Elena Rybakina swats Maria Sakkari aside to reach round three
Rybakina was gifted a break in the opening game when Sakkari produced three successive double faults and the 2022 Wimbledon champion held firm from there to wrap up the opening set with minimum fuss in front of a sparse crowd on Court One.
The 26-year-old dropped her serve in the opening game of the next set but responded immediately to get things back on track and then broke to love for a 3-1 lead, before proceeding to take apart former world number three Sakkari.
A backhand error on match point compounded Sakkari's woes and Rybakina celebrated the victory in typically muted fashion, with either Denmark's 23rd-seeded Clara Tauson or Russian Anna Kalinskaya awaiting her in the next round.
Seventh seed Mirra Andreeva blasted her way into round three at Wimbledon on Thursday with a 6-1 7-6(4) victory over Italy's Lucia Bronzetti and thanked her coach, former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, for making her work hard.
The 18-year-old Russian was the only teenager from six women's starters to have made it through to the second round and she looked sure-footed on Wimbledon's grass, the surface where she hit the headlines aged 16 with a whirlwind race to the fourth round in 2023.
She completely dominated her 26-year-old opponent in the first set on Thursday using her big serve, heavy slice and neat net play to wrap it up in 23 minutes.
But she had a fight on her hands in the second as Bronzetti, ranked a lowly 63, found her stride and range in the second. Andreeva eventually triumphed on her second match point in the tiebreak, with a fine forehand volley winner.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Novak Djokovic explains new Wimbledon celebration after playing violin for daughter last year
NOVAK DJOKOVIC has another new Wimbledon celebration. The Serbian great has won seven titles at the All England Club. 7 Novak Djokovic has a new Wimbledon celebration Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 He cut the dance moves after his Centre Court wins Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 In 2024, the Serbian marked his wins by pretending to play the violin Credit: AFP But on his run to the 2024 final, where he lost a second successive final to Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic marked each win with a signature move. Djokovic, 38, placed the frame of his racquet under his chin and held the handle out, The dad-of-two revealed the 2024 celebration was dedicated to his daughter Tara who had recently taken up violin lessons. This year, though, the No6 seed has mixed things up. READ MORE ON WIMBLEDON Instead of playing the violin, After Djokovic pumps his arms and hands down, left, right and up while looking towards his box, including his And now he has explained the gesture. Most read in Tennis CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Once again, it is a classy touch for his kids - Stefan, ten, and Djokovic explained: "It's something between me and my children. Wimbledon clash suspended with fuming Ben star Ben Shelton about to serve for the match as he is held back from umpire 7 Wimbledon 2025 LIVE - "We have a song, it's called 'Pump It Up'. "I don't know how many of you guys know that. "It's quite an old song. Good rhythm. 'So yeah, we're pumping. We love pumping. "We pump after every win. I don't know the name of the artist. 'Don't you know, pump it up, you got to pump it up'. Disco song.' The song was released by Belgian artist Danzel all the way back in 2004, peaking at No11 in the UK charts. And Djokovic will be hoping to do plenty more pumping celebrations in SW19 as he chases a record 25th Grand Slam title. 7 Djokovic's celebration was another nod to his kids, including daughter Tara Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 Son Stefan is providing vocal support, too Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
Australian Open champion Keys stunned at Wimbledon
AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPION Madison Keys became the latest star to crash out of Wimbledon as the American sixth seed was stunned by Laura Siegemund on Friday. Keys slumped to a 6-3, 6-3 loss against the German world number 104 in the third round on Court Two. The 30-year-old is the fifth player among the top six seeds in the women's draw to suffer a surprise exit from this year's tournament. Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini and Zheng Qinwen had already bowed out, though world number one Aryna Sabalenka is still alive. Advertisement Keys, who beat Sabalenka to clinch her maiden Grand Slam crown in Melbourne in January, is yet to make it past the quarter-finals in 11 visits to the All England Club. She made 31 unforced errors in a lacklustre display against Siegemund. It was a miserable way to spend the fourth of July for Keys while her compatriots celebrated the Independence Day holiday back in the United States. Siegemund, who beat former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the second round, is through to the Wimbledon last 16 for the first time. At 37, she is the oldest player left in the women's tournament, with her best Grand Slam singles run coming when she made the French Open quarter-finals in 2020. Laura Siegemund celebrates. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'When you beat a great player like Madison you have to be really happy,' said Siegemund. 'I managed to keep my nerve in the end. If you don't have nerves in this moment you are probably dead. 'It was a big opportunity. You just take a deep breath and remember your strategy. 'All the girls on the tour are perfectionists. I'm the same but there was no pressure for me. I don't feel like I need to prove anything anymore.' – © AFP 2025
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Cameron Norrie breezes through to Wimbledon second week as Brit brushes aside Mattia Bellucci in straight sets
LAST man standing Cam Norrie will take the Union Jack into round four of Wimbledon after seeing off Italian Mattia Bellucci on Court One. Former British number one Norrie looked to be yesterday's man as he fell into the shadow of Advertisement 3 Cameron Norrie is flying the flag for British's men's tennis Credit: Getty 3 Mattia Bellucci shocked Jiri Lehecka in the last round - but Norrie was too much Credit: AP But while Draper was a second round casualty, It was not, by any means, a vintage performance, especially in the opening stages. But after bouncing back from a horror start, when he was broken to love in his opening service game and faced three more break points at the start of his next, Norrie took charge. As the Court One fans began to return after digesting Advertisement READ MORE IN TENNIS Norrie was never behind in the breaker, making the crucial mini-break with a stunning backhand pass from way behind his own baseline to nudge in front after 67 minutes. And when he broke the Italian in the opening game of the second, taking full toll of successive Bellucci double faults, it looked like things were only heading in one direction. Not at this Wimbledon, where you can take nothing for granted. Norrie, 40-0 up and set to be three games to the good, dropped his service only to rapidly break back as his baseline scrambling and heavy slice prompted errors from his opponent, with his fifth ace of the match ensuring there were no further costly mistakes. Advertisement Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 3 Wimbledon 2025 LIVE - Now it was about holding his nerve and waiting for the moment. Advertisement Norrie pounced in the third game, drilling a forehand past the stranded Italian after he refused to give up on a point he should never have won. There really was no way back and Bellucci lacked heart and hope before, after a stumble at 5-1, Norrie completed victory when his opponent overhit on his forehand once more. Norrie urged All England Club bosses to break protocol and not move his last 16 clash on Sunday to Centre Court. He said: 'It's impossible to say how much I love No 1 Court. Advertisement 'When I saw the schedule I was really happy. 'Hopefully I can play my next match here - I don't know, maybe play all my matches here. It was good fun.' The last Brit man standing added: 'The fans were such a big factor - I want to thank you guys for that. 'I started a bit over-confident and stole the first set. I found a way to weather the storm. Advertisement 'That was probably better for me and I played a good tie-break.' Asked about his lonely status on the men's side, Norrie insisted: 'I honestly don't care about that too much. 'I was just enjoying playing point for point in this amazing atmosphere back on this court. 'But apparently I am the last man standing. So I will take that.' Advertisement
