
Wimbledon briefing: Day two recap, Wednesday's order of play and Brits to watch
Wednesday's schedule sees British qualifier Oliver Tarvet take on defending champion Carlos Alcaraz on Centre Court while Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter are among six other British players in second-round action.
Here, the PA news agency looks back at Tuesday's events and previews what is to come on day three of the Championships.
Draper's dream start
Jack Draper was given the most comfortable of passages through to the second round of Wimbledon when opponent Sebastian Baez pulled out injured.
The Argentinian twice consulted medical staff for what appeared to be a right leg issue after slipping early in the second set and called it quits trailing 6-2 6-2 2-1.
Draper had been in control from the moment the contest started on Court One and, while a short outing in the heat might have seemed optimal, the 23-year-old said: 'I wanted to play a bit longer in all honesty.'
Seeds make swift exits
Four of the top 10 players in both the men's and women's draw are out the tournament already.
Women's second seed Coco Gauff's defeat on Court One on Tuesday night saw her follow Jessica Pegula (seeded three), Zheng Qinwen (five) and Paula Badosa (nine) through the exit door.
On the men's side, third seed Alexander Zverev and Lorenzo Musetti (seven) were both beaten the day after Holger Rune (eight) and Daniil Medvedev (nine) were sent packing.
Brit watch
Monday's record-breaking seven British winners all return to the court on Wednesday looking to reach the third round.
Emma Raducanu faces a tough test against 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova in the prime time slot on Centre Court, while British number two Katie Boulter and number three Sonay Kartal both take on unseeded opponents after headline-grabbing first-round wins.
Qualifier Oliver Tarvet has the most eye-catching match against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, while Cameron Norrie will play 12th seed Frances Tiafoe and Arthur Fery and Billy Harris face Italian Luciano Darderi and Portugal's Nuno Borges respectively.
Match of the day
Emma Raducanu's second-round clash with Marketa Vondrousova will be a real draw on day three as two former grand slam champions meet at a relatively early stage of the tournament.
Raducanu won the US Open aged just 18, prior to which she made her main-draw Wimbledon debut during the same season and beat Vondrousova in a memorable match on her way to the third round.
Vondrousova, who won Wimbledon in 2023, comes into the tie in good grass form having won the Berlin Open earlier this month and will be hoping to turn the tables on the British star.
Order of play
Weather
Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime, with a maximum temperature of 27C, according to the Met Office.
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The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Oliver Tarvet's Wimbledon battle with Carlos Alcaraz flies flag for US college route to tennis
Play the ball, not the player, said Ollie Tarvet before the biggest match of his life against reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz. The flaw was that the ball came at the world No 733 faster than ever before, with more topspin revs and at a more devilish angle. It was still the same sport as his wins on the US college scene in front of a few dozen spectators. And yet this was almost another game entirely, like how laying cheese on bread under the grill is, only technically, cooking. Alcaraz's 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory came in two parts. The first set felt like a regular muggle playing tennis against the world No 2 on Centre Court. Never before had Tarvet faced a player who combines such extreme levels of speed and spin with unerring accuracy, such that Alcaraz's groundstrokes rushed over the net before dipping into far-flung corners of the court, hitting 38 winners in all. 'I've played against really good players before but not quite the level of Alcaraz,' Tarvet said. 'As soon as I dropped to 95 per cent focus, I lost the game. When I missed the first serve, the guy's up on the baseline [for the second serve] and it's intimidating, he's ready to make you run.' Alcaraz generates around 3,200 rpm on his forehand compared to an average of 2,700 rpm on the ATP Tour, he averages 78mph from the baseline compared to a Tour average of 75mph, and his shot quality is rated as 8.62 by the ATP's data bods, above Djokovic (8.54) and behind only Jannik Sinner (8.80). The result was that routine groundstrokes stunned the Centre Court crowd, like a moment midway through the first set when he cracked a cross-court missile which brought audible gasps. 'He's so effortless,' Tarvet said. 'It doesn't feel like he's hitting the ball that hard but it comes through so quick and so heavy.' Alcaraz produced moments of magic, like at the start of the second set when he whipped the ball around the net post and on to the line – Tarvet's challenge gave the crowd the chance to appreciate Alcaraz's accuracy on the big screen. Yet the latter two sets of his victory were different. Tarvet's eyes began to calibrate, adjusting to the flight of the ball in the same way players adjust from clay to grass. He broke serve in the second set, and again in the third as if to prove it was no fluke. How many Centre Court debutants wilt in the spotlight against great champions? The 21-year-old blossomed in the afternoon sunshine, fist-pumping his way around the court, each point a little confirmation of what he already suspected: that he could cope out here. It proved Tarvet is far better than his lowly world ranking suggests. He has deliberately delayed his ascent to the professional ranks by taking the college route, enrolling at the University of San Diego on a communications and marketing course in order to mature in the nurturing, high-tech US system which shaped fellow Britons Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley. Along the way he has won college tournaments and ITF Tour titles, the third tier of men's tennis, honing his game in a sophisticated training environment against capable opposition. It is a route not commonly trodden by elite European players, who tend to get out on the professional circuit far quicker. But it offers access to elite coaching and facilities, and a place to grow physically and mentally without the financial pressures that come with travelling around the pro tour, even if the college system's draconian rules mean Tarvet can scoop only £10,000 of his £99,000 winnings for reaching the second round. US college sport is a popular choice with European golfers, helping to mould Jon Rahm and Ludvig Aberg, and it is increasingly showing itself as road to professional tennis. Norrie says he got 'stronger, smarter, and learned how to compete at a high level consistently' at Texas Christian University, while coaches extol the virtues of their programmes. 'A lot of European kids are technically sound but not physically ready at 18,' said former Georgia Tech & Florida coach Bryan Shelton. 'College gives them a runway without sacrificing competition.' On only his second pro tour match, Tarvet rose to the occasion, playing with his chest out and chin up, roaring at hard-fought winners and vital holds of serve. He started to get a foothold late in the first set and then broke the Alcaraz serve to rouse the crowd, even if the threat of an upset was snuffed out a couple of minutes later when the Spaniard summoned Deity Mode to immediately break back. The third set was tighter still and afterwards Alcaraz embraced Tarvet at the net, congratulating his opponent and telling him to keep working hard. 'The level we can see in college is pretty high,' Alcaraz said, pointing out the record number, 26, of US college students and graduates playing at Wimbledon this year. 'It's his second match on the tour and I just loved his game to be honest.' So perhaps it is no surprise that Tarvet will not be dropping out of college just yet, even if a career in the professional game is calling. 'Nothing's changed based on the last 10 days. I still want to go back to University of San Diego, it's been incredible. I think I have a few things, a few creases in my game I need to iron out. I think if you give me a year, especially with the coaches that we have at USD, I think I'll be in a much better spot.'


The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Tyson Fury ready for comeback and targets Oleksandr Usyk rematch
Tyson Fury has said he wants a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk or an all-British showdown against long-time rival Anthony Joshua as he plots a return to the ring in 2026. Fury retired from the sport following December's rematch defeat to Ukrainian Usyk, but Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalshikh revealed on Wednesday that the 36-year-old had told him of his intention to fight next year. Fury – who has recently posted footage of himself back in the gym with trainer SugarHill Steward – then followed up that announcement himself, speaking to Boxing News at an IBA Pro Event in Istanbul. 'Who would I rather fight right now? Usyk. I want my revenge in England, that's all I want,' Fury said. 'I want my fair shout, and I don't believe I got a fair shout the last two times. I don't know what I'm going to have to do, because I can't let it go to a decision. 'That's the one I want, but if I don't get that then it will be Joshua, the biggest British fight that will ever happen. 'It would break all records and it would sell out 100,000 at Wembley in an hour and it's a fight I think can happen, if I decide to come back and the deal was right.' Usyk will become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion should he defeat Daniel Dubois, the IBF heavyweight world champion, at Wembley later this month. Fury appeared to dismiss the prospect of taking on Dubois. 'If I did come back, hypothetically speaking, if I was to return and box Daniel Dubois, he wouldn't land a glove on me, it would be a one-sided beatdown,' he said. 'But I wish him luck in his fight against Usyk, but styles make fights and his style and my style don't gel. I would annihilate him.' Alalshikh signalled a potential Fury return with a social media post on Tuesday which referenced the 'rabbit' nickname given by Fury to Usyk in the build-up to their previous fights. 'The 'Gypsy King' will be back,' Alalshikh wrote. 'I talked with him, and I have his word to have him in Riyadh Season in 2026 … We have a rabbit to hunt.'


The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
PDC threatened with legal action amid complaints over the way darts is broadcast
THE PDC have been threatened with legal action amid complaints over the way darts is broadcast. The controversy was sparked by last weekend's World Seniors Darts Champion of Champions event. 1 Ross Montgomery won the tournament with an 8-5 win against Richie Howson in the final. However, the presence of Raymond van Barneveld caused a ripple in the darting world. The Dutch superstar was a shock addition to the line-up before crashing out in the semis to Montgomery. That's because the tournament is part of the World Seniors Darts Tour (WSDT), with Van Gerwen holding an active PDC Tour card. PDC stars are normally only allowed to feature in competitions sanctioned by their own group. And any non-PDC tournaments that players do feature in are non-televised. But the Champion of Champions competition was shown live on PlutoTV, leading to confusion over Van Barneveld's participation. And now, WSDT promoter Jason Francis claims the PDC could be threatened with legal action over its 'monopoly' on broadcasting live darts. He believes his group should be able to show off the game's top stars if they want to play in WSDT tournaments. And with a legal challenge currently in the works over how snooker is televised, a similar one could be coming for the world of darts. Francis told the Weekly Dartscast: "The PDC have a monopoly on broadcast darts. And if Raymond van Barneveld wants to be a professional player, he has to sign a PDC contract. 'There's no negotiation, there's no option, and because of their dominant position, what other choice do players have?" "If you have more than one person competing for the services of a professional sportsman, who wins? Ultimately, the player wins and the darts fan wins. "Why is that? Because as promoters, we have to put enough prize money up to attract Raynond van Barneveld, Luke Littler or Luke Humphries to our event. 'If someone else is doing that, we then have to fight over price. Then, the ticket prices come down." "It's no different to when supermarkets compete over a loaf of bread. Competition is good because the customer gets the best deal. But there is no competition in darts. 'The PDC have a complete monopoly on darts, and it is something that, in snooker, we are legally challenging. If that is successful, I would expect that to follow on in darts as well."