Tennis
The Championship wimbledon

Novak, Agnieska roll on

Federer ends Willis fairytale
Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska shapes to play a forehand during her first-round victory over Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine at Wimbledon yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

World number one Novak Djokovic racked up his 30th successive Grand Slam victory on Wednesday when he brushed aside Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) to reach the Wimbledon third round.

The defending champion, bidding for a third consecutive title at the All England Club and fourth in all, will face either American 28th seed Sam Querrey or Thomaz Bellucci for a place in the last 16.

With rain halting play, number three seed Agnieska Radwanska was ready to become an armchair fan after her 6-2 6-1 first-round win over Ukraine's Kateryna Kozlova.

Their delayed match survived the cull after being moved on to the roof-covered showcourt, opening play before Djokovic and Roger Federer took to the stage.

Her path through the French Open was also blighted by rain, and lost in the fourth round before blasting organisers for forcing her to play in misty drizzle.

Radwanska's potential second-round opponents, Italy's Karin Knapp or Croatian Ana Konjuh, were still waiting for the showers to abate to get their match completed as the postponed fixtures began to pile up.

The Pole raced into an early lead, breaking twice in the four first games before being pegged back by Kozlova, who did not seem in the least bit overawed despite making her debut at Wimbledon.

Radwanska, who reached the final in 2012, has never lost a first-round match on the Wimbledon grass and she kept up that record, sealing victory on her third match point on a second serve.

She thought she had it in the bag with an ace, before a Hawkeye challenge by Kozlova left her smiling ruefully at being just millimetres short.

But having got the job done, it was now "eating or talking, watching Centre Court" as organisers hastily try to redraw the schedules.

Tomas Berdych battled the elements and a gritty display by his unseeded Croatian opponent Ivan Dodig on Wednesday before sealing a 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(2) win.

The 10th-seeded Czech served for the match when play resumed after being called off with him leading 4-1 in the fourth set the previous day.

Berdych steadied his nerves to take the breaker 7-2 when he forced a backhand error from Dodig.

Meanwhile, Marcus Willis's Wimbledon fairytale came to an end against Roger Federer, but the British qualifier's 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 defeat couldn't ruin a day to remember for the new star of the All England Club.

Willis has captivated the tennis world with his rags to riches rise and although the world number 772 was unable to spring what would have been Wimbledon's greatest upset, he enjoyed every minute of his unlikely second round meeting with world number three Federer.

The 25-year-old hit 24 winners, served nine aces and twice came within a whisker of breaking Federer, all while displaying the effervescent personality that has made him such a fan favourite.

Federer will play Dan Evans or Alexandr Dolgopolov in the third round.

Comments

The Championship wimbledon

Novak, Agnieska roll on

Federer ends Willis fairytale
Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska shapes to play a forehand during her first-round victory over Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine at Wimbledon yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

World number one Novak Djokovic racked up his 30th successive Grand Slam victory on Wednesday when he brushed aside Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) to reach the Wimbledon third round.

The defending champion, bidding for a third consecutive title at the All England Club and fourth in all, will face either American 28th seed Sam Querrey or Thomaz Bellucci for a place in the last 16.

With rain halting play, number three seed Agnieska Radwanska was ready to become an armchair fan after her 6-2 6-1 first-round win over Ukraine's Kateryna Kozlova.

Their delayed match survived the cull after being moved on to the roof-covered showcourt, opening play before Djokovic and Roger Federer took to the stage.

Her path through the French Open was also blighted by rain, and lost in the fourth round before blasting organisers for forcing her to play in misty drizzle.

Radwanska's potential second-round opponents, Italy's Karin Knapp or Croatian Ana Konjuh, were still waiting for the showers to abate to get their match completed as the postponed fixtures began to pile up.

The Pole raced into an early lead, breaking twice in the four first games before being pegged back by Kozlova, who did not seem in the least bit overawed despite making her debut at Wimbledon.

Radwanska, who reached the final in 2012, has never lost a first-round match on the Wimbledon grass and she kept up that record, sealing victory on her third match point on a second serve.

She thought she had it in the bag with an ace, before a Hawkeye challenge by Kozlova left her smiling ruefully at being just millimetres short.

But having got the job done, it was now "eating or talking, watching Centre Court" as organisers hastily try to redraw the schedules.

Tomas Berdych battled the elements and a gritty display by his unseeded Croatian opponent Ivan Dodig on Wednesday before sealing a 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(2) win.

The 10th-seeded Czech served for the match when play resumed after being called off with him leading 4-1 in the fourth set the previous day.

Berdych steadied his nerves to take the breaker 7-2 when he forced a backhand error from Dodig.

Meanwhile, Marcus Willis's Wimbledon fairytale came to an end against Roger Federer, but the British qualifier's 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 defeat couldn't ruin a day to remember for the new star of the All England Club.

Willis has captivated the tennis world with his rags to riches rise and although the world number 772 was unable to spring what would have been Wimbledon's greatest upset, he enjoyed every minute of his unlikely second round meeting with world number three Federer.

The 25-year-old hit 24 winners, served nine aces and twice came within a whisker of breaking Federer, all while displaying the effervescent personality that has made him such a fan favourite.

Federer will play Dan Evans or Alexandr Dolgopolov in the third round.

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