Key events
Alcaraz, now with his game face on, claims the early advantage for 3-1. He gets to 4-1 thanks to his supreme movement. And then 5-1 thanks to his ferocious forehand. The defending champion is nodding to himself as he changes ends …
At 15-30 on Vukic’s serve, there’s a big “VAMOS!!!” and fist pump from Alcaraz as he puts away a backhand volley. 15-40, two break-back points. And there’s more vamosing and fist-pumping as Alcaraz takes the game on the first! It’s tie-break time.
It feels as if Alcaraz should really be on Centre instead of No 1 Court – and I’m sure Medvedev wouldn’t complain if the matches had been switched around, given he’s never lost on No 1 Court.
Medvedev is now at the business end of the second set, trailing 6-5 on serve against Muller having lost the first, while Alcaraz is 5-5 against Vukic in the opener. And look here, Vukic has the chance to break, which he does after Alcaraz double faults! The 28-year-old Australian will serve for the first set!
The American Brandon Nakashima has secured a speedy 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Australia’s Jordan Thompson. Meanwhile Alcaraz is being delayed on No 1 Court, as he’s broken back when serving for the first set. The big-serving Vukic then holds to drag himself to 5-5.
Kartal is going to have to go the distance if she’s to set up a third-round meeting with Gauff. Serving to stay in the second set at 6-5 down, the British player slumps to 15-40, so here are another two set points for Burel, to add to the four that the Frenchwoman has already had. Burel comes to the net, Kartal attempts the lob, Burel is wise to it … and wins the point. It’s Kartal 6-3, 5-7 Burel.
Medvedev is chuntering to himself a little less as he breaks back and then holds – it’s 4-4 in the second set – but he still trails Muller by a set to love. Meanwhile Alcaraz is doing what Alcaraz does, hitting a breathtaking backhand return en route to breaking Vukic for 4-2 in the opening set – make that 5-2 as the Spaniard holds.
Burel has a fourth set point on No 3 Court, on Kartal’s serve. The pair trade cross-court backhands, before Kartal rips a forehand, which Burel isn’t getting back. Deuce. Advantage Kartal. And Burel’s drop shot slumps into the net! Kartal saves four set points and stops a run of four straight games against her to draw level in the second set at 5-5, leading by a set to love.
The French qualifier Quentin Halys has taken out last year’s quarter-finalist Chris Eubanks, comfortably winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. Another American, Lauren Davis, has also departed, losing 6-3, 6-1 to the Colombian Camila Osorio.
A wild shift in momentum on No 3 Court, where Burel claims her fourth consecutive game. Kartal, having been a point away from serving for the match not so long ago, must now serve to stay in the second set at 5-4 down.
Medvedev is in danger of being, erm, mullered by Muller on Centre Court. Muller, the 27-year-old Frenchman who’s never been beyond the second round at a grand slam, claims an early break in the second set with a forehand passing winner and is 7-6, 3-1 ahead. Medvedev must be wishing he was on his lucky No 1 Court – where Alcaraz, the defending champion, is going on serve, leading the Australian world No 69 Aleksandar Vukic 2-1.
Kartal is piling the pressure on Burel’s serve again. At 6-3, 4-2, she races to 0-40 on her opponent’s serve. But here’s some French resistance from the world No 45, who gets back to deuce and then fends off a fourth break point, first by getting away with a 64mph serve and then by sending Burel right and left and into a corner. Burel escapes with the hold. It’s 6-3, 4-3 Kartal.
And news from our very own Simon Cambers:
Slightly awkward moments on Centre: At 3-5 in the TB, Daniil Medvedev lost the point & promptly went & sat down, thinking he’d lost the set.
Had to be told. Went back to the baseline, & promptly did lose the set.
The Gilleses found it funny. Medvedev, maybe less so. pic.twitter.com/hObiDEn4j0
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) July 3, 2024
Carlos Alcaraz is just stepping on to No 1 Court, but fancy a quick stroll around the grounds while he warms up? Sure you do. Kartal has been broken for the first time but still leads Burel 6-3, 4-2; Fognini has taken the first set 6-4 against Ruud; Nakashima leads Thompson 6-3, 5-2; Eubanks is on the ropes at 6-4, 6-4, 2-0 down to Halys; Tiafoe is 7-6 up on Coric and Svitolina has secured the first set 7-5 against Linette.
There’s a potential shock brewing on Centre Court, where Medvedev, the world No 5, has surrendered the first set on a tie-break, seven points to three, against the world No 102, Alexandre Muller.
Twenty years to the day since her victory over Serena Williams in the final:
Business-like from Gauff who, following the withdrawal of Aryna Sabalenka, has a superb chance to reach her first Wimbledon final this year. She may need to solve the Iga Swiatek riddle to win the title – the world No 1, who has beaten Gauff in 11 of their 12 matches, is in the other half of the draw – but we’ve still got a long way to go before that plays out. Up next for Gauff will most likely be Kartal, because the Brit has bagged a double break in the second set and leads Burel 6-3, 3-0!
A grinning Gauff speaks:
I’m happy with how I played. I do think I could have played cleaner at some moments, but overall I’m happy to get through to the third round.
I’ve learnt about life a lot [since her first-round exit last year]. The world can make you feel like there’s so much pressure, but it’s just a game. This is the court where I first started here at Wimbledon [where she beat Venus Williams in the first round in 2019], so it’s such a special place for me to play on.
Gauff beats Todoni 6-2, 6-1
… but quickly to No 1 – as Gauff has match point at 6-2, 5-1, and 15-40 on Todoni’s serve. The US Open champion becomes the first name into round three – just as Kartal seals the first set 6-3 with a hold to love!
Gauff is in command as 6-2, 4-1; Medvedev and Muller are still sounding each other out at 4-4 in the first set; but let’s cross over to No 3 Court, where Britain’s Kartal is a game away from taking the opener, leading 5-2.
The next game is on Burel’s serve – but the Frenchwoman isn’t serving well, so this is a real chance for Kartal. Sure enough, here’s a seventh double fault from Burel. Kartal gets to deuce – just as Gauff glides to 6-2, 5-1. Where to look? First No 3 – because Burel gives Kartal the runaround with a drop shot and lob combination – to win the game from deuce ..
Speaking of Americans, Gauff is by no means the only one in action right now. Brandon Nakashima leads Jordan Thompson 5-2, as does Katie Volynets against Maria Lourdes Carle, but Lauren Davis trails by that score to Camila Osorio, Chris Eubanks has lost the first set 6-4 to Quentin Halys, and Frances Tiafoe – after his escape act in round one – is 3-2 up on serve against Borna Coric.
The mixed doubles draw is due to come out this afternoon. There’s a chance we could see Murray v Murray as Jamie will be playing with the American Taylor Townsend.
And no messing around at the start of the second set, because Gauff has already broken Todoni and she leads 6-2, 2-0. Medvedev v Muller is going with serve, and Medvedev leads 3-2.
Gauff is serving for the first set at 5-2, 40-15. And an unreturned serve does the job after just under 40 minutes. The US Open champion has been admonishing herself on serve, having landed just 38% of her first serves, but she shouldn’t be too hard on herself as she has won 83% of those points. The way things are going she could be the first player through to round three.
The 37-year-old Fognini, showing off his recent bleach-blond dye job, is one of several veterans in action today. Later Stan Wawrinka, still playing on at 39, faces Gael Monfils. The pair’s combined age of 76 is the oldest in a Wimbledon men’s singles match since Rod Laver beat Bob Howe in the first round way back in 1971.
The players are back in business on the outside courts. Kartal is 2-1 up on serve against Burel, while the flamboyant and sometimes combustible Italian Fabio Fognini has broken against the recent French Open semi-finalist Casper Ruud and leads 3-1.
Theresa May is in the Royal Box today. Not sure what kind of omen that is on the eve of the general election.
Daniil Medvedev is just getting started on Centre, against the Frenchman Alexandre Muller. Almost every player considers it an honour to be on the main court – except Medvedev, who said after his first-round match he’d rather play every round on No 1, given he’s never lost there. Last year’s semi-finalist blows hot and cold on grass, as he does on clay – it’s only on hard courts that he finds consistency – but the world No 5 is more than capable of another run here, and could meet Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.
This rain is so frustrating. It’s not heavy at all, just on-again, off-again drizzle. But forget the weather watch for a minute, because Todoni has a break-back point on No 1 Court. She goes for it with a backhand down the line, but it crashes into the net. Deuce. Another break point, as Gauff slips on the grass. Gauff shows superb defence and then attacks with a shot that lands bang on the baseline. Deuce. Advantage Gauff. Deuce. Advantage Gauff. Game Gauff for 3-1. But this is getting a bit more interesting.
