2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev got his Wimbledon campaign up-and-running with a straight-sets win over a spirited effort from British wildcard Arthur Fery, who finds himself with a decision to make over his college status this autumn. Elsewhere, Daria Kasatkina made quick work of Jodie Burrage, while Jannik Sinner is into R3 after overwhelming Diego Schwartzman.
Kasatkina races to ruin Burrage’s Centre Court debut
- Kasatkina will play either 2020 French Open semifinalist Nadia Podoroska or two-time semifinalist Victoria Azarenka [19] in round three
- Marta Kostyuk’s net game in the deciding set and a consciously aggressive approach proved too much for Maria Sakkari [8] to handle, as the 21-year-old recovered from a bagel set to win 0-6, 7-5, 6-2
- 2021 runner-up Karolina Pliskova [18] and Bernarda Pera [27] were the other female seeds to fall on Day 3, at the bottom half of a draw where last year’s Jabeur-Rybakina final remains on the cards… for now
Jodie Burrage spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live a few hours removed from a 6-0, 6-2 defeat by Daria Kasatkina and expressed regret that she couldn’t play a bit better.
The 24-year-old conceded the Russian didn’t give her anything in the way of free points or an opportunity to settle into any rhythm during their second-round clash.
She couldn’t afford to, seeing how the SW19 crowd get behind their own at the slightest inkling of a momentum shift or winning a lengthy, morale-boosting point.
Barbora Krejcikova felt some of that pressure en route to a 6-2, 7-5 win over Heather Watson while Eastbourne champion Madison Keys dwarfed British wildcard Sonay Kartal 26-9 in winners during a 6-0, 6-3 first-round victory.
British wildcard Katie Boulter was aggressive when she needed to be, dictating points (40 winners) and showing speedy court coverage during their longer rallies en route to a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over Australia’s Daria Saville.
Kasatkina, a quarterfinalist at this event five years ago, has struggled for consistency at Majors and will look to go deeper than her fourth-round finish in Paris last month.
Burrage hit six double-faults and won less than 50% of points behind her first serve, while spilling 31 unforced errors – one every two minutes – which Kasatkina will gladly seize upon. Those mistakes will not be as sharp, as the rounds progress mind.
Fery finds new fans after Medvedev showing
- Borna Coric [13] beaten in five sets by Guido Pella, Roberto Bautista Agut [20], Australian Open quarterfinalist Sebastian Korda [22] and Pune champion Tallon Griekspoor [28] the other male seeds to fall on Day 3
- Medvedev wishes best for Fery in his journey, says there’s around 500 players on tour capable at the top level and everyone’s battling to be #1
- A familiar face awaits him on Thursday: France’s Adrian Mannarino after he beat Alexander Shevchenko. 35-year-old leads the H2H 4-2, and won a three-set contest vs. former world no. 1 in Hertogenbosch last month
It’s difficult for him to appreciate in the moment, but you have to wonder whether Daniil Medvedev – or at least someone in his small circle – stresses how well he plays in periods where the pressure is intensified, and margin for error shortens.
It’s something 23-time Major champion Novak Djokovic has taken in his stride and needed to, as Jordan Thompson was the latest to push him, while other top players are wrestling with that burden – varying degrees of success, it must be said.
Highly-rated Danish talent Holger Rune handled the stress well for a set against British wildcard George Loffhagen, before the 22-year-old’s level dropped off and the sixth seed gladly profited (7-6, 6-3, 6-2).
Jannik Sinner was listed as doubtful to feature at this year’s Championships with a niggling left leg injury and has now prevailed in straight-sets against a pair of Argentines: Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Diego Schwartzman without much fuss.
Stefanos Tsitsipas could’ve panicked after squandering a match point and heading for a deciding set breaker against 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem, but instead reset and didn’t lose composure to win 10-8 in the fifth.
He’ll next play two-time champion Andy Murray in the Centre Court main event on Thursday evening and truthfully, that’s how it goes.
Getting through the early rounds without much difficulty is key for a deep run, and before long you can start dreaming about what’s to come.
Medvedev, who wasn’t allowed to play at this event last summer, hasn’t historically performed too well at SW19 and Fery made him feel some tension early.
Yet the 27-year-old’s composure and execution at the net was key, winning 86% of points played there (25/29) to make Fery – a Stanford uni student stateside – work.
He was more than happy to, and didn’t stop fighting even as the scoreboard dwindled further away from him after a 7-5 first set.
An impressive showing, one which saw the recently-retired Feliciano Lopez stress on commentary a desire to see him turn pro, foregoing his final year at uni this autumn.
We’ll see, but on a day where five Brits departed the singles across both tours, there was cause for encouragement for a home nation desperately in need of new blood.
As usual, I’ll be producing daily pieces across the fortnight, so make sure you stay tuned to moandsports.com for the latest coverage.
Picture source: Getty Images
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