Sweet 16 for Djokovic as Wimbledon seeds crash
Sports
Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon third round for the 16th time on Wednesday.
LONDON (AFP) - Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon third round for the 16th time on Wednesday as three of the top 10 women s seeds crashed out.
Top seed Djokovic brushed aside 79th-ranked Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 and will face Serbian compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic for a last-16 place.
"I m very happy with my performance. I started very well, solid from the back of the court," said Djokovic, who is looking to join Pete Sampras as a seven-time Wimbledon champion.
"I made him work for every point and worked him around the court," added the 20-time major winner.
Kokkinakis had likened Djokovic to a "brick wall" before the match.
"It was one-way traffic. I got chopped today," said the 26-year-old Australian after his Centre Court torment.
Third seed and French Open runner-up Casper Ruud, who was scheduled to face Djokovic in the semi-finals, was knocked out by 112th-ranked Ugo Humbert, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.
But Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz stayed on course to meet the six-time champion in the last eight by reaching the third round for the first time.
Alcaraz, just 19, triumphed over Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, 6-4, 7-6 (7/0), 6-3.
The flamboyant Spanish shot-maker goes on to face Germany s Oscar Otte for a place in the last 16.
Otte needed just 15 minutes to reach the third round when American opponent Christian Harrison retired injured at 3-1 down in their second-round tie.
Alcaraz s compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina suffered a controversial exit at the hands of Jiri Vesely.
At match point down in the final set tie-break, Davidovich Fokina hit the ball out of court, was penalised a point by umpire Carlos Ramos and lost the tie.
"I don t agree with it. That s crazy... what a lousy way to end it," US tennis great John McEnroe told ESPN.
In the women s tournament, second seed Anett Kontaveit, ninth seed and former champion Garbine Muguruza as well as 10th-seeded US Open winner Emma Raducanu all exited.
Kontaveit lost 6-4, 6-0 to Germany s Julie Niemeier as the Estonian endured another Grand Slam to forget.
Kontaveit has made the quarter-finals of a major just once in 29 attempts.
Muguruza, the 2017 champion, lost her delayed first-round clash, 6-4, 6-0 to Belgium s Greet Minnen.
Raducanu, bidding to become Britain s first female champion at the All England Club in 45 years, was beaten 6-3 6-3 by France s 55th-ranked Caroline Garcia.
"I really enjoyed playing on Centre Court, it was my first time and very special," said Garcia, who fired 25 winners past the British teenager.
There were no such dramas for third seed Ons Jabeur or fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari, who went through to the last 32 in straight sets.
- Amazing support -
Lesia Tsurenko came out on top in three sets over Ukrainian compatriot Anhelina Kalinina to make the third round for the second time.
Tsurenko, ranked at 101, proudly wore a ribbon in the colours of Ukraine on her shirt.
"It was a big court. Two Ukrainian players but a lot of people were watching us. We felt amazing support," said Tsurenko after her 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win.
"Today on the way from hotel to the club, we got a driver," she added. "She has taken two people from Ukraine into her house.
"I think it s amazing when people help Ukrainians so much."
Later Wednesday, two-time champion Andy Murray was on court, putting his 8-0 record against John Isner on the line.
Isner has served 13,688 aces in Tour-level matches during his career -- just 40 behind the record of 13,728 held by Ivo Karlovic.
