Apparently if there was a perfect time to topple Roger Federer early at Wimbledon, this was the year — so believed Cameron Norrie and his vast legion of British fans.
A dogged 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 third round win for Federer on Saturday told its own story.
Hopes that the 29th seed could stop Federer’s pursuit of a men’s record ninth All England Club title reached fever pitch after 338th-ranked British wildcard Emma Raducanu had defied the odds to reach the last 16 moments before Norrie walked onto Centre Court for his showdown with the Swiss supremo.
The fact that Federer had barely played in 18 months and was still in the tournament after his lucky escape against Adrian Mannarino in the first round, with the injured Frenchman quitting when the match was at two sets all, also raised hopes of an upset win for the last British man left in the singles draw.
But Federer, with his surgically patched-up knees and his 39-year-old battle-hardened body, showed that he is prepared to take as many knocks as it takes to keep alive his dreams of once again holding aloft the pineapple-topped Challenge Cup.
Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini cruised into the fourth round with a convincing 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia.
There was more joy for Italians as 23rd seed Lorenzo Sonego defeated Australian James Duckworth 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, making it just the third time that two Italian men have advanced to the fourth round of the grasscourt major.
Second seeded Daniil Medvedev defeated Marin Cilic 6-7, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in the third round.
Nick Kyrgios was forced to quit with an abdominal injury after two sets against Felix Auger-Aliassime on Saturday. Kyrgios won the first set 6-2, but lost the second 1-6.
Emma’s dream
Emma Raducanu’s dream run continued as she reeled off eight games in a row in a 6-3, 7-5 third-round win over Sorana Cirstea on Court One.
The 18-year-old is a symbol of Britain’s multi-cultural society, having been born in Canada to a Chinese mother and Romanian father.
“This is by far the biggest court I have played on, so I think I coped quite well; it was a tight match, I was 3-1 down (in the first set) and tried to hold my nerve. You really got me through the whole match,” a delighted Raducanu told the crowd.
“Who’d have thought? When I was packing to come into the bubble my parents were like: ‘Aren’t you packing too many pairs of match kit?’ I think I will have to do some laundry in the hotel tonight,” Raducanu said.
Two months ago Raducanu was sitting school exams and until a month ago she had not even contested a match on the main WTA Tour. In a whirlwind few days, Raducanu has dumped out Vitalia Diatchenko, 2019 French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova and 45th-ranked Romanian Cirstea.
Not bad for a wildcard ranked 338th in the world.
Coco’s ‘energy’
Seventeen-year-old American Coco Gauff, the 23rd seed, matched her dream Wimbledon debut as she again reached the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Kaja Juvan on Saturday.
“It’s a good feeling to be on this court and I’m super honoured that the tournament allows me to play on it. It’s not often a 17-year-old gets to play here!” Gauff, who has become a darling of the Wimbledon crowds, said on court.
Top seed Ash Barty staved a late comeback attempt by Katerina Siniakova to defeat the unseeded Czech 6-3, 7-5 and reach the fourth round. Up next for the world No. 1 is French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova. Angelique Kerber was put through the wringer early in her third-round clash with unseeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich but the German rallied from a set down to win 2-6, 6-0, 6-1 after a rain interruption.
In-form Jelena Ostapenko’s Wimbledon hopes were dashed in a stormy 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 defeat by Australia’s world No. 75 Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round, with the players exchanging angry words at the net.
Sania beaten
Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands on Saturday bowed out of the women’s doubles event following a straight-set defeat.
Sania, who has returned to grass court grand slam after three years, and Mattek-Sands lost 4-6, 3-6 to the Russian pair of Elena Vesnina and Veronika Kudermetova.
