London – Women’s world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and men’s second seed Rafa Nadal failed to live up to their usual high standards, but they still found a way to confirm their places in the third round of the Wimbledon tennis championships with gritty performances on Thursday.
A misfiring Swiatek found her range in the decider to beat Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 and extend her winning streak to 37 matches, while Nadal kept his hopes of a calendar Slam alive with a 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Ricardas Berankis.
Nick Kyrgios sent down 24 aces and hit 50 winners in a commanding display to thrash Filip Krajinovic f Serbia 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 and set up a meeting with world No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who brushed aside Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.
The biggest casualty in the women’s draw came in the form of Karolina Pliskova, with the 2021 runner-up going down 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 to Katie Boulter of Britain.
There was more delight in store for the home fans when Liam Broady took out Argentine 12th seed Diego Schwartzman 6-2, 4-6, 0-6, 7-6(6), 6-1 to reach the third round of the grasscourt major for the first time.
Seeds on the men’s side continued to tumble as Denis Shapovalov, a semi-finalist last year, exited the tournament on the back of a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(6) defeat by American youngster Brandon Nakashima.
But it was plain sailing for two former women’s champions when Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep notched up straight-set wins, while Coco Gauff once again reminded the Centre Court crowd of her immense talent with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania.
(Reuters)
