Ostapenko turns up the pressure here. Maria holds 4-4 but 30, and she’ll know she’s second best here. But she will also know that her opponent can deliver her serve at any point in a blur of huge ground moves that miss lines from the fibers. Jelena Ostapenko in action during her fourth round match against Germany’s Tatjana Maria. Photo: Toby Melville/Reuters Updated at 13.36 BST You could see in her last service game that Ostapenko – tennis’s equivalent of cricket’s Baz ball – was eyeballing her, and she’s just got to 15. If she wins here, she meets the winner of Watson v Niemeier, which you. d take for a quarter. These two start at about four minutes. I say! I remember a fellow tennis coach watching Tiafoe for the first time and excitedly texting to say he had seen one of the most amazing athletes he had ever seen play the game – he later said the same about Felix Auger-Aliassime. Anyway, he – not my partner – just slid in chasing a drop, stood firm, chased the ball down the side, flipped a winner over the net, broke his back, left the court and shook hands with various members of his crowd to highlight its brilliance. 2-2! Classic Ostapenkz, immediately broken by the world 103 looking to hit the lines. I’m not sure there’s another player with a wider gap between his best and worst. Maria leads 2-1. On Court No1, Tatiana Maria held on in the first game against Ostapenko, while on Court No2 David Goffin broke Tiafoe at the first time of asking to take a 2-1 lead. David Goffin and Frances Tiafoe in action on Court No 2 Photo: Shutterstock Updated at 13.18 BST Thanks Alex and hello everyone. I’ll level with you: I thought I might be here lamenting the loss of Manic Monday, but several of my favorites are playing today – Jelena Ostapenko, Francis Tiafoe and Ons Jabeur – on top of which, we’re getting Jannik Sinner v Carlos Alcaraz, which is a potentially funny clash of brilliance and personalities. We are moving forward! And that’s all from me – I’ll leave you in the capable hands of Daniel Harris as David Goffin and Frances Tiafoe lock horns on Court 2. Some more coverage from yesterday: Rafa Nadal advances to fourth round with win over Lorenzo Sonego: A gem from our archive – Clive James at Wimbledon. Enjoy:
Marie Buzkova beats Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-2
Buzkova 7-5, Garcia 6-2 The decider gets off to a shaky start with a point apiece, but then comes another terrible mistake from Garcia when she advances strongly only to volley straight into the net from point-blank range. Buzkova clears the next serve to earn match point, and her final serve is met by a return from Garcia who steams low, hard… and straight into the middle of the net. Game set and match with Buzkova! Marie Buzkova advanced to the quarterfinals after a straight sets win over Caroline Garcia. Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Updated at 12.47 BST *Buzkova 7-5, Garcia 5-2 Buzkova breaks again! After holding serve with ease, the Czech spends the next game turning defense into attack, perfectly reading her opponent point after point. Finally, on break point, Garcia misses a simple volley into the net, charging it well. Buzkova is serving a place in her first grand slam quarter-final. Updated at 12.34 BST Buzkova 7-5, Garcia 3-2 Both players make a service game each with little fuss. But Bouzkova suddenly ups her game as Garcia holds her serve, landing a perfect pass down the line to give herself a break point, which she finishes with a powerful volley. It is a moment of vital importance. The quarterfinals are now in her sights. Updated at 12.34 BST Buzkova 7-5, Garcia 1-1 No breaks yet in the second, but Buzkova turns on the style during a couple of knife-edge rallies, the last ending when Garcia’s delicate drop shot lands the wrong side of the net. Updated at 12.34 BST *Buzkova 7-5 Garcia Buzkova pulls Garcia to the net and lifts a cheeky lob over her opponent – fantastic stuff – to go 40-15 ahead. Garcia counters with a powerful backhand return to the next point, but seconds later sends a fairly simple shot some distance away. First set Buzkova, who allows herself a quiet fist-pump. Marie Buzkova takes the first set. Photo: Steven Paston/PA Updated at 12.20 BST *Buzkova 6-5 Garcia Garcia swings badly on her serve. Buzkova makes a rare foray into the net to perfectly execute a difficult volley, then capitalizes on a big rally to make it 40-0. Garcia saves the first break point with a dismissive cross-court forehand, the second with a well-placed return and the third by sending her opponent from side to side on the baseline before sliding a vicious shot into the corner. But Buzkova wins the next point and a double fault from Garcia gives her the game – fighting for nothing. Buzkova serves for the set. Buzkova 5-4 Garcia Blah: in the blink of an eye, Garcia has won her next serve that she loves and is off the court with her game face firmly on. The Czech now serves to stay in the set. Caroline Garcia. Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Updated at 11.57 BST Buzkova 4-4 Garcia Garcia makes a splash! She picks the stamp (if that’s possible in tennis) with a perfect return on a very strong serve, missteps Buzkova and draws in a match in which she seems to be growing. Yesterday’s Wimbledon calendar, with childcare, rodents and a very long sock: *Buzkova 4-3 Garcia It’s more like Garcia, who claims the next service game convincingly, first by sending a brute-force ace, then by standing back and then watching the bewildered Buzkova send a long pass over the line. Caroline Garcia returns to Marie Bouzkova. Photo: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images Updated at 11.44 BST Garcia has made both of her service games since breaking early, but she can’t make a dent on Buzkova’s serve: the Czech sends her opponent running back and forth along the baseline like a puppeteer, Garcia eventually finished with a weak backhand. 4-2 More from yesterday: Katie Boutler goes tan Meanwhile, Bouzkova takes a 3-1 lead with a ferocious backhand that skitters down the baseline before Garcia can get close. Buzkova goes two games up after a superb crosscourt pass and is followed by another comeback from Garcia – whose best performance at Wimbledon was reaching the fourth round five years ago, narrowly losing to Joanna Konta. Marie Buzkova returns the ball to France’s Caroline Garcia. Photo: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images Updated at 11.32 BST More fun from yesterday: Amanda Anisimova basks in glory after a career-high win against Coco Gauff on Center Court Updated at 11.18 BST Mari Buzkova makes a splash in the opening game against Caroline Garcia, who fires a nasty volley straight into the net before falling to the sideline to wake up. Updated at 11.21 BST … and our later report from Kyrgios’ match with Stefanos Tsitsipas: a bad-ass game and A-grade entertainment, after which Tsitsipas called his triumphant opponent an “evil bully.” Updated at 11.10 BST Get ready for the day’s action with some essential reads from yesterday. First up, the Guardian’s insider Barney Ronay on Nick Kyrgios’ impeccably risk-taking pantomime villain:
Preamble
Things are different at Wimbledon this year, with an all-day game scheduled for the usually empty Middle Sunday. Play begins on the outer courts at any time, with action on Center and No. 1 courts starting at 1:30 p.m. (BST). Here is the order of play:
Central Court
Heather Watson v Jule Niemeier(10) Jannik Sinner v Carlos Alcaraz (5)(1) Novak Djokovic v Tim van Rijthoven
No. 1 Court
Tatjana Maria v Jelena Ostapenko (12)(9) Cameron Norrie v Tommy Paul (30)(24) Elise Mertens v Ons Jabeur (3)
No. 2 Court
Marie Bouzkova v Caroline GarciaDavid Goffin v Frances Tiafoe (23)J Murray/V Williams v J O’Mara/A Barnett
