Wimbledon 2025: Fonseca, Norrie please respective fanbases with second-round wins
The rapidly rising star of men's tennis attracts supporters by the thousands at tournaments and the samba-tinged atmosphere when he is on court can often resemble football matches with many fans dressed in Brazil jerseys chanting his name throughout.
Cheers from Fonseca's match echoed through the All England Club on a sun-drenched afternoon as he beat Brooksby in a little over three hours to become the first Brazilian man to reach the third round since Thomaz Bellucci in 2010.
'It's something to be proud of, for sure,' said Fonseca, who is playing in only his fourth tour-level event on grass.
READ | Alcaraz advances to third round with straight-sets win over qualifier Tarvet
'It's a great achievement. I'm very proud of myself with the way I played today. It's an opportunity to be here and play this amazing tournament. Being in the third round is just amazing.
'I'm very happy the way that I've developed on this surface, I'm evolving. So I'm happy with it.'
There has been immense hype around Fonseca after he beat Andrey Rublev in straight sets at the Australian Open for his first victory over a top-10 opponent and won his first ATP Tour title in Buenos Aires in February.
After a run to the French Open third round in May, the 18-year-old Fonseca became the youngest man to make the same stage at Wimbledon since Bernard Tomic in 2011.
His reward is a meeting with Chilean Nicolas Jarry and fans of both players are likely to create a boisterous atmosphere.
'I know Chile fans, they're loud. Yeah, the Brazilians are loud too. It's going to be nice,' Fonseca said.
'Nico is a nice person and also a nice player. He has a very good serve. He's playing good on grass. It's just going to be a new experience, very nice.
'I'm just going to enjoy, play my best tennis, and hopefully I can go to the fourth round.'
Norrie upsets Tiafoe
Britain's Cameron Norrie celebrates after beating USA's Frances Tiafoe in the second round at Wimbledon 2025 in London on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: AP
Britain's Cameron Norrie returned to his favourite patch of Wimbledon turf to stun American 12th seed Frances Tiafoe and reach the third round with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 win.
Court One might lack the aura of the All England Club's historic Centre Court, but Norrie loves it, having won three matches there during his semifinal run in 2022.
'I was really happy with the schedule when I saw I was on Court One as it's my favourite court,' Norrie, who has reached the third round for the fourth time, said.
'We both played high level but I stayed so calm and I really enjoyed the battle. The atmosphere was amazing.'
Norrie, 29, was one of seven home players who won their first-round singles matches on Monday -- a British record of wins for a single day at Wimbledon in the professional era.
All seven were back on Wednesday, with Sonay Kartal continuing the charge as she thrashed Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova 6-2, 6-2 to book her place in the last 32.
'Today was a good day at the office,' she said.
Katie Boulter followed Norrie on Court One for her clash with Argentina's Solana Sierra, while British number one Emma Raducanu was also in action later on day three against 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova.
Norrie's reign as British number one was ended by Jack Draper, who he surprisingly beat on Court One last year in the second round, and he has struggled to reach the heights of 2021 when he won the Miami Open and 2022 when he lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals at Wimbledon.
He lost in the first round of both his warm-up events on grass, but after an excursion on Court 18 on Monday, where he beat Spain's Roberto Bautisa Agut, he was handed a Court One slot for his clash with Tiafoe.
Tiafoe's exit means 14 of the 32 men's seeds are out of the tournament less than halfway through the first week.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
21 minutes ago
- NDTV
Novak Djokovic Steps Up Bid For Wimbledon History, Jannik Sinner Strolls Into Round Three
Novak Djokovic crushed British wildcard Dan Evans in the Wimbledon second round as he stepped up his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title, while world number one Jannik Sinner cruised into round three on Thursday. But there was heartbreak for home favourite Jack Draper as he crashed out to former finalist Marin Cilic. Djokovic avoided becoming one of the host of big names eliminated in week one in south London as the Serb needed just one hour and 47 minutes to dispatch Evans in a 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 victory on Centre Court. "It means I've been playing quite a long time!" Djokovic said when told he had just secured his 99th Wimbledon match victory. "I still enjoy it. This court has given me so much. Wimbledon has a special place in my heart. Any history made here is obviously extra special." Djokovic is dreaming of putting an exclamation point on his incredible career by becoming the most successful singles player in tennis history. The 38-year-old has been tied with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam titles since winning his most recent major prize at the 2023 US Open. Despite losing the last two Wimbledon finals to Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic believes the lawns of south-west London provide his best chance to win that elusive 25th major. "I'm aware of the history on the line. I'm thinking about the big things I can do in this tournament," he said. Sinner is yet to reach a Wimbledon final, but the US and Australian Open champion has been ruthless in dropping just 12 games in his opening two matches. The Italian thrashed Australia's Aleksandar Vukic 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 to set up a third round clash against Spaniard Pedro Martinez. "We saw there have been so many upsets this tournament so we try to stay focused and raise our level," said Sinner. Draper's dream of following in the footsteps of Andy Murray as a British champion were dashed as 36-year-old Cilic rolled back the years. The Croatian, who is making his first Wimbledon appearance for four years after major knee surgery, blasted 53 winners in a 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 victory. "The emotions I'm feeling are incredible," said Cilic, who lost the final to Roger Federer at the All England Club in 2017. "It's been a long journey but I never lost any doubt. This was a huge challenge, to come back and play at this level against Jack, in front of this crowd." - Krejcikova's relief - Only one of the top five seeds in the women's draw -- world number one Aryna Sabalenka -- is still standing. But defending champion Barbora Krejcikova and five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek avoided joining the big name casualties with hard-fought three-set wins. Krejcikova has had a miserable time with injuries this year and arrived at Wimbledon with just six matches under her belt in 2025. Despite not feeling 100 percent, she overcame American Caroline Dolehide 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to set up a meeting with Emma Navarro. "Definitely a huge relief," said the Czech. "I wasn't feeling that well but I was fighting for every ball. I'm really happy I won the third set." Swiatek has previously struggled on Wimbledon's lush lawns despite being a former junior champion at the All England Club. The former world number one dropped the first set to American Caty McNally before roaring back to win 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. "For sure second and third set I played how I wanted to play," said Swiatek. Elena Rybykina, Wimbledon winner in 2022, demolished Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-1. Russian seventh seed Mirra Andreeva, aged 18, beat Italy's Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 7-6 (7/4). kca-smg/ea/pb
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG 2nd Test Match: Insatiable Shubman Gill shows why he's undisputed leader of lineup
India's captain Shubman Gill, center, celebrates after scoring 250 runs on day two of the second Test. (AP/PTI Photo) New skipper shows he owns No. 4 spot, addresses doubts about abilities in Tests away from home BIRMINGHAM: On the eve of the Edgbaston Test, the Indian team had an optional training session. Usually, the regulars in the XI take an off a day before a Test, with the captain merely turning up to address the media and have a final look at the pitch. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Gill, though, decided to go through an extensive routine. A fairly long batting session was followed by endurance drills. Even minutes before the team bus was ready to take the players and support staff back to the hotel, Gill was the solitary person toiling away. Supreme confidence, record feat: Shubman Gill's double ton impresses Ravindra Jadeja As he tirelessly sprinted up and down the pitch for a couple of runs at 195 on Thursday, it was apparent India's new captain was reaping the rewards of all the hard work he had put in behind the scenes. Gill arrived in England with doubts over his pedigree as a Test batter, leave alone as captain. Three innings into his captaincy tenure, he has emerged as the undisputed leader of India's Test batting lineup at the age of 25. On Thursday, he again showcased his insatiable hunger for runs. Poll What do you think about Shubman Gill's performance as India's new Test captain? Outstanding Promising Needs Improvement Not Impressed In naming Gill as captain, the selectors took inspiration from how South Africa had appointed Graeme Smith in his early 20s to lead the team in 2003. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Doutor: Manter a massa muscular após os 50 anos depende deste hábito noturno Revista do Homem Saiba Mais Undo Incidentally, Smith's captaincy era also got off to a dream start here in England. Smith scored a double hundred here at Edgbaston before repeating the feat in the next match at Lord's. By surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's 221 (scored in 1979) to become India's highest-scorer in England, Gill has staked his claim to be India's latest batting royalty. The next Test is at Lord's. Having already scored a hundred in Leeds, Gill will have his eyes set on going one better than Smith. 'We're going for the win': Jeetan Patel backs England despite massive deficit Gill's demeanour at the crease has been reassuring, an advertisement befitting the leader of India's batting group. It's not been just about his own runs — Gill has also been working hard to take care of the young batting group. "He's been amazing. It's incredible to see him bat as a captain as well. He's very clear in his head about what he needs to do with the team and we are very confident about what we are going to do," Yashasvi Jaiswal had said of his captain after the first day's play. "We're making sure that whoever is set should take the game as deep as we can. And we usually talk about how we can play session by session. We're in a very good mindset." For a boy who has been rigid about opening the innings throughout his career, his best red-ball knocks have come in the middle order. It was in England in 2018, during his U-19 days under the supervision of Rahul Dravid , that Gill was cajoled into batting at No. 3. Abhay Sharma, then an integral part of Dravid's support staff, had once told TOI, "There are times when you know that everything has clicked for a cricketer. That England tour was one such time when you could see Shubman peaked to a different level. "At that time, there was a lot of discussion around Shubman's batting position. Prithvi was opening the batting and we had other players who were specialist openers. His game in the 'V' is so strong that he could play long and pace an innings. In a match in Brighton, he scored 147 off 120 balls in chilly and windy conditions. We felt like he could score a double hundred. He got out when six overs were left. That innings confirmed his ability to go places," Abhay recalled. On the evidence of this tour so far, England will always have a special place in Gill's heart. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Mint
38 minutes ago
- Mint
Behind the bromance between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic is a modern tennis culture of mutual respect
Rahul Jacob Tennis used to be renowned for intense rivalries and much bad blood between champions. But as Alcaraz and Djokovic show, while modern tennis remains intense, rivalries are based on mutual appreciation Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have immense respect for each other. Gift this article Ahead of a practice session on Centre Court at Wimbledon a few days before the tournament started, Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, and Novak Djokovic, who lost to the Spaniard in the last two Wimbledon finals, bantered like they were siblings being reunited rather than rivals for the most prestigious trophy in tennis. The All England Club does not allow its members to play on Centre Court between the previous year's men's final and the tournament in the current year, so the two were the first to be playing on the grass last week, which, because of a spate of sunny weather, appeared to be preening with pleasure. Djokovic confessed that to step out on 'the virgin grass" seemed almost a violation. Alcaraz said, 'I told Novak, 'This is the first time I feel nervous practicing'.'' The dialogue was audible as they hit the first balls on that court since their final because they were miked up for the occasion. Ahead of a practice session on Centre Court at Wimbledon a few days before the tournament started, Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, and Novak Djokovic, who lost to the Spaniard in the last two Wimbledon finals, bantered like they were siblings being reunited rather than rivals for the most prestigious trophy in tennis. The All England Club does not allow its members to play on Centre Court between the previous year's men's final and the tournament in the current year, so the two were the first to be playing on the grass last week, which, because of a spate of sunny weather, appeared to be preening with pleasure. Djokovic confessed that to step out on 'the virgin grass" seemed almost a violation. Alcaraz said, 'I told Novak, 'This is the first time I feel nervous practicing'.'' The dialogue was audible as they hit the first balls on that court since their final because they were miked up for the occasion. The first practice on Centre Court before the tournament starts is one of Wimbledon's annual rituals. Two years ago, 20-time Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King, on the cusp of turning 80, 'inaugurated' the court, showing off her fabled volleying skills. This year's practice sessions on the fresh grass acted as a showcase of a different kind. The friendship and respect between Alcaraz and Djokovic was immediately apparent. Early on, Alcaraz said that 'I would love to take advices from him—not only on the court." Djokovic volleyed back that he felt 'privileged" to be part of this first outing on the grass. 'He's defending champion so I'm glad he chose me as sparring partner." This prompted a slightly shocked response from the 22-year-old Spaniard, who balked at being put on a pedestal. 'Come on, talk seriously, man," he said. Also Read Wimbledon 2025: The evergreen fairytale of the All England Club Former top player Andy Roddick recently described tennis as the most physically demanding non-combatant sport after the gruelling shootout between Alcaraz and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros last month. The on court conversation last weekhighlighted the paradox that tennis is now dominated by players who may battle with ferocious intensity in competition but are immensely fond of each other. Indeed, Alcaraz's 'talk seriously" comment at Wimbledon was an unintentional echo of John McEnroe's howl of protest against a decision by an umpire on Centre Court in 1981 when he famously shouted, 'You cannot be serious!" In the 1980s, McEnroe and his long-time rival American rival Jimmy Connors intensely disliked each other, a tradition McEnroe carried over to his next rivalry with Ivan Lendl. Tennis has long since moved on from that era of frequent trash talking, and of intense rivalries and of grudges held off court as well. The recent commemoration of Rafael Nadal's retirement at Roland Garros where he has won a record 14 titles—just like the Roger Federer send off at the Laver Cup in London a few years ago—was a model of warm sports camaraderie. Roger Federer, Djokovic and Andy Murray were all on court for that sendoff at Roland Garros. Even so, when Djokovic first started to regularly contest and winmatches at Grand Slam eventsagainst Federer, starting in 2008 and continuing consistently from 2010, the relationship between him and his rivals was nothing like the one he enjoys with Alcaraz. 'People are talking a lot about (Djokovic) but he is a really nice person. I love to spend time with him off the court, any time that I can, learning from him," Alcaraz said. Also Read Mastering the impossible: Inside the record-breaking world of pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis The women's practice session on Centre Court between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka might have been expected to be a much less friendly encounter. Sabalenka had given a mean-spirited press conference after losing in the French Open final last month to Gauff. In the post-match press conference, the Belarussian said her rival had been lucky while she had had an off day. In between the two tournaments, however, Sabalenka had reached out to Gauff and written her an apology. In a first for the All England Club, the two boogied on Centre Court to Everybody Dance Now, also as part of a practice session on Centre Court last week. But Djokovic's relationship with Alcaraz is at an altogether deeper level. It could be described as mentoring of a sort—but for the fact that Alcaraz is that rare champion who appears to have arrived at the top fully formed as a personality and athlete. No longer in the shadow of Federer and Nadal, Djokovic, meanwhile, appears to be basking in the sunset of his career. Having established himself as the greatest of all time with 24 Grand Slam titles, there is something of an avuncular enjoyment in his successor Alcaraz's achievements. During the practice, he was full of praise for the high quality of the Roland Garros final between Alcaraz and Sinner, saying it inspired him to try and get to that level again. Indeed, the tennis during that practice session was of such high quality that it seemed a continuation of their final of 2023. This included an impossible running backhand passing shot from Alcaraz, so improbable that the Spaniard joked that he had likely hit it with his eyes closed. Alcaraz's opening match with the Italian veteran Fabio Fognini, however, showed that a great practice session on the eve of a tournament is not a reliable predictor of form. He battled the 38-year-old Italian, who is retiring this year, over five sets. While the Italian surprised him by standing on the baseline to return his serve and taking the ball early as well as coming into the net, the Spaniard struggled with erratic serving. Also Read Faster and higher: The reason why athletics records are tumbling around the world His usually explosive forehand appeared as if it was being manipulated by aliens. It frequently flew several feet long. During the second set tiebreak that he lost, Alcaraz said, 'I can't serve and I can't return. Shameful." But, he raised his game when it mattered and won the fifth set 6-1. In his conversations with Djokovic, he will possibly raise the subject of working around these more than occasional lapses of concentration. After the Serb and Spaniard's 45- minute practice on Centre Court, the two hugged each other at the net as if they had been contestants in another epic. "Being around a legend like him, being able to learn from him and talk closely with him like a friend, for me it's great," Alcaraz the handful of people on Centre Court last week who witnessed this deep bond between the two greatest players of their respective generations, being courtside to see such graciousness was a privilege. Rahul Jacobis a Mint columnist and has covered Wimbledon for two decades. Topics You May Be Interested In
