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5 hours ago
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Key events
Quickly over to centre court, where Claire Balding has been introducing the stars in the royal box. I didn’t catch all of them but Ben Ainslie, Steve Redgrave, Chris Hoy and Gareth Southgate make for a big hitting posse.
The first match is between 21 year old Alexandra Eala and defending champ Iga Swiatek. Eala is the first player from the Phillipines to make the third round of a grand slam and has a devoted set of fans. They walk into the cauldron, Swiatek in headphones and a cap, Eala with a long black plait and a sun visor.
Bouzkova clenches her fist after taking a hot second set tie break to make it one set all against Samsonova on court no. 12.
Away from the singles courts, there’s plenty to keep an eye on in the mixed doubles too. It’s not been a good morning for the British-Dutch fifth seeds Julian Cash and Demi Schuurs, already knocked out in straight sets by Brit-Canadian duo Joe Salisbury and Leyla Fernandez.
There’s a tough match coming up for Brits David Stevenson and Jodie Burrage who must face Italian top seeds Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani on court 14.
Pat Cash is not impressed by this time out. Tennis is tiring he says, get on with it. They’re back on court now and De Minaur is serving for the third set . He starts with an ace, then a booming forehand. Another good serve and a loose forehand from Svajda gets the job done. De Minaur leads 6-2, 7-5, 6-2, and in the crowd sun cream is being liberally applied.
Back to the battle of the baseball caps: De Minaur (forwards) and Svajda (backwards). Svajda has called for a physio 2-5 down in the third set, one set all. He’s now lying down on the ground getting a massage to his left leg and has taken a couple of tablets and a time out.
Marta Kostyuk beats Emma Navarro 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
Things have moved on rapidly at No. 2 court where Kostuk is serving for the match at 5-1. Nerves get the better of her as three match points slip through her fingers. But she takes a deep breath at deuce and pulls out an ace and an overhead smash to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time. Semi-finals at Paris too, she’s on a roll.
From the camera eye on court 12, you can see the crowds miling past on two sides. The 21st seed Bouzkova lost the first set to Samsonova 4-6, but is fighting back in the second which is going with serve, 4-4. She reached the quarter-finals here in 2022 and is in fiery grass-court form. Samsonova, who reached the quarter-finals last year, has already upset the 15th seed Diana Shnaider this week.
Dominance has also changed hands on No. 3 court too where fifth seed de Minaur easily took charge of the first set, 6-2, against Svajda, but is now serving to stay in the second. At 30-40 down he pauses, fiddles with his necklace, and after a fantastic rally where recovers after slipping, earns a deuce. But Svadar, after being down a break in this set, prevails to make it one set all: 6-2, 5-7.
Navarro, gold earrings crawling up her ears, struggles to take advantage and the big hitting Kostuk has two break points. But then the frustration is Kostuk’s as she fluffs her lines and rants at herself. Navarro takes the set and they move into a decider.. 2-6-6-4.
On No. 2 court, Emma Navarro, who went down 2-6 in the first set to Marta Kostyuk, is a break up in the second, and at a crucial time which leaves her serving for the set.
Day five rewind
Preamble
Hello! Welcome to day six of this Wimbledon ,which is already slipping through our fingers. So let’s enjoy all this first Saturday has to offer.
The crowds are drifting through the gates and play is already underway on the outside courts. Alex de Minaur has safely won the first set against Zachary Svajda, and No. 12 seed Marta Kostyuk is in domineering form against Emma Navarro on No. 2 court.
Play starts at 1.30pm on Centre where No.3 Iga Swiatek takes on Alexandra Eala, followed by an all-American July 4 clash between Amanda Anisimove and Madison Keys and then a big-beast battle as Grigor Dimitrov fires aces at Matteo Berrettini.
Elena Rybakina, Alexander Zverev and Alexander Bublik light up No. 1 court from 1pm.
Serena’s knee injury looks to have recovered enough for the Williams sisters to be added the order of play in the mixed doubles – where they are six times champions. And last, but very not least, the last plucky Brit standing, 23 year old Arthur Fery takes on Zizou Bergs on court 18.
Do join us, there’s plenty of room on the sofa.
