Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev took time to get going earlier than reaching the third spherical, however eighth seed Casper Ruud felt the gloom on a humid Wednesday on the All England Membership after being knocked out.
Alcaraz got here near dropping the opening set of his match in opposition to Australian Aleksandar Vukic, however the third seed sprang to life to safe a 7-6 (5), 6-2, 6-2 win.
Alcaraz stated he was rediscovering the shape that led him to the 2023 title.
“I am feeling related … clearly, I am getting higher and higher. Hopefully, if I preserve profitable, I’ll discover the identical stage as the ultimate final 12 months,” stated Alcaraz, who downed Novak Djokovic in 5 units in 2023 for what on the time was his second main championship. “I am feeling that I am taking part in nice tennis. Bodily, I am feeling nice. Hopefully I am going to preserve going.”
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Alcaraz subsequent performs American Frances Tiafoe, who he final confronted within the 2022 US Open semifinals en path to his first main title.
“Frances, an excellent participant, an excellent particular person as effectively,” Alcaraz stated. “He all the time smiles. He all the time looks as if he is having fun with his time on the courtroom, off the courtroom as effectively. It is fairly spectacular. Attempt to placed on a present each time he steps on the courtroom, as effectively.
“It’ll be a very enjoyable match to play, to look at. I am going to attempt to put my good weapons on the match and attempt to beat him.”
Medvedev seemed out of types early on Centre Court docket and was pushed onerous by No. 102 Alexandre Muller earlier than prevailing 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-4, 7-5.
Rain delayed the beginning of play on the outer courts for a bit of over two hours within the morning, and Ruud grew to become an early sufferer when the motion resumed. The three-time Grand Slam runner-up fell 4-6, 5-7, 7-6 (1), 3-6 to Italian Fabio Fognini.
“I am disenchanted that I misplaced however I do know my skills on this floor and I am attempting to be lifelike,” stated Ruud, whose finest outcomes have come on clay and onerous courts.
“I simply discover it tough. I discover it enjoyable as a problem and I strive my finest yearly,” he stated. “I have never given up on it but however it’s actually tough for me by some means, the motion and feeling assured on the market.”
American Tommy Paul, seeded twelfth, got here from behind to beat Finland’s Otto Virtanen 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the following spherical, the place he’ll play Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik.
In the meantime, fellow American Christopher Eubanks, who reached the quarterfinals final 12 months, suffered a 4-6, 4-6, 2-6 loss to France’s Quentin Halys.
The matches between American 14th seed Ben Shelton in opposition to Lloyd Harris of South Africa, and tenth seed Grigor Dimitrov in opposition to China’s Juncheng Shang, had been postponed to Thursday.
Jannik Sinner faces Matteo Berrettini in an all-Italian showdown on Centre Court docket.
Reuters contributed to this report.
