It was a bittersweet day as two players enjoying career-best Wimbledon runs had them cut short via injury against a defending champion and former world no. 1 respectively, while Christopher Eubanks continued his inspiring run with a rousing five-set victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas and the 27-year-old’s compatriot recovered from a set and 4-1 down to end a talented teenager’s run elsewhere.
Alcaraz outworks Berrettini, after Eubanks stuns Tsitsipas
- Novak Djokovic vs. Andrey Rublev set for Centre Court viewing on Tuesday afternoon in quarterfinals after defending champion drops his first set of the tournament against Hubert Hurkacz [17], but ultimately comes through in four sets (7-6, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4) over two days
- Australian Open quarterfinalist Jiri Lehecka retires from Daniil Medvedev matchup, two sets down (6-4, 6-2), having limped late and appearing compromised at the apex of set one with suspected blisters on his foot
- World no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz recovers from a set down to beat 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini in four sets, ensuring a first-time Wimbledon finalist from the top section of the draw (Alcaraz-Rune, Medvedev-Eubanks)
Christopher Eubanks has backed up and subsequently surpassed his career-best win over British no. 1 Cameron Norrie just three days later, recovering from a set down twice to topple Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The result sees another maiden Major quarterfinalist booked and although he lived dangerously on the edge with his aggressive tennis approach (53 winners, 56 unforced errors to 37-17 for Tsitsipas), that style startingly paid off down the stretch.
He’ll play former world no. 1 and 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev for a place in Friday’s semifinal, after the third seed led 6-4, 6-2 against Jiri Lehecka before the 21-year-old’s injury-enforced retirement.
Lehecka, who was taken to a deciding set against Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul in the previous round, found himself engaged in a competitive first set until the final few points where it became clear he was struggling physically.
It became an internal struggle for the Czech, whose purposeful energy had dissipated and Medvedev’s rally tolerance wouldn’t allow a compromised opponent any respite. The decision felt inevitable midway through set two, and soon arrived.
Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune will face off on Wednesday afternoon and it has all the makings of an instant classic, should both perform as they’ve shown a capability to do so, after both fought through adversity in four-set victories.
Alcaraz [1] bt. Berrettini 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Six double-faults, 63% first serve percentage and a 25% break point conversion rate for the world no. 1. All stats which don’t suggest this was a vintage display from a soaring Spaniard tipped to make the first of many Wimbledon finals this weekend.
It didn’t need to be – even after going down a set vs. 2021 runner-up Berrettini, whose fitness setbacks and patchy pre-tournament form were quickly disregarded against a man he beat in a five-set thriller 18 months ago in Melbourne.
That was then, this is now.
Berrettini waxed lyrical about how unbelievable a player Alcaraz was, yet he’s developed considerably since and the blossoming self-belief is emphasised by his shot-making – whether crunching winners or skewing forehands wide.
- “I know that it was going to be really tough, Matteo is a great player, made the final here on grass and it’s not easy after losing the first set… I knew I was going to have my chances, it’s something I am working on to stay focused and come back,” Alcaraz’s on-court interview, having made his first Wimbledon QF at the third attempt – naturally hungry for more
Rune [6] bt. Dimitrov [21] 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
Grigor Dimitrov saved one break point in the match’s first game, then a trio more to go 4-3 up as the six-time Major quarterfinalist – broke Rune in the subsequent stanza.
This could’ve been a different story entirely, had consecutive tiebreaks unfolded a different way. They didn’t as Rune raised his level in clutch moments, just like against Davidovich Fokina in the previous round, gradually breaking the Bulgarian’s spirit.
- “I am not afraid, I’m excited. Grigor is an amazing player, he pushed me to the limit… it was a crazy match, tough and long – but I always fight to the end. I kept telling myself that Wimbledon is only once a year and that I have to fight to have any chance of winning,” Rune when asked about facing the Alcaraz-Berrettini winner and his mindset after another gritty battle
Rybakina-Jabeur set, while Keys ends Andreeva’s run
- Ons Jabeur drops just three points behind her first serve (14/17) and hits 17 winners to Petra Kvitova’s 4 in a remarkable 6-0, 6-3 result against two-time Wimbledon champion, setting up 2022 final rematch while Australian Open champ Sabalenka drops just one more game vs. Alexandrova
- Eastbourne titlist Madison Keys, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist for first time since 2015: “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling expectation, you don’t want to be that person who she [Andreeva] beats to get to her first QF… it’s absolutely amazing, fallen short a few times so it’s great to be back.”
- Defending singles champion Elena Rybakina after Beatriz Haddad Maia [13] retires with suspected back spasms, down 4-1: “It’s never easy to finish the match like this, hope it’s not something serious… from what I understood, it was just one moment and really unlucky for her.”
Madison Keys found herself a set and 4-1 down, but didn’t panic and rode the wave of momentum as Mirra Andreeva’s grip on proceedings gradually slipped before she could arrest the decline. Instead, headlines will typically surround her tantrums.
With excellent shot-making on display from both in sustained periods, it was the imposing American who used her experience and timely net approach shots to keep the 16-year-old uncomfortable as time wore on. Having only gone to the net six times in set one, she won 24 of 37 points (65%) behind that tactic over the next two sets.
“I just had to stay in the match, try to get a break back opportunity and once I was able to, keep the momentum… here we are!”
- Keys on her mindset, having previously trailed big on the scoreline
Perhaps this was self-inflicted, after giving it the big preview two days prior, but Rybakina vs. Haddad Maia 3 had the potential to be a contest worthy of more than a fourth-round encounter after their previous two H2H meetings.
Instead though, the record-breaking Brazilian limped off the court in tears down 3-1, came back and consciously knew her race was run. Players are almost always dealing with niggling pain somewhere, but this wasn’t that.
She could barely push off and generate power, let alone strain herself from side-to-side and successfully match the Kazakh during baseline exchanges.
An underwhelming ending to a career-best attainment for the 27-year-old at SW19, it also now means Rybakina faces a familiar foe in the quarters: 2022 runner-up Jabeur.
After fending off Bianca Andreescu in three sets, the Tunisian made quick work of another opponent – two-time champion Petra Kvitova no less – despite recording just 38% first serve and having more second serve points (28) than first (17).
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 