That’s Andy CHAMP’S EXIT BOOSTS MUZZA Simple for Simona
KERBER KICKS ON
While world No.1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic was crashing out of the Championships over on Court One, the brilliant Brit ensured normal order was maintained in the bottom half of the men’s draw.
His 6-3 7-5 6-2 Centre Court triumph over Aussie world No.57 John Millman – which was not as straightforward as the scoreline suggests – stretches Murray’s amazing and consistent record at the Slams.
Searching for his first major title since winning Wimbledon three years ago, the No.2 seed is now through to the fourth round of a Slam for the 21st time in a row.
That incredible form – along with gold at London 2012 and GB’s glorious Davis Cup triumph last year – is why Murray, 29, is widely regarded as the nation’s finest sporting star.
It is also why, following Djokovic’s most unexpected exit, the two-time BBC Sports Personality of the Year is the new favourite to conquer SW19 this year. And by some margin, too. The Scot’s odds were immediately slashed to 5-6 last night, with the most successful player in history, Roger Federer, currently at 3-1.
Not that Murray reckons it will be that simple. FORMER World No.2 Simona Halep staked her claim for the women’s title with a ruthless 6-4 6-3 demolition job on Holland’s Kiki Bertens.
The Romanian needed just 69 minutes to prove she is a genuine contender.
And Halep also leads the Championship in terms of baseline points won with a success rate of 60 per cent. TONY STENSON HARRY PRATT Quite the reverse in fact. As he explained after beating Millman in two hours and 50 minutes, his route to the final next Sunday is as testing as ever – with or without Djokovic.
The Scot said: “I need to reach the final for that result to have any bearing on my performance here.
“I have tough guys left in my half of the draw, especially in the next round.
“Novak’s run has been amazing. What he’s done in the last 12 to 18 months, I don’t think we’ll see for a long, long time.
“It’s unfortunate for him but amazing run.
“Right now everyone expects Novak to win every match he plays.
“But it’s normal to have one or two matches where you’re not at your best – and your opponent plays a great match.
“It’s impossible to win every single match you play in every single tournament.”
Fittingly, given his iconic status on these shores, Murray was top billing on what is now called Sporting Saturday.
And the home hero let no one down, producing several The fifth seed wears her heart on her sleeve, fist-pumping and giving her all – and much is expected of her in the second week.
Her best surface is clay but she showed yesterday that grass holds no fears and her body language suggests she feels at home and a threat. it’s been an magical moments in front of a Royal Box that included Manchester United legends Sir Bobby Charlton and David Beckham. Murray, who lost to Djokovic in last month’s French Open Final, added: “I love all sports – so it’s nice when other athletes from other sports come to watch you. “It gives you a boost. I’m glad I played a good match and got through. “I thought it was a good match, with a lot of long rallies. “John moves well and doesn’t make too many unforced errors. “When you go indoors it slows the conditions down a bit so it wasn’t easy to hit too many winners. I had to be patient and played some good stuff in the third set.” It was all good news for the home players, though, as British No.2 Heather Watson has been fined £9,043 for jamming her racket into the Wimbledon grass during her first-round defeat by Annika Beck. It is the second biggest fine in SW19 history. Italian Fabio Fognini was handed a record £15,702 penalty for unsportsmanlike outbursts in 2014. ANGELIQUE KERBER raced to a TV set last night to cheer on Germany in Euro 2016.
The Australian Open champion is the top-ranked player in her side of the draw after beating fellow German Carin Witthoeft 7-6 6-1 following two rain stoppages.
She said: “It wasn’t easy. The game stopped and started. Mentally, you must TONY STENSON always be focused and physically you are worried about injuries on a wet surface.
“Winning a Grand Slam has changed my confidence. I am feeling really good. I know how to win a tournament.
“Now I will go to watch the football match.”