
Djokovic confident for Wimbledon title tilt, Swiatek wary of Collins
TOP MEN'S MATCH: MIOMIR KECMANOVIC V NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Djokovic, since winning his last Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open in 2023, has had to endure a string of narrow misses in his bid to claim a record 25th major and move past Margaret Court at the top of the leaderboard.
The former world number one has lost one Grand Slam final and three semi-finals since then, but his faith has not wavered and he served up a reminder of his prowess with a 6-3 6-2 6-0 demolition of Briton Dan Evans in the second round.
"If I play like today, I feel like I have a very good chance against anybody, really, on the Centre Court of Wimbledon, a place where I maybe feel the most comfortable on any court," Djokovic told reporters after the win.
"Rod Laver Arena and Wimbledon Centre Court are the two courts where I've done so well throughout my career. I felt great physically, mentally sharp. Game-wise, I'm playing as well as I can, really, on grass. So hopefully I can keep it up ...
"The aspirations and objectives are very high, to go all the way."
Djokovic should have little trouble when he takes on compatriot and Davis Cup teammate Kecmanovic in the third round, with the 38-year-old having won all three of their previous meetings, including one at the same stage of Wimbledon in 2022.
TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: IGA SWIATEK V DANIELLE COLLINS
Five-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek has been far from her brilliant best in recent months, but a run to the final of the Bad Homburg Open last month will have bolstered her belief as she looks to win her first grasscourt title.
The Pole next faces former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, against whom she has a 7-2 head-to-head record, but the American emerged victorious when the two last met at the Italian Open in May.
"(She's a) flat hitter, baseline player. Solid serve. Likes to be proactive, be aggressive," eighth seed Swiatek said of Collins after her 5-7 6-2 6-1 comeback victory over Caty McNally in the second round.
STRUGGLING KREJCIKOVA MEETS NAVARRO
Barbora Krejcikova limped through the opening two rounds after being taken to three sets by Caroline Dolehide and Alexandra Eala, raising questions over how the 17th seed will fare in her first real test of the tournament.
The defending champion is up against American world number 10 Emma Navarro, who believes she has what it takes to defuse the threat posed by the Czech.
"I think it would be a huge challenge, for sure. She's confident on this surface, and she knows she has what it takes to go all the way," Navarro said.
"But from my end I feel like I have a lot of tools and the ability to sort of combat that."
WIMBLEDON ORDER OF PLAY ON SATURDAY (prefix number denotes seeding)
CENTRE COURT (play begins at 1230 GMT)
1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v Pedro Martinez (Spain)
8-Iga Swiatek (Poland) v Danielle Collins (U.S.)
Miomir Kecmanovic (Serbia) v 6-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
COURT NUMBER ONE (play begins at 1200 GMT)
7-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) v Hailey Baptiste (U.S.)
17-Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) v 10-Emma Navarro (U.S.)
(not before 1500 GMT)
10-Benjamin Shelton (U.S.) v Marton Fucsovics (Hungary)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNA
31 minutes ago
- CNA
Brand on target as Germany battle to 2-0 win over Poland at Women's Euros
Germany forward Jule Brand scored one goal and made another as her side battled to a 2-0 win over tournament debutantes Poland in their Group C opener at the Women's Euros in St. Gallen on Friday, but the Germans suffered a blow when captain Giulia Gwinn left the field injured. Gwinn, who has suffered two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries previously in her career, was helped from the field in tears in the 40th minute after twisting her knee while making a last-ditch tackle to prevent Poland captain Ewa Pajor from scoring. After dominating much of the scoreless first half against a spirited Poland side, the Germans finally made the breakthrough seven minutes into the second when Brand cut inside before firing a soaring, curling shot into the top-left corner of the Polish goal past the despairing dive of Kinga Szemik. Sjoeke Nuesken and Klara Buehl both should have scored with headers before Lea Schueller finally got the second in the 66th minute, expertly exploiting a sliver of space in Poland's offside line to steal in behind and score with a header from Brand's cross. The lively Pajor represented Poland's best chance of scoring on the night and she had a number of good chances, but Ann- Katrin Berger pulled off a string of fine saves in the German goal to keep her clean sheet intact. With Sweden having beaten Denmark 1-0 earlier, the Germans go into their game against the Danes in Basel on Tuesday on top of Group C ahead of the second-placed Swedes, who face Poland in Lucerne later the same evening.

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Carlos Alcaraz quells Jan-Lennard Struff to march on at Wimbledon
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox LONDON - Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz was given another tough litmus test by plucky German Jan-Lennard Struff but the second seed battled his way to a 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory and reached the fourth round on July 4. An off-colour Alcaraz had flirted with danger in his five-set opener against Italian veteran Fabio Fognini before mowing down British hope Oliver Tarvet in the last round, begging the question of which avatar of the Spaniard would turn up. The 22-year-old, who was taken the distance by Struff before winning their meeting at the All England Club in 2022, began the match with a double fault and sprayed errors on Centre Court but rediscovered his rhythm to book a clash with Andrey Rublev. 'I knew that it was going to be really, really difficult,' Alcaraz said. 'I had to be really focused on every side, on my service games and the return. 'His game suits the grass - big serves, getting to the net as much as he can. So I'm just really pleased about everything that I've done today, fighting, running, making great shots. 'I tried to make the most of the opportunities he gave me in the match and I'm proud about getting the win in four sets.' Alcaraz saved two breakpoints in his second service game and then broke for a 3-1 lead, gaining the foothold he needed in the match before wrapping up the opening stanza on serve, hitting a huge ace on set point. But in a Jekyll and Hyde type switch, with shadows engulfing the main showcourt, the five-times Grand Slam winner surrendered the next set as Struff recovered an early break and went on to level the match comfortably. An untimely double fault from Struff in the second game of the third set gave Alcaraz the platform to re-establish his lead and the twice Wimbledon champion never looked back from there until he closed it out with another big serve. 'I was suffering in every service game that I did... 0-30s and breakpoints down. It was stressful. Every time he could push me, he did. I was trying to survive,' Alcaraz said. After going to deuce in each of his first four service games in the fourth set, Alcaraz pounced on Struff's sloppiness at the net when the German missed a simple volley, before pulling away with a break and completing his 21st straight tour-level win. 'He missed that volley... I still can't believe that I'm standing here 6-4,' Alcaraz added. Elsewhere, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, seeded 14, fell 6-1 7-6(4) against Belgium's Elise Mertens, seeded 24. Svitolina's husband, Gael Monfils, 38, also lost - 6-4 1-6 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4 to Hungary's Marton Fucsovics. 'To tell you that I would have won the match is too much,' Monfils said, sagely. 'I don't really know. I wish I could win this match today but that's sport. I'm going to rest a couple of days and go back on court and try to be ready for the US tour.' REUTERS


CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Fonseca's Wimbledon run ends but he will be back
LONDON :Brazil's Joao Fonseca will be back, there is not much doubt about that, but for now the 18-year-old says he still has a few things to learn to make himself a force at Wimbledon. The golden boy from Rio de Janeiro, slated as the next big thing in men's tennis, marked his first Wimbledon foray by a run to the third round but was then stopped by Chile's Nicolas Jarry. Despite a 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6(4) defeat on Court Two, where he enjoyed plenty of support, Fonseca showed flashes of the powerful shot-making that has got everyone so excited. After being overpowered in the opening two sets, Fonseca sparked into life and seemed on the verge of turning around the match but could not convert any of the six break points that came his way and went on to lose the tiebreak. "For sure a lot of lessons. When you go to a Grand Slam and play, the players play differently. They are much more focused," Fonseca said. "It's a five-set match, and everything can happen. "You can have two sets up and then you can still lose the match. So you need to stay focused all the time and positive." For a player seemingly made for big stages, it was a shame that he missed a likely Centre Court clash with Britain's Cameron Norrie on Sunday. But Fonseca preferred to take the positives. "Of course, a little frustration," he told reporters. "I had the opportunity and I probably would have been playing better in the fifth set, I was feeling confident. "But at the same time I'm still young and a lot to come. We're going to be back next year. Just take the learnings, keep working and let's go for it. Fonseca made his Grand Slam main draw debut only at this year's Australian Open, knocking out Russian seed Andrey Rublev in the opening round. He then reached the third round of the French Open and repeated that feat in London. Not a bad way to start his Grand Slam story and he is already looking forward to the U.S. Open where he will receive noisy support from the large Brazilian population in New York. "For me it's a privilege when you have your country supporting you, and you feel like you represent your country," he said. "It's super nice because we don't have that much of a following in Brazil. I know for sure there's going to be a lot in New York. It's going to be nice."