Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon after his third-round opponent, Nick Kyrgios, retired with an injury after the second set on Saturday.
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon after his third-round opponent, Nick Kyrgios, retired with an injury after the second set on Saturday.
Kyrgios appeared to struggle with an abdominal injury and told a trainer that he couldn’t serve properly and was worried about tearing a muscle.
“It’s getting worse and worse,” Kyrgios said. “I’m trying but I can’t even, I can’t serve anymore. I can’t do it.”
The Canadian said he was just starting to settle into the match when his opponent retired.
“I was playing good. Of course it’s unfortunate that he had to pull out, but on my side, you know, I felt like I was playing just better and better,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Of course I would have liked to finish the match and win, but that’s how it is. I’m through to the next round, and that’s the most important.”
WATCH | Kyrgios retires to open door for Auger-Aliassime at Wimbledon:
After suffering an injury near the end of the first set, the Australian struggled to hit the ball and Auger-Aliassime won five straight games to take the second set.
Kyrgios won the first set 6-2 but lost the second 6-1 to Montreal’s Auger-Aliassime on No. 1 Court.
Auger-Aliassime is set to face No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany the same day. The pair have played three times previously, with Zverev winning each matchup.
“It’s a big challenge for me. Never beat him before. First time we have played in a slam,” Auger-Aliassime said.
Zverev has a great serve and solid backhand, he added, things the Canadian will be aware of heading into the match.
“I feel good. I know he feels good too. He’s one of the best players of our generation, no doubt,” Auger-Aliassime said.
Monday will mark Auger-Aliassime’s first appearance in Wimbledon’s round of 16 and his third in the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
The Australian is also playing mixed doubles with Venus Williams at this year’s tournament.
The men’s singles started on a more light-hearted note when Kyrgios stepped onto the court only to realize he left his grass-court shoes in the locker room.
His mishap forced the two players to stand around for a couple of minutes before they could start their warmup.
“The one day I thought I was being a professional,” Kyrgios joked.
A Wimbledon employee reunited him with the right shoes.
Federer extends record with win over Norrie
Roger Federer is into the fourth round of Wimbledon for a record-extending 18th time.
The 39-year-old Federer beat Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 on Centre Court.
The eight-time Wimbledon champion had a slight wobble in the third set when he missed two break points at 5-5 and was then broken at love by Norrie.
Now EIGHTEEN times into the second week!@RogerFederer’s pursuit of title No.9 continues with a 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Cameron Norrie#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/eLaCK4bgKH
—@Wimbledon
After trading breaks in the fourth set, Federer broke again for a 5-4 lead.
He will play No. 23-seeded Lorenzo Sonego of Italy on Monday.
It’s the 69th time that Federer has reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament, also a record.
Norrie was the last British man remaining in the tournament.
Barty takes straight sets win over Siniakova
Top-ranked Ash Barty matched her best Wimbledon result by reaching the fourth round for the second time.
Barty beat Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 7-5 on Centre Court.
She will face French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova on Monday, a matchup she called “an incredible challenge.”
Barty won the French Open in 2019, the same year she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Gauff, Raducanu move on to 4th round
Coco Gauff isn’t the only teenager making a splash at Wimbledon this time. Emma Raducanu is suddenly stealing some of the spotlight.
The 18-year-old Raducanu and the 17-year-old Gauff both advanced to the fourth round of the grass-court Grand Slam within minutes of each other Saturday.
For Gauff, it’s the second time she’s reached the second week at Wimbledon after her breakthrough performance in 2019, and she has already become a Centre Court regular. For Raducanu, who is playing in her first Grand Slam tournament, it’s an unexpected run that has given the British crowd an instant new favourite.
Note to challengers: If you’re coming for @CocoGauff, you’ll need to bring your A-game#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/HuyPzMBIFz
—@Wimbledon
Raducanu became the youngest British woman in the Open era to reach the fourth round at the All England Club by beating veteran Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 7-5.
“Who’d have thought?” Raducanu asked. “When I was packing to come into the bubble, my parents were like, ‘Aren’t you packing too many match kits?’ I think I’m going to have to do some laundry tonight.”
Raducanu was given a wild-card entry into the tournament but looked right at home playing on No. 1 Court, winning eight straight games to take a 3-0 lead in the second set. But she struggled to put away Cirstea, failing to convert three straight break points in the next game. She was then broken and missed another five break points at 4-3 in a marathon game that lasted nearly 15 minutes.
And she needed three match points in the final game before Cirstea netted a forehand.
The moment @EmmaRaducanu became the youngest British woman to reach the fourth round at #Wimbledon in the Open era 👏 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/SUxODx6VIo
—@Wimbledon
Gauff had an easier time completing a 6-3, 6-3 win over Kaja Juvan on Centre Court. Gauff finished with 21 winners and broke her opponent five times.
She will next play former Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber, who beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 2-6, 6-0, 6-1.
Kerber trailed 5-1 in the first set when a rain delay interrupted play for about 90 minutes and then dominated her opponent when play resumed. The German is the only former women’s champion left in the draw. Sasnovich advanced from the first round when Serena Williams had to retire with an injury in the first set.
Raducanu will face Ajla Tomljanovic, who was involved in a heated exchange with Jelena Ostapenko after their third-round match. Tomljanovic accused Ostapenko of faking an injury to get a medical timeout while trailing 4-0 in the third set. They traded insults at the net after the match.
“Your behaviour is terrible,” Ostapenko said. “You have zero respect.”
“You’re the one to talk,” Tomljanovic responded.
Tomljanovic won 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova beat Anastasija Sevastova 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-5.
In men’s play, No. 7-seeded Matteo Berrettini advanced with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Aljaz Bedene. Roger Federer was playing Cameron Norrie of Britain on Centre Court.
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