Alexander Zverev intensified his quest for a second straight Grand Slam title, with the Wmbledon second seed rolling over France’s Valentin Royer 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Thursday for a third-round spot.

The German earned his first career title at a major last month with victory at Roland Garros as he beat Flavio Cobolli.

The All England Club grass counts as the weakest link for Zverev, who has never passed the fourth round here while making the final at the other three majors.

The second seed dispatched Royer in two hours, overcoming a minor setback in the third set when he was broken for 4-all and had to win in a tiebreaker on his third match point.

“I played almost perfect tennis for two and a half sets, but I lost focus. I’m happy to get through in straights without another set,” he said.

“It’s nice to win easier at the beginning of the event. I’m getting to an age where you need to save energy. That also builds confidence.

“I love Wimbledon but I’m still waiting for a big result here. You have to take every match extremely seriously and play at 100 percent.”

Fifth seed Alex de Minaur spent less than two hours in dismantling Adrian Mannarino, with the Australian advancing to the third round 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

De Minaur has a best here of a 2024 quarter-final, reaching the second week on three occasions. 

The Aussie ended with seven aces and the same number of double-faults while saving nine of the 11 break points he faced from the veteran Frenchman.

American sixth seed Taykor Fritz came to Wimbledon without his usual security blanket – a title at the run-up event at Eastbourne – but still managed a 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 defeat of compatriot Patrick Kypson in two hours.

Fritz skipped Eastbournre last month to rest and has won the title on the English south coast four times since 2019.

So far, his strategy has paid off with a pair of straight-set wins in his opening Wimbledon matches.

No. 113 Kypson saved three match points before lobbing long on a fourth as Fritz advanced to the third round.

“I’m happy I was able to avoid a tiebreaker, avoid a fourth set and get it done in three,” the winner said.

“All of my best results here – two quarter-finals and a semi one year ago – have come after winning Eastbourne.

“I like the feeling of coming onto court with that confidence and just keep the rhythm going into Wimbledon.”

Fritz added: “I felt a little nervy in the beginning, it’s sometimes tough to trust my shots when it’s so windy,” Fritz said.

“I settled into the match well, did a good job returning his serve. I thought I served really well most of the match, outside of just one game.

“In the end it was just a clean match.” 

Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego had to work for nealry four and a half hours before finally defeating Canadian Gabriel Diallo 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4).

French-born Arthur Fery kept British men’s hopes alive as he beat Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-3 to next play Belgian Zizou Bergs.

Eastbourne champion Bergs is on a roll after winning his seventh consecutive match and 20th of the season.  

Rafael Jodar finished up a match halted by Wednesday darkness, winning an all-Spanish battle with veteran Pablo Carreno Busta 3-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 after nearly four hours. 

Novak Djokovic has suggested that criticism of the attempted tennis comeback of Serena Williams has gone too far.

The 39-year-old who in one ahead of the WTA legend on 24 Grand Slam singles titles, had some advice for the armchair critics after Williams, 44 and without a match since 2022 lost as a Wimbledon wild card to Maya Joint in the first round.

Williams refused to attend the obligatory media conference but ducked a potential USD 50,000 fine through a medical excuse loophole..

She is now rumoured to be carrying a knee injury from her loss to the 20-year-old Australian dubbed the Ginger Ninja by fans.

Williams has had nothing to say since her loss and has gone to ground at the All England Club with her women’s doubles pairing with elder sister Venus now an open question.

Djokovic says just cool it to critics:

“She’s 44. I mean, she has two children. Coming back it’s normal that she still is not at her best in terms of movement. 

“She hasn’t played a match in so many years. People need to cool off a little bit with judgment and criticism and everything. 

“Let’s just enjoy the greatness, who she is, what she represents to the sport.”
Djokovic, still going strong as seventh seed at this edition said that Williams should be considered some kind of tennis treasure

“I don’t know why people sometimes don’t appreciate that (her comeback effort) enough. 

“Hey, guys, enjoy. You have the greatest ever to come play for you, to bring more attention to your sport.

“I don’t understand this kind of (criticism). and this approach by people and judgment. But people are people. This is something they’re going to do.”

Djokovic advanced to the third round Wednesday night with a dominating 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 defeat of former Grand Slam finalist and one-time top 10 regular Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Main photo:- Serena Williams comes to Centre court one last time – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd

Jannik Sinner managed a quick win after going five sets in his Wimbledon opener, with the top seed dispatching Nuno Borges 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the third round.

The defending champion needed just over two and a half hours to move through after a Monday opening victory which took an hour longer.

The Italian earned his 21st victory at the event as he played in front of the Ryder Cup team with Rory McIlroy looking on from the Royal Box while wearing his green Masters champion jacket..

“I’m happy. The second set was very tough; it felt like the first couple of sets we were serving very well so there were not a lot of exchanges,” Sinner said.

“But overall these kinds of matches when you don’t have a lot of control. I’m very happy to win, especially on this surface.” 

Sinner advanced with 47 winners and 29 unforced errors as Borges played a No. 1 for the first time.

“Second match on grass, I was not looking for perfection. I tried to improve. Felt like at times I did.”

The holder now takes on Jenson Brooksby, who defeated Ignacio Buse 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. The American winner called the Sinner match “probably one of the toughest challenges right now in tennis.”

No. 8 Daniil Medvedev, a two-time semi-finalist, reached the round of 32 as he defeated Spaniard Daniel Merida Aguiler 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.

Tommy Paul called upon his natural grasscourt prowess to take out Kwon Soonwoo, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2, and now faces Hubert Hurkacz, who beat Austria’s Sebastien Ofner in straight sets.

The Pole, who is reconstructing his career after a knee injury, fired 16 aces and saved six of seven break points in his win.

“Third round at Wimbledon is exciting no matter who you’re playing,” Paul said. “We all know Hubi can play some awesome tennis on grass, and it seems like he’s finding his form here this week. Should be a really exciting match.”

Roland Garros finalist Flavio Cobolli saved six set points to complete a 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (8) win over Argentine Mariano Navone in a first-round match delayed overnight by darkness.

“It’s not easy to come back and play the next day,” the Italian winner said. “it’s the first time that I did it, and I think I managed very well.”

Mallorca tournament winner Alejandro Davidovich Fokina came back for more a week after beating Fabian Marozsan. 

“The Spaniard earned a 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 second-round win and now plays Marton . Fucsovics, who beat Learner Tien 6-7.(6), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3.