Key events
Tommy Paul [16] beats Shintaro Mochizuki 7-5 6-3 6-1!
He meets Milos Raonic next, and that’ll be a very tricky test for him.
Krejcikova makes it 6-5 in set two, then calls out the trainer for some kind of foot and ankle issue – the forehand that caused it seemed innocuous enough, so hopefully she’s OK. She opts to take a timeout so the physio has three minutes to sort her support, while Rune has broken Loffhagen immediately in set three and is almost home.
“I’ll tattoo both shoulders,” says Simon McMahon, “if Murray makes the second week. And I’ll throw in both eyeballs if he wins a third Wimbledon title. Suggestions welcome as to what I should go with…”
Gosh, that’s a bold promise, because if Murray wins his round two match, he’ll have the number 5 seed’s passage through the draw. He won’t win it, obviously, but he’s one win away from a portrait of Jim Duffy all over your back.
Rune secures the second set to lead 7-6(4) 6-3, then leaves for a bathroom break; he’ll have to be quick because both players went at the end of set one, so can’t go again till the end of set three; he’ll have to be back within the change of ends, which he is. And on Court 2, Tsitsipas serves out for a 6-2 set, and Thiem, now 2-1 behind, just hasn’t been at it today.
Watson’s done a really good job hanging in this second set and at 4-4 she arranges advantage on the Krejcikova serve … but nets a forehand, then her opponent serves out. Loffhagen, meanwhile, forces Rune to serve for a 2-0 lead, while Tsitsipas breaks Thiem again and at 5-2, is close to forging in front.
Tsitsipas has been upping the pressure and when he gets to 30-40, Thiem loads up on the forehand, sends it fractionally wide, and that’s the break! He leads 3-2 in the third, and yesterday’s interruption seems to have worked well for him.
Also going on:
Good stat on BBC: Thiem is one of only two players with at least five wins over the big three; the other, of course, is Andrew Murray. He leads 2-1 in third.
“Worst place to have a tattoo is famously right under your shoulder,” advises James W. “Something about a ton of blood vessels all coming together in that particular corner of the body.”
Djokovic volleys into the tape, the ball clambers over, and secures a love-hold for a 6-3 first set against Thompson – who’s playing really well, for all the good it’s doing him.
On 12, Shapovalov has levelled his match with Albot at 1-1 and now leads 4-2 in the third, while Pella is serving for his match with Coric at 5-1 in the fifth.
Thanks Tom and hi again everyone. I’m delighted to be back watching Thiem and Tsitsipas – they’re 1-1 in the second – while Rune has broken Loffhagen, who played so well yesterday, and leads 7-6 3-1. On Centre, Djokovic is serving for the first set at 5-3.
Meanwhile, over on Court 1 Heather Watson is digging in without ever really getting on top against Barbora Krejcikova. It’s 2-2 in the second set.
And Daniel’s back and recharged, so I’ll hand you back over. Enjoy the rest of the day.
Thompson miscues a smash at the net and sends it long, giving Djokovic a sniff at 15-30, but his first serves are in good order, winning him the next two points, but you can’t advance to the net and offer Djokovic a juicy forehand at a decent height so we go to deuce. A gorgeous drop volley at the net gives Djokovic a break point, which he converts when he makes Thompson stretch at the net and volley long.
That going-through-the-gears thing is upon us. Djokovic leads 4-2, first set.
As dominant a service game as anyone will likely send down to Djokovic this fortnight keeps Thompson level at 2-2 but Djokovic doesn’t give the Australian a sniff on his own serve either and also wins his to love. We whizz on to 3-2.
And in the eagerly followed delayed match on Court No 2, Tsitsipas has won the second set in a tiebreak to draw level with Dominic Thiem.
Protest latest:
Following a further incident on Court 18, one individual has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage.
This individual is being removed from the Grounds.
Play on the court was briefly paused and has now resumed.
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2023
Not such good news for Heather Watson though: she’s lost the first set to Barbora Krejcikova 6-2, and Novak Djjokovic is under way on Centre Court against the 70th-ranked Australian Jordan Thompson, who’s acquitted himself decently so far. But Djokovic leads 2-1 in a first set that’s gone with serve thus far.
A seed has fallen: Roman Safiullin has beaten Roberto Bautista Agut 2-6, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 in a four-hour duel.
Katy Boulter beats Daria Saville 7-6, 6-2
Boulter isn’t knocked out of kilter by being broken though and in a strong return game gets herself two match points with a brutal and brilliant forehand winner. And it’s converted with a similarly emphatic volley at the net to seal her second place. Boulter’s clearly buoyed by that Nottingham triumph and was a deserved winner here.
She plays either Bernarda Pera of the US or the Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova next.
Elsewhere, Coric v Sella has indeed gone to a fifth set while Milos Raonic, a former finallist here of course, has beaten Dennis Novak of Austria in four sets.
Boulter, serving for the match, is broken back. She initially eases to 30-0 on her serve before double-faulting and is pegged back to 30-all, misjudging a low drop shot at the net. And suddenly Saville has a break point when Boulter whips a forehand narrowly wide. And then another double-fault hands the Australian the break. Boulter still has the advantage though at 5-2
It’s not going so well for Boulter’s compatriot Heather Watson, who was broken in her first service game by Barbora Krejckova and the Czech No 10 seed leads 4-1. Boulter though is looking confident and assertive now and romps to three break points on Saville’s next service game, converting at the first opportunity. She’s a game away from the second round at 5-1.
Let’s jaunt over to Court 18, where they’ve swept up the jigsaw pieces and what have you, where the second set between Katy Boulter and Diara Saville has thus far gone with serve at 1-2, with Saville serving. Boulter gets a slab of luck with a thick net cord deflection to put some pressure on at 15-30, and when a Saville backhand drifts long the British woman has two break points. She squanders the first with a forehand into the net, but not the second. A ferocious return of serve enables Boulter to dictate the rally and push Saville to the corner of the court, forcing her to scoop the ball wide and long.
Boulter leads 7-6, 3-1.
A quick look round the courts reveals that the 20th seed, Roberto Bautista Agut, has been taken to a fifth set by the Russian Roman Safiullin, and a fifth set looks likely on Court 14 where the 13th seed Borna Coric has recovered from losing the first two sets to Guido Pella, winning the third 6-4 and cruising into a 3-0 lead in the fourth.
Iga Swiatek (1) beats Sara Sorribes Torino 6-2, 6-0
Swiatek has looked a class above all afternoon and an unanswerable whipped crosscourt forehand gives her two match points on Sorribes Torino’s serve. The Spaniard saves the first with a strong first serve, but can’t do anything about the second, which Swiatek converts by advancing to the net and top-spinning a forehand into the empty court to complete a ruthless bagelling. Business taken care of.
Thanks Daniel. Afternoon everyone. And I bring news that they’ve resumed on Court 18 after the latest Just Stop Oil protest, and Katie Boulter has only gone and won the first set tiebreak, 7-4 against Daria Saville, turning that breaker right round. Elsewhere Heather Watson and Barbora Krejcikova are knocking up on Court One, and Iga Swiatek is coasting into round three, 5-0 up and a set up against Sara Sorribes Torino.
Righto, I’m now off for a little break, so here’s Tom Davies to hang with you for the next hour.
Beatriz Haddad Maia [13] beats Yulia Putintseva 3-6 6-0 6-4!
She runs around her backhand, delivery a crushing forehand down the line, and that’s a terrific win in an equally good match. Haddad Maia meets Cristian or Bronzetti next and make no mistake, if she hits her level she’s a threat.
Haddad Maia wins her first game in four to lead 5-4; after a little sit-down, Putintseva will serve to stay in the competition. And Swiatek nearly home, breaking Sorribes Tormo at the first time of asking in he second.
Another Stop Oil protestor invades Court 18
With Boulter a mini-break down at 4-2, another Stop Oil protestor invades Court 18; BBC zoom out, but he’s quickly apprehended, so I imagine we’ll keep going once the orange tickertape has been cleared up.
Next on Court 1: Heather Watson v Barbora Krejcikova [10].
Back on Centre, Swiatek breaks Sorribes Tormo again for a 6-2 set – she’s making this look very easy which I guess it is, for her – Tiafoe now leads Wu 7-6 6-3, Cerundolo F has levelled his match with Borges at 1-1 likewise Raonic with Novak, and Boulter has served out for her first-set breaker against Saville.
Ahahahaha! Putinseva noises the crowd right up after breaking Haddad Maia for 3-4 in their decider. It’s getting tense out on Court 12!
Daniil Medvedev [3] beats Arthur Ferry 7-5 6-4 6-3!
Fery showed plenty there, and will much better for the experience; Medvedev was both good and bad, but knew enough to win the big moments and meets Mannarino or Shevchenko next. If he doesn’t improve, the former might cause him problems.
On Court 18, Boulter and Saville are knocking up; they’ll resume with the latter leading 6-5.
Marta Kostyuk beats Maria Sakkari [8] 0-6 7-5 6-2!
Kostyuk prostrates herself on the turf and well she might, what a colossal win that is! The number eight seed falls and the woman seizing her path through the draw is capable of going plenty further; next up it’s Riske-Armritraj or Badosa.
Kostyuk gets to 5-1 and is now serving for the match following a hold from Sakkari.
Grigor Dimitrov [21] beats Sho Shimabukuro 6-1 6-2 6-1!
I fancied Griggzy for a run here and and he’s started well; he meets Ivashka or Coria next.
Three breaks in a row on Centre, Swiatek snatching back what was hers for a 3-1 lead while, on No1 and after numerous deuces – deucii? – Fery has numerous chances – chanceii? – to finish a point at the net, doesn’t, ands Medvedev is now up two sets and a break at 3-2 in the third. Oh, and Haddad Maia is now up a break on Putitnseva in their decider, leading 3-1.
Double-break for Kostyuk now, who leads 4-1 in the decider; what a comeback after losing the first set 6-0. For Sakkari, though, it looks like another first-round exit, not what you expect when you’re eight in the world. And have as look at Centre, Sorribes Tormo applauding an oblique forehand winner that breaks the sideline, then challenging; the ball was good.
Sorribes Tormo is onto this now, a deep return to the backhand corner eliciting an error from Swiatek, who now leads 2-1 – her break gone. Back on No1, meanwhile, it’s 2-2 in the third with Fery serving at deuce.
I said we’d have a match if Sorribes Tormo was on, but Swiatek breaks her immediately and leads 2-0 … but as she seeks to consolidate, she’s taken to deuce. Meanwhile, Kostyuk has broken Sakkari in their decider and leads it 3-1, Vekic has beaten Zhang 2 and 3, and Collins has beaten Grabher 4 and 4.
Anett Kontaveit beats Lucrezia Stefanini 6-4 6-4!
She meets Bouzkova [32] next.
Haddad Maia bagels Putintseva and, as Sorribes Tormo and Jabeur discovered at Roland-Garros, when she gets going she’s brutal to stop. Their decider should be a belter. Back on Court 2, Kostyuk is serving for set two a second time, having lost the first to Sakkari 6-0 … and she sees it out! Another decider, and we might just be at that mythical point where both players are playing well.
Fery has played well, but Medvedev serves out and leads 7-5 6-4; it’s tough at the top. Otherwise, Swiatek and Sorribes Tormo are knocking up and if the latter in on, this will be a match. On her, she caused controversy in Paris when, playing doubles with Bouzkova, an opponent, Miyu Kato, accidentally hit a ballgirl in the process of passing the ball back. There was surprise and tears, then Kato and her partner, Aldila Sutjiadi, were disqualified – with Sorribes Tormo and Bouzkova encouraging the officials to make that call.
Oh Arthur. Oh mate. Immediately after breaking back, he’s broken again, and at 7-5 5-4, Medvedev will serve for set two. Talking of which, serving for a decider against Sakkari, Kostyuk has been broken back, so she trails 6-0 5-5.
Tiafoe has taken the first set off Wu 7-6(4); Haddad Maia has broken Putintseva again, now leads 5-0 in the second having lost the first; Novak leads Raonic 7-6(5) 0-1, with a break; and Dimitrov now leadsShimabukuro 6-1 6-2.
Ferry secures a tough hold from for 5-7 3-4, and it’s worth noting that he’s only 5”8, seriously short for a tenniser. Years ago now, I spoke to an agent on behalf of a young player needing representation, and the first question he asked me was how tall he was. Essentially, if you’re not 6”2, you’ll need to be very special to be special, but Fery is finding workarounds, taking the ball early and getting to the net. And, as I type that, he underlines the point, breaking back to love!
Sloane Stephens beats Rebecca Peterson 6-2 6-3!
Don’t be surprised if she does something here – she looked good in Paris – and meets Vekic or Zhang next.
Oh yes, Beatriz na casa! She breaks Putintseva at the first time of asking in set two, sealing the deal with a gorgeous forehand down and onto the line! Back on No1, we’ve another key moment: first, the rain at 5-5 in set one, halted Fery’s momentum and he lost the set; now Medvedev has broken him for 3-2.
Fery earns break point, comes in and plays a really good squash-shot to get back into the rally, but Medvedev flings a backhand winner cross-court, closes out, and leads 7-5 2-2.
Next on Centre Court: Iga Swiatek [1] v Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Daria Kasatkina [11] beats Jodie Burrage 6-0 6-2!
She dealt with that pretty easily, though Burrage did her best, and meets Podoroska or Azarenka next.
Haddad Maia makes a fight of it, taking her from 30-0 to deuce, but eventually Putintseva prevails, taking the first set 6-3 following a loose forehand. The Brazilian did, though, improve a bit, and I quite fancy her to force a decider. Elsewhere, Kontaveit leads Stefanini 6-4 and Vekic leads Zhang 6-2.
“I remember a while ago emailing one of the Guardian liveblogs and saying something along the lines of ‘I’d rather tattoo my own eyeballs’,” says Simon McMahon, “and moments later someone replied that they could actually arrange that for me as eyeball tattoos were now a thing. There’s only one place I can think of being tattooed that might be worse and, well, this is a family newspaper.”
It’s a newspaper of the world, mate.