Emma Raducanu conjured memories of her stunning US Open win by defeating ninth seed Maria Sakkari to ease into the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Raducanu had thumped Sakkari in the semi-finals in New York and she again lost only five games under the roof on Centre Court, reminding the tennis world of her rare talent in a 6-2 6-3 victory.
Having not beaten a top-10 player in her career, the 21-year-old has now done it twice in a fortnight, and she has matched her best run at the All England Club from her breakthrough event three years ago.
On that occasion, it all became too much for the then teenager and she retired with breathing difficulties during a fourth-round clash with Ajla Tomljanovic.
It seems hugely unlikely the same thing will happen again, with Raducanu having come through a hugely testing three years since that Flushing Meadows title.
She next faces an unexpected opponent in New Zealand’s Lulu Sun for a spot in the quarter-finals, while this victory was enough to ensure her place back in the top 100.
Raducanu said: “I think today was really up there with the most fun I’ve had on a tennis court. I was just telling myself how many times in your life do you get the opportunity to play in front of a full Centre Court so I’m really grateful for the support.”
King Carlos survives scare
Carlos Alcaraz was Wimbledon’s marathon man as he outlasted American Frances Tiafoe in a five-set Centre Court classic.
With Rain Man actor Dustin Hoffman watching from the Royal Box – fittingly on another wet day at SW19 – Tiafoe led the defending champion two sets to one, only to let him off the hook.
It was a repeat of their epic five-setter in the semi-finals of the 2022 US Open, which Alcaraz won on his way to a first grand slam title.
The 21-year-old Spaniard is now one step closer to a fourth after avoiding a shock third-round exit with a 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6 (2) 6-2.
“Obviously it was a big challenge against Frances, he’s really tough to face and we saw it once again,” said Alcaraz.
“It was really difficult for me to adapt my game, find solutions and put him in trouble.
“I suffered a lot of difficult moments in the fourth set, and I was thinking ‘fight one more ball’. In the tie-break I tell myself I have to go for it. If I lose it, I lose it.”
Tiafoe’s performance was remarkable given he was wearing a knee support to protect the nasty injury he suffered slipping over at Queen’s which put his Wimbledon participation in doubt.
Kartal hopes ended
Sonay Kartal’s impressive Wimbledon campaign ended in the third round after a straight-sets loss to US Open champion Coco Gauff.
World number 298 Kartal only won three games at the All England Club last year but managed more than that against Gauff and even broke the American in the first set on Court One.
Kartal held her own in several long rallies before Gauff eventually proved too strong with a 6-4 6-0 victory, but the British number nine could be proud of her week’s work in SW19, which has pocketed her £143,000 in prize money and memories to last a lifetime.
This was Kartal’s 12th grass-court match of a busy summer after she had to qualify to secure a third appearance in the main draw of Wimbledon, having battled with undisclosed health problems for much of the past year.
Gutsy three-set wins over Sorana Cirstea and Clara Burel secured a plum tie against Coco Gauff but couldn't produce more heroics.
