The world No.1 departs at the third hurdle, but seven-time champion Novak Djokovic bounced back in style
©Corinne Dubreuil / FFTA collection of five-set rollercoasters, title contenders booked their second week tickets, career milestones were achieved on an electric day at The All England Club.
In both the men’s and the women’s draws, the Last 16 rosters were completed on Saturday. Here are the key headlines from south-west London.
21 matches in a row, World No.1 Iga Swiatek had swept through the clay court swing, defending her Roland-Garros crown along the way, but that mesmerising run has been halted by the pumped-up Kazakh Yulia Putintseva.
The world No.35 had lost their previous four encounters. Flipping that script, the recent Birmingham champion transported that form to SW19 to dismiss the top seed 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 with “fast” tennis rushing Swiatek.
“At some point I was playing fearless. Also my coach told me, no matter which shot you're doing, believe 100 percent,” said Putintseva, back in a major fourth round for the first time since US Open 2020.
“Honestly, the title in Birmingham give me a lot of confident that I can play and I can be good on grass, because before that my statistic on grass wasn't that successful.
“Last year I won no matches on grass. Entering the tournament like Wimbledon, when you have five consecutive wins on grass. You feel this surface much, much better.”
Putintseva advances to meet Jelena Ostapenko. On the flip side, Swiatek bemoans running out of steam.
“My tank of really pushing myself to the limits became suddenly, empty. I was kind of surprised. But I know what I did wrong after Roland-Garros. I didn't really rest properly. I'm not going to make this mistake again,” insisted Swiatek.
“I feel like on grass I need little bit more of that energy to keep being patient and accept some mistakes. I didn't really do that well on this tournament. I need to recover better after clay court season, both physically and mentally.”
2022 champion Elena Rybakina bolstered her title credentials by sweeping aside former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki 6-0, 6-1 in just 57 minutes. The Kazakh will meet No.17 seed Anna Kalinskaya next, who dispatched Liudmila Samsonova 7-6(4), 6-2.
2019 and 2013 Wimbledon semi-finalist Elina Svitolina proved her major pedigree once again by defeating No.10 seed Ons Jabeur 6-1, 7-6(4).
“It’s not easy to play such a champion as Ons is. She had a great two finals here (2022, 2023 runner-up). Always very tricky to play her on the grass,” said Svitolina, through to face Wang Xinyu in the Last 16.
“I played great tennis today and was happy with how I handled tough moments today. It was a really tight second set, I was really trying to stay focused. Of course, it’s a relief to win that tie-break, they are always a bit of a lottery and I feel like I won today.”
Elsewhere, Danielle Collins roared into the second week during her last Wimbledon, posting 6-4, 6-4 over Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia. Can 2021 Roland-Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova deny the fired up American?
Ugo Humbert booked a second week blockbuster with reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz with a 7-6(9), 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(6) scoreboard with Brandon Nakashima.
"A lot has happened in five years," Humbert recalled, matching his finest Grand Slam showing to date. "In 2019, when I played Djokovic here, it was all new and I had a lot less experience than I have now. I was also more carefree because I didn't really know what was going on (laughs).
“Today, I can rely on solid foundations, and I know that I'm there tennis-wise, physically and mentally. I'm a different kind of player and these are the kind of matches I love to play. That's why I decided to play tennis. I'm very happy to be able to play Alcaraz."
Fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard earned a 21st birthday clash with Lorenzo Musetti on Monday.
He became just the fifth Lucky Loser in the Open Era to reach this stage, with 27 aces and 53 winners propelling the world No.58 to a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(5), 6-4 victory facing Emil Ruusuvuori.
The 6’8” tall talent has only been broken once in 62 service games, saving 13 of 14 break points, across his three matches in the main draw. What can Musetti conjure up on return?
Unfortunately, Lucas Pouille had to withdraw prior to his tussle with No.9 seed Alex De Minaur with an abdominal injury. The Australian roadrunner has another French test in the shape of Arthur Fils.
“Of course, Ugo is a bit older than us, but I'm very happy for him and I'm especially happy for Gio,” stated Fils, soon after a five-set triumph over Roman Safiullin. “We're both in the second week of a Grand Slam, we grew up together in Poitiers, we have great memories together, we're 'brothers', I think that's wonderful".
Seven-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic avoided a marathon match with Alexei Popyrin, coming up with clutch tennis on the home straight 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) in an ominous sign to his rivals.
“Each match is getting better. My feeling of movement and confidence… particularly during the extreme balls, sliding, I definitely felt better today than I did in the second round match,” stated the Serbian. “Hopefully the trajectory will keep going in a positive way.”
Djokovic meets No.15 seed Holger Rune in the Last 16. The Dane achieved a career-first comeback from two sets down 1-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-1 over the net from Quentin Halys.
30 years on from his father, and coach, Bryan making the Wimbledon fourth round, Ben Shelton matched that feat with a third successive five-set victory at The Championships.
The American defeated Denis Shapovalov 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 for a shot at world No.1 Jannik Sinner.
“I'm really excited. We have played three times. He's got me two of them…You know kind of what it feels like going in,” stated Shelton.
“I think it's a great opportunity for me. The biggest challenge in tennis playing the top-ranked player in the world.
“But, I'm never somebody to be scared going into a match or feel unprepared. I'm always confident in my abilities no matter who is on the other side of the net. I'm going to go out there, try to problem-solve, figure things out as it goes and just compete as hard as I can.”
No.4 seed Alexander Zverev ousted Cameron Norrie in three tight sets and No.5 seed Daniil Medvedev navigated past Jan Lennard in four sets too. That means for the first time since 2014, all Top 5 men remain in the draw heading into the fourth round!
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
