JOIN USKerber survives big scare
Top seed Angelique Kerber scraped into the Wimbledon last 16 on Saturday as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic hoped for an easier ride into the business end of the championships.
Kerber looked mightily relieved after saving her world number one status in a tense 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 win over US’ Shelby Rogers.
The German star was a break down in the second set but did just enough to claw her way into Monday’s fourth round where she will face Garbine Muguruza.
Agnieszka Radwanska, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Coco Vandeweghe, Magdalena Rybarikova and qualifier Petra Martic also won their third round ties.
Sam Querrey took one game to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a match suspended Friday due to bad light, while Grigor Dimitrov made it through after opponent Dudi Sela pulled out — the 11th retirement at the championships.
Querrey and Tsonga’s match was called off at 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 6-5, with the French 12th seed not wanting to serve as the light faded, though Querrey was happy to receive.
They returned to finish the contest on Saturday but it was all over in a matter of minutes as the US 24th seed broke serve. He faces South Africa’s Kevin Anderson for a quarterfinal spot.
Djokovic wins
Three-times Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic roared his way into the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (2) defeat of unpredictable Latvian Ernests Gulbis. The 30-year-old will take on Frenchman Adrian Mannarino next. Bulgarian 13th seed Dimitrov had an easy ride into the last 16 when Israeli Sela was forced to pull out at 6-1, 6-1 down after struggling with a right thigh injury that required treatment.
He will next face meet either Federer or Mischa Zverev. Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic downed Spain’s 25th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-5 to book a fouth round spot against either Alexander Zverev or qualifier Sebastian Ofner.
Muguruza stepped up her bid to return to the Wimbledon final with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.
The deft Radwanska came back from a set down to beat Swiss 19th seed Timea Bacsinszky 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Radwanska next faces Russian eighth seed Kuznetsova, who cruised through with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Slovenian qualifier Polona Hercog.
Vandeweghe beat compatriot Alison Riske 6-2, 6-4 while Croatia’s Martic defeated Kazakhstani wild card Zarina Diyas 7-6 (8/6), 6-1.
Vandeweghe will face Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who came within two points of defeat against unseeded Estonian Anett Kontaveit before recovering to wn 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 and reach the fourth round.
Results (Round 3, pre-fix denotes seeding): Men: 2-Novak Djokovic (Srb) bt Ernests Gulbis (Lat) 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (2); 10-Alexander Zverev (Ger) bt Sebastian Ofner (Aut) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2; 11-Tomas Berdych (Cze) bt David Ferrer (Esp) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3; Adrian Mannarino (Fra) bt 15-Gael Monfils (Fra) 7-6 (3), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2; 6-Milos Raonic (Can) bt 25-Albert Ramos (Esp) 7-6(3), 6-4, 7-5, 24-Sam Querrey (US) bt 12-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-5; 13-Grigor Dimitrov (Bul) bt Dudi Sela (Isr) 6-1, 6-1 (Sela retd).
Women: 5-Caroline Wozniacki (Den) bt Anett Kontaveit (Est) 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2; 1-Angelique Kerber (Ger) bt Shelby Rogers (US) 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4; 9-Agnieszka Radwanska (Pol) bt 19-Timea Bacsinszky (Sui) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; 24-CoCo Vandeweghe (US) bt Alison Riske (US) 6-2, 6-4; Petra Martic (Cro) bt Zarina Diyas (Kaz) 7-6(6), 6-1; 14-Garbine Muguruza (Esp) bt Sorana Cirstea (Rom) 6-2, 6-2; Magdalena Rybarikova (Svk) bt Lesia Tsurenko (Ukr) 6-2, 6-1; 7-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) bt Polona Hercog (Slo) 6-4, 6-0.