Djokovic Express slams into high gear
by Agency Staff
2016-06-30 06:36:34.0
LONDON — World No1 Novak Djokovic racked up his 30th successive Grand Slam victory on Wednesday as rain lashed Wimbledon and Marcus Willis’s fairytale came to an end against Roger Federer.
But the British qualifier’s 6-0 6-3 6-4 defeat could not ruin a day to remember for the new star of the All England Club.
Willis has captivated the tennis world with his rags to riches rise and although the world No772 was unable to spring what would have been Wimbledon’s greatest upset, he enjoyed every minute of his unlikely second round meeting with world No3 Federer.
The 25-year-old hit 24 winners, served nine aces and twice came within a whisker of breaking Federer, all while displaying the effervescent personality that has made him such a fan favourite.
Earlier defending champion Djokovic brushed aside Adrian Mannarino 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7/5) to reach the third round.
The top seed, bidding for a third consecutive title at the All England Club and fourth in all, will face either American 28th seed Sam Querrey or Thomaz Bellucci for a place in the last 16.
Djokovic’s match was played under the roof of Centre Court as heavy rain brought chaos to the schedule. Only 15 minutes of play was possible on the outside courts up to the late afternoon causing 22 singles matches to be cancelled and men’s doubles ties to be reduced to best-of-three setters.
"Fortunately I was scheduled on Centre Court, that helps on days like this and when the roof is closed the atmosphere gets even more special," said Djokovic.
"I do have a lot of expectations for myself but I am grateful that I am able to play at a high level
so consistently.
"To have 30 Grand Slam wins in a row is a stat I am proud of," Djokovic said.
Under the Centre Court roof, Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska reached the last 64 with a 6-2 6-1 win over Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova to preserve her record of having never lost in the first round at Wimbledon.
Radwanska, the 2012 runner-up, will face either Karin Knapp of Italy or Ana Konjuh of Croatia for a place in the last 32.
Such was the ease of her victory that part of her news conference dealt with questions over the Brexit vote and reports of hostility towards the Polish community in Britain. "Well, I know there’s a lot of Polish people working, living here. I’m not aware of every comment, so I don’t think I should comment on it," she said.
Tomas Berdych battled the elements and a gritty display by unseeded Croatian Ivan Dodig, sealing a four-set victory he admitted should have been his the previous day. The 10th-seeded Czech, on the hunt for a new coach after splitting with Dani Vallverdu following May’s Italian Open, won 7-6(5) 5-7 6-1 7-6(2) — one of only two matches completed by mid-afternoon as the weather cut a swathe through the programme for the second day running.
"The situation right now, it’s fine to me, and (a coach is) definitely something that I’m looking for," he told reporters.
Berdych, who had led 4-1 in the fourth set when play was called off on Tuesday, served for the match at 5-3 and looked in a desperate hurry to finish things off.
But in damp windy conditions that gradually turned to steady drizzle and forced play to be called off on all outside courts, Dodig broke serve and saved two match points before taking the set to a tiebreak. Berdych steadied his nerves to take the breaker 7-2 when he forced a backhand error from Dodig. "First of all, I should have been done (with the match) already yesterday," he said. "But especially when my opponents finished yesterday, I think it’s really good that we were able to finish
the match."
The rain caused a number of high-profile matches to be postponed to Thursday.
They included Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori against France’s Julien Benneteau and former US Open champion Marin Cilic’s clash with Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Also shelved were Garbine Muguruza’s second-round tie against Jana Cepelova and Venus Williams’s match with Maria Sakkari.
AFP, Reuters
Novak Djokovic. Picture: EPA
LONDON — World No1 Novak Djokovic racked up his 30th successive Grand Slam victory on Wednesday as rain lashed Wimbledon and Marcus Willis’s fairytale came to an end against Roger Federer.
But the British qualifier’s 6-0 6-3 6-4 defeat could not ruin a day to remember for the new star of the All England Club.
Willis has captivated the tennis world with his rags to riches rise and although the world No772 was unable to spring what would have been Wimbledon’s greatest upset, he enjoyed every minute of his unlikely second round meeting with world No3 Federer.
The 25-year-old hit 24 winners, served nine aces and twice came within a whisker of breaking Federer, all while displaying the effervescent personality that has made him such a fan favourite.
Earlier defending champion Djokovic brushed aside Adrian Mannarino 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7/5) to reach the third round.
The top seed, bidding for a third consecutive title at the All England Club and fourth in all, will face either American 28th seed Sam Querrey or Thomaz Bellucci for a place in the last 16.
Djokovic’s match was played under the roof of Centre Court as heavy rain brought chaos to the schedule. Only 15 minutes of play was possible on the outside courts up to the late afternoon causing 22 singles matches to be cancelled and men’s doubles ties to be reduced to best-of-three setters.
"Fortunately I was scheduled on Centre Court, that helps on days like this and when the roof is closed the atmosphere gets even more special," said Djokovic.
"I do have a lot of expectations for myself but I am grateful that I am able to play at a high level
so consistently.
"To have 30 Grand Slam wins in a row is a stat I am proud of," Djokovic said.
Under the Centre Court roof, Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska reached the last 64 with a 6-2 6-1 win over Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova to preserve her record of having never lost in the first round at Wimbledon.
Radwanska, the 2012 runner-up, will face either Karin Knapp of Italy or Ana Konjuh of Croatia for a place in the last 32.
Such was the ease of her victory that part of her news conference dealt with questions over the Brexit vote and reports of hostility towards the Polish community in Britain. "Well, I know there’s a lot of Polish people working, living here. I’m not aware of every comment, so I don’t think I should comment on it," she said.
Tomas Berdych battled the elements and a gritty display by unseeded Croatian Ivan Dodig, sealing a four-set victory he admitted should have been his the previous day. The 10th-seeded Czech, on the hunt for a new coach after splitting with Dani Vallverdu following May’s Italian Open, won 7-6(5) 5-7 6-1 7-6(2) — one of only two matches completed by mid-afternoon as the weather cut a swathe through the programme for the second day running.
"The situation right now, it’s fine to me, and (a coach is) definitely something that I’m looking for," he told reporters.
Berdych, who had led 4-1 in the fourth set when play was called off on Tuesday, served for the match at 5-3 and looked in a desperate hurry to finish things off.
But in damp windy conditions that gradually turned to steady drizzle and forced play to be called off on all outside courts, Dodig broke serve and saved two match points before taking the set to a tiebreak. Berdych steadied his nerves to take the breaker 7-2 when he forced a backhand error from Dodig. "First of all, I should have been done (with the match) already yesterday," he said. "But especially when my opponents finished yesterday, I think it’s really good that we were able to finish
the match."
The rain caused a number of high-profile matches to be postponed to Thursday.
They included Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori against France’s Julien Benneteau and former US Open champion Marin Cilic’s clash with Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Also shelved were Garbine Muguruza’s second-round tie against Jana Cepelova and Venus Williams’s match with Maria Sakkari.
AFP, Reuters
