Novak Djokovic sailed through his second round match over Denis Kudla, and took time out to poke fun at the nextgen players who went out in the first round. Teenage sensation Cori Gauff is continuing to thrill with another incredible win over Magdaléna Rybáriková.
Although lacking the shock of the first round, Day 3 at Wimbledon had a few surprise losses, Djokovic looking confident to defend his title with another win, and some key Canadian, American, and Italian players going strong.
Day three also had the bonus of having the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton)– a huge tennis fan– visit and watch the matches.
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Djokovic seriously went there
One of the Big 3 tennis titans, Novak Djokovic, dominated from the start of his second round match against world No. 111 American Denis Kudla, winning in a flash in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
A month ago, nextgen player Stefanos Tsitsipas labeled the Big 3 winning everything “boring” for men’s tennis. Djokovic was asked about so many of the supposed nextgen threats already sent packing in the first round.
“It is fair to say that it’s surprising, unexpected for the guys that you just mentioned to lose in first round of a Grand Slam because they are top players,” said Djokovic in his press conference. “They are carrying now the weight of the top player, which means more pressure, more expectations, more attention.
“There is time. I understand that people want them to see a new winner of a Grand Slam. They don’t want to see three of us dominating the Slam titles. Eventually it’s going to come, in about 25 years, then we’ll all be happy [smiling].”
Ouch.
American 15-year-old continues to thrill
Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff is continuing to rocket through her matches, scoring another big win in the second round over former world No. 17 Magdaléna Rybáriková, 6-3, 6-3.
“I don’t put expectations on myself, but I have goals, and my goal is to win it,” Gauff said to ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi.
Confidence is just not an issue for the young player who has impressed everyone, including Roger Federer, who made a point of congratulating her afterwards. This guy just doesn’t miss a beat.
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Gauff was born the year after Federer won his first Wimbledon title. Seriously.
Woz revenge, Keys’s negative trend at Wimbledon, and Halep’s ‘barely there’ win
Newly married Caroline Wozniacki was dispatched at the outset of the French Open by Veronika Kudermetova, but avenged that loss in her second round win over her at Wimbledon, 7-6(5), 6-3.
American Madison Keys failed to make it past the first week of Wimbledon for the third year in a row, going out in straight sets to Polona Hercog in the second round, 6-2, 6-4.
But her compatriot, Australian Open semifinalist Danielle Collins carried on her tradition of wins over big names by taking out the 12th seed Anastasija Sevastova, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. I really can’t say enough great things about this exciting U.S. player.
Former world No. 1 Simona Halep may have won her match, but barely squeezed out a three sets event that demonstrated a disappointing dip in form in the middle over her fellow Romanian competitor, Mihaela Buzărnescu, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
Auger-Aliassime keeps electrifying, Opelka takes out a major champ, and Fabbiano keeps Italian hope alive
One nextgen player who is not disappointing is Canada’s 18-year-old, Felix Auger-Aliassime, the youngest player in the Top 30. In a battle of nextgen contenders, Auger-Aliassime defeated 20-year-old Frenchman Corentin Moutet in four sets, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
“I don’t try to add extra pressure from the outside. I think I put extra pressure from myself already. Yeah, I’m sometimes hard on myself, but I think it’s all normal. You have to learn how to deal with it. You can’t escape it. You can’t hide it. This is in your life and you learn how to deal with it,” Auger-Aliassime said, wise beyond his young years.
Along with Auger-Aliassime, unseeded Reilly Opelka is making his Wimbledon debut. American men have a real chance this year, and Opelka is no exception, getting in a hard-fought five set win over three-time grand slam champ Stan Wawrinka, 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 8-6.
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No other country has as many top players as Italy on the men’s side. Thomas Fabbiano followed up his shock win over Tsitsipas with another top player takedown of Ivo Karlovic, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.
Keep a watch on the all the Italian men at this year’s Wimbledon. These gladiators are continuing to cause havoc at every stage.
Up next is the second half of the round two matches on Thursday, including a hotly ancitipated one between two enemies, Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios. This one promises to be “super salty.”