Wimbledon 2024

Defending champion Alcaraz remains without losing a set!

Carlos Alcaraz

(Bild: Associated Press)

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz remains setless at Wimbledon! The Spanish world number three won 7:6(5), 6:2, 6:2 against Australian Aleksandar Vukic on Wednesday to book his place in the third round. Alcaraz will now face US professional Frances Tiafoe. Russia's Daniil Medvedev has also progressed, while Coco Gauff is through to the women's third round after beating Romania's Anca Alexia Todoni 6:2, 6:1.

Alcaraz had lost the only previous encounter with Vukic. However, the duel took place in 2020 in the qualifying round of the French Open under very different circumstances. The then 17-year-old was still ranked number 193 in the world, but is now a three-time Grand Slam tournament winner. In the first round, Vukic had eliminated Austria's only singles entry, Sebastian Ofner from Styria, in five sets.

"The first set was the key!"
Alcaraz was very satisfied with his performance. Vukic was 6:5 ahead in the first set and served to win the set before the Spaniard managed to turn things around. "The first set was the key," he said afterwards. "I played at a very high level in the second and third sets." Tiafoe could prove to be a tougher test. The American also had few problems against the Croatian Borna Coric, winning 7:6(5), 6:1, 6:3.

The eighth seed Casper Ruud was eliminated. The Norwegian, who is not necessarily known as a grass court specialist, lost 4-6, 5-7, 7-6(1), 3-6 to Italian veteran Fabio Fognini (37). This is the seventh time Fognini has reached the third round in his 14th appearance at Wimbledon. He has never made it any further.

Crowd favorite Emma Raducanu in the third round
Gauff was not entirely satisfied with her performance - but the American has only dropped six games. She will now face Sonay Kartal from Great Britain. Another local heroine was also able to celebrate. Crowd favorite Emma Raducanu reached the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since her sensational US Open victory in 2021. The 21-year-old dispatched Belgium's Elise Mertens 6:1, 6:2.

Raducanu is also in the spotlight at Wimbledon because she will be competing in the mixed doubles together with Scotland's Andy Murray shortly before he is likely to retire. Former world number one Naomi Osaka, on the other hand, had to retire. The Japanese player, who returned from maternity leave at the beginning of the year, lost 4:6, 1:6 to American Emma Navarro in less than an hour on her comeback in London.

The doubles match between Alexander Erler/Lucas Miedler was postponed; the Austrians will play the British-New Zealand number 9 pairing of Neal Skupski/Michael Venus in the opener.