LONDON: Andy Murray is teaming up with Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon in an eye-catching all-British mixed doubles pairing as part of his emotional farewell to the tournament.
The pair were Wednesday granted a wild card just a day after Murray, 37, pulled out of the singles due to his failure to regain full fitness following a back operation.
The two-time Wimbledon singles champion will also play men’s doubles with his brother Jamie at the All England Club, launching their campaign on Center Court on Thursday.
The mixed doubles event starts the following day.
Murray played mixed doubles with Serena Williams in 2019, making it to the third round, but it will be a Grand Slam debut in doubles for Raducanu.
The Scot, who has been ravaged by injuries in recent years, was asked after practice on Wednesday how the new doubles pairing had come about.
“Yesterday I was chatting to my team, they were discussing mixed and then last night I messaged her coach and just said, ‘Look, do you think this is something that maybe she’d be up for doing?’” he said.
Raducanu was quick to accept the proposal from the former world number one.
“Thankfully I got quite a quick reply,” said Murray. “It was quite late yesterday evening when I sent the message, it would have been after nine, so I was a bit worried she might be in bed, but I got a quick reply. She said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it’.”
Speaking earlier this week, Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, said teaming up with Murray at Wimbledon was “a childhood dream.”
Murray, now ranked 113th in the world, said despite his new partner’s inexperience, she would be well-suited to the format.
“She’s obviously unbelievably competitive and likes playing in the big stadiums and stuff with crowds so I expect she’ll deal with that really well,” he said.
He added: “She’s a brilliant returner and great ball striker so I’d imagine she’ll deal with returning guys’ serves well. And, when she’s getting into exchanges at the back of the court, she’ll be really good.”
The British pair face a tough opening contest against Marcelo Arevalo and Zhang Shuai.
El Salvador’s Arevalo last month won the men’s doubles title for the second time at the French Open while China’s Zhang is also a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion.
Raducanu eased into the third round of the Wimbledon singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Elize Mertens on Wednesday.
Murray teams up with Raducanu in Wimbledon British dream team
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Murray teams up with Raducanu in Wimbledon British dream team
- The pair were Wednesday granted a wild card just a day after Murray, 37, pulled out of the singles
- The two-time Wimbledon singles champion will also play men’s doubles with his brother Jamie at the All England Club
Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz comes back to beat Frances Tiafoe in the third round
- Alcaraz avoided a surprising exit and got past Tiafoe 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2
- “It’s always a big challenge playing against Frances. As I’ve said many, many times, he’s a really talented player,” Alcaraz said
LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz found himself pushed to a Grand Slam fifth set again, this time at Wimbledon, this time against good pal Frances Tiafoe. And as he usually does under such circumstances, no matter how much trouble he might have been in, Alcaraz surged to the finish.
Alcaraz avoided a surprising exit and got past Tiafoe 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 on Friday to reach Wimbledon’s fourth round in an entertaining match filled with moments of brilliance and a series of momentum swings across its 3 hours, 50 minutes.
“It’s always a big challenge playing against Frances. As I’ve said many, many times, he’s a really talented player. Really tough to face. And he showed it once again,” Alcaraz said. “It was really, really difficult for me to adapt my game, to find solutions, to try to put him in trouble. But really happy to do it at the end.”
In front of a Center Court crowd that included Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman, and under a closed retractable roof that amplified the thuds of rackets-on-balls, grunts and cheers, the third-seeded Alcaraz was outplayed for stretches by No. 29 Tiafoe.
But Alcaraz was better at the business end and improved to 12-1 in his nascent career in fifth sets — including victories in the semifinals and final at the French Open after being down 2-1 in sets en route to the title there last month. Tiafoe fell to 6-13 in five-setters.
Tiafoe was unable to pull out what would have been a surprising victory for someone who arrived at Wimbledon with a sprained ligament in his right knee and a losing record this season.
Sure came close, though.
The 26-year-old American was two points away from getting the chance to serve for the win, getting to love-30 on Alcaraz’s serve at 4-all in the fourth set. But Alcaraz steadied himself and claimed the next four points, capped by an ace at 130 mph (210 kph).
He then dominated the ensuing tiebreaker, grabbing a 5-0 lead.
“I served (at) a lot of difficult moments during the fourth set. ... All I was thinking is: ‘OK, fight one more ball, one more ball.’ Thinking about the next point,” Alcaraz said. “And obviously in the tiebreak, I always tell myself that I have to go for it. If I lose it, I lose it, but I have to feel that I went for it all the time.”
The final set featured more one-way traffic. Tiafoe held in the opening game, but that was pretty much that. At 1-all, Alcaraz got the last break he would need by smacking a cross-court backhand passing shot that Tiafoe let fly by; the ball landed right at the baseline, spraying a bit of chalk.
Others into the fourth round with victories on a rainy day were reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff, French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini, No. 19 Emma Navarro — the American who eliminated Naomi Osaka earlier in the week — and 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys in the women’s bracket, and No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov and No. 12 Tommy Paul in the men’s.
Gauff, who is seeded No. 2, will face Navarro in an all-American matchup for a quarterfinal berth.
Most of the attention Friday was on Alcaraz and Tiafoe, two known for providing a show. Alcaraz delivered on-the-run, back-to-the-net ‘tweeners and pointed to his ear to ask spectators for more noise; Tiafoe interacted with the fans, too, waving to them to get louder.
These two good-naturedly traded some mild trash talk when they found out they’d be facing each other, and they hugged and chatted at the net when it was over.
Tiafoe stopped playing during a match last month at the Queen’s Club event after hurting his knee, and was just 13-14 in 2024 before Wimbledon, with some of those losses coming against players he referred to as “clowns,” without naming names.
After Tiafoe, who wore a black sleeve on his right knee, slipped and went down to the ground a couple of times Friday, Alcaraz walked around the net to the other side of the court to check on him or offer a hand to help him get to his feet.
There were fewer of the sorts of lengthy, extended exchanges they engaged in at Flushing Meadows a little less than two years ago — when Alcaraz defeated Tiafoe in a five-setter in the US Open semifinals — mostly owing to the speedier grass that tends to end points quickly. Still, there was shared excellence aplenty, including a 22-stroke point that Alcaraz won to help lead 4-2 in the first set.
Tiafoe broke right back and soon owned that set. Alcaraz righted himself in the second. Then it was Tiafoe’s turn to play better in the third. And, ultimately, it was Alcaraz who emerged.
Now Alcaraz will continue to pursue a second consecutive title at the All England Club and his fourth Grand Slam trophy overall, including the recent triumph in Paris that made the 21-year-old Spaniard the youngest man to win a major championship on all three surfaces.
‘I wish I could play forever’ says tearful Murray at Wimbledon farewell
LONDON: Andy Murray suffered a losing start in his farewell to Wimbledon on Thursday, weeping openly in front of his adoring fans before admitting: “I wish I could play forever.”
Murray, a two-time singles champion at Wimbledon, and brother Jamie were defeated 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 by Rinky Hijikata and John Peers of Australia in the first round of men’s doubles.
It was the first episode of a retirement three-parter — the 37-year-old is scheduled to play mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon before he retires at the Paris Olympics.
After having a metal hip inserted in 2019, suffering ankle damage this year and undergoing surgery to remove a cyst from his spine which ruled him out of singles at Wimbledon, Murray has reluctantly accepted the writing is on the wall.
His career has yielded three Grand Slam titles, two Olympic golds, a Davis Cup and the world number one ranking.
“Look it’s hard because I would love to keep playing but I can’t. Physically it is too tough now, all of the injuries, they have added up and they haven’t been insignificant,” he said.
“I want to play forever, I love the sport and it’s given me so much. It’s taught me loads of lessons over the years I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop so it is hard.”
Tears flowed when video tributes were paid to Murray by a number of stars including Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Career-long rival Novak Djokovic was courtside to witness Murray’s emotional evening in the spotlight.
“It was obviously really special to play with Jamie,” added Murray.
“We never got chance to do it before (at Wimbledon) and the way things worked out, there was a chance.
“It was a bit of a race to get out here. Physically it wasn’t easy but I am glad we did it.”
Murray received a standing ovation when he walked onto Center Court alongside his brother, older by 15 months and a winner of two Grand Slam men’s doubles titles.
Up in the players’ box, his family, including mother Judy, father William, wife Kim and two of his children joined in the applause.
The famous arena witnessed some of Murray’s most dramatic moments.
His tearful 2012 final loss to Roger Federer was followed by Olympic gold just weeks later.
“I’m not saying I’m the most outgoing or bubbly personality, but I think people probably saw how much I cared about the sport for the first time maybe,” said Murray of that loss to the Swiss great.
In 2013 Murray claimed his first Wimbledon title, ending a 77-year wait for a British male champion, and added another three years later.
On Thursday, the former world number one was treated to ecstatic cheers even when it was announced it was his turn to serve.
Hardly surprisingly, Murray appeared stiff in his movement, not helped by the chilly temperatures, which dipped to 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit).
The brothers had a set point in the opener, which they were unable to convert.
Hijikata made them pay with a drive forehand down the middle of the court when it came to his turn to capitalize on his team’s set point.
“Let’s go” shouted Andy Murray when he and Jamie staved off break points on his serve in the opening game of the second set.
Murray had grimaced as he struggled on serve — he defiantly punched the air when he prevailed.
Moments later, Murray treated his fans to his trademark, nerve-tingling roar that has regularly bounced around Center Court for the best part of two decades as he unleashed a winning forehand for a 2-0 lead in the second set.
The euphoria was brief as left-handed Jamie was broken.
Peers unintentionally speared a fierce forehand at the body of Andy Murray and immediately apologized.
Jamie dropped serve again as the Australian pair moved into a 4-3 lead, with Hijikata eventually sealing victory with a smart backhand down the center.
Djokovic into Wimbledon third round after rookie scare
- Djokovic triumphed 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 but had to save two break points midway through the fourth set before seeing off the challenge of the world number 277
- “I had never seen him play so there is always the element of surprise,” admitted Djokovic
LONDON: Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic was made to fight by British outsider Jacob Fearnley before reaching the third round for the 18th time on Thursday.
Djokovic triumphed 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 but had to save two break points midway through the fourth set before seeing off the challenge of the world number 277.
“I had never seen him play so there is always the element of surprise,” admitted Djokovic.
“He had nothing to lose and served well. I was a little lucky in the fourth set. I could have won the match in three and it could have gone to a fifth.
“The way he was playing, I’m glad it didn’t.”
The 37-year-old Djokovic had cruised through the first two sets on Center Court against a player who was making his Grand Slam debut this week.
He was a break up in the third to lead 3-2 but Fearnley, who was still playing university tennis in the United States last month, retrieved the break immediately.
He then rode the momentum to claim the third set.
Fearnley forced the 24-time Grand Slam champion to save two break points in the sixth game of the fourth set.
Djokovic made the Briton pay for his failure to convert the advantage and gained a final crucial break in the 11th game before serving out the match.
“I didn’t really feel comfortable in my own skin in the third and fourth sets,” said Djokovic.
“But sometimes you have rough days when you don’t feel your best. It’s a win and I’ll take it.”
Djokovic fired 34 winners past Fearnley, whose 42 winners were canceled out by an unforced error count of 49.
World number two Djokovic will take on Australia’s Alexei Popyrin for a place in the last 16.
Wimbledon rookie takes aim at Djokovic after beating Alcaraz and Sinner
- Fearnley won his first Grand Slam match on debut on Tuesday; it was also his first win of any kind on the main tour
- Djokovic admitted he knows absolutely nothing about Fearnley
LONDON: Not many players can boast victories over Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner but British rookie Jacob Fearnley has notched up that impressive double and now looks for a third in the shape of Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.
Fearnley’s wins over reigning Wimbledon champion Alcaraz and world No. 1 Sinner came in his junior days.
Since then, their career paths have taken radically different directions — Alcaraz and Sinner are winning Grand Slams and banking millions of dollars while Fearnley headed to university in the US.
“I played Alcaraz when he was maybe 14, I was 17. Sinner, I played him maybe when we were 15,” said 22-year-old Fearnley on Tuesday.
“Obviously the strides they’ve taken in their games have been a lot more than myself. The way they’re playing, it’s unbelievable.
“I don’t think I can really take anything from those victories.”
Fearnley won his first Grand Slam match on debut on Tuesday; it was also his first win of any kind on the main tour.
Before seeing off Spain’s Alejandro Moro Canas 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (14/12), his only professional match on the ATP tour came in Eastbourne last week where he was a first-round loser.
The week before, however, he illustrated his prowess on grass courts by coming out of qualifying to win a second-tier Challenger event in Nottingham.
“It’s a bit crazy,” said Fearnley, the world No. 277.
He was referring to a month which also saw him help Texas Christian University win the national championships in the US at the end of his five-year college career.
Fearnley has already faced one Wimbledon giant in his time — at the 2018 tournament, he was drafted in as a hitting partner for Roger Federer.
“That was really cool. He’s a super nice guy. Obviously a really, really special player. I learned a lot of things from those brief practice sessions,” he said.
Now he faces comfortably one of the most daunting tasks in the sport — trying to defeat seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic in the second round on Thursday.
“I have no idea,” said Fearnley when asked how he planned to author a seismic victory over a man who has won 24 Grand Slam titles.
“I’ve watched so many videos of him. It doesn’t look like there’s many flaws in his game. I’m going to just try and enjoy it, put my game out on the court and see what happens.”
Djokovic admitted he knows absolutely nothing about Fearnley.
“I haven’t seen him hit. So I’ll have to do my homework,” said the Serb.
Earlier Tuesday, Djokovic started his bid to capture a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon men’s title with a straight-sets win over Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva in his first match since undergoing knee surgery.
Djokovic eased to a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory in a shade under two hours on Center Court against his 123rd-ranked rival.
The 37-year-old did not face a break point in the entire match, which he sealed with three aces.
Djokovic, chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, wore a grey support on his right knee after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus, which had forced him to withdraw from the French Open after the fourth round last month.
“It was very good. I was very pleased with the way I moved on the court today,” said Djokovic after taking his Wimbledon first-round record to 19-0.
“Obviously coming into Wimbledon this year, it was a little bit of a different circumstance for me because of the knee.
“I didn’t know how everything was going to unfold on the court really.
“Practice sessions are quite different to official match play, so I’m just extremely glad about the way I played and the way I felt today.”
Djokovic added that his grey knee support had passed the All England Club’s stringent rules over all-white playing gear.
“Of course, we did check in the days prior if we have a permission. We’re trying to find a white one, trust me,” he explained.
Rublev crashes out in Wimbledon first round
- The Russian sixth seed battled back after losing the first set
LONDON: Andrey Rublev crashed out of Wimbledon at the first hurdle on Tuesday, going down in four sets to Argentina’s Francisco Comesana.
The Russian sixth seed battled back after losing the first set but lost momentum early in the third and went down to a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) defeat.
Rublev, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, struggled for consistency on his serve and was broken four times in the match by his opponent, ranked 122nd in the world.
The 26-year-old, who smashed his racquet repeatedly against his knee in frustration in the third set, is the highest-seeded men’s player to exit the Championships so far.
Comesana will face Australia’s Adam Walton for a place in the last 32.
