Gulbis ruins the script with stunning win
WORLD number 589 Ernests Gulbis stunned Wimbledon yesterday, hitting 60 winners and firing 25 aces to defeat of former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).
The colourful Latvian, 28, will now face his old friend and three-time champion Novak Djokovic in the third round. The two trained together as teenagers.
Djokovic beat Czech Adam Pavlasek 62 6-2 6-1 to reach the third round for the ninth year in a row, taking his Wimbledon win-loss record to 18-1 since 2014.
● Nine years after lifting the boys title at Wimbledon, Grigor Dimitrov moved effortlessly into the third round amid signs that he could be ready to realise his potential. The Bulgarian, who swatted away Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-3 6-2 61 yesterday, seems resurgent this season after a three-year slump.
● Ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska saved two match points in the second set before defeating American Christina McHale 5-7 7-6(7) 6-3 after two hours and 43 minutes.
● Big-serving American John Isner lost to Israel’s Dudi Sela 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 5-7 76(5) 6-3 after almost four hours.
● France’s Gael Monfils beat home favourite Kyle Edmund 7-6(1) 6-4 6-4 to reach round three for the sixth time and equal his best performance at Wimbledon.
● American Coco Vandeweghe beat German Tatjana Maria 6-4 6-2 to in their second-round match.
● Seventh seed Svetlana Kuznetsova needed just over an hour to book a spot in the third round, romping past fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-0 7-5.
● Spaniard David Ferrer reached the third round after his opponent Steve Darcis withdrew with a back problem. Ferrer, twice a quarter-finalist, was leading 3-0 after 18 minutes of play.
● Head, the tennis racket manufacturer, has dropped its sponsorship of Australian player Bernard Tomic after his comments that he had been “bored” during his first-round exit from Wimbledon. “We were extremely disappointed with the statements,” Head said. “His opinions in no way reflect our own attitude for tennis, our passion, professionalism and respect for the game.” — Reuters-AFP