Keys out injured

Wimbledon: Paolini and Alcaraz in the quarter-finals

Carlos Alcaraz (right) and Jasmine Paolini are through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

(Bild: APA/AFP/ANDREJ ISAKOVIC, APA/HENRY NICHOLLS)

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Jasmine Paolini have become the first tennis professionals to reach the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon.

The Spaniard beat Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6:3,6:4,1:6,7:5 under the roof of the hall on Sunday. The Italian Paolini was the beneficiary of a retirement by the US American Madison Keys, who was unable to continue due to injury at 3:6,7:6(6),5:5.

Keys injured
Keys lost her own serve at 5:2 in the deciding set and grabbed her left groin. A short time later, the tournament number 12 limped off the court to take a medical time-out. She then reappeared with a bandaged thigh. In the rallies that followed, it was clear that Keys could no longer keep up. The 29-year-old, who was now in tears, was apparently in pain even when walking normally. "I'm so sorry for her. It's sad to end the match like that. We played a really good match," said Paolini, who became the first Italian woman in the Open era to reach a Wimbledon quarter-final. She will next face either US Open winner Coco Gauff or 19th seed Emma Navarro from the USA.

Set loss
Two days after his five-set victory over Frances Tiafoe from the USA, Alcaraz lost another set against Humbert. The 21-year-old had problems on his own serve against the strong left-hander and it took Alcaraz almost three hours to secure his place in the quarter-finals. To reach the semi-finals, Alcaraz will have to beat American Tommy Paul or his Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut in the round of the best eight.