djokovic flinched, feigning that she had nicked his skin. This caused the ball kid to jump in surprise.

The crowd present on Centre Court chuckled at the exchange, and the ball kid was seen putting her hand to her heart. Djokovic quickly apologised for the prank, and he reiterated his apology to her immediately after the match, noting that she was laughing courtside.

Djokovic later commented on the moment, explaining that such actions tend to surface when he is in a comfortable position in a match. He mentioned that Tsitsipas had gone to change, leaving him with some spare time. He expressed regret if he had scared her, acknowledging it was “probably not that great of a joke,” but admitted it helped him relax.

Djokovic’s “Vintage” Performance

Djokovic’s performance against Tsitsipas was described as “almost flawless” and “vintage.” He defeated Tsitsipas in straight sets, with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. The match concluded in just an hour and 38 minutes, showcasing a dominant display from the seven-time Wimbledon winner.

Reflecting on the description of his play, Djokovic stated, “I like the terminology ‘vintage.’ It’s nice, brings back the best days.” This victory marked his progression to the third round of the tournament.

According to 2017 semifinalist Sam Querrey, who provided commentary, Djokovic’s play was the best he had exhibited since the Australian Open. Querrey suggested that if Djokovic could maintain this level of performance for additional matches, he would have a strong chance of equalling Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight titles at the tournament.

Despite his impressive form in early victories over Yibing Wu and two-time major finalist Tsitsipas, reports indicate that Djokovic has spent considerable time between points limbering up. He is scheduled to play French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in the next round.

Other Men’s Singles Results

In other men’s singles matches, top seed Jannik Sinner secured his spot in the third round. After a challenging five-set victory against Miomir Kecmanović in his opener, Sinner faced Nuno Borges of Portugal. Borges managed to achieve a set point in the second set, but Sinner ultimately prevailed with a 7-6(7/4), 7-6(7/2), 6-4 victory.

Sinner acknowledged that he was not seeking perfection in his second match on grass, stating his intention to improve. Eighth seed Daniil Medvedev also advanced, securing a four-set win against Spain’s Daniel Merida. French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli, seeded ninth, defeated Mariano Navone.

Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, supported by his fan club, progressed past Jesper de Jong. American qualifier Michael Zheng followed up his initial win against British number one Cameron Norrie with another straight-sets victory, this time against Colombia’s Nicolas Mejia. Fellow American Tommy Paul also reached the third round, claiming his second consecutive straight-sets win against Kwon Soon-woo.

The tournament continues with these players moving forward in their respective draws.

Source: abc.net.au

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Serena Williams made her return to singles play at Wimbledon, facing Maya Joint in a match that concluded with Joint securing a 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 victory. The match marked Williams’ first singles appearance at the tournament in four years, following her previous first-round exit.

The atmosphere on Centre Court was described as electric as Williams, at 44 years old, stepped onto the grass courts where she has previously won seven singles and six women’s doubles titles. Her return came 1,462 days after her last point at the All England Club, and she demonstrated her competitive spirit by saving a match point to force a deciding set against Joint, who is 24 years her junior.

Despite the crowd’s support for Williams, Australia’s Joint maintained her composure to claim her first-ever win at Wimbledon. Williams congratulated Joint at the net before acknowledging the ovation from the crowd.

Joint’s perspective on the match

Maya Joint, who had lost 11 WTA Tour-level matches consecutively prior to this encounter, expressed her disbelief and excitement following the win. In her on-court interview, Joint stated, “I didn’t get much sleep last night, I was up until 2am just thinking about it.”

She also mentioned feeling overwhelmed as she walked out onto the court, saying, “Walking out, I forgot the warm-up, my legs weren’t moving. I really don’t know what to say right now. I don’t know what just happened.” Joint acknowledged Williams’ legendary status, adding, “This court has had so many huge names that have played on it. She has so much aura, she is such a legend.”

Joint, born in 2006, was not yet born when Williams had already secured seven of her Grand Slam titles. She described her victory as a dream come true, stating, “I have been dreaming about this since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”

Williams’ return and performance

Williams’ competitive return to tennis began earlier this month in women’s doubles, nearly four years after she indicated she was “evolving” away from the sport. While she showed glimpses of her past form in doubles matches at Queen’s and Berlin, questions remained about her physical readiness for singles competition.

Her return made her the second oldest player to participate in the women’s singles draw at Wimbledon. Initially, Williams appeared to struggle with baseline rallies in the opening set, particularly against Joint’s down-the-line winners. However, her performance improved as the match progressed, and she battled back from being a break down twice in the second set to force a tie-break.

Williams saved a match point with a forehand winner and a powerful serve to extend the match. Despite her efforts, the intensity of the battle seemed to take its toll, and she was unable to maintain the pace against the 20-year-old Joint in the final set.

Williams did not hold a post-match news conference but released a statement. It read, “It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here. The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”

One of Williams’ motivations for her comeback was the prospect of her two daughters, Olympia, who is eight, and Adira, who is almost three, watching her play. Both were present in her players’ box alongside her husband, Alexis Ohanian, and sister, Venus Williams, at the start of the match.

The Williams sisters are scheduled to compete together in the doubles later this week, facing Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra in the first round.

The match was a significant occasion, with a packed Centre Court under the lights for a match that began around 7:30 p.m. local time, creating an atmosphere typically associated with a final rather than a first-round encounter.

Williams’ serve, a hallmark of her game, showed little loss of potency, with her first service game being held to love and an ace recorded at 121 mph. Her ability to compete at a high level in singles, even in defeat, was evident throughout the match.

The roar from the crowd when Williams secured the second set to force a decider was immense, reflecting the deep admiration and support for the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion.

The Williams sisters, who have won six titles together at Wimbledon, will be back in action later this week when they team up in the doubles competition.

Joint, the world No. 87, demonstrated impressive poise and self-confidence throughout the match, refusing to be intimidated by the occasion or her opponent. Her performance was described as her best of the season under nerve-wracking conditions.

Williams’ movement in the early stages was described as tentative, especially on grass, after her long absence. However, her mental toughness and ability to produce crucial shots, such as the forehand winner and powerful serve to save match point, were still present.

The match highlighted the enduring legacy of Williams and the challenge of returning to elite-level singles tennis after a significant break. Joint’s victory marks a notable moment in her career, as she will now be able to recount the experience of defeating Serena Williams on Centre Court.

The upcoming doubles match featuring the Williams sisters promises to be another major event, given their shared history of success at Wimbledon.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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Early Exits for British Players

The opening day of Wimbledon saw a significant number of British players eliminated from the singles draws, with nine losing their first-round matches. This marks the highest number of British singles players to exit on the first day of the tournament since 2005, when a similar number also faced defeat. The day’s results followed earlier withdrawals from two prominent British players, adding to the challenges for the home contingent.

Among those who fell was Cameron Norrie, the only British seeded player remaining in either singles draw after Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal. Norrie, aged 30, suffered a five-set loss to qualifier Michael Zheng. This defeat represents Norrie’s earliest exit from Wimbledon since 2018. He had previously reached the semi-finals in 2022 and the quarter-finals last year.

Norrie’s match against Zheng, ranked 144th, lasted for four hours. Despite being a set up twice, Norrie was unable to maintain his lead, eventually losing with a scoreline of 6-7 (7-9) 6-2 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 7-6 (10-4). Zheng, aged 22, served 21 aces compared to Norrie’s four, and committed fewer double faults, with four to Norrie’s 10.

Norrie had played only one match on grass prior to this year’s Wimbledon, having retired injured from the French Open first round due to a rib injury. He acknowledged the difficulty of the loss, stating, “It always stinks to lose, especially at Wimbledon, my favourite tournament in the world, a tournament I always play so well at.” He further commented on the challenge of being out of the tournament while others continue to compete.

Further British Disappointments

Beyond Norrie’s defeat, several other British players also exited the tournament. Harriet Dart, despite a determined effort, was defeated by former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. Dart pushed the match to three sets, ultimately losing 6-3 3-6 6-4. Her match, initially scheduled for Court 17, was moved to Court One following Raducanu’s withdrawal, ensuring fans on the show court witnessed a competitive encounter.

Ostapenko will now face either Antonia Ruzic or Darja Semenistaja, the lucky loser who replaced Raducanu in the draw. Dart reflected on the match, noting that it could have gone her way, especially with Ostapenko’s 13 double faults during her service games.

Teenage wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic, aged 17, lost to 2021 Olympic champion and 11th seed Belinda Bencic with a score of 6-2 6-1. Other main-draw debutants, Felix Gill and Max Basing, were also beaten. Gill lost to 23rd seed Rafael Jodar, while Basing was defeated by qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki.

Alicia Dudeney, another player making her main-draw major debut, lost 6-3 6-3 to American Alycia Parks. Young players Mimi Xu and Hannah Klugman, both transitioning to senior tennis, lost to Daria Kasatkina and 2024 Wimbledon singles champion Barbora Krejcikova, respectively. Oliver Tarvet was defeated by 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in four sets, despite saving three match points and needing a medical timeout after a fall.

The day’s events also included the withdrawal of Jack Draper due to injury, announced 24 hours before his scheduled opening match. This followed Raducanu’s late withdrawal on Sunday night due to a stress fracture. These injury setbacks meant that 10 British players had fallen by the end of Monday, with Jack Pinnington Jones and Francesca Jones still scheduled to play their first-round matches on Monday.

Despite the numerous losses, there were 19 home players across the two singles draws at the start of the tournament. However, 17 of these players were drawn against opponents ranked within the world’s top 55, highlighting the challenging draws faced by many of the British hopefuls.

Dart dismissed the notion of increased pressure on British players, stating that all players face pressure regardless of their nationality. Norrie echoed the sentiment of disappointment, acknowledging that it would take time to recover from such a loss.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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