Double shock as Halep, Zverev crash out

Nadal keeps top spot, Djokovic subdues Edmund

LONDON, July 7, (AFP): German fourth seed Alexander Zverev and women’s world number one Simona Halep wilted in 33-degree heat and crashed out of Wimbledon in the third round on Saturday.

Zverev, playing for the third day in succession, was shocked by Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis, ranked 138, in a gruelling five sets, 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.

Despite being widely-tipped to be a Grand Slam threat, it was another letdown for the beanpole German whose run to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last month remains his best performance at the majors.

Gulbis, a former world number 10 who famously defeated Roger Federer on his way to the French Open semifinals in 2014, will be playing in the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time at the 11th attempt.

The 29-year-old will take on either Australian Nick Kyrgios or Japan’s Kei Nishikori for a place in the quarter-finals.

His win on Saturday was his third successive five-setter having also played three matches in qualifying.

“It’s a great day, it’s been a great match for me,” said Gulbis who before Wimbledon had won just one match on tour in 2018.

“I didn’t think I could win after losing the third set, but he got tired and I played smarter.”

French Open champion Halep was also knocked out, losing to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 as the seeds’ carnage continued.

Defeat for Halep means that Karolina Pliskova, at number seven, is the only women’s top 10 seed to reach the set and saved a match point when the Romanian served for the match at 5-3 in the decider.

It will be Hsieh’s first appearance in the last 16 at Wimbledon where she will face Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.

“It’s my first win against a world number one,” said 26-year-old Hsieh.

“It’s amazing. I was 2-5 down in the final set but the crowd pushed me to fight.”

Halep was left to rue her lost opportunities.

“I was leading the match, I was up, and I couldn’t finish it,” said the 2014 semi-finalist.

“It was an unprofessional attitude from me today.”

Two-time champion Rafael Nadal reached the last 16 for the eighth time, making sure of keeping the world number one ranking.

The second seed comfortably defeated Australian teenager Alex De Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

Nadal, the 11-time French Open champion and bidding for an 18th career major, will next face unseeded Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic.

“It was a positive match against a player with a lot of energy,” said Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion.

“I am just happy to be in the fourth round again.”

Juan Martin del Potro made the last 16 for the first time in five years when the Argentine fifth seed defeated France’s Benoit Paire 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

The former US Open winner, who made the semi-finals in 2013, next faces unseeded Gilles Simon of France.

Other winners on Saturday included Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck who followed her upset of defending champion Garbine Muguruza by beating Anett Kontaveit, the 28th seeded Estonian, 6-2, 6-3.

Van Uytvanck will meet fellow last-16 debutant Russian 14th seed Daria Kasatkina, who defeated Ashleigh Barty of Australia 7-5, 6-3.

Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, a former top 10 player whose ranking slumped out of the top 300 last year after wrist surgery, made the fourth round for the second time with a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) win over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.

Bencic, now at 56 in the world, next faces two-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber who swept past Naomi Osaka of Japan.

Novak Djokovic shrugged off a controversial call against him as the three-time champion hit back to beat Kyle Edmund 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the Wimbledon third round on Saturday.

Djokovic was furious when he was denied a break of serve in the seventh game of the fourth set on Centre Court when the ball bounced twice before Edmund hit what was ruled a winner.

But the Serb managed to refocus after a lengthy complaint to the umpire and eventually secured the break that sealed his come from behind victory on Centre Court.

Djokovic plays Russian world number 40 Karen Khachanov for a place in the quarter-finals on Monday.

Former world number one Djokovic, who won Wimbledon in 2011, 2014 and 2015, has ended Britain's challenge at this year's tournament, with Edmund the last of the 12 home players in the singles.

Djokovic is into the last 16 of a major for the 44th time to take him second on the all-time list.