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Opinion
The Wimbledon hopes of two local favourites are over, with reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu and veteran Andy Murray both crashing out on a horror day for the Brits on Centre Court.
Raducanu’s post-US Open struggles continued when she was felled by former French top ten player Caroline Garcia in straight sets, while Murray was outplayed by American marathon man John Isner in four sets, suffering his first defeat against him in nine career meetings.
Garcia’s experience (being a former top ten player) proved to be the difference as she struck twice as many winners as Raducanu in a 6-3, 6-3 victory that took her just under 90 minutes to complete.
It marked a disappointing end to the 19-year-old’s Wimbledon campaign, which had been undermined by a side strain injury she suffered in Nottingham.
If the locals thought that was the only disappointing result on Day 3, then they were terribly mistaken as Murray, on the comeback trail after very nearly being forced into retirement three years ago, was then out played by Isner in the following match on Centre Court.
The Brit, twice a champion at Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016, would’ve fancied his chances against the American, whom he had won his past eight matches against.
However, Isner was not to be underestimated, his career being best illustrated by two marathon matches he contested at the All England Club in 2010 and 2018 – most notably that historic match against Nicholas Mahut in the former year, in which the final set went to 70-68.
New rule changes implemented in the wake of those two matches means we’ll never see scorelines of those magnitudes ever again, with a first-to-ten tiebreak now in effect in the deciding set at all Majors.
After the American took the opening two sets, Murray found himself in a two-set hole but valiantly fought his way back into the match, claiming the third set in a tiebreak to keep the match ticking over.
Ultimately, the Scot was never able to break the Isner serve, the American breaking in each of the first and fourth sets to take victory and progress to the third round.
Raducanu and Murray weren’t the only big name to depart on Day 3, with 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza and second seed Anett Kontaveit also departing after upset losses to Greet Minnen and Jule Niemeier respectively.
Muguruza resumed her suspended match having dropped the opening set by 4-6, but failed to win another game thereafter as she crashed to yet another early exit at SW19.
Kontaveit lost to Miemeier by the same scoreline (6-4, 6-0), her early exit leaving third seed Ons Jabeur as the highest seed remaining in the bottom half of the draw.
Jabeur easily defeated Polish qualifier Katarzyna Kawa in straight sets to progress to the third round, where she was also joined by fifth seed Maria Sakkari, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and 2018 champion Angelique Kerber.
In the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic crushed Thanasi Kokkinakis in straight sets, with the vanquished Australian saying that he hoped the Serb would go on to win a seventh title at the All England Club.
The Djoker dropped just seven games and rejected any suggestion that he was unleashing his anger on anyone from the country, in light of the drama following his deportation from Australia earlier this year which prevented him from taking part at the Australian Open.
“I don’t have any grudge over anybody really coming from Australia,” he said following the match.
“I did not have any extra intensity or desire to win this match just because Thanasi is Australian.
“Actually, in contrary, I really have a good relationship with [him]. I felt there was a lot of respect today.”
Djokovic next goes on to face compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic, the very player who cashed in on his absence at Melbourne Park by reaching the fourth round and losing to Gael Monfils, in the third round.
(Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
Italian 10th seed Jannik Sinner progressed to face John Isner in the third round, while Spanish fifth seed Carlos Alcaraz thrashed Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets to mark a career-best result at SW19.
Another major upset in the men’s draw saw French Open finalist Casper Ruud go down in four sets to Frenchman Ugo Humbert, having won the first set.
Day 4 will see Karolina Pliskova, Rafael Nadal and Coco Gauff all in action on Centre Court, with the former facing a rematch against local favourite Katie Boulter, the girlfriend of Alex de Minaur who sprung an upset win over the Czech player in Eastbourne just last week.
Nadal is up against Ricardis Berankis as he continues his bid to complete a calendar Slam, while Gauff faces Mihaela Buzarnescu.
A pair of Aussies bookend the Court No.1 schedule, with Jordan Thompson facing Stefanos Tsitsipas and de Minaur taking on local favourite Jack Draper; in between, Iga Swiatek will start a hot favourite against lucky loser Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove.
Spanish fourth seed Paula Badosa and two-time champion Petra Kvitova are also in action on No.2 and No.3 Court respectively; if both win their respective matches against Irina Bara and Ana Bogdan then they will set up a likely Centre Court clash against each other on Saturday.
Australia’s Nick Kyrgios is up against Serbian 26th seed Filip Krajinovic; that match follows Badosa vs Bara on No.2 Court. Win and he could set up a blockbuster clash against Tsitsipas on Saturday night.
Matches to watch on Day 4
Centre Court – from 1:30pm (10:30pm AEST)
Katie Boulter (GBR) vs [6] Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
Ricardis Berankis (LTU) vs [2] Rafael Nadal (USA)
[11] Coco Gauff (USA) vs Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU)
No. 1 Court – from 1:00pm (10:00pm AEST)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) vs [4] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
[1] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove (NED)
[19] Alex de Minaur (AUS) vs Jack Draper (GBR)
No. 2 Court – from 11:00am (8:00pm AEST)
[4] Paula Badosa (ESP) vs Irina Bara (ROU)
[26] Filip Krajinovic (SRB) vs Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
Harriet Dart (GBR) vs [8] Jessica Pegula (USA)
Not before 5:00pm (2:00am AEST)
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) vs [16] Simona Halep (ROU)
No. 3 Court – from 11:00am (8:00pm AEST)
Ana Bogdan (ROU) vs [25] Petra Kvitova (CZE)
Liam Broady (GBR) vs [12] Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
Daniel Galan (COL) vs [17] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
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