Photo Source: Rob Newell/ Camera Sport
Wimbledon, Day 5: It’s time to commence the third round at the Championships! Scroll down to find out what we’ll be watching at Wimbledon on Friday.
See the full Day 5 Order of Play Here
Sabalenka vs British Hope Raducanu
No more upsets has been the refrain for World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon, and she hopes she can keep that personal narrative alive as she faces Emma Raducanu in Friday’s third match on Centre Court.
Raducanu has proven to be a very tough out over the years at Wimbledon – she's 9-3 lifetime at SW19 – and she enters this third-round clash in good form. 40th-ranked Raducanu has already reached the second week at Wimbledon on two occasions but to make it three she will have to pull THE UPSET of a tournament riddled with upsets.
She’ll have the support of the Centre Court faithful, but she’ll have to deal with some weight of shot issues against the powerful Sabalenka.
Sabalenka, if she executes, has the potential to bully Raducanu and to limit her creative options. Sabalenka won their only previous match at Indian Wells last year in straight sets.
An intriguing matchup to say the least.
Pick: Sabalenka in straight sets on the strength of a break in each set.
Fritz on the Fourth
Taylor Fritz has battled through back-to-back five-setters in his first two matches at Wimbledon, and on Friday his brutal draw continues with a third-round over talented Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The Spaniard, seeded 26, is a former Wimbledon junior champion who is bidding for his first trip the fourth round at the Championships.
Fifth-seeded Fritz, meanwhile, is aiming for his deepest ever run at Wimbledon – he has reached the quarterfinals in two of the past three years. In a wide open section of the men’s singles draw – gone are Zverev and Medvedev from this mini-section, the stakes will be high.
Fritz took the pair’s last meeting on the Eastbourne grass, but Davidovich Fokina leads the head-to-head 3-2.
Pick: Fritz in five again, on the strength of more clutch tennis
All Eyes on Keys?
Madison Keys said she feels like she dodged a bullet in her first-round win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Ahead of her third-round clash with Germany’s Laura Siegemund, Keys will hope to benefit from her second life in the draw as she bids to reach the second week for the fourth consecutive time.
Following Keys’ showdown on Court 2, debutant Joao Fonseca will bid to reach the round of 16 against surging Chilean Nicolas Jarry. Fonseca, 18, is the youngest player to reach the third round at Wimbledon since 2011.
Pick: Keys in three, Fonseca in four
Enjoy.