Wimbledon day three: Murray in action, Raducanu loses, Djokovic wins – live!
Murray #Murray
Isner beats Murray to the first set, 6-4!
Murray gets to 15-15, as Isner misses an easy forehand. The Scot can only bunt these colossal serves back and then is at Isner’s mercy for the rest of the match. An ace gives the American two set points, and Murray bunts one in the net to hand the first set to the American.
Two more holds of serve and we are at 5-4, with Isner serving for the first set.
Isner’s average serve speeds: first serve is 134mph, second serve is 121mph.
Isner holds and the pressure is back on Murray again, but a rare missed smash at the net from the big American gifts parity to the Scot at 30-30. Deuce, and a crafty slice down the line from Murray earns him game point, which he converts. Isner remains a break up and will serve (with new balls) at 4-3.
Couple of matches on the men’s side to mention: Next Big Thing™ Carlos Alcaraz is underway against the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor. It’s on serve in the first set. And the lanky Italian 10th seed, Jannik Sinner, is continuing his fine form against Mikael Ymer, two sets up and 4-4 in the third. Sinner made light work of Wawrinka in the first round.
Updated at 13.29 EDT
Two holds of serve for Isner and Murray, the former saving a couple of break points. Isner is looking very fresh for a 37-year-old and has a hammer of a forehand to complement that serve. He’s by no means a one-trick pony, and while he doesn’t want to get into a baseline battle with Murray, can hold him own there. It’s 3-2 to the American, who serves next.
John Isner serves. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Updated at 13.29 EDT
We mentioned this story earlier, but worth a read if you’re catching up.
Time to mop up some results elsewhere. Angelique Kerber, champion here in 2018, had a easy ride against Magda Linette, winning 6-3, 6-3. Anhelina Kalinina – who said the £78,000 she is guaranteed for reaching round two will go toward helping her family rebuild their home in Ukraine, which, she revealed, has been bombed by Russian forces – lost to her Ukrainian compatriot Lesia Tsurenko in three sets. Something of an upset, that.
Isner breaks! The 6ft10in giant is rushing the net, putting Murray under serious pressure, and it works! Murray is not the mover that he was and he won’t be retrieving those Isner volleys as readily as yesteryear. The head-to-head record for these two is interesting: Murray has won eight and lost none. Still, it’s 2-1 to the American, who has the break and will serve next.
John Isner did have one ace in his opening game to take him 39 aces shy of the all-time record, held by Ivo Karlovic. He’s at 13,689 for his career.
You will not be shocked to hear that both Murray and Isner have held their serves to get us going. Expect that to be a glimpse of what’s to come. One of the greatest servers ever facing up against one of the greatest returners ever. Should be a good one, and probably a late one.
Time for some Andy Murray and, for that, I’ll hand you back to Michael Butler.
The Great British Sewing Bee: Andy Murray fan at the 2nd round match. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Updated at 13.09 EDT
Cam Norrie beats Munar in five sets!
Roars on Court One as Cam Norrie beats Jaume Munar 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2. Munar serves a double at 30-0 up and then Norrie blasts a winner which just catches the line. A powerful backhand secures a first match point and it’s all he needs as the Spaniard finds the net. File Munar under ‘mercurial talent’. Meanwhile, Norrie marches on and hopefully this five-setter will stand him in good stead. Battling stuff from the British No 1.
Cameron Norrie celebrates after winning his second round match against Spain’s Jaume Munar Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
Updated at 13.05 EDT
Norrie one game away from victory! Munar throwing himself at everything now and a brilliant winner gives him the first point and he adds the second. Is this a break back? No. Norrie pulls out a passing stroke of his own and then has Munar scampering everywhere to no avail to make it 30-30 before the Spaniard blasts a ground stroke long. Munar forces deuce before Norrie’s drop shot is too much for his opponent’s tired legs and a backhand down the line from the Brit takes him 5-2 ahead. The number nine seed is closing in.
Norrie breaks again for 4-2! More brilliance from the reborn Munar as a combination of anticipation and reflexes see him win a thrilling opening point. Further magic takes him to 30-0 before Norrie contests a call of ‘out’ and has it overturned in his favour by hawk eye. Then another lengthy rally and a Munar error give Norrie break point and he wins it after the Spaniard dumps his volley into the net. Phew!
Norrie now looks nervous after Munar’s rise from the dead and dumps an attempted drop shot into the net. But he steadies himself, wins the next two points and moves into a 3-2 lead in the fifth. He’s back on track but he’ll have to make sure that Munar’s recovery doesn’t spook him as this decider goes on.
Cameron Norrie reaches for a forehand. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA
Updated at 12.49 EDT
Munar has suddenly come alive against Norrie. After some lengthy physio – mostly thigh rubbing – it’s back to the guy who was pulling rabbits from hats earlier on. 2-2 in the decider.
A thoroughly charming interview from Caroline Garcia as she speaks following her victory over Emma Raducanu. All the right words. We’ll bring you Raducanu quotes later. Not to be this year for the US Open champion but hopefully she’ll have many, many cracks at winning this.
Andy Murray and John Isner will be on Centre Court in about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, the British focus is on Court 1 where Norrie and Munar are in the fifth set.
Munar looked to be fading away after losing eight games in a row but he’s just broken Norrie to love to cut the deficit to 2-1. Where did that come from all of a sudden?
Updated at 12.42 EDT
Here’s the winning shot from Garcia.
Emma Raducanu loses to Caroline Garcia in straight sets
It’s all over. Garcia beats Raducanu 6-3, 6-3. Garcia wins the first point of the ninth and then Raducanu hits a weak forehand into the net. Groans echo around Centre Court. A cute drop shot pulls it back to 15-30 but Garcia earns a match point and seals victory with a stunning backhand winner. You have to say that was fully deserved and Garcia does a celebratory jig around the court. That’s now seven wins in a row on grass for Garcia who won a title in Germany last week.
Caroline Garcia after winning her match against Emma Raducanu. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Updated at 12.37 EDT
Raducanu’s hopes fading. Back on Centre Court, Garcia goes long with a backhand and it’s deuce in game eight of the second. But Garcia just keeps going for it and thumps a forehand winner for advantage and then booms down a brutal serve to go 5-3 up. Raducanu serving to stay in the championship.
Norrie wins the fourth set and we’re into a decider! With Munar looking like he’s running out of steam, the home hero must be favourite to take it.
Norrie is racing through the fourth set against Munar and a double break helps him to a 5-0 lead. Munar takes a medical break for no obvious physical reason. Maybe just an aspirin or some wine gums. I wouldn’t like to say.
Garcia breaks again for 4-3! From 15-15, Garcia’s clubbing backhand and an equally fierce forehand win her two break points. Raducanu digs deep to force deuce but an untimely double fault gives Garcia another opportunity and a mistimed backhand from the Brit means she drops serve again. Garcia just two games away from victory.
Raducanu breaks back! The US Open champ goes 30-0 up on the Garcia serve by finding a brilliant angle and, from 30-30, the Frenchwoman serves a double fault and then sends a groundstroke wide. Back to 3-3. Hope springs eternal.
Norrie, still skipping around in sprightly fashion as he winds up those forehands, breaks Munar to go 2-0 in front in the fourth. Is this the start of his big comeback?
Norrie holds serve in the first game of the fourth set and gives himself a little ‘c’mon’.
Meanwhile, back on Centre, Garcia holds serve against Raducanu and then goes 30-0 up on the Brit’s serve after winning one of the rallies of the match. A deep groundstroke and volley gives Garcia three break points and a loose forehand from Raducanu seals what could prove a pivotal game for the Frenchwoman. Garcia a set up and 3-2 up with a break in the second.
Updated at 12.11 EDT
An easy hold for Raducanu puts her 2-1 ahead in the second. There are signs, not jump out and backhand you in the face signs, but signs nonetheless that the Brit is upping her effort here. She has no choice though. Garcia’s levels are simply not dropping.
Thanks Michael. I’ll start with the news that Cam Norrie has lost the third set, 7-5, to the very lively Munar. The Spaniard deserves to be in front here; he’s been more aggressive on the key points. Norrie will have to go all the way to keep his hopes alive.