The dream team were simply ace
Andy and new partner Serena left fans in raptures with easy win
Andy Murray, back at SW19 for the first time since 2017, had dreamed of adding silverware to the two Singles titles he has won, but it will not be in the Men’s Doubles.
Murray and Pierre Hugues-herbert lost out to sixth seeds Nikola Mektic and Frank Skugor 6-7 (4) 6-4 6-2 6-3 in the second round yesterday.
This defeat will hurt Murray, though, especially given the start they made.
A keenly-contested first set, which had no breaks of serve, was decided by a tie-break, which Murray helped win with a searing backhand return of Skugor.
The second set looked like following in the same direction until Herbert came to serve at 4-5 as the Croatians upped their game to seal it and level the match up.
Murray is desperate to return to Singles, but if he does he will need some serious work on getting his serving back up to scratch, as it was breached twice in the third set.
He did save four set points off his own delivery, but Mektic and Skugor pounced on the fifth to take it 6-2 and when they broke in Herbert’s first service game of the fourth set, the end was not far away.
Mektic served it out to love to send Murray and Hugues-herbert packing,
allowing the Brit to turn his attention to his partnership with Williams.
Rafael Nadal’s navigation through a tricky first week at Wimbledon has left him feeling confident.
Nadal was in masterful form as he destroyed Jo-wilfried Tsonga to make the second week at SW19 for the third year running.
The Spaniard has not won the trophy since 2010 but is looking every inch the title contender after following up his tense battle against Nick Kyrgios with an imperious 6-2 6-3 6-2 win over the Frenchman on Centre Court.
He remains on course for a blockbusting semi-final with Roger Federer, a possibility which seemed unlikely when, due to his shift in seeding, he was handed a testing draw.
Nadal is generally at his most vulnerable in the first week, as he transitions from clay to grass, but there have been no such problems this year.
“It is important that after the tough draw I was able to find a way to be in the second week,” he said.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer’s dominance at Wimbledon continued as he reached the fourth round for the 17th time in 19 years.
The Swiss maestro dispatched Lucas Pouille in straight sets on his stronghold Centre Court, winning 7-5 6-2 7-6 (4).
In doing so he became the first player ever – either male or female – to post 350 Grand Slam Singles wins.
He will now meet Matteo Berrettini on Monday as the tantalising prospect of a semi-final with Nadal looks increasingly likely.
Fabio Fognini apologised after saying Wimbledon should be bombed during his third-round defeat by Tennys Sandgren.
The volatile Italian appeared frustrated that his match had been scheduled on the small Court 14 and was heard saying in Italian: “Damn English. I wish a bomb would explode on this club. A bomb should explode here.”
Wimbledon was hit by a bomb during the Second World World that damaged the Centre Court roof.
At his post-match press conference, Fognini said: “The court was not really good. Most of the time when you’re on court, you’re frustrated.
“Something happened on court. If somebody feels offended, I say sorry. No problem.”
Kei Nishikori brought up his 400th win on the main tour as he eased past American Steve Johnson.
The Japanese, seeded eighth, posted a 6-4 6-3 6-2 success first up on Court Three.
Sam Querrey, the 2017 semifinalist, is back in the second week after a 7-6 (3) 7-6 (8) 6-3 victory over John Millman
Mikhail Kukushkin matched his best ever Grand Slam win with a fourset victory over Jan-lennard Struff.