Two-Day Report: Catch-Up Complete

Wimbledon, Days 5 and 6

We need more sunny days like this.

Although it means some have had to play back-to-back matches the past few days at Wimbledon, we are all done playing catch-up and will resume regular schedule fourth round match play for everyone on Monday. Here is some of the action from Friday and Saturday which has brought us to this point.






GENTLEMEN'S SINGLES

Jerzy Janowicz sent an exuberant Spaniard packing; he beat Nicolas Almagro in straight sets - 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Great Britain's greatest hope for a local champion, Andy Murray, did more than keep their expectations high and inspired; he outplayed tour vet Tommy Robredo in a 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 victory that was marked by the World No. 2 breaking Robredo's serve on a number of occasions. The 26-year-old seems more than capable of reaching the finals here again this year and, without the mental monster that is Roger Federer standing in his way, his only real obstacle to the trophy seems to be Novak Djokovic.

Despite the comforting presence of one Maria Sharapova in the audience, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov could not stop the tenacious Grega Zemlja of Slovenia from striking the last blow in their second round match on Friday, which ended 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 11-9. Now, Dimitrov and Sharapova can only watch the proceedings at home. Zemlja would, if it's any consolation to Grigor, be stopped by Juan Martin Del Potro in the third round match the next day.

To make it into the Round of 16, David Ferrer of Spain would beat countryman Roberto Bautista Agut and then the Ukranian Dolgopolov. This may not be his surface of choice but he will try, as always, to break through and win his first Grand Slam title. Seeing that Rafa and Roger are out of the draw, his chances look better than usual.

Stakhovsky couldn't continue his run after beating Federer; Jürgen Melzer gifted him the trip back home with a hard-earned four-set win.

After reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros last month, Germany's Tommy Haas is having another great Grand Slam run; he's defeated Taiwanese Jimmy Wang and Spain's Feliciano Lopez to book a spot in the fourth round.

Near perfection, Novak Djokovic is the easy favorite left to win.

Jeremy Chardy may have beaten Struff in the second round but had his deep run aspirations snuffed out by the man himself, Novak Djokovic. Nole looks downright unstoppable and is playing the sort of top rank tennis that has frustrated just about every one of his opponents and earned him the No. 1 spot as well as six major titles. Don't believe me? Take a look at a Day 2 point he won against Florian Mayer here. It'll soon be seven big ones for Novak and we all know it.


Ninth seed Richard Gasquet also fell to the wayside in a thriller from which Australian youngster Bernard Tomic emerged victorious - 7-6, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6. Bernie will face Tomas Berdych in the Round of 16 on Monday.

I sort of see VIktor Troicki and Mikhail Youzhny as having the same traits in personality and somewhat in playing style. So it does surprise me that their third round match wasn't a marathon five-setter that had its ups and downs, and wild swings in momentum. Instead, Troicki essentially rolled over to give Bulldog Youzhny a straights victory in the line of 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

Italian Andreas Seppi managed an "upset" by beating Kei Nishikori, the twelfth seed at this tournament, in a match that ended 3-6, 6-2, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4.

And Fernando Verdasco made Ernests Gulbis seem like a rookie in their third round match on Saturday, easily dismantling the Latvian 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

For a full view of the R16 draw for Monday, July 1st, click here. That, by the way, is the beauty of a Grand Slam with no byes: you get such variety in the later rounds. Just like the players have been saying - there are no easy rounds. You give it your all every single time you step on court. No wins are handed to you. You have to reach your racket out and take them.


LADIES' SINGLES

19-year-old Laura Robson (GBR)

After Andy Murray, Laura Robson is Great Britain's next hopeful for a homegrown champion, and the 19-year-old seems up for the task, having beaten Marian Duque-Marino and Maria Erakovic to reach the fourth round, matching her best performance at a major since last year's US Open.

Will Kaia Kanepi be able to stop Robson's deep run? Monday will tell us.

Kanepi's losing opponent in the second round Angelique Kerber of Germany has received death threats on her social media accounts and although the persons have been identified, it is unclear what steps will next be taken. American Alison Riske also fell to Kanepi after beating Urszula Radwanska in the second round.





Germany still has expectations in the person of Sabine Lisicki who, despite her sometimes erratic performance, has reached the fourth round by defeating former US Open champ Sam Stosur 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Petra Kvitova, Sloane Stephens, Li Na and Agnieszka Radwanska are also through to the Round of 16.

Serena Williams (L) and Kimiko Date-Krumm (R)

Breaking records as she progressed, 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm is the oldest female to reach the third round at Wimbledon but had the misfortune of meeting reigning champion Serena Williams there. Not to be condescending, but Kimiko moves great for her age and actually frustrated the meticulous Serena with her persistent and varied court presence. She wouldn't surrender a single point and the final scoreline of 6-2, 6-0 does little to laud the trouble she caused  Williams in almost every service game. For match highlights, click here.

Portugal's Michelle Larcher De Brito made history by beating Maria Sharapova in the second round but couldn't capitalize on the upset and was defeated 7-5, 6-2 by Italy's Karin Knapp. Knapp faces Marion Bartoli in the fourth round.


As Week 2 draws closer, we're divided in our expectations: more breakthroughs and upsets or more top stars finishing extravagantly? Maybe Wimbledon has a bit of both in store for us. Keep watching and....


Breathe tennis!!