And that’s the final game done and dusted. Some great tennis today and most of the seeds safely through apart from Daniil Mevedev, sent on his way by Jan-Lennard Struff.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka beat Jelena Ostapenko in a big-hitting muscle-fest 6-4, 6-4; Naomi Osaka had a straight sets victory over Daria Kasatkina and Coco Gauff wasn’t entirely convincing in her three-set win over Claire Liu. There were also wins for Belinda Bencic, Jessica Pegula and Iva Jovic.

Novak Djokovic passed safely to the next round – though Arthur Rinderknech put him through the wringer at times, and defending champion Jannik Sinner had a straight sets victory against Jenson Brooksby. And there were two wins for qualifiers Roman Safiullin and Sintaro Mochizuki.

We’ll be back tomorrow for Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, final Brit Arthur Ferry and more. Thanks for reading today, bye!

After Zheng leaves court to generous applause, a smiling Auger-Aliassime is interviewd:

“I had a difficult start because Michael is a great young player with a great future and he stayed at a great level in the first set.

“After was the highest level I’ve played this year so I’m glad I played it in front of you all on centre court. Believe it or not, I’ve been coming here since 2019 and this is my first time playing on centre court so it was both our first times. I’m very happy that my first match on centre court is a win.”

How has he changed since he played a quarter final here in 2021? “I’m a very different player, improved everything in my game and my composure is better, In 2021 there was no crowd as well so nice to have people watching.”

Auger-Aliassime will play Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a multiple-syllable knock-out in the next round.

Ace. A winning smash hit out by Zheng. A dinky volley. A serve iht out. Game Auger-Aliassime and Zheng must serve to stay in the match.

Zheng, playing in his first Wimbledon, has suddenly come up against a man in a flow state. The crowd try to carry him but a huge Auger-Aliassime forehand wins the first point. Then a double-fault. But Zheng hauls back to 30-30 and eventually holds his serve! An energy gel and a glass of water are his reward but he’s soon out facing hte Auger-Aliassime serve again.

Everything has flowed for Auger-Aliassime since they closed the centre court roof and the floodlights went on at the end of the first set. It’s no surprise – eight of his nine titles are been indoors, and – wow – he’s already won his service game and is 4-0 up.

Zheng goes again. No, they say in the commentary box, he’s consistently serving to the Auger-Aliassime forehand. Gorgeous, dominant tennis from Auger- Aliassime who wins a 12-shot rally to go 3-0 up.

A tricky start for the second set for Zheng who can feel the next round slipping out his grasp – 0-2 down already.

Love this by Emma Brockes:

Over on Henman Hill the crowds are relaxing with a Pimms or two, while Lauren Cochrane has been casting a fashionable eye over court style.

The queen of outfits reached the second week of Wimbledon for the first time earlier today.

The crowd purrs as Auger-Aliassime slips up the net and makes good shapesas he volleys to zoom to 30-0. A flying overhead smash gives him set point and a ace seals the deal to go two sets up: 7-6, 6-2.

Zheng slopes to his chair for a drink, a second break down, the set almost gone. Auger-Aliassime has a banana and an energy gel, we didn’t get much of a look at Zheng but he now spins the raquet in his hand as he waits for the AA serve, 5-2 down.

Auger-Aliassime, hair cropped, sweatbands on each wrist, bounces the ball twice, three times. “He’s a high-risk player” say the commentators as AA double faults. But though he’s missing a few first serves, he takes the game to make it 4-2.

Auger-Aliassime pounces on a sliced Zheng forehand to make it 30-30, and piles the pressure on. He earns a break point and after an outstanding rally, Zheng nets. That’s the break AA was looking for and suddenly the 140 places between the two players starts to show. 3-2

Now Auger-Aliassime fluffs his line, as his service game also goes to deuce. Zheng is nimble, quick, but a drop volley gives AA advantage and an overhead crash wins the game. On the radio the commentators criticise how far back Zheng is standing behind the baseline. 2-2.

Auger-Aliassime is on the prowl, and puts the pressure on Zheng who has to fight not to go down an early break. But he takes his chance with his third game point when Auger-Aliassime’s forehand is long. Zheng leads the second set 2-1.

The roof is on and both Auger-Aliassime and Zheng win their first service games of the second set comfortably. There are a few empty green seats now at Centre court but the majority of the crowd have stayed for this final match between the No 3 seed and qualifier Zheng, who defeated Cameron Norrie earlier this week just a month after he graduated in psychology from Columbia University.

I think this suspended centre court match between Zheng and Auger-Aliassime is the last standing today. Just to recap some of what has happened today:

A slightly out of sorts Djokovic knocked out Rinderknech to end French interest at Wimbledon.

Roman Safiullin sent teenager Joao Fonseca home.

And Jannik Sinner won in straight sets:

Thanks Katy, we swap just in time for Felix Auger-Aliassime to secure the first set 7-6 (7-1) with a domineering tie break and for Wimbledon to close the Centre Court roof.

Auger-Aliassime and Zheng have just started a first-set tie-break, but my day is done, so Tanya is here to take you through the rest of that match. Bye from me and hello again to Tanya …

“I’m glad I didn’t let the second set derail me,” says Gauff. “I don’t think I’ll be too tired [after back-to-back three-set matches], it’s grass so you’re not playing too many long points. I’m still young, I honestly don’t really wake up sore after a match. I’m not playing my best tennis yet, but I definitely feel more confident after the last two matches, and Belinda will be tough too.”

Gauff has held on to her headstart in the third set and now leads 3-2, 30-0 on serve. Apparently Liu was forced to check out of her hotel on Wednesday, having not expected to reach the third round as a qualifier, but her accommodation problems may not be an issue for much longer, because Gauff holds for 4-2 and is pushing on Liu’s serve at 0-40. Liu saved three match points in the second set and must now fend off three break points if she’s to avoid falling a double break down. She succumbs on the first. So Gauff will serve for the match – nearly an hour after she first did – at 6-3, 6-7, 5-2.

Gauff v Liu is one of only two singles matches still taking place as the sun starts to dip: Felix Auger-Aliassime v Michael Zheng is the other, with the third seed FAA currently level at 3-3 in the opening set on Centre Court against the American qualifier who got the better of Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the first round.

And some highlights for you:

Sean Ingle was watching Djokovic’s win earlier:

This hasn’t exactly been flowing tennis, with 23 winners and 40 unforced for Liu, and 15 and 22 for Gauff, with five double faults. But it’s absorbing nonetheless, though Gauff does immediately remove some of the third-set intrigue by breaking Liu to 30 before consolidating for 6-3, 6-7, 2-0.

Gauff and Liu are now into a tie-break. Gauff came within three points of defeat in the breaker in her second-round match, but that was in the third set, this is in the second, and Gauff has the comfort this time of knowing she won the first set.

Liu pulls off a one-two punch for 4-3, and then moves to 5-3 with some courage under fire at the net. Gauff replies with a one-two punch of her own … but Liu lasers a forehand for 6-4 … then chips long on the first set point … before Gauff’s sometimes brittle serve cracks and she double faults on the second SP! Liu takes the tie-break 7-5 and they’re going to a third! Which will be hard for Gauff to accept given she served for the match at 6-3, 5-3 and had three match points on Liu’s serve at 6-3, 5-4.

But let’s hotfoot it back to No 1 Court, because Gauff has advantage on Liu’s serve at 6-3, 5-4, and it’s her second match point. Gauff goes for the drop shot … Liu does the same back … Gauff charges forward and tries to pass Liu … but the qualifier is like an octopus at the net and puts away the volley! And Liu goes on to hold for 5-5, despite a third MP! This match isn’t over yet.

“She’s a really dangerous opponent,” says a smiling Sabalenka. “Last time she smashed me off the court [in Stuttgart last year]. So I’m so happy with the performance and the level.”

She’s then asked what it’s like to face an opponent who hits the ball as hard as she does – “Yeah, it’s really scary!” – and about watching that Nadal documentary. “It’s such an inspiration. I had goosebumps. He said the only thing you can control is your focus and motivation and it’s been in my head ever since. I don’t know if he’s watching, probably not, but thanks! It’s been an inspiration.”

And what of facing Osaka next, in a repeat of their recent French Open blockbuster? “Another aggressive player, very powerful match, and I’m ready to fight and do whatever it takes to get through.”

Ostapenko, with only the spot where she is serving still in the Centre Court sun, foot faults before netting her second serve! It’s the most untimely double fault because it means Sabalenka has her first match point at 30-40. Sabalenka unleashes on the return … but misses! A reprieve for Ostapenko. And Ostapenko grasps it with both hands, bashing her way through the next two points to hold, just as Gauff finally gets the second-set breakthrough against Liu for a 6-3, 5-3 lead. Sabalenka and Gauff will serve for their matches at the same time …

Ostapenko holds. Sabalenka holds. It’s 6-4, 5-3 Sabalenka, with Ostapenko serving to stay in it. Meanwhile Gauff and Liu are still on serve in an attritional second set, with Gauff leading 6-3, 4-3.

Over on court 18, the 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova, after her second-round win over the French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, is serving for the match at 6-3, 5-2 against her countrywoman Nikola Bartunkova … and three match points come and go before she’s broken! She needed seven MPs against Andreeva, though, so the clever and classy Czech won’t be panicking just yet. A third Czech is also in action right now, with Karolina Muchova, the 10th seed, a set up but a break down at 5-4 in the second against the qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew.

Sabalenka has done a superb job of keeping her emotions in check today – in sharp contrast to her recent French Open quarter-final defeat when she completely lost her composure from a winning position – and she isn’t screaming or shouting at herself here, despite handing back one of the breaks, when Ostapenko puts down the hammer with a backhand return down the line. So Sabalenka’a lead is shortened to 6-4, 4-2.

It could be game over on Centre Court, because Sabalenka has gone into lockdown mode after that blip in the second game of the second set, and she’s broken Ostapenko twice in the past three games for a 6-4, 4-1 lead with the double break.

Some match reports for your reading pleasure:

Organisers appear to be giving Serena Williams until the very last minute to be fit for her first-round women’s doubles match alongside Venus, because tomorrow’s order of play is out, and they’re the only match listed on the schedule with a court “to be arranged”. Serena’s participation has been in doubt since she suffered a knee injury in her first-round defeat in the singles.

Gauff and Liu have traded breaks at the start of the second set, and it’s catching, because Sabalenka, having broken Ostapenko in the previous game, is head-scratchingly broken to love, in her only real lapse of the match so far! It’s Sabalenka 6-4, 1-1 Ostapenko* and Gauff* 6-3, 2-2 Liu.

I think the thing that struck me most watching that Nadal documentary, was has there ever been a sportsperson so willing to suffer for their success and fight so hard against their body while achieving so much? It’s ridiculous he was able to win 22 slam titles while playing in pain for perhaps 21 of those. But anyway, I’m getting away from matters at hand, because Sabalenka has two break points at 15-40 in the first game of the second set, but Ostapenko shuts her out on both. The world No 1 moves to a third break point after a third deuce, and doesn’t take this one either, but it’s a case of fourth time lucky as Ostapenko surrenders with a double fault and a weak second serve that gets the treatment it deserves. Sabalenka leads 6-4, 1-0 with the break.

Ostapenko is such a boom or bust player, you never quite know what to expect – so the best approach is to stay laser focused, which Sabalenka is, and that’s also what she said she was most proud of in her second-round win over McCartney Kessler, when she saved four set points in the second set before closing out a straight-sets win. Sabalenka revealed afterwards she was inspired by watching the Rafael Nadal documentary, in which he said the only thing you can control is your focus and motivation, and she’s certainly channelling her inner Rafa here.

Thanks Tanya, superb stuff. And it’s a timely moment to come back, as Sabalenka serves out the first set to love, sealed with an ace out wide, having kept hold of that break she secured in the fifth game. Sabalenka shakes her racket repeatedly in celebration, as well she should, given how tricky an opponent Ostapenko is. The world No 1 leads 6-4.

And with that, I’ll hand you back over to Katy as I take a little break.

Coco Gauff is playing fellow American Claire Liu on No. 1 Court. A tickle of a volley takes her to a 5-3 lead over a nervy Liu, who is in shorts, vest and sun visor – very Malibu Barbie, but in white. Gauff crouches and sways in the shadow at the back of the court to receive serve. Liu fights to stay in the set but her forehand misfires and Gauff wins the final point with a gorgeous drop shot to take the first set 6-3.

The shadows are starting to creep over centre court, the umpire’s chair now stretching over the tramlines. Sabalenka is a break up in this big-hitting power ballad, Ostapenko then has a break point on the Sabalenka serve, but can’t make the most of it. Sabalenka holds to lead 4-2 in this first set.

And hello to Gavriella Epstein-Lightman, whose email has landed on the Guardian doormat: “Venus Williams first competed at the Championships as a fresh-faced seventeen-year-old in 1997, losing in the first round. Now, almost thirty years later, it’s remarkable to see her competing in the mixed doubles. Whilst the movement may not be as sharp, her groundstrokes remain as deadly and penetrating as ever, and her volleys have the ease of a seasoned doubles player.”

Yes, I spotted her watching Serena the other day, she looks almost as fresh-faced now. We wait to hear if Serena will be fit for their ladies doubles match on Saturday, but alas Venus and Kevin Krawietz have lost their mixed doubles game to Lloyd Glasspooland and Tereza Mihalikova 6-4, 6-4.

Aryna Sabalenka has hit Centre Court, in a cute dress with a deep v neck and a cut out at the back, teemed with a heavy gold chain and devastating ground strokes. She’s up against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, who crushed the dreams of Brit Harriet Dart in round one, and has gone as far as a semi-final here. Sabalenka has rather laboured through her serve here, but wins the game to make it 1-1 in the first set.

Yara El-Shaboury was watching Naomi Osaka dazzle No 1 court earlier today.

And Rinderknech holds his serve to love. We have a tie break on Centre Court.

Djokovic’s gentle touch has temporarily deserted him as he misses another drop shot to go 15-30 down on his own serve. But he gambles – and wins - on another drop shot and holds his serve to put the pressure back on Rinerknech who must hold to take the game into a tie break. As the players take a break in their chairs, Djokovic tips water all over his head.

In old-fashioned white towelling headband, Rinderknech serves – into the net. But his second serve is in, only for Djokovic to miss a drop shot . A couple of fabulously entertaining rallies follow, in Rinderknech’s favour, and he ends up winning to love. 5-5, on we go.

You wouldn’t say Djokovic was pin-point perfect in that service game, but he takes it to go 5-4 up and Rinderknech must now serve to stay in the match.

Meanwhile Sinner, after losing his serve in the first game of the third set to Brooksby, breaks back and holds his own serve to 15 to go 2-1 up.

Rinderknech beats his chest and puts his hand to his ear after winning a glorious multi-shot rally to secure his serve and balance the fourth set 4-4.

Naomi Osaka has been talking to the BBC about her walking on costume. “For me, when I think of Wimbledon, I think of tradition. When I think of my culture, my mum is Japanese… and I think of the kimono, and that silhouette no matter what colour it is.”

Over on centre, the fourth set is going with serve in front of Usain Bolt, Seb Coe and Dennis Taylor in the royal box. Unlike at the World Cup, this Wimbledon fortnight has not been a story of unalloyed French success – Rinderknech is the last player standing. Still, he slams three aces to close off his service game to make it 3-3 against Djokovic.

In the long rows of seats at No. 1 court, spectators are fanning themselves, while others wear towels over their heads, player style. This is the hottest day at the Championships so far with the temperature hovering around 26 degrees, though presumably it is much hotter on the show courts.

Jannik Sinner seems to be coping ok, though he lets one set point slip through his fingers and dries his hands and racket in frustration. But he grabs the next as Jenson Brooksby sends a forehand into the net. They retire to their chairs with Sinner 2-0 up: 6-4, 6-3.

Djokovic holds his serve in front of a gripped centre court, but isn’t in the set for long as Rinderknech wins his service game to love and, from nowhere, grabs the third set 6-1 to stay in the match.

Rinderknech is eager, free flowing, and now goes a double break up on the Djokovic serve for a 4-0 lead. And in less than two minutes he has won his own serve too, with an ace to finish – suddenly it’s 5-0. Djokovic stalks back to his chair.

Thanks Katy. There’s so much going on, it’s hard to know where to look. For now, let’s settle on Centre Court, where Arthur Rinderknech, the French No.25 seed has rattled up a 3-0 lead in the third set, having gone two sets down to Djokovic. He’s currently got an ice towel round his neck and is taking a breather sitting under an umbrella held by a ball boy.

I’m heading off for a break now, so here’s Tanya to keep you company for the next couple of hours. Over to you, Tanya …

A potentially decisive moment on court 12, where Jovic, the much-hyped American 18-year-old who reached the Australian Open quarter-finals this year, has been broken for 3-4 in the deciding set. But with two other breaks of serve already in this set, perhaps we shouldn’t count Jovic out just yet. And Jovic breaks back immediately when Alexandrova bashes her backhand into the tramlines! It’s Jovic 6-3, 3-6, 4-4 Alexandrova and on. They. Go.

Djokovic is also serving for the second set at 5-4. Where to look? First to Djokovic: 30-0. Then to Sinner: 30-0. Djokovic then advances to 40-15, sealing the set with an ace. And now Sinner has three set points of his own at 40-0, and just the one will do as Brooksby’s backhand whistles wide. Djokovic leads 7-5, 6-4, Sinner leads 6-4, and on this form perhaps Djokovic is the only player who can really challenge Sinner in this half of the draw.

And Mochizuki has levelled things up against Jodar, taking the second-set breaker seven points to five. The duo have the extra motivation of a possible last-16 match against Sinner, who’s serving for the first set at 5-4, having claimed a clinical break to 15 in game seven.

Struff snatches the first-set tie-break seven points to four. The 36-year-old German has never been beyond the Wimbledon third round in 11 previous attempts, but he’s on his way here, though Medvedev, the 2023 and 2024 semi-finalist, still has more than enough time to find his own way back.

Around the grounds: Medvedev and Struff are contesting a first-set tie-break, Jovic leads 2-0 in the third set against Alexandrova, Jodar is in second-set breaker against Mochizuki, having sped through the first set 6-1, and the recent Queen’s runner-up Tommy Paul is just getting started against pub quiz answer Hubert Hurkacz, who ended Federer’s career at Wimbledon in 2021.

No break points yet between Sinner and Brooksby, at 2-2 in the opener. The 25-year-old Californian Brooksby, who has spoken admirably about the challenges of playing tennis at a high level while also living with autism, has plenty of craft and variety in his game, but Sinner’s metronomic power and precision is likely to cut through that. No so, yet, though, as Brooksby holds from deuce, with a cute drop shot, for 3-2.

Djokovic’s performance against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round drew all the superlatives, but perhaps it was a slightly misleading measure of where his game is at given that Tsitsipas has been in such horrendous form. Rinderknech is proving to be a tougher opponent, but Djokovic, at 39, still has that knack all the top players have of playing the biggest points better and, having saved a break point at 7-5, 0-1, punishes Rinderknech for his profligacy by breaking in the next game. Djokovic leads 7-5, 2-1 with the break.

Those wins for Osaka and Bencic mean Jannik Sinner v Jenson Brooksby is next on No 1, and Daniil Medvedev v Jan-Lennard Struff is getting going on No 3. So we’ve got another chance to see if any scars remain from Sinner’s French Open meltdown. Though given the defending champion’s vulnerability in the heat, perhaps he’ll be more exposed next week, if the potential heatwave arrives.

Pegula could face her fellow American Iva Jovic in the last 16, but Jovic, the 18-year-old with Serbian heritage who’s been backed by Djokovic to one day become a grand slam champion and world No 1, is close to dropping the second set against Alexandrova. Jovic trails 5-3, having won the first 6-3.

Djokovic is doing what Djokovic does, stepping it up when it matters to break Rinderknech for 6-5, as he finds a ridiculous angle after chasing down a drop shot, before unleashing a snarling return on his second break point. Serving for the opening set, he swiftly moves to 40-15, before an easy overhead at the net settles matters. Rinderknech doesn’t even attempt to chase it down, which perhaps doesn’t impress Usain Bolt, who’s watching in the Royal Box. Bolt is applauding Djokovic though, who’s a set ahead at 7-5.

Can Osaka push Sabalenka even further than she did in Paris (if Sabalenka gets past Jelena Ostapenko later)? In this form, yes I think she can. And I think she’d have the majority of the crowd on her side too, not only because of her popularity (a combination of her walk-on looks/her vulnerability in having been so open about her mental health in the past), but also because she’d be the underdog. And Wimbledon does love an underdog.

“In my career I’ve never won on this court so I’m glad to have made a really good memory here,” Osaka says. “I’ve played a lot of matches on grass the past two weeks [having reached the Bad Homburg final] so I felt really confident, but I’m trying to take it one day at a time, one point at a time even.” She’s then asked about her daughter’s birthday yesterday. “I shouldn’t be telling you this but she was really bad yesterday. We were going to take her to the park but she needed a timeout. She blew out her candles and she made a wish and I hope her wish is to behave better,” she says with a smile. Curiously she isn’t asked about the possibility of facing Sabalenka next though.

Tumaini’s interview with Kasatkina from last year is a very good read, if you have the time:

Djokovic and Rinderknech have traded breaks for 3-3 in the first set; as have Osaka and Kasatkina for 3-3 in the second. But Osaka restores her advantage, breaking for 4-3, and Kasatkina – who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2018 but isn’t in the best form of her career and has never beaten Osaka before – is two games from defeat. Kasatkina is crafty and clever and fun to watch but Osaka hits the ball so much harder and she overpowers the Australian to advance to 6-1, 5-3.

Djokovic and Rinderknech are level at 2-2 in the first set; Osaka has extended her supremacy to 6-1, 3-2 with the break; Pegula leads Bouzas Maneiro 4-0; Jovic is 4-2 up on Alexandrova; Jodar is 2-1 ahead on serve against Mochizuki; and Bencic and Kalinskaya, after nearly three hours of back and forth, are into a tie-break in the decider. Bencic batters the lines for 6-4 with a wonderful point … but these aren’t match points, because it’s the final set it’s the first to 10 …

Patten and Heliovaara, Cash and Glasspool, and Skupski and Harrison – all Wimbledon men’s doubles champions past and present – are into the third round. Out have gone Marcus Willis and David Stevenson though. You may remember Willis from 10 years ago, when he became a bit of a Wimbledon cult hero after coming through qualifying as the world No 772 to reach the second round, where he lost to Federer, winning only seven games, but he did at least get to say that he managed to lob the great man on Centre Court.

Also getting under way: the fourth seed Jessica Pegula v Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro; the stupendously talented teen Iva Jovic v Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova; and the new Rafa on the block, Spain’s Rafael Jodar, against the Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki.

Djokovic’s opponent today is the 30-year-old Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, something of a late bloomer having had the best results of this grand slam career last year, when he also made history by playing his cousin Valentin Vacherot in the Shanghai Masters final.

I wonder what the former GOAT thinks of the current GOAT copying his look. And there’s another GOAT in attendance too, by the way, because Usain Bolt is in the Royal Box. But back to No 1 Court, because Osaka has dropped only five points on serve in a 6-1 first-set demolition of Kasatkina. The former world No 1 is looking supremely confident and is one set away from filling a curious gap in her record book by reaching the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time.

Safiullin’s reward for victory could be a fourth-round match against Djokovic. He also took out his fellow Russian Andrey Rublev in the first round and had a five-set tussle against Botic Van de Zandschulp in the second. And he’s played six matches to get this far, having come through qualifying. And you can see what it means to him as he breaks down in his on-court interview, when asked about the injury problems he had last year. “I’m super happy to be back,” he says, his voice cracking. And he can’t carry on. But he’ll be back in the second week and a date with Djokovic possibly awaits – the 7X champ is just walking on to Centre Court. Wearing that RF-style jacket again.

Osaka, knives out, cuts through Kasatkina in the opening game with some superb serving, including an ace on game point at 40-15. Osaka is soon scenting blood on Kasatkina’s serve too, getting to a second break point at her advantage and then drilling a backhand winner past a stranded Kasatkina. Osaka already leads 2-0.

Krass! Fonseca has suddenly turned into Boris Becker, diving around the net on break point like there’s no tomorrow, and there may not be a tomorrow for Fonseca at this Wimbledon, because despite his net heroics to save that break point, Safiullin converts another, and the Russian qualifier just isn’t letting up. Safiullin leads 6-3, 6-3, 4-2 and is close to extinguishing hopes of a fourth-round rematch of Fonseca’s recent French Open victory over Djokovic.

Spot the difference.

The No 1 Court crowd are eagerly awaiting the entrance of O-Ren Ishii Naomi Osaka. And here she is, as her Kill Bill-inspired Wimbledon kimono gets the stage it deserves after matches on No 2 and No 3 so far. It’s not quite so resplendent as the version she wore in the first round, but it’s still some entrance nonetheless, but the kimono quickly comes off as she starts the warm-up against Daria Kasatkina, the Russian-turned-Australian who changed her nationality last year.

Bencic is feeling the scoreboard pressure as the Swiss serves to stay in the second set at 4-5. At deuce, Bencic biffs a backhand long. And then goes long again! They’re going to a third. Bencic is having some words with the umpire, but I’m not sure what she’s unhappy about. Though her mood won’t be improved by her recent record in three-setters; she’s lost four of her past five, while Kalinskaya has prevailed in five of her past six. It’s Bencic 6-4, 4-6 Kalinskaya.

The smile is back on Fonseca’s face as he hits an outrageous improvised forehand winner for 0-15 on Safiullin’s serve. Can he build on this? The initial signs are not good. An errant forehand follows on a simple rally ball, and another flies long for 30-15. Safiullin is well on top in the next point, but Fonseca courageously finds a way back into it for 30-all … and Safiullin then plonks into the net! So Fonseca has a break point at 30-40 … but he can’t get Safiullin’s smash back into play. Deuce. Advantage Fonseca. Deuce. Advantage Safiullin. Safiullin survives and Fonseca still hasn’t broken the Russian qualifier in this third-round match. Safiullin leads 6-3, 6-3, 2-1 on serve.

Skupski and Harrison are through in the men’s doubles, in two tie-break sets. Patten and Heliovaara are into a decider, while Cash and Glasspool are close to victory, having broken for 4-3 in the third.

It seems the injury problem for Kalinskaya is to do with her left hamstring, but the treatment seems to have done the trick, because the Russian races to 15-40 on Bencic’s serve, the first break points of the second set. Bencic blocks them both, securing four straight points to hold for 6-4, 4-4.

Safiullin strolls to 0-15, 0-30, 0-40 on Fonseca’s serve; it looks as if the Russian qualifier won’t even have to serve this second set out. Safiullin doesn’t win the first set point but does the second, when he drills deep to Fonseca’s backhand side … and the Brazilian can only net! Safiullin leads 6-3, 6-3. But … Fonseca did come from two sets down to defeat Djokovic a month ago, as the 19-year-old came of age at the French Open, and he’ll be hoping to draw on the spirit of that victory now.

On No 3 Court, Kalinskaya now has the trainer on for that leg injury, with Bencic 6-4, 3-4 ahead. After five breaks of serve in the opening set, both have found their serving groove in set two, and there haven’t even been any break points. That’s not the case on No 2, where Fonseca finds himself in an even deeper hole, trailing 6-3, 5-3, the break coming in game seven when the teenager misfired with one of those fearhands of his.

Speaking of the men’s doubles, four British Wimbledon champions are currently in action: the defending champions Cash and Glasspool, the 2024 winners Henry Patten and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara, and the 2023 champ Neal Skupski, who this year is playing with the American Christian Harrison, having won the 2026 Australian Open title together. Cash and Glasspool are locked at one set all in their second-round match, Patten and Heliovaara are a set to the good, as are Skupski and Harrison.

Leading men’s doubles players are angry at plans from the ATP Tour to cut prize money and halve the size of tournaments.

Under proposals presented to the players at Wimbledon this week, the ATP wants to reduce the share of prize money allocated to doubles events at its tournaments from 20% to 10%, with the savings passed on to the singles players, whose share would rise to 90% of each purse.

The proposed changes would bring the ATP in line with the four grand slams, which allocate about 10% of prize money to doubles, but has led to a backlash from the locker room.

Reigning Wimbledon doubles champion Julian Cash, who with Lloyd Glasspool last year became the first British pair to win the men’s doubles title in SW19 for 89 years, described the ATP’s plans as “sad and catastrophic”.

The ATP’s position is that as prize money has increased in recent years, allocating 20% to doubles is no longer justifiable, given commercial, broadcast and spectator interest in the event.

ATP Masters events currently pay £350,000 per pair in prize money for winning double tournaments, and a singles player would have to reach the semi-finals of their event to earn a comparable sum.

The other early singles match is Bencic, the 2021 Olympic champion and last year’s Wimbledon semi-finalist, against the 19th seed, Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya. The Swiss looks as if she resisted the temptation to stay awake/get up early to watch the World Cup win over Algeria as she leads 6-4, 2-2 – though she was pulled back from 4-1 ahead in an opener that had five breaks of serve. Bencic is a set away from becoming the first woman to advance to week two – and Kalinskaya's not being helped here by a left leg injury.

On No 2 Court the Brazil shirts and flags are out in force, but the flags are fluttering a little less frantically when Fonseca drops the first set 6-3 against Roman Safiullin. At first look, Safiullin may not appear to be much of a danger for the 19-year-old Brazilian with the nuclear forehand; Safiullin had to come through qualifying and he hadn’t won a grand slam match in 2026 before this tournament. But Safiullin’s heavy hitting suits the grass, shown by his run to quarter-finals here in 2023, and he also defeated his fellow Russian Andrey Rublev, the 12th seed, in five sets in round one.