ZCZC
BSP-13
TENNIS-GBR-WIMBLEDON
Nadal teaches Kyrgios lesson at Wimbledon, champion Kerber knocked out
LONDON, July 5, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Rafael Nadal may not end up winning a
third Wimbledon singles title but he will take joy from having beaten his
‘bete noire’ Nick Kyrgios in an engrossing but bad-tempered grudge match on
Thursday.
The 33-year-old Spaniard came through in four sets 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-
6 (7/3) which saw fiery but talented Australian Kyrgios receive a warning for
unsportsmanlike behaviour after a running argument with the umpire while
twice serving under-arm.
Nadal’s pleasure was evident when he sealed the match against a man he had
accused of lacking respect for the sport as he fist-pumped and jumped in the
air yelling to his camp seated on Centre Court.
“I was aware of everything,” said Nadal, who was winning his 50th match at
Wimbledon.
“I was just next to him so I don’t want to comment on this but potentially
he is a Grand Slam winner.”
Earlier, his great rival, eight-time champion Roger Federer had no such
problems as he eased into the third round, beating British wild card Jay
Clarke 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 to equal American legend Jimmy Connors’s record of
17 appearances in the last 32.
On the women’s side, there will be a new name adorning the trophy as
defending champion Angelique Kerber went out in three sets to lucky loser
Lauren Davis 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Federer said his game had not been perfect but Clarke had helped his
cause.
“I struggled to take care of business a bit from the baseline,” said 37-
year-old Federer who has now reached the third round at the Slams for the
70th time.
Federer and Nadal’s half of the draw lost two of the potentially more
awkward customers in big serving duo John Isner and Marin Cilic.
Ninth-seeded Isner, who played in the epic semi-final last year with Kevin
Anderson which lasted over six hours, fell in five sets to unseeded Kazakh
Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in just over three hours of
play.
Cilic, the 13th seed and finalist in 2017, lost in straight sets to
Portugal’s Joao Sousa, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Kerber looked in control after the first set but once she went 3-2 down in
the second Davis — ranked outside the top 250 earlier this year — gained in
confidence.
“Its been a tough journey and a process of learning and growing as a
player and person,” said Davis.
“The drop in ranking has made this win even more fulfilling.”
– ‘Infinity and beyond’ –
There was a scare for seven-time champion Serena Williams, who dropped the
first set against 18-year-old Slovenian qualifier Kaja Juvan before
prevailing 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
“It brings the best out of me the pressure,” said 37-year-old Williams.
“I play best when I am down sometimes. I am a fighter, I never give up.”
Ashleigh Barty’s bid to become the first woman since Williams in 2015 to
win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year stayed on track with a 6-
1, 6-3 second round victory over Belgium’s Alison van Uytvanck.
Barty, only the second Australian woman after Evonne Goolagong Cawley over
40 years ago to be number one in the world, said the most pleasure she has
had in her new status is when she speaks to her niece back in Australia.
“Over and over she tells me you can go to infinity and beyond,” sad Barty.
“She’s an incredible little girl who gives me so much inspiration.”
– ‘Lovely girl, great champion’ –
Barty’s next opponent British wild card Harriet Dart, for her part, could
not contain her excitement at playing the world number one.
“Super exciting,” she said.
“I have nothing to lose. I actually met her a few weeks ago at an LTA
schools visit.
“Lovely girl, great champion.”
Home fans’ appetites were sated at the end of the day when Williams’s
mixed doubles partner and former world number one Andy Murray made a
victorious return after ‘life-changing hip surgery’.
The 32-year-old Scotsman and his French partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert
gelled as the match went on winning in four sets over Marius Copil and Ugo
Humbert, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-0.
“It was nice,” said Murray. “Great to get the win.”
BSS/AFP/BZC/1905HRS