Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz faced a tough challenge to reach the fourth round, while world number one Jannik Sinner cruised through his match in impressive style despite persistent rain disrupting play at the All England Club.
On Friday afternoon, rain brought an end to play on most of the outdoor courts in southwest London. However, key matches, including victories for women’s second seed Coco Gauff and British player Emma Raducanu, continued under the Centre Court and Court One roofs.
Alcaraz, 21, aiming for his fourth Grand Slam title, battled against American Frances Tiafoe in a thrilling rematch of their 2022 U.S. Open semi-final. The clash featured spectacular exchanges, with Alcaraz eventually overcoming Tiafoe’s challenge by winning 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2, showcasing his superior firepower with 55 winners to Tiafoe’s 39.
Under intense pressure in the fourth set, Alcaraz found an extra gear to dominate the tiebreak and secure the win in the deciding set. This victory marks his tenth fourth-round appearance in 14 Grand Slam tournaments, boasting an impressive 12-1 record in five-set matches.
Sinner, looking to become the second Italian to win multiple Grand Slam titles, showed no signs of trouble after Italy’s exit from Euro 2024. Following a rigorous first-round match against compatriot Matteo Berrettini, Sinner easily defeated Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 6-4 6-2 in just over an hour and a half.
Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu continue to perform strongly. Gauff’s 6-4 6-0 win over British qualifier Sonay Kartal leaves only three British players in the singles draw.
Raducanu, reminiscent of her 2021 U.S. Open triumph, skipped the French Open to focus on Wimbledon and overpowered Greek ninth seed Maria Sakkari 6-2 6-3, stirring excitement among British fans. Raducanu remains undefeated in sets and is set to face qualifier Lulu Sun, the first New Zealand woman to reach Wimbledon’s fourth round since 1959. Also in her half is Spain’s Paula Badosa, who defeated Daria Kasatkina to advance.
Italian Jasmine Paolini continued her strong form by beating former U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu 7-6(4) 6-1 to reach the last 16. Other notable results include Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov quickly dispatching Frenchman Gael Monfils and Tommy Paul defeating Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik.
Rain delays left several third-round matches incomplete, but the tournament progresses with promising encounters ahead.