Tennis-Djokovic confident for Wimbledon title tilt, Swiatek wary of Collins
LONDON (Reuters) -Seven-times champion Novak Djokovic takes on Miomir Kecmanovic, while Poland's Iga Swiatek faces Danielle Collins as the third round of Wimbledon continues on Saturday.
TOP MEN'S MATCH: MIOMIR KECMANOVIC V NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Djokovic, since winning his last Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open in 2023, has had to endure a string of narrow misses in his bid to claim a record 25th major and move past Margaret Court at the top of the leaderboard.
The former world number one has lost one Grand Slam final and three semi-finals since then, but his faith has not wavered and he served up a reminder of his prowess with a 6-3 6-2 6-0 demolition of Briton Dan Evans in the second round.
"If I play like today, I feel like I have a very good chance against anybody, really, on the Centre Court of Wimbledon, a place where I maybe feel the most comfortable on any court," Djokovic told reporters after the win.
"Rod Laver Arena and Wimbledon Centre Court are the two courts where I've done so well throughout my career. I felt great physically, mentally sharp. Game-wise, I'm playing as well as I can, really, on grass. So hopefully I can keep it up ...
"The aspirations and objectives are very high, to go all the way."
Djokovic should have little trouble when he takes on compatriot and Davis Cup teammate Kecmanovic in the third round, with the 38-year-old having won all three of their previous meetings, including one at the same stage of Wimbledon in 2022.
TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: IGA SWIATEK V DANIELLE COLLINS
Five-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek has been far from her brilliant best in recent months, but a run to the final of the Bad Homburg Open last month will have bolstered her belief as she looks to win her first grasscourt title.
The Pole next faces former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, against whom she has a 7-2 head-to-head record, but the American emerged victorious when the two last met at the Italian Open in May.
"(She's a) flat hitter, baseline player. Solid serve. Likes to be proactive, be aggressive," eighth seed Swiatek said of Collins after her 5-7 6-2 6-1 comeback victory over Caty McNally in the second round.
STRUGGLING KREJCIKOVA MEETS NAVARRO
Barbora Krejcikova limped through the opening two rounds after being taken to three sets by Caroline Dolehide and Alexandra Eala, raising questions over how the 17th seed will fare in her first real test of the tournament.
The defending champion is up against American world number 10 Emma Navarro, who believes she has what it takes to defuse the threat posed by the Czech.
"I think it would be a huge challenge, for sure. She's confident on this surface, and she knows she has what it takes to go all the way," Navarro said.
"But from my end I feel like I have a lot of tools and the ability to sort of combat that."
WIMBLEDON ORDER OF PLAY ON SATURDAY (prefix number denotes seeding)
CENTRE COURT (play begins at 1230 GMT)
1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v Pedro Martinez (Spain)
8-Iga Swiatek (Poland) v Danielle Collins (U.S.)
Miomir Kecmanovic (Serbia) v 6-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
COURT NUMBER ONE (play begins at 1200 GMT)
7-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) v Hailey Baptiste (U.S.)
17-Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) v 10-Emma Navarro (U.S.)
(not before 1500 GMT)
10-Benjamin Shelton (U.S.) v Marton Fucsovics (Hungary)
COURT NUMBER TWO (play begins at 1000 GMT)
Clara Tauson (Denmark) v 11-Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan)
11-Alex de Minaur (Australia) v August Holmgren (Denmark)
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru)
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