England’s Watson reaches 4th round
Eighth American player advances to 3rd round in men’s draw, most in a major since 1996
WIMBLEDON, England — Heather Watson has been through a lot at Wimbledon, and now she has made it through the third round for the first time.
The 121st-ranked Watson, making her 12th appearance at the All England Club, advanced to the fourth round Friday by beating Kaja Juvan 7-6 (6), 6-2.
“I know I’m not speechless because I’m blabbing on, but I don’t know what to say,” the 30-year-old Watson said on No. 1 Court. “Playing here at home in front of all you guys, the atmosphere is everything. So, please, can all of you come back for my fourth round?”
The pressure on British players at their home Grand Slam can be immense. Watson and every other British player know that well.
Before Andy Murray won the men’s title in 2013, the talk among the locals would endlessly focus on Fred Perry and Virginia Wade, the last British singles champions at the All England Club.
Wade, in 1977, remains the last female British champion of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament.
“I actually wasn’t that nervous,” said Watson, who had lost in the first round six times since making her Wimbledon debut in 2010.
In the next round, Watson will face Jule Niemeier of Germany. She beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Third-seeded Ons Jabeur also reached the fourth round, defeating Diane Parry 6-2, 6-3, while 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko beat Irina-Camelia Begu 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Jabeur, who is known as the “Minister of Happiness” back home in Tunisia, will next face Elise Mertens. The 24th-seeded Mertens beat 2018 Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber 6-4, 7-5.
Fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari, however, was eliminated. The Greek player, who reached the semifinals at both the French Open and the U.S. Open last year, lost to Tatjana Maria of Germany 6-3, 7-5.
In the men’s draw, three
Americans advanced — one to the third round and two to the fourth.
Six-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic also reached the fourth round. The top-seeded Serb beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0, 6-3, 6-4.
Qualifier Jack Sock finished off a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (1) victory over another American, Maxime Cressy, in a match that was suspended Thursday after the second set. That made him the eighth American man to reach the third round, the most at any Grand Slam tournament since 1996.
The 23rd-seeded Frances Tiafoe beat Alexander Bublik 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3), 6-4. Tommy Paul, seeded 30th, defeated Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
American John Isner set an ace record but failed to advance. The 20th-seeded Isner hit ace No. 13,729 to break the ATP tour record held by Ivo Karlovic of Croatia.
Isner finished the match with 24 aces, but Jannik Sinner won 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3 and will next face Carlos Alcaraz. The fifth-seeded Spaniard beat German Oscar Otte 6-3, 6-1, 6-2.