World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Friday clinched his 75th Wimbledon match win, while Andy Murray slipped to his earliest exit since 2005, casting doubts over his future by asking: “Is it worth it?”
Defending champion Djokovic survived a nervy third set to defeat 114th-ranked US qualifier Denis Kudla 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) to book a place in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the 55th time.
Djokovic, chasing a record-equaling 20th major, cruised through the first two sets, but then had to fight back from 1-4 down and also 1/4 in the tiebreaker on Court One, saving a set point in the process.
Photo: AP
“It’s the trademark of every pro athlete that you never give up,” said Djokovic, who is halfway to becoming only the third man in history — and first since Rod Laver in 1969 — to complete the calendar Slam.
Next up for Djokovic is Chilean 17th seed Christian Garin who defeated Spain’s Pedro Martinez 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Murray, who has been locked in a lengthy battle against hip and groin injuries, and is now ranked at 118, went down 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 to Canada’s world No. 12 Denis Shapovalov.
Photo: AFP
It was the first time the 2013 and 2016 champion had lost in the third round since his debut in 2005.
“There is a part of me that feels a bit like I have put in so much work the last three months and ultimately didn’t play how I would want and expect, and it’s like: Is it worth it?,” Murray said.
“Is all of that training and everything that you’re doing in the gym, unless you’re able to practice and improve your game and get matches and continue, get a run of tournaments, is it worth all of the work that you’re doing?” he said.
Shapovalov faces Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the quarter-finals.
Other winners in the men’s singles were Karen Khachanov, Andrey Rublev, Marton Fucsovics and Sebastian Korda.
In the women’s singles, world No. 24 Ons Jabeur became the first Tunisian woman to make the last 16 when she defeated 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 on the back of 44 winners.
Other winners in the women’s singles were Iga Swiatek, Karolina Pliskova, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Liudmila Samsonova, Viktorija Golubic and Madison Keys.
In the first round of the men’s doubles, Taiwan’s Lu Yen-hsun and partner David Pel of the Netherlands lost to Colombians Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian 6-2, 6-4.
In the women’s doubles, Latisha Chan and Chan Hao-ching defeated Romania’s Patricia Maria Tig and Cornelia Lister of Sweden 6-3, 6-2 in the first round on Friday.
They advanced to the third round yesterday, defeating France’s Elixane Lechemia and Ingrid Neel of the US 6-4, 6-1 after rain suspended play with the sisters leading 3-2 in the first set.
Additional reporting by staff writer
Soccer officials yesterday offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after the US and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic. They are due to open their tournament today against South Korea. The AFC in a statement said it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period.” “The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and
ROAD RASH: Marc Marquez retired after a crash, marking the first time after 88 consecutive races stretching back to 2021 that a Ducati bike failed to make the podium Marco Bezzecchi yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel. Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third. Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equaling eighth world title this season, but he exited the race in dramatic fashion while in fourth place with five laps to go. The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, took a corner wide, with the jolt to his bike dislodging the rear tire, badly damaging his
EVERY DAY A VICTORY: Players on the women’s team faced pressure from society just getting out onto the field as they prepare for their first Women’s Asian Cup game today Bangladesh’s national soccer team face daunting odds at their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup, but have already scored a major victory by qualifying. In the South Asian nation of 170 million, social stigma, family expectations, poverty and religious hardliners have long relegated women and girls to sports sidelines. The first women’s soccer league matches took place in 2011 and the squad, known to fans as the Red and Green, have kept pressing forward despite deeply embedded prejudices. “Many more girls would have joined us if the community had been even slightly supportive,” captain Afeida Khandaker told AFP ahead of her side’s March 3
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
RSS