Day four at Wimbledon saw some of the tournament’s biggest names continue their march through the draw, with convincing victories for Iga Swiatek, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur. Meanwhile, qualifier Ashlyn Krueger continued her dream run, while Alex Eala booked a mouth-watering meeting with the five-time Grand Slam champion. Here, QualityShot tennis journalist Ben Phillips sums up all the highlights from day 4 at the All England club.
Swiatek finding her rhythm on grass
Iga Swiatek produced one of her most convincing performances of the tournament so far, defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-3 to reach the third round.
The former world No. 1 looked increasingly comfortable on Centre Court, dictating rallies from the baseline and giving Pliskova very few opportunities to settle into the match. After a slightly more challenging opening-round encounter, Swiatek appeared far more at ease in the windy conditions and never allowed her experienced opponent to gain any momentum.
Speaking after the victory, Swiatek was quick to dismiss comparisons with her opening-round performance.
“You can’t really compare these two matches as it’s two different opponents and two different game styles. I think today there was more rhythm. Today the conditions were the thing you needed to be wary of.”
It was another composed display from the Polish star, whose movement and consistency continue to improve as the tournament progresses.
Eala ready for toughest test yet
Awaiting Swiatek in the third round is one of the breakout stories of the tournament, Alex Eala.
The Filipino star recovered brilliantly to defeat Maya Joint 3-6, 6-2, 6-0. Joint had attracted plenty of attention after defeating Serena Williams in the opening round, but Eala completely turned the match around after dropping the first set.
Her aggressive returning and fearless shot-making overwhelmed the Australian as she raced through the final two sets to earn one of the biggest matches of her career.
When asked about the prospect of facing Swiatek, Eala embraced the challenge.
“I think it’s going to be tough for me and I’m going to try to make it tough for her. It’s a different surface to what we’ve played before so I think there should be different aspects to the match.”
With both players looking comfortable on the grass, the encounter promises to be one of the highlights of the third round.
Fritz, De Minaur and Zverev all advance comfortably
Taylor Fritz continued to underline why he is considered one of the strongest grass-court players on tour with an emphatic 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 victory.
The American served superbly throughout and never looked in danger as he booked his place in the last 32.
Alex de Minaur was equally impressive, defeating Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. Mannarino’s flat left-handed game has caused problems for many opponents on grass over the years, but De Minaur’s speed around the court and relentless consistency proved too much.
Alexander Zverev also progressed without too many difficulties, overcoming his opponent 6-1, 6-3, 7-6. While the third set proved more competitive, the German remained composed in the tiebreak to complete another straight-sets victory and continue his bid for a maiden Wimbledon title.
Krueger’s remarkable run continues
One of the standout stories on the women’s side continues to be Ashlyn Krueger.
After battling through qualifying to earn her place in the main draw, the American produced another dominant performance, brushing aside Mariam Bolkvadze 6-1, 6-0.
Krueger has looked increasingly confident with every match she has played on the grass this summer. Her powerful serve and aggressive baseline game have translated perfectly to the surface, and she now finds herself firmly among the surprise packages of this year’s Championships.
Having already won five matches including qualifying, the 20-year-old is building significant momentum at exactly the right time.
Looking ahead to Day 5
Friday promises another packed schedule with several blockbuster matches.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka faces one of the most dangerous floaters in the draw, Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian’s aggressive style has always suited grass, and if she finds her range she is capable of troubling any player in the world.
Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic also returns to Centre Court to face 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech. Djokovic has looked increasingly sharp through the opening rounds and will be aiming to continue building momentum.
Defending men’s champion Jannik Sinner is also back in action as he takes on Jenson Brooksby. Brooksby possesses one of the most unconventional games on tour and will look to frustrate the Italian, but Sinner will start as the overwhelming favourite.
With the third round now underway, the intensity at the All England Club is only continuing to rise as the race for the Wimbledon titles gathers pace.
