WIMBLEDON, London: Eight-time men’s champion Roger Federer and seven-time women’s champion Serena Williams moved into the third round at Wimbledon.
Defending women’s champion Angelique Kerber went out in the second.
Federer advanced as expected on Thursday, beating wild-card entry Jay Clarke 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-2 on No. 1 Court. Williams had a bit of a tougher time at the same stadium, needing to come back to beat Slovenian qualifier Kaja Juvan 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
But unseeded American Lauren Davis pulled off the unexpected, defeating Kerber 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 on No. 2 Court.
“I told myself you’re strong, you can do it, you belong here,” said Davis, who only entered the tournament as a lucky loser.
Kerber beat Williams in last year’s final. Federer won his eighth title at the All England Club in 2017 and was eliminated in the quarterfinals last year.
Despite his pedigree at Wimbledon, Federer played his British opponent on the second biggest court on the grounds instead of his usual spot on Center Court.
“I really enjoyed myself on Court 1 today with the roof,” Federer said. “I couldn’t really tell if it was Center Court or Court 1, actually.”
Williams played her match with good friend Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, watching from the stands. She had a chance to serve out the match at 5-2 in the third but was broken. She made no mistakes on her second attempt, however, converting her first match point with an ace.
“I play best when I’m down sometimes,” Williams said. “I’m just a fighter and never give up.”
If the pressure is getting to Ash Barty at Wimbledon, she’s doing a great job of hiding it.
The top-ranked Australian came into the grass-court Grand Slam tournament after winning the French Open and a Wimbledon warm-up event in Birmingham. And she’s now won two in a row at the All England Club to reach the third round and stretch her winning streak to 14 straight.
Barty beat Alison Van Uytvanck 6-1, 6-3, needing only 55 minutes on No. 2 Court to advance. And it could have been even quicker but she failed to serve out the match at 5-2 in the second set — the only time she was broken.
“Pretty sharp right from the start,” the top-seeded Barty said. “I was able to implement what I wanted to right away and put the pressure straight back on her.”
Barty is playing her first tournament as No. 1 but has never been past the third round at Wimbledon. She will next face Harriet Dart, a British wild-card entry making her second appearance at Wimbledon.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, No. 9 Sloane Stephens and No. 15 Wang Qiang also advanced to third round. Kvitova beat Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 6-2, Stephens defeated Wang Yafan 6-0, 6-2, and Wang ousted Tamara Zidansek 6-1, 6-2.
Sam Querrey, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2017, reached the third round in the men’s draw. The unseeded American defeated Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Later, all eyes will be on the marquee matchup between Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios.
It is a rematch from 2014, when a 19-year-old Kyrgios upset then-No. 1 Nadal at the All England Club.
Also, Andy Murray was making his debut at this year’s tournament, playing men’s doubles with Pierre-Hugues Herbert against Marius Copil and Ugo Humbert.
Roger Federer, Serena Williams move on, but Angelique Kerber goes out at Wimbledon
Roger Federer, Serena Williams move on, but Angelique Kerber goes out at Wimbledon
Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea
- Arsenal moved to 64 points from 29 games with sole chasers Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59
LONDON: Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points but it was an afternoon of nerves in north London.
It was far from pretty but Mikel Arteta’s side, and the fans who squirmed through the closing minutes, will not care about that as a first title since 2004 edged a little closer.
Arsenal moved to 64 points from 29 games with sole chasers Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
Arsenal fans will hope that the remaining nine games of the Premier League run-in are less fraught than this one.
CORNER KINGS
It was not a fluent showing as they extended their unbeaten league run against Chelsea to nine games and they had to resort to the tactic that has served them so well this season.
With both their goals coming from corners, Arsenal have now scored 16 times from that route this season in the Premier League, the joint-most by any side in a single campaign.
They were given a taste of their own medicine though with Hincapie’s own goal also coming from a corner.
There were puffed cheeks aplenty too as the referee blew the final whistle after a period of stoppage time that Arsenal spent hanging on against Chelsea’s 10 men.
Last weekend’s drubbing of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur had eased the mounting pressure after Arsenal’s form had begun to waver in recent weeks.
Sixth-placed Chelsea proved a far sterner test though as they sought to boost their hopes of a top-five finish.
Arsenal got ahead when captain Bukayo Saka’s deep corner was headed back across goal by Gabriel and fellow defender Saliba nodded goalwards with the ball going in off Chelsea’s Mamadou Sarr, although Saliba was credited with the goal.
They looked in control for much of the first half but wobbled before halftime as they fell foul of Chelsea’s own set-piece acumen.
Arsenal keeper David Raya had just made a reflex save to keep out a header by Jorrel Hato but from an almost identical corner swung in by Reece James he was helpless as the ball skimmed off the head of Hincapie and into the net.
The nerves really began to fray in the second half as Chelsea looked the more threatening side with Enzo Fernandez forcing Raya to turn his low shot around the post and then Joao Pedro heading the resulting corner straight at him.
When Rice’s corner left Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez floundering, Timber was there to restore Arsenal’s lead.
Neto was booked for dissent in the aftermath and three minutes later got himself sent off for a foul on Gabriel Martinelli. Yet Chelsea ended strongly and substitute Alejandro Garnacho almost snatched a point with his cross being clawed out by Raya before Liam Delap poked in from close range but Arsenal were saved by an offside flag.
