Speaking at a US Open Press Conference, Djokovic took the time to acknowledge his achievement.

Olympic gold above all achievements

Djokovic said: “Yeah, it’s great to be back in New York. Hello, everyone. It was a very nice moment obviously that I was allowed to experience by the USTA and US Open an hour ago at the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, a great tribute video, and obviously some fun with hitting the targets in the end.

“Just kind of sharing my thoughts, my emotions and experiences of reflection on what is for me I think now when I lock back the greatest achievement and greatest highlight of my career overall, winning the gold for Serbia.

“Had some heartbreaking losses at the Olympic Games, worked very hard to try to get myself in a position to fight for gold. And at 37 I thought, you know, I don’t know, could this be the last chance? Maybe. So I had to push more than ever than I have ever done.”

Novak Djokovic proud of his efforts

Djokovic felt that his final performance was one of his greatest efforts.

“Turned out to be one of the best performances I had in years overall throughout the entire tournament. Of course in the finals against Carlos, it was kind of a dream scenario really having my wife and children there, the entire nation watching.

“Just a very proud moment of experiencing the golden medal, you know, around my neck with Serbian anthem and Serbian flag. Very, very special. Probably the most intense emotions I have ever had on a tennis court.

“I was saying that carrying the flag, being a flag bearer for my country, opening Games in 2012 in London at the Olympic Games, was the best feeling I had overall in my professional career, surpassed every slam that I won, until I won the gold medal. I think the moment of when I achieved it, how I achieved it, after years of trying, the journey, that was the way it was, I think makes it even more unique.”

Can Novak Djokovic defend his US Open title?

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Alcaraz will participate in the US Open after losing in the Olympic final and then being stunned by Gael Monfils in Cincinnati.

Carlos Alcaraz downplays injury woes

Alcaraz has had a tough few weeks, and the world number three admitted that losing to Novak Djokovic in the Olympic final was difficult for him.

“Well, this is one of the most important final of my career, of my life. I know that the Olympic Game is every four years, so I don’t know if I’m gonna have another chance to win the gold,” Alcaraz said in his pre tournament press conference.

“But it was a difficult moment to deal for me, you know, losing the gold medal in a really close match that I had opportunities. But, you know, in front of me, I had a really good player that he was fighting for the same thing as me, and he deserve it.

“So days after the Olympics was, okay, I realize that I won the silver medal, it was a great achievement for me that I have to be proud of. You know, I try to keep going, try to learn about this match.

“Just the next finals or the next important matches of my career I gonna deal in a different way or a better way than I did in Olympics.”

Although the Olympics were a disappointment for Alcaraz, the Spaniard now has the potential to capture a third straight Grand Slam championship in New York, following wins at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Not ideal

The Spaniard’s preparation has been far from ideal, with only one match on US hard courts leading up to the season’s last Grand Slam.

“Well, it doesn’t matter for me,” Alcaraz claimed ahead of his fourth appearance in New York.

“Obviously I have loved to have more matches on my belt on hard court before the US Open. But, I mean, it doesn’t affect me at all. If I look back a little bit, you know, for example, facing the Roland Garros, I hadn’t too much matches on clay, and it was a pretty good result. And then in Wimbledon, same thing, you know.

“So I don’t want to think that it’s going to be the same, you know, than the previous two Grand Slams, but I’m not worried about not having too many matches on hard court.”

Can Carlos Alcaraz win another US Open title?

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“I don’t think I would be able to give my 100 percent this time,” Nadal posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Rafael Nadal is a four-time US Open winner

Nadal, a four-time US Open champion, said his next event would be at next month’s Laver Cup in Berlin.

Missing out on the US Open will mark his sixth absence in the past seven Grand Slam tournaments, the lone exception being his first round ouster at this year’s French Open.

“Hi all, writing today to let you guys know that I have decided not to compete at this year’s US Open, a place where I have amazing memories,” Nadal posted.

“I will miss those electric and special night sessions in NYC at Ashe.

“Thanks to all my US fans in particular, will miss you all and will see you another time. Best of luck to all for the always amazing US Open!”

Nadal competed in the Paris Olympics at Roland Garros, where he has won 14 French Open singles titles.

The Spaniard, who won Olympic singles gold in 2008, lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the second round in singles, and alongside Carlos Alcaraz fell in the doubles quarter-finals.

Dates

Last month at Bastad, Nadal reached his first ATP final since 2022, losing to Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

Nadal’s most recent Grand Slam title came at the 2022 French Open.

He last captured the US Open crown in 2019 but now will have missed four of the past five US Opens, the exception being his run to the fourth round in 2022.

This year’s US Open will take place from 26 August to 8 September in New York.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Djokovic downs Alcaraz in Olympic classic

Novak Djokovic might have had some emotional scar tissue from his recent defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final in July. That wasn’t the case, however, as the 37-year-old Serbian looked like a man possessed and simply unwilling to be denied. Djokovic beat Alcaraz in two pulsating tiebreaker sets of supreme quality on Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris to claim an elusive gold medal for his beloved Serbia. His only other medal at the Olympics came in 2008 when he claimed bronze as a 21-year-old. The long wait looked to be worth it.

Novak completes the set

As if the world didn’t already know about his greatness, the Serbian superstar has reinforced his status as arguably the greatest tennis player that ever lived. He’s won 24 Grand Slams, he contested the 2024 Wimbledon less than six weeks after knee surgery and now he’s claimed gold at the Olympics. 10 Australian Open Titles, seven at Wimbledon, three at Roland Garros and four at the US Open. Somehow, this medal in Paris is the one which means most to the polyglot Serb, who speaks 11 languages.

Paris 2024 Olympics reaches its blue-chip event

20-year-old South African Benjamin Richardson runs in a stacked semi-final alongside De Grasse and Kerley, medallists in Tokyo. Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson and Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala are two more blockbuster names in a daunting field which starts at 20:23 on Sunday 04 July. 30-year-old Simbine is a major candidate to claim a medal in Paris. There’s a strong African presence in Simbine’s semi-final going at 20:14. Alongside him is Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi, Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi and Letsile Tebogo from Botswana, and also the small matter of a clash with the defending Olympic champion Jacobs. Simbine is the senior man out of Team SA’s three candidates in the semi-finals with Richardson and 23-year-old Soweto-born Shaun Maswanganyi.

Is Novak Djokovic your GOAT? If not, who is?

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The former world number one and three-time Grand Slam title winner slipped into retirement when he and Dan Evans were defeated in the men’s doubles quarter-finals.

American pair Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul delivered the knockout blow with a 6-2, 6-4 victory on a packed Court Suzanne Lenglen.

The 37-year-old Murray had already announced that the Olympics would be his last event.

“An incredible competitor on the court,” said career-long rival Novak Djokovic on Thursday.

“One of the greatest warriors tennis has seen. His fighting spirit is definitely something that I’m sure is going to inspire many generations to come.”

For the latest Paris Olympics 2024 news, bookmark The South African website’s dedicated section for free-to-read content

One of the ‘Big Four’ in the sport, Murray joins 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in retirement after the Swiss great quit in 2022.

Andy Murray won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016

Rafael Nadal, the winner of 22 majors but battling more injuries at the age of 38, exited the Paris Olympics on Wednesday and suggested that he had played his last match at Roland Garros where he won 14 of his Slams.

Nadal also effectively ruled himself out of the US Open, sparking more speculation that the great Spaniard is also finished in the sport.

That would leave just 37-year-old Djokovic, the winner of a record 24 Grand Slams, still active amongst the sport’s eminent talents who have carved up 69 majors between them.

Andy Murray famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed in 2013, defeating career-long rival Djokovic in the final.

He added a second title in 2016, taking his career majors total to three after breaking his duck at the 2012 US Open.

Murray won gold at the 2012 Olympics on an emotional day at the All England Club when he defeated Federer just weeks after he had lost the Wimbledon final to the Swiss on the same Centre Court.

Four years later, he defeated Juan Martin del Potro to become the first player, male or female, to win two Olympic singles golds.

Murray also led Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015, the country’s first in 79 years.

He has won 46 titles in all and banked around $65 million in prize money.

Ravaged by injuries

However, he has been ravaged by injuries in recent years, slumping to 117th in the world.

The Scot has played with a metal hip since 2019 and suffered ankle damage earlier this year before undergoing surgery to remove a spinal cyst, which ruled him out of singles at Wimbledon.

Instead, he played doubles with brother Jamie and was defeated in the first round before an emotional tribute arranged by tournament chiefs.

“It’s hard because I would love to keep playing but I can’t,” admitted Murray at the All England Club.

“Physically it is too tough now, all of the injuries, they have added up and they haven’t been insignificant.”

Men’s tennis has already opened up a new frontier.

Jannik Sinner, the 22-year-old Italian, succeeded Djokovic as Australian Open champion in January and eventually took his world number one ranking.

Carlos Alcaraz, 21, won the French Open and successfully defended his Wimbledon title, sweeping Djokovic off court in a one-sided final in July.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

The former world No 1 says that retirement is the furtherest thing from his mind.

No stopping Novak Djokovic

Djokovic will bid for a first Olympic gold medal in Paris which some feel would complete his career collection of titles and be enough for him to give up the game.

The Serbian has seen his great rivals fade and ease into retirement but he isn’t ready to go quietly.

He might get one last rerun of arguably the greatest rivarly of all time with Rafael Nadal in the second round if the Spaniard comes through injury concerns.

“I don’t have retirement close in my mind, to be honest,’ Djokovic said ahead of his Olympic singles first-round match against Australia’s Matthew Ebden.

“Even though I know a lot of people would love me to retire so this era is done. But I think as long as there’s at least one of us left competing, the era is still going.

“Of course there’s a change of generations. You have Alcaraz and [Jannik] Sinner, currently they’re our two best players in the world, deservedly.

“They’re playing at a very high level particularly this year. They’re very young and they are going to carry this sport in the future.

“But I’ve been present for the shift of many generations in the last 15 years and I like to see that.”

Farewell to Andy Murray

Djokovic felt that it was a shame that Andy Murray wouldn’t get a singles swansong in Paris.

“I heard the news about Andy,’ Djokovic said. “I hope that he will have the best possible farewell in his last competitive match here in the Olympics. He’s a legend of our sport. He’s been an incredibly important player for tennis globally.

“Nadal of course, the same. Even more. All the results and achievements he’s had particularly in this city, at Roland-Garros. Nadal still didn’t say when his last tournament will be so hopefully for the sake of the sport he can keep going.’

“I think it’s also great that I’m still able to play, Nadal, other veterans like [Stan] Wawrinka that have won multiple Grand Slams and made a big name in the sport.

“I think that also adds more significance and attention to our sport and I think it’s a nice fine balance.

“Of course, the end is closer than the beginning, I know that, for me personally as well. But I still enjoy competition and I’ll keep going until I don’t enjoy it anymore.”

Who will win Tennis gold at Paris 2024?

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Nadal is due to face Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in the first round on Sunday and victory would hand him a 60th career clash with old rival Novak Djokovic.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know if I am going to play tomorrow or not,” said the 38-year-old Spaniard, who is at his farewell Olympics and is also in the men’s doubles.

“I will talk to my people and make the smartest decision that I can to have the best chance of bringing a medal home, so let’s see.”

Doubles win

Nadal, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, teamed up with Carlos Alcaraz for the first time and defeated Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in front of a packed, raucous crowd under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Nadal, a singles gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and doubles title winner at Rio four years later, appeared on court with a bandage strapped around his right thigh.

The Olympics is just his seventh tournament of 2024, in a season where he has also battled a hip injury and seen his singles ranking plummet to 161.

“Sometimes more isn’t always more, sometimes more is less,” added Nadal over the decision he faces.

“I am just enjoying the moment playing doubles together with Carlos,” added Nadal, who featured in the opening ceremony on Friday when he carried the Olympic torch.

“It has been an unforgettable day for me today and an unforgettable day yesterday. I am enjoying every single moment, having the best experience possible.”

Carlos Alcaraz won his singles opener

Hours earlier when Alcaraz had opened his singles campaign with a straights sets victory over Hady Habib, the 21-year-old said it was a “dream” to play alongside his compatriot Nadal.

The duo appeared to a standing ovation on the same packed court where Nadal won 14 French Opens and Alcaraz collected his first just last month.

Gonzalez and Molteni, the sixth seeds, entered the arena to a chorus of boos in the aftermath of a recent racism row between Argentina and France.

The Spanish pair endured a nightmare start when Alcaraz was broken in the first game. Having not played doubles on tour since 2022, the rustiness was not surprising.

The greater experience of Nadal was key and the break was quickly retrieved with the veteran’s reflexes as razor sharp as ever at the net.

Alcaraz and Nadal went to three set points in the tiebreaker and a pinpoint backhand down the line by Nadal secured the opener.

Gonzalez and Molteni raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set but back came the Spanish pair to level.

Rafael Nadal secured another key break with a rasping backhand return to allow him and his partner to lead 5-4 and the opportunity to serve for the match.

That honour fell to the 22-time Grand Slam title champion and victory was secured when Alcaraz slapped the winning forehand crouching at the net.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

“Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament @Olympics. Competing for Great Britain have been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get do it one final time,” the 37-year-old wrote on social media.

Now ranked at 121st, and playing with a metal hip since 2019, time has caught up with Murray who suffered ankle damage this year and underwent surgery to remove a cyst from his spine which ruled him out of singles at Wimbledon.

Instead, he played doubles with brother Jamie and was defeated in the first round.

Andy Murray won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016

“I want to play forever, I love the sport and it’s given me so much. It’s taught me loads of lessons over the years I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop so it is hard,” admitted Murray at the All England Club.

Murray famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed in 2013, defeating career-long rival Novak Djokovic in the final.

He added a second title in 2016, taking his career majors total to three after breaking his duck at the 2012 US Open.

Murray won gold at the 2012 Olympics on an emotional day at the All England Club where he defeated Roger Federer just weeks after he had lost the Wimbledon final to the Swiss on the same Centre Court.

Four years later, he defeated Juan Martin del Potro to become the first player, male or female, to win two Olympic singles golds.

Murray also led Britain to the Davis Cup in 2015, the country’s first in 79 years.

For the latest Paris Olympics 2024 news, bookmark The South African website’s dedicated section

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

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The 38-year-old Spanish left-hander has a protected ranking of ninth to put himself into the field for the Flushing Meadows fortnight, which begins on August 26.

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, played his first singles match since May 27 on Tuesday, beating Leo Borg 6-3, 6-4 at the Nordea Open. Nadal had not played since losing in the first round to Alexander Zverev on the red clay in Paris.

Nadal has played the US Open only once, in 2022, since winning his fourth New York hardcourt crown in 2019.

He was among 14 players to claim a main-draw spot with a protected ranking.

Nadal won the US Open in 2010 to complete a career Grand Slam and added US Open titles in 2013, 2017 and 2019. He reached the fourth round in 2022 but has played in only two Slams since, never going past the second round.

World number one Jannik Sinner, this year’s Australian Open champion from Italy, and top-ranked Iga Swiatek, who captured her third consecutive French Open title in June, pace the men’s and women’s fields.

Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff at No 2

Defending champions and world number twos Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff are also in the line-up.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the 2022 US Open champion, is coming off French Open and Wimbledon title runs and could become the first player since Nadal in 2010 to win those trophies and the US Open in the same year.

Reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, the 2023 US Open runner-up who missed Wimbledon due to injury, and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova are also in the field.

American Reilly Opelka, also in through a protected ranking, is set to play his first Grand Slam tournament since 2022 due to injuries.

Three other past US Open champions were on the main draw lists – Daniil Medvedev on the men’s side plus Sloane Stephens and Emma Raducanu on the women’s.

Raducanu’s run to the fourth round at Wimbledon secured her a spot in the world rankings top 100 and a place in the US Open.

Wild cards

Among past US Open winners who did not make the direct acceptance list are Bianca Andreescu, Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka for the women and Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem and Stan Wawrinka for the men.

All three women missed last year’s US Open, Andreescu due to injury and Osaka and Kerber on maternity leave, and all exhausted their protected rankings for majors earlier this year.

Osaka ranks sixth on the women’s alternate list. Wawrinka is men’s seventh alternate with Murray the 26th alternate and Thiem, who says he plans to retire after 2024, the 36th alternate.

The US Open field will also include 16 wild cards, eight each in the men’s and women’s field, and 16 qualifiers each for the men and women.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

This one is as feel-good as it gets, and nobody is more appreciative of an underdog than a Wimbledon crowd – even when she’s playing a Brit!

The 23-year old New Zealander arrived at Wimbledon ranked 123rd in the world, which meant having to enter and win in the qualifying tournament, to secure a place in the Wimbledon main draw.

To reach the heights of a Grand Slam quarter-final from qualifying, is the stuff of fairytales.  

Lulu Sun beat Great Britain’s own Emma Raducanu

Sun’s draw was not easy.

She had to overcome a top 10 player (world No 8 Qinwen Zheng in the first round), and later, play against a home crowd (and win!) in three sets against Great Britain’s own Emma Raducanu.

“Honestly, the British crowd is not that bad. If you’ve seen, like, French crowds at the French Open or at the US Open. I was expecting the support for her, but they were honestly okay for me”.

Expect the endorsements to come flooding in after Wimbledon.

Sun embodies today’s multicultural world, making her the perfect global ambassador, through her diverse background.

Born in New Zealand to a Chinese mother and Croatian father, she has lived around the world, namely, New Zealand, Shanghai, Texas and Switzerland.

She admitted that it was a tough decision to decide whether she wanted to represent New Zealand or Switzerland, as both countries are dear to her.

In addition, she has a bachelor’s degree in international relations and global studies from the University of Texas.

Playing at the Paris Olympics 2024

Sun’s future looks bright – her progress to the quarter-finals will put her just outside the top 50.

At her post-match press conference, she was excited at the prospect: “definitely being inside the top hundred is going to help immensely. I’m going to be able to play more and more WTA tournaments, which is really nice”.

Amisha Savani of The South African asked Sun at the post-match press conference, what was next for her.

“I’m currently going to prepare with Erin (Routliffe) for the Olympics. I’m super pumped about that. Although I did enter myself in another tournament, unfortunately I have to withdraw from that ’cause I don’t think I’ll have enough time to prepare. But, yeah, I’m super excited to be able to play at the Olympics with Erin”.

What is certain, is that Sun has won the hearts of many new fans around the world.

Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

After missing two match points, she was 8-7 down in a final decider tiebreak, before regaining her form and winning, making Italian history along the way.

It was a valiant fight.

The match could have easily slipped away, as both players were on top form.

At 5-foot-4, Paolini was not intimidated by Vekic’s 5-foot-10 presence, particularly in the second set, when she started reading Vekic’s game, firing off blasting forehands and serves to Vekic.  

World No 7 Paolini became a trailblazer as the first Italian woman in history to reach a Wimbledon final.

In addition, she now shares a record with one of the greatest players of our time – Serena Williams.

In progressing to the Wimbledon Ladies’ finals, Paolini became the first player to make back-to-back Grand Slam finals in the same year since Serena did it in 2016.

She also played the longest Wimbledon Ladies’ singles semi-final in Wimbledon history.

When asked at the post-match press conference about how she felt about following in the footsteps of the golden generation of female tennis players (the Pennettas, Erranis, Vincis, Schiavones), she said that she was inspired by them, “but I don’t want to compare too much because I’m writing my own story, my own career”.

Jasmine Paolini’s playing style is endearing.

She wears her heart on her sleeve, smiles, interacts with the crowd, and in doing so, has won the hearts of both Italian and Wimbledon fans.

She has humanised tennis with her exuberant personality.

At her post-match press conference, she was asked about her charming interaction with the crowd, and whether she’d always played like this: “I would always be like that. Now, I’m really enjoying playing in the big stadium. I feel grateful to the crowd that is watching me. Yeah, I’m just enjoying. I love to play in these kind of courts. It feels more special.  Also, to play important matches, it’s so special. I’m so grateful that also the crowd was cheering for me. Yeah, it’s a great feeling I think for a tennis player”.

Before last month, Paolini had never won a match on grass. At Eastbourne (a grass court pre-Wimbledon warm-up tournament), she reached the semi-finals. Asked if she thought grass was now her best surface, Paolini replied: “I don’t know. I think I can hit the ball really, really strong. But also moving for me, is also important. Today I’m trying to ask to my coach (smiling). I think he would say yes. I can play good because I can hit the ball strong.”

When asked what she would say to someone if they’d said a year ago that she would make both Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals, she laughed, saying: “I think even two months ago (laughter) I would say ‘you are crazy’. Yeah, I don’t have words. Just, yeah, you are crazy I would say (laughter)’”.  

Jasmine Paolini went on to lose the Wimbledon final against world No 32 Barbora Krejcikova on Saturday, 13 July.

Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

HRH Princess Charlotte of Wales graced the Royal Box, dressed resplendently in Wimbledon purple.

Also present were former champions Andre Agassi, Stefan Edberg, Chris Evert, Lleyton Hewitt, Rod Laver, Jan Kodes, Ken Rosewall and Stan Smith.

The very first game of Sunday’s men’s singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic was a 14 minute duel involving seven deuces.

Was this a sign of things to come?

Unfortunately not, as rest of the match would was a very different affair.

World No 3 Alcaraz from Spain dominated the first set 6-2 against world No 2 Djokovic, who seemed on edge from the start, taking time to settle into the match.

Alcaraz was on form from the start, crushing the ball with intensity, serving the best of his career – with 87% of his first serves in during the set, as opposed to Djokovic’s 55% which Alcaraz won in 41 minutes.

From there on, Alcaraz breezed through, taking full control of the second set 6-2, playing sensational tennis in just 34 minutes.

Alcaraz denied any offensive play from Djokovic and kept him from coming to the net or moving forward.

This was a very different Djokovic to one we were familiar with in past finals, no doubt also hampered by his recent knee surgery just weeks before.

The third set, however, was a different affair.

There was more fight from Djokovic and was the longest set in the match.  

He regained form, upping his level to win the first game on serve, leading 2-1, then 3-2.

But it was simply not enough, as Alcaraz fought back, equalising for 3-all, before Alcaraz lost a break point at 5-4, enabling Djokovic to climb back to 5-5, and then 6-5.

Whilst this was a set full of drama, including a final set tiebreak, Alcaraz outplayed Djokovic, winning the Championship.

At the post-match press conference, Djokovic credited Alcaraz for playing better quality tennis than himself, reading his serve well, and playing with variety.

Speaking of Alcaraz’s serve, Djokovic said: “I’ve never seen him serve that way, to be honest. 136 (mph). Maybe I was missing something this tournament, but I’ve never seen him serve that fast. He must have had a really good serving practice day yesterday … yes, overall, he really outplayed me”. (smiling).

At Alcaraz’s post-match press conference, he spoke of having practised his serve to get it to Sunday’s level.

“I was really focused on the serve to be better. I think I got better in every match that I was playing. Really glad that I had this serve game today because it was really a main weapon that I put in today’s match. I’m really pleased about it”.

In becoming the men’s singles champion for 2024, Alcaraz made history.

He is now the fourth man in the open era aged 21 and under to have won four grand slam titles.

The others are Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander.

He is the third youngest man to defend the Wimbledon title, after Borg and Becker.

He is also the first player outside of Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year this century.

As Wimbledon champion, Alcaraz will take home £2.7 million in prize money (R63.8 million).

The champion and runner-up trophies were presented on court by Her Royal Highness, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

Excitement, loud cheers, the flashing lights of cameras and hearty clapping was the order of the winter morning as the sportswoman emerged into the terminal after her splendid showing at Wimbledon over the weekend. 

Montjane and her Japanese partner Yui Kamiji bagged their third Grand Slam title together on Sunday. 

The number one seeds defeated Dutch duo, Diede De Groot and Jiske Griffioen 6-4, 6-4 to secure the Wimbledon Ladies’ Wheelchair Doubles title in London. 

She told journalists that her victory has not sunk in yet, especially after the duo finished as runners-up last year.

“I’m still digesting it – but I’m sure it will sink in. This is just a great feeling,” she told journalists as she beamed from ear to ear.

Kgothatso Montjane had her left leg amputated at age 12

According to the newly crowned champion, the matches are gruelling and require professionalism to play at this level.

“We try to fight as a team. We wanted to win this one considering our performance last year. After that match last year, we felt we needed to give it our best. We felt we lacked strategy. So, you can imagine how badly we wanted it. 

“That’s why we needed to put our differences aside and put our heads together and fight together as a team.” 

Montjane had her left leg amputated at age 12 due to a congenital disorder. 

She described yesterday’s win as a confidence booster as she prepares for the Paralympic Games in August in Paris. 

“I feel like I really needed this. I’ve been having ups and downs throughout the year and my ranking going through ups and downs, and not being sure where I am. 

“This one really gives me a great feeling that I can go to the Games to deliver,” she said.  

Montjane, who first picked up the racket at the age of 19, thanked her team for motivating her.  

“I’m having so many blows and they’re the ones who try to keep me motivated so that I keep my head down and continue to work hard. I keep saying I’m winning the wrong Slam but it’s still a great achievement. The plan is still to win the Singles title.” 

The 38-year-old believes that she is closer to winning the singles and that all she needs to do is to put her head down and keep working hard towards her goal.

In 2018, the athlete became the first black South African woman to compete at Wimbledon, and she reached the championships’ singles and doubles finals for the first time.

“To the young ones, they must keep believing and working hard. Their dreams are valid and they must believe in the world of possibility. Their turn will come,” Montjane said.

Many sponsors

Limpopo’s MEC for Sport, Arts, and Culture, Jerry Maseko, was also present at the airport to welcome Montjane.

The MEC told SAnews that he and the provincial leadership were excited and proud of the athlete. 

“The Premier and I were both excited. She directed me to come receive this jewel, this diamond from Limpopo, from a rural township of Seshego.”

Maseko took the time to express gratitude to the star for her dedication and the consistency she demonstrated from the grassroots to the professional level.

He also paid tribute to Kgothatso Montjane’s many sponsors and said he was rallying the private sector to construct a tennis court that will be named after the champ.

“It’s important to us to honour the living legend. We shouldn’t honour people when they have passed on. We must appreciate them while they’re still alive.”

Montjane and her Japanese partner, Yui Kamiji, beat Dutch duo Diede de Groot and Jiske Griffioen in straight sets to clinch the title.

Last year, Montjane and Kamiji finished as runners-up at the grass court tournament.

“Proud congratulations to our star from Seshego, Kgothatso Montjane, and her Japanese partner, Yui Kamiji, on their straight-sets win over Diede de Groot and Jiske Griffioen to become the 2024 Women’s Wheelchair Tennis Doubles champions at Wimbledon this weekend,” he said on social media X.

The pair have enjoyed success together, reaching at least eight finals and clinching the 2023 US Open and the 2023 French Open titles.

“This victory at the home of the only major tournament played on grass crowns Kgothatso’s outstanding record in tournaments from Belgium and Switzerland, to the United States and Australia.

“We salute you, Kgothatso, on your life as a champion on and off the court, and we look forward to your continued success,” President Ramaphosa said. 

They beat Dutch duo Diede de Groot and Jiske Griffioen in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday.

De Groot and Griffioen started the match well, but were soon overtaken by Montjane and Kamiji who took a 3-2 lead in the first set.

The second set was a similar affair, but Montjane’s backhands deep into the court, and Kamiji’s topspin serve were just too good for their opponents.

Third grand slam title for Kgothatso Montjane

Montjane is the first black South African woman to compete at Wimbledon.

This is a special Grand Slam for Montjane, who has always credited Wimbledon for changing her life, giving her the breakthrough that she needed in 2018 during financial struggles.

This year was Montjane’s sixth Wimbledon appearance.

Montjane and Kamiji took home £14 000 (R330 000) each.

Montjane and Kamiji have previously won two grand slams together – Roland Garros and the US Open in 2023.

Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

The Spanish third seed produced a performance combining awesome power with delicate touch to win 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), collecting the fourth Grand Slam of his young career.

Alcaraz equals the Open Era record for most Grand Slams won at the age 21 or under, joining Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander.

And he is just the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back to back.

Novak Djokovic had no answers for Carlos Alcaraz

Djokovic, 37, who had knee surgery just weeks ago, was aiming to win a 25th Grand Slam – which would have been a record in the men’s and women’s game.

But he had no answers in the Centre Court sunshine as the electric Alcaraz pounded him from the back of the court and treated the crowd to an array of his trademark drop shots.

Alcaraz seized the initiative in a first game of breathtaking quality lasting 14 minutes, taking advantage of his fifth break point.

The Spaniard settled quickly into his routine on serve and went up a double break when Djokovic double-faulted in the fifth game.

The shellshocked Serbian, playing in his 10th Wimbledon final, held serve to love to close the gap to 5-2 but dumped the ball into the net to hand the Spaniard the first set.

Alcaraz was immediately on the front foot in the second set, forcing a break in the first game and fending off pressure on his own serve to take a 2-0 lead.

A Djokovic backhand into the net in the seventh game handed Alcaraz another break point and a double fault put the defending champion 5-2 up and on the cusp of a two-set lead.

The Centre Court crowd, including Catherine, Princess of Wales, looked on in disbelief as their hopes for a titanic tussle evaporated.

Djokovic fended off another of clutch of break points early in the third set to stay alive and showed signs that he was finding his range.

But the Spaniard carved out three break points in the ninth game, arrowing a passing shot past his stranded opponent to move 5-4 ahead.

Paris Olympics 2024 next

Alcaraz stepped up to serve for the championship but squandered three match points, missing a straightforward drive volley as Djokovic broke for the first time in the match.

But he recovered his composure quickly as the set went to a tie-break.

Djokovic went wide with a forehand to give Alcaraz a 5-3 lead and the Spaniard won the title with his fourth championship point.

The result means Djokovic has still not beaten a top-10 player this year and has yet to win a title.

The Serbian will now turn his attention to the Paris Olympics as he seeks to win gold for the first time.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

The princess is also due to present the trophy to the winner of the final, which sees Serbian all-time great Novak Djokovic going up against defending Spanish champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The 42-year-old, wearing a purple dress, was accompanied by her 9-year-old daughter Charlotte as she talked to players before the match.

She was then cheered on by onlookers as she made her way to the world-famous Centre Court.

The crowd took to its feet as the princess entered the arena, applauding for around 30 seconds. Catherine waved back as she took her seat in the royal box, close to actors Tom Cruise, Zendaya and Hugh Jackman.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, last month tentatively returned to UK public life for the first time since her diagnosis, attending a military parade in London to mark King Charles III’s official birthday.

It came nearly three months after the princess revealed she was receiving chemotherapy treatment. She had not been seen at a public engagement since a Christmas Day service last year.

Sadly, although obviously given the age difference, fans at the ATP event in Bastad next week will not be watching the two kings of Roland Garros – Rafael Nadal and Bjorn Borg with 20 French Open titles between them.

Instead Nadal will be up against Leo Borg, the 21-year-old son of the long-retired former world number one, now 68.

“It was crazy because we were looking when they did the draw and my name just popped up against Rafa,” said Borg, currently ranked 467th in the world.

“I’m feeling very excited and it’s going to be a great match.”

Borg never watched a point of his father’s career

According to his ATP biography, Borg has never watched a single point of his father’s storied career which included six French Open titles and five successive Wimbledons.

Instead he credits Nadal as one of the reasons he turned to tennis as a child, making Friday’s practice session together all the more special.

“It was a very good practice and of course he’s been my idol since I was very young, so it’s going to be a very special moment in my career,” Borg said.

“But I’m looking forward to that and I’m feeling really, really excited.”

Borg’s only ATP Tour match win last year was in Bastad against Elias Ymer.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal on the other hand, has competed in Bastad on three previous occasions, most recently in 2005, when he lifted the trophy.

The 38-year-old, who was knocked out of the first round at Roland Garros before choosing to skip Wimbledon, will also be taking part in the doubles in tandem with Casper Ruud in preparation for the Olympics when he will team up with fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.

Defending champion and top seed Andrey Rublev begins his defence against Thiago Agustin Tirante or a qualifier.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

After winning her first Wimbledon Ladies’ singles title against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in three sets, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, and as per Wimbledon tradition, Krejcikova was taken to see her freshly etched name on the Wimbledon Honours board.

It was there that she was overwhelmed with emotion, as she spotted both her own name, as well as the name of her late coach, mentor and friend, Jana Novotna.

Novotna, the 1998 Wimbledon champion, died in 2017 from ovarian cancer.

Asked about this at the post-match press conference, Krejcikova replied: “I miss Jana a lot. It was just very, very emotional. A very emotional moment to see me on a board right next to her. I think she would be proud. I think she would be really excited that I’m on a same board as she is because Wimbledon was super special for her”.

Krejcikova spoke of when the two first started working together, in 2014, up until Novotna’s death.

Krejcikova said that Novotna still appeared in her dreams. Clearly, she was still grieving her dear friend’s passing.

Barbora Krejcikova breezed through the first set, winning 6-2 in 35 minutes. All seemed to be going her way until Paolini replicated the same score from her side, battling her way back into the match, taking the second set 2-6 in 36 minutes.

While the 5-foot-4 Paolini fought hard, against the statuesque 5-foot-10 Krejcikova, matching her power despite her size, it was simply not enough, as Krejcikova dominated in the final set.

It was not meant to be for Jasmine Paolini, as she suffered her second Grand Slam final defeat, after losing to Iga Swiatek at last month’s Roland Garros.

Paolini was hoping to make history for her country, by becoming the first Italian women’s singles champion at Wimbledon.

Krejcikova, however, did make history for the Czech Republic, as the first Czech player to win two slams on two different surfaces.

After winning, Krejcikova followed the Wimbledon tradition of climbing up to her players’ box to celebrate her victory.

She said at the post-match interview, that Saturday was the best day of her career, and also the best day of her life.

Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

“The Princess of Wales, Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club will attend the Gentlemen’s Singles Final of The Championships, Wimbledon on Sunday 14th July,” the palace said in a press release.

UK media also reported that the princess will present the trophy to the winner of the final, which will see Serbian all-time great Novak Djokovic go up against defending Spanish champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The final will start at 15:00 (SA time).

Princess of Wales ‘making good progress’

Catherine last month tentatively returned to UK public life for the first time since her diagnosis, attending a military parade in London to mark King Charles III’s official birthday.

The 42-year-old future queen appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony, to cheers from the crowds below.

It came nearly three months after the princess revealed she was receiving chemotherapy treatment. She had not been seen at a public engagement since a Christmas Day service last year.

In a statement released at the time, Kate said she was “making good progress” with her treatment, which is set to last for several more months, but was “not out of the woods yet”.

“I’m looking forward to attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer,” the princess added.

Kate’s cancer announcement came just weeks after it was disclosed that British head of state Charles had also been diagnosed with the condition.

Neither has revealed what type of cancer they have.

Navarro’s Wimbledon fairytale run ended by Paolini

23-year-old American Emma Navarro, the richest player on the planet with an estimated net worth of $3.8 billion because of a future inheritance handed down by her father Ben Navarro, was dumped out of Wimbledon at the quarter-final stage by Italian star Jasmine Paolini. Paolini, runner-up at Roland Garros in June, was too good for Navarro winning 6-2 6-1. It’s been a meteoric rise for Navarro, though, whose victims at Wimbledon this year included two former Grand Slam champions; Naomi Osaka and World Number Two Coco Gauff. Unseeded Croatian Donna Vekic beat qualifier New Zealander Lulu Sun to book her place in the final four against Paolini.

Alcaraz shows his class

Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz shrugged off an early fight from talented, in-form American Tommy Paul to win comfortably 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-2. He’ll face the ever-entertaining Russian Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals; Medvedev beat World Number One Jannik Sinner in five sets, although Sinner struggled with fatigue and didn’t look well. Novak Djokovic vs the Aussie Alex De Minaur and Taylor Fritz against talented Italian Lorenzo Musetti rounds out the quarter-final action.

Ladies draw looks wide open in 2024

2022 winner Elena Rybakina is the only former Wimbledon champion left in the draw this year. Meanwhile, Barbora Krejčíková and Jelena Ostapenko are both former Roland Garros winners and the only other players in the final eight with Grand Slam titles.

Wimbledon quarter-finals lineup on Wednesday 10 July

• Jeļena Ostapenko vs Barbora Krejčíková 
• Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina
• Lorenzo Musetti vs Taylor Fritz
• Alex De Minaur vs Novak Djoković

Who’s your pick for the Wimbledon singles titles this year? Will Alcaraz defend his crown?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. You can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for your social fix.

The South African’s reporter Amisha Savani spoke exclusively to wheelchair and quad wheelchair players Kgothatso “KG” Montjane, and Donald Ramphadi about their upcoming matches.

Wimbledon has two categories in the wheelchair draw. The wheelchair category is for athletes with a permanent impairment of one or both legs, but with normal arm function. Montjane will be competing in the ladies’ wheelchair singles and doubles draw.

The Quad category is for athletes with additional restrictions in the playing arm, which limits the ability to handle the racquet and manoeuvre the wheelchair. Ramphadi will be competing in the quad wheelchair singles and doubles.

‘Much to be positive about’

World No 11 ranked Montjane is due to play in both the singles and doubles wheelchair draw. Her first round singles match is against Great Britain’s Lucy Shuker, ranked No 14. In the doubles, she is partnered with world No 2 wheelchair player, Yui Kamiji of Japan.

Montjane reflected on her year to date, which had been tough: “due to getting closer but not really breaking through to get the results that I’m looking for, but just happy with the progress”.

She spoke about her recovery from her tendonitis, which she first sustained in 2002/2003: “it’s been a mental struggle to pick it up, but I’m still motivated to keep going”.

But there is much to be positive about.

In 2018, Montjane made history, by being the first black South African woman to compete at Wimbledon.

Savani congratulated Montjane for this feat, asking why Montjane thought it had taken so long for South Africa to make this history: “our history as a country maybe played a part in that, not having a lot of black people playing tennis at the highest level. I enjoyed the experience of playing in 2018, it was my first time playing on grass. I didn’t even know I was going to be the first one to ever do it”. She hoped to inspire the next generation of South African players to take up tennis.

Wimbledon holds many good memories for Montjane. The Championships changed her life, giving her a much needed career breakthrough at a time when she was undergoing financial struggles. Aside from making history that year, she entered her 2018 Wimbledon (her first Grand Slam) as a wild card, reaching the doubles and singles finals.  

Montjane discussed her grass preparations on her favourite surface, which involve resistance-based training, “as grass is a heavy surface, everything depends on the arms, as we do quite a bit of heavy lifting to manoeuvre the chair, to make sure that it’s much better to push on grass”.

Looking forward to her doubles partnership with Kamiji, Montjane said both had won two grand slams together, reaching the Australian Open and Roland Garros finals together. She hoped they’d progress even further this Wimbledon.

Donald Ramphadi will also play singles and doubles

Meanwhile, singles world No 4 and doubles world No 8 ranked Ramphadi is due to play in both the singles and doubles Quad Wheelchair draw.

His first round singles match is against Israel’s Guy Sasson, ranked No 7. For the doubles, he is partnered with world No 4 quad wheelchair player Heath Davidson of Australia.

Ramphadi’s year to date has been good. He reached the Australian Open finals in the doubles, and the semis in the singles. Whilst he was unable to defend his title at Roland Garros, he had reached the quarter-finals in the quad singles at Roland Garros, and the semis in the doubles.

Looking to Wimbledon, Ramphadi told Savani said that grass was his most challenging surface, given the surface’s unpredictability: “it’s very hard for wheelchair tennis users to push on grass.”

As with Montjane, Ramphadi’s Wimbledon preparations had focused on upper body strength training: “the training has been good, so mentally, physically, I’m ready”.

Ramphadi spoke about wheelchair tennis growing as a sport: “we see things improving, which we are very happy about. We always want to see our sport growing” He hoped to see more tennis tournaments including wheelchair and quad wheelchair tennis in their draws”.

When asked what could be done to encourage more wheelchair tennis in South Africa, Ramphadi responded: “first of all, it’s the development side, which has not been doing well, especially after losing the big sponsor (AXA)”. Given that soccer and netball were more commonly played in schools in South Africa, tennis had less exposure. He hoped to help try to change this, to bring more interest to tennis.

Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

Emma Navarro doesn’t need the money at Wimbledon

With a meagre accumulated career prize money of $1.8 Million, you wouldn’t think that 23-year-old American Emma Navarro is the richest tennis player on the planet. However, that’s exactly what she is. Her net worth is estimated at a cool $3.8 billion down to a future inheritance handed down by her father Ben Navarro. He’s a tycoon billionaire whose wealth has come from several ventures, notably his ownership of Sherman Financial Group. The natural assumptions and popular consensuses with trust-fund kids are that they’re lazy and entitled, but with Navarro, it couldn’t be further from the truth, at least from a tennis perspective. She’s slugged it out on a highly competitive college circuit since 2020, making her WAT debut in 2019. All of her best results have finally arrived in 2024. She doesn’t need the money from tennis but that’s not how she plays the game.

Navarro is making waves and moving on up

Emma Navarro has been ranked as high as 17th in the world and is currently the 19th-best female player on the planet. She’s only got one career title to her name, the 2024 Hobart International, but that number should steadily increase. Her best performance at a Grand Slam before this week at Wimbledon was the 4th round at Roland Garros in June. Now she’s in London gunning for a place in the final four at arguably the most prestigious tennis event on the calendar.

Fairytale run

Navarro has defeated former Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff on her surprise run to the quarter-finals where she’ll meet this year’s Roland Garros runner-up, Italian Jasmine Paolini. 2022 winner Elena Rybakina is the only former Wimbledon champion left in the draw this year. Meanwhile, Barbora Krejčíková and Jelena Ostapenko are both former Roland Garros winners and the only other players in the final eight with Grand Slam titles.

Ladies Wimbledon quarter-final lineup

• Jeļena Ostapenko vs Barbora Krejčíková (Wed 10 July)
• Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina (Wed 10 July)
• Lulu Sun vs Donna Vekić (Tue 09 July at 14:00 SA time)
• Jasmine Paolini vs Emma Navarro (Tue 09 July, follows Sinner vs Medvedev on centre court)

Men’s Wimbledon quarter-final lineup

• Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev (Tuesday 09 July, 14:30 SA time)
• Carlos Alcaraz vs Tommy Paul (Tuesday 09 July, follows Sun vs Vekic)
• Lorenzo Musetti vs Taylor Fritz (Wed 10 July)
• Alex De Minaur vs Novak Djoković (Wed 10 July)

Will Navarro shock the world and lift the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2024?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. You can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for your social fix.

Emma Navarro is the richest tennis player in the world

23-year-old Emma Navarro’s net worth exceeds that of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic combined. She’s estimated to be valued at $3.8 billion (R69 billion) owing to a potential inheritance from her tycoon businessman father. Navarro was handed a wild card to play the 2021 US Open but has been steadily climbing the ranks since thanks to a toughness and work ethic learned on the college tennis scene.

Gunning for the final four at Wimbledon

Emma Navarro has been ranked as high as 17th in the world but is currently the 19th-best female player on the planet. She’s only got one career title, namely the 2024 Hobart International. Her best performance at a Grand Slam before this week at Wimbledon was the 4th round at Roland Garros in June. Now she’s gunning for a place in the semi-finals at arguably the most prestigious tournament in the sport. It’s been a meteoric rise for a player whose victims at Wimbledon this year include two former Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and World Number Two Coco Gauff in the Round of 16. Her reward is a quarter-final showdown with Roland Garros 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini. Navarro’s ranking will climb above 19 if she gets past Paolini, and her global notoriety will also certainly soar.

Women’s quarter-final lineup

• Jelena Ostapenko vs Barbora Krejcikova
• Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina
• Lulu Sun vs Donna Vekic (Tuesday 09 July at 14:00 SA time)
• Jasmine Paolini vs Emma Navarro (Tuesday 09 July, follows Sinner vs Medvedev)

Men’s quarterfinal lineup

• Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev (Tuesday 09 July, 14:30 SA time)
• Carlos Alcaraz vs Tommy Paul (Tuesday 09 July, follows Sun vs Vekic)
• Lorenzo Musetti vs Taylor Fritz
• Alex De Minaur vs Novak Djokovic

Who’s going to lift the respective Wimbledon crowns in 2024?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. You can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for your social fix.

The two players had never previously met, but like his third round match against Frances Tiafoe last Friday, Sunday proved to be yet another test for Alcaraz who faltered and lost the third set against Humbert, before turning things around and winning in four (6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5) in just under three hours.

Once again, Alcaraz dug deep to find his best form when he needed to.

The challenges he overcame will no doubt help in his next round – against the champion of Queens, Tommy Paul.

Undoubtedly, those challenges have brought out some of Alcaraz’s best form. Even the signature drop shots worked seamlessly on grass on the day.

Carlos Alcaraz feeling ‘optimistic’

Earlier this year, Alcaraz worked on improving his serve, with the help of coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

The improvements are biomechanical changes, involving one, instead of two pauses during his racquet take back, in order to improve the rhythm when striking the ball in motion.

The technique has paid dividends on Wimbledon’s grass, particularly when he has needed it.

On Sunday he won 63 points on his first serve, while Humbert managed to win 45 first serve points.

Carlos Alcaraz’s win was bolstered by his 14 aces, and conversion of six break point opportunities.

‘Key moments’

At his post-match press conference at Wimbledon, he was optimistic.

“It’s always great to qualify to the quarter-finals. I’m feeling great on the court. I think I’m getting better and better every match that I’m playing. Feeling really comfortable on the court, hitting good points, good shots”.

When asked about some key moments in the match where he had a dip in concentration, Carlos Alcaraz replied: “There was a certain point that I couldn’t find my good read on the serve. I felt like he was reading my serve, he was reading my shots very, very well in every point that we were playing. It was difficult for me to find the solutions in that moment. But tennis is like this. I had 40-Love down in the fourth set. A few serves that I did pretty well. Saved that game. It was kind of I increase my tennis, increase my intensity, and got the win at the end”.

Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

This one was all the more sentimental because Murray had announced his retirement on home turf, at Wimbledon.

There was an emotional farewell ceremony after he pulled out of his final singles match on 4 July, due to ongoing back issues.

Who’s who of tennis

The event was attended by fellow Grand Slam Champions, Novak Djokovic, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe and Iga Swiatek, alongside British players Jack Draper, Dan Evans and Cameron Norrie.

Also in attendance were Murray’s family.

A montage of his finest moments was shown on screen to a packed Centre Court stadium.

But for British tennis fans, all was not over.

Or so they thought…

Although Murray had pulled out of the singles and lost in the gentlemen’s doubles with his brother Jamie, there was to be one last hurrah.

Murray announced that he and Emma Raducanu would be forming a ‘dream team’ mixed doubles partnership at Wimbledon.

What a match-up that was expected to be.

British fans were jubilant, and Raducanu and Murray were both looking forward to playing together.

In Raducanu’s post-match press conference on Friday after her win against Maria Sakkari, she spoke about the team up: “I mean, it’s just an amazing opportunity to be able to play with him. It’s something that I’m going to cherish”.

But it was not meant to be.

Andy Murray to retire after Paris Olympics 2024

Early on Saturday afternoon, Raducanu announced her withdrawal from the mixed doubles, due to “some stiffness” in her wrist.

Murray and Raducanu were scheduled to play China’s Zhang Shuai and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo on Saturday, on Wimbledon’s aptly named ‘Super Saturday’.

Sadly, per Wimbledon rules, it is now too late for Murray to find a replacement for the mixed doubles, as the draw has already been made.

Players often prioritise singles over doubles, to preserve their bodies and to avoid injury from playing too many matches. This could not have been an easy decision for Raducanu, who is clearly taking the necessary precautionary measures to ensure a successful run in the singles: “I am disappointed as I was really looking forward to playing with Andy, but I’ve got to take care”, this will no doubt be a blow to Murray and his team.

Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu have been replaced by the alternate team Rajeev Ram (USA) and Katie Volynets (USA).

Murray, a three-time grand slam champion, is planning to retire after playing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

This loss will be all the more painful, given that this was a loss of margins involving three tie breaks – as can be seen from the final scoreline alone: 6-4, 6–7 (5/7), 7–6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-7 (10/7).

Booming serves

The match was much anticipated for three reasons: 1. Wimbledon has heralded a comeback of form for Harris, after injuries and major wrist surgery, 2. This was the first ever meeting between the two, and 3. The match had been rescheduled from the previous day due to poor weather and light.

The location was also moved, from Court 12 to the very historic Court 18 – most famous for holding the longest tennis match in tennis history: Isner vs Mahut in 2010, as the historic plaque on its wall states.

Wimbledon’s Court 18 has also provided some of the liveliest matches.

And this one certainly delivered: the grass favoured both players’ booming serves, there was serve and volley, drop shots, lobs: pure grass court tennis in all its glory, to delight every fan.

Harris was reflective but positive during the post-match press conference. He talked about how close the match was, with both players having opportunities, both serving well, and that in the end, it came down to just one or two points.

“It was a hard pill to swallow, but it was a good level and there are lots of good things to take away from it”.

Up next for Lloyd Harris

Amisha Savani of The South African website asked Harris what his key takeaways were from the match.

Harris replied, “maybe I could have done a little bit better on his second serve, but he didn’t make it easy for me”.

Moving forward, Harris said that the one positive he could utilise from the match, and from Wimbledon, was the experience in competing.

He had gained confidence from the experience of playing in Futures, Challengers, Slams and qualifying as best he could: “qualifying is hard, you play against unbelievable players, and to win three matches is not that easy, so I’m super happy to have played two top players twice. The result shows that my level has picked up since playing on the challenger tour and I feel that it’s right there for the taking even against the best players”.

Lloyd Harris spoke of how the Wimbledon qualifying event was more challenging compared to qualifying at other tournaments, as Wimbledon qualifiers take place in a different venue to The Championships.

For Harris, the surface at the qualifying felt different to the one onsite.

Playing on grass was unpredictable due to the unevenness of the surface: “things can go so quickly and spiral away from you, whereas on hard and clay surfaces, usually the better player over the course of the match, wins”.

After a six-week stay in the UK for the British grass season, Harris was looking forward to returning home to Dubai before the upcoming US hard court season: “which is my favourite swing of the year”.

Atlanta, Washington, Cincinnati are up next for Harris, in the build-up to the 2024 US Open.

Amisha Savani is reporting from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon for The South African website

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Harris, who is the only South African – male or female – in singles action at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2024, had reached the second round after a thrilling Round 1 win over another American, teenager Alex Michelsen, on Monday.

Harris prevailed in that match in five-sets, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 7-6 (11/9).

Meanwhile, Ben Shelton edged Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in his first round clash, also in five sets, winning 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

However, Harris’s tournament came to an end on Thursday – in another five-setter.

Shelton won 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (7/5), 6-3, 7-6 (10/7) in a match which lasted three hours and 53 minutes.

Harris and left-handed Shelton have never faced one another at ATP tour level prior to the clash.

The South African website will keep readers updated in free-to-read articles covering the tournament.

Handsome pay day awaits Lloyd Harris

Last week, Harris came through three rounds of qualifying to secure his spot in the men’s singles main draw for the tournament.

He beat Italy’s Andrea Vavassori 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying, then proved too strong for Britain’s George Loffhagen, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in the second round.

The 27-year-old Harris then beat France’s Hugo Grenier 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) to seal his qualification.

It’s already been a lucrative few days for Harris who picked up £40 000 (R935 000) for progressing through the qualifying rounds.

The lanky Capetonian picked up another £93 000 (R2.16 million) for losing in the Round of 64.

Harris equalled his best performance on the hallowed grass courts at Wimbledon from 2021 when he also reached the second round.

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Harris, who is the only South African – male or female – in singles action at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2024, reached the second round after a thrilling Round 1 win over another American, teenager Alex Michelsen, on Monday.

Harris prevailed in five-sets, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 7-6 (11/9).

The match, which took place on Court 9, took three hours and 31 minutes to complete.

Meanwhile, Ben Shelton edged Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in his first round clash, also in five sets.

Shelton won 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Harris and left-handed Shelton have never faced one another at ATP tour level.

Harris exclusively told The South African website that “I love playing lefties, Ben is one of the best players in the world. I’ll be super excited. I’m going to go out there with my fighting spirit again”.

The match is scheduled for Court 12.

The South African website will keep readers updated in free-to-read articles as to Harris’s progress at the tournament.

Handsome pay day awaits Lloyd Harris

Last week, Harris came through three rounds of qualifying to secure his spot in the men’s singles main draw for the tournament.

He beat Italy’s Andrea Vavassori 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying, then proved too strong for Britain’s George Loffhagen, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in the second round.

The 27-year-old Harris then beat France’s Hugo Grenier 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) to seal his qualification.

He is guaranteed a handsome pay cheque at Wimbledon, no matter how far he progresses.

It’s already been a lucrative few days for Harris who picked up £40 000 (R935 000) for progressing through the qualifying rounds.

Should he lose his second round match in the tournament itself, the lanky Capetonian is guaranteed another £93 000 (R2.16 million).

Harris has equalled his best performance to date on the hallowed grass courts at Wimbledon from 2021 when he also reached the second round.

Harris is keen to upset the Wimbledon odds

Unseeded 27-year-old Lloyd Harris is finally fit after a spate of issues relating to a serious wrist injury. He’ll face the daunting task of a meeting with huge-serving American 14th seed Ben Shelton. Action on court 18 starts around 13:15* SA time on Thursday 4 July. For the record, Harris got the better of American teenager Alex Michelsen in a five-set thriller in the first round, coming back from two sets down to eventually prevail 3-6; 4-6; 7-6; 6-2; 7-6. Will the Yankee dash SA hopes on Independence Day?

Sinner sees off Berrettini in four epic sets

Italian World Number 1 Jannik Sinner did it the hard way to beat compatriot Matteo Berrettini 7-6 7-6 2-6 7-6. Berrettini was the beaten finalist in 2021 against Novak Djokovic. Speaking of the Serbian legend, he’ll take Centre Court on Wednesday for his second-round match against British hope Jacob Fearnley at 14:30* SA time.

Alcaraz shows sheer class

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz showed off his full shot-making repertoire to see off Aussie Aleksandar Vukic 7-6 6-2 6-2 to set up a tasty third-round showdown with American Frances Tiafoe.

Golden Oldies aren’t done

39-year-old three-time major winner Stan Wawrinka is the oldest person left in the tournament but he’s on the brink of an exit to a fellow veteran, 37-year-old Gael Monfils. The flamboyant Frenchman holds a commanding 7-6 6-4 5-5 lead. They’ll resume their battle on Wednesday on Court 2. Swiss star Wawrinka has won the other three slams but his best achievement at Wimbledon was the quarter-finals in 2014 and 2015.

Vondrousova dumped out

Defending champion Marketa Vondrousova, who was unseeded when she lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2023, has been beaten in the first round in 2024. Her vanquisher? 20-year-old Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. She becomes the first woman to defeat the reigning Wimbledon champion in the first round since 1994 when Lori McNeil shocked the legendary Steffi Graf.

Rybakina cruises

2022 ladies champion Elena Rybakina moved into the second round with minimal fuss, overpowering Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse on Tuesday. The ice-cold, huge-serving Kazakh has a game built for grass and will fancy her chances of going all the way. She’s responsible for one of the most staggering celebrations in tennis history. She meets German Laura Siegemund in the second round on Thursday 4 July at 15:40* SA time.

Can Lloyd Harris upset the odds at SW19? Who’s lifting the crown this year? Let us know in the comments. All start times on non-show courts are subject to change because of the dreary, rainy British ‘summer’.

Harris will be the major underdog, but even if he does lose this second round match, the Capetonian is guaranteed another £93 000 (R2.16 million).

He already picked up £40 000 (R935 000) for progressing through the qualifying rounds.

Lloyd Harris catching attention at Wimbledon

Harris, who is the only South African – male or female – in singles action at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2024, reached the second round after a thrilling Round 1 win over another American, teenager Alex Michelsen.

In an epic five-set clash, he prevailed 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 7-6 (11/9). Harris, who is ranked 118th in the world, finished the match with an impressive 34 aces compared to Michelsen’s nine.

Fit and firing

Prior to the start of Wimbledon, the Cape Town-born player spoke of his career trajectory to date, including recovering from a career-threatening wrist injury.

The surgery was to fix a tear to his triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) – a ligament in his wrist, which had to be repaired and put back together, involving a lengthy rehab: “With the wrist you never know how it’s going to heal, or if it’s going to be 100%, because you’re working with so many nerves, but ultimately I healed from it.

“It’s the best I’ve felt in the last two and a half, three years, I’m in a very good place mentally and physically,” he added. “My tennis is feeling good, and I feel like I’m playing a high level. It’s good to be back in the main draw of a grand slam, competing against the highest level where I want to be, and where I have been in the past, so I’m excited to get back to that and earn and work my way back to the top.”

Harris is keen to upset the odds at Wimbledon

Unseeded 27-year-old Lloyd Harris is finally fit after a spate of issues relating to a serious wrist injury. He’ll face the daunting task of a meeting with huge-serving American 14th seed Ben Shelton. Action on court 12 gets underway around 16:10 SA time. For the record, Harris got the better of American teenager Alex Michelsen in a five-set thriller in the first round, coming back from two sets down to eventually prevail 3-6; 4-6; 7-6; 6-2; 7-6.

All-Italian clash headlines the action

World number one Jannik Sinner meets compatriot Matteo Berrettini in the final match on centre court. Sinner, who won this year’s Australian Open, will finish this tournament as the best-ranked player on the planet regardless of what goes down in London this fortnight. He’s got a battle on his hands to reach the third round here, against a man who reached the final and ultimately lost to Novak Djokovic in 2021. Another intriguing centre-court clash sees Japanese star Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, face the emerging American star Emma Navarro. 23-year-old Navarro, surprisingly, is the richest tennis player in the world with a net worth of £3billion.

Golden Oldies aren’t done yet

39-year-old three-time major winner Stan Wawrinka is the oldest person left in the tournament. He faces the ever-flamboyant 37-year-old Gael Monfils on Court 2 at 15:30 where both men will hope to roll back the years in a clash that many might call the most exciting of day three. Swiss star Wawrinka has won the other three slams but his best achievement at Wimbledon was the quarter-finals in 2014 and 2015.

Carlos Alcaraz is also in action on day three

Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz, who prefers to be referred to as Carlitos, meets Aussie Aleksandar Vukic on Court 1 at approximately 15:15. The 21-year-old Spaniard downed the legendary Novak Djokovic in an all-time classic final in 2023. He’s the youngest man in history to have claimed major titles on all three surfaces.

Vondrousova dumped out of the ladies draw

Defending champion Marketa Vondrousova, who was unseeded when she lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2023, has been beaten in the first round in 2024. Her vanquisher? 20-year-old Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. She becomes the first woman to defeat the reigning Wimbledon champion in the first round since 1994 when Lori McNeil shocked the legendary Steffi Graf.

No upset for Rybakina

2022 ladies champion Elena Rybakina moved into the second round with minimal fuss, overpowering Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse. The ice-cold, huge-serving Kazakh has a game built for grass and will fancy her chances of going all the way. She’s responsible for one of the most staggering celebrations in tennis history.

Can Lloyd Harris upset the odds at SW19? Who’s lifting the crown this year? Let us know in the comments.

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Harris reached the second round at Wimbledon after a thrilling opening round victory over another American, teenager Alex Michelsen, on Monday.

Harris prevailed 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 7-6 (11/9).

The match, which took place on Court 9, took three hours and 31 minutes to complete.

Harris is the only South African – male or female – in singles action at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2024.

Meanwhile, Ben Shelton edged Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in his delayed second round clash which started on Monday, but finished on Tuesday.

Shelton won 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Harris and left-handed Shelton have never faced one another at ATP tour level.

Harris exclusively told The South African website that “I love playing lefties, Ben is one of the best players in the world. I’ll be super excited. I’m going to go out there with my fighting spirit again”.

The match is due to take place on Wednesday, 3 July.

Handsome pay day awaits Lloyd Harris

Last week, Harris came through three rounds of qualifying to secure his spot in the men’s singles main draw for the tournament.

He beat Italy’s Andrea Vavassori 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying, then proved too strong for Britain’s George Loffhagen, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in the second round.

The 27-year-old Harris then beat France’s Hugo Grenier 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) to seal his qualification.

He is guaranteed a handsome pay cheque at Wimbledon, no matter how far he progresses.

It’s already been a lucrative few days for Harris who picked up £40 000 (R935 000) for progressing through the qualifying rounds.

Should he lose his second round match in the tournament itself, the lanky Capetonian is guaranteed another £93 000 (R2.16 million).

Harris’s best performance to date on the hallowed grass courts at Wimbledon came in 2021 when he reached the second round.

The South African website will keep readers updated in free-to-read articles as to Harris’s progress at the tournament.

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However, the 37-year-old, who plans to retire after the Paris Olympics 2024, will still experience an emotional farewell to the All England Club when he plays doubles with brother Jamie later in the tournament.

Murray underwent surgery to remove a cyst from his back last month, a procedure he described as “not insignificant”.

The operation left him without full feeling in his right leg and placed in peril his final appearance at the tournament.

Andy Murray won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016

As a result Murray doubted if he would recover in time to face Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic in his scheduled first-round clash on Centre Court on Tuesday.

“Unfortunately, despite working incredibly hard on his recovery since his operation just over a week ago, Andy has taken the very difficult decision not to play the singles this year,” said a statement from Murray’s representatives.

“As you can imagine, he is extremely disappointed but has confirmed that he will be playing in the doubles with Jamie and looks forward to competing at Wimbledon for the last time.”

Murray famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed in 2013.

He added a second title in 2016, taking his career majors total to three after breaking his duck at the 2012 US Open.

That win in New York came just weeks after he had lost his first Wimbledon final to Roger Federer.

‘Great guy’

Murray, who has never been defeated in the first round at Wimbledon, has not progressed past the quarter-finals since his 2016 triumph.

The physical stress of 20 years on the tour has taken its toll.

He missed the 2018 tournament with injury and 12 months later sat out the singles after undergoing hip surgery.

That year, he played men’s doubles with Pierre-Hugues Herbert and mixed doubles with Serena Williams.

Murray has competed with a metal hip since 2019 while this season he damaged ankle ligaments in Miami when he went down to defeat to Machac.

The Scot made his Wimbledon debut in 2005, reaching the third round, where he took a two-set lead before losing in five to 2002 runner-up David Nalbandian.

Fellow three-time Grand Slam title winner Stan Wawrinka hailed Murray as “an amazing champion”.

“He pushed everybody. He won everything in the sport that you can win. He’s been No. 1. He’s been an example for many players,” said the 39-year-old Swiss, who has faced the Briton 23 times since their first clash in 2005.

“He’s a great guy. We’re good friends. We spent so many times together. On the court, in practice court, we practise tons of times together. We always had a good relationship.”

Murray fans had been desperate to see their hero make his Wimbledon farewell.

“He feels like one of our own,” said 40-year-old Lorna Kennedy, who had travelled down to London from Dundee in Scotland.

“He’s done so well and he’s just been so good for the sport.”

Murray was replaced in the draw on Monday by Belgium’s David Goffin, a lucky loser from qualifying.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

On Monday, Day 1 of The Championships, Wimbledon, South Africa’s Harris proved just how much he lives and breathes by this motto.  

On what was undoubtedly Wimbledon’s match of the day, Harris fought back from two sets – and a match point – down against world No 55 Alex Michelsen from the USA, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 7-6 (11/9), clinching one of the most remarkable wins of his life.

The match took place on an outside court (Court 9), surrounded by packed benches and many fans who stood for the full 3 hour 28 minute duration.

The match certainly delivered, right down to a dramatic match point, as Harris exclusively told Amisha Savani of The South African website: “the fifth set was absolutely crazy: opportunities, some crazy points too from him (Michelsen) to save it, going match point down and then one of the most bizarre match points I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’ll be re-watching that clip another hundred times.”

The momentum changed in the third set, as Harris picked up pace at 3-1 with a winning lob to Michelsen’s drop shot, followed by faultless serving (a total of 34 aces in the match).

South Africa’s Davis Cup captain Christo van Rensburg was courtside, encouraging Harris in Afrikaans to serve to the deuce side, and to start serving more aggressively.

‘Motivating to hear South African fans singing’

Asked at the post-match press conference whether Van Rensburg’s sound advice had helped the turnaround, Harris said that it was very motivating, together with the South African fans, singing at the changeovers.

“You’re taking your towel and the fans are so close that they are breathing on top of you, but it doesn’t matter because they’re motivating you. It inspired me to win. I got so much energy from them; I didn’t want to let anyone down”.

Harris said that grass now feels more like his “natural habitat”, making him reminisce about his rugby days in South Africa.

“Wimbledon is really special, as it’s the slam where I’ve struggled the most in my career, so for me to pull through a match, being match point down is absolutely crazy. The atmosphere left a little mark in my heart, and it’s definitely something I’ll remember”.

Lloyd Harris excited about Round 2

Looking ahead, Harris was excited at the prospect of playing the winner of the match between Ben Shelton and Mattia Bellucci, both left-handers.

“I love playing lefties in general, both of them great players: Ben is one of the best players in the world, and I lost to Mattia in the French Open qualifying, so it would be great to have a chance to play him again. So, either or, I’ll be super excited. Both are both tough matchups, but I’m going to go out there with my fighting spirit again”.

Unsurprisingly, Harris had been deluged with messages from home: “fans got to watch it on tv which is great, as I’ve not always gotten coverage where I’m playing on a small little outside court. All my friends and family back home could watch it, which was amazing and very special. I feel like that’s vital for us to grow tennis in South Africa, and hopefully I inspired some people with my fighting spirit today”.

About living according to his tattoo motto: “for sure it keeps me going and it’s nice to sit in the changeover and see that and a little bit of extra inspiration right here on my arm, so it’s perfect”.

Lloyd Harris is next scheduled to play the winner of the match between Ben Shelton and Mattia Bellucci, on Wednesday, 3 July.

Amisha Savani is reporting LIVE from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon for The South African

Harris prevailed 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 7-6 (11/9).

The match, which took place on Court 9, took three hours and 31 minutes to complete.

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The pair had never faced each other before at ATP tour level.

Harris is the only South African – male or female – in singles action at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2024.

Harris will now take on the winner of the clash between American 14th seed Ben Shelton and Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in the second round.

Handsome pay day awaits Lloyd Harris

Last week, Harris came through three rounds of qualifying to secure his spot in the men’s singles main draw for the tournament.

He beat Italy’s Andrea Vavassori 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying, then proved too strong for Britain’s George Loffhagen, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in the second round.

The 27-year-old Harris then beat France’s Hugo Grenier 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) to seal his qualification.

He is guaranteed a handsome pay cheque at Wimbledon, no matter how far he progresses.

It’s already been a lucrative few days for Harris who picked up £40 000 (R935 000) for progressing through the qualifying rounds.

Should he lose his second round match in the tournament itself, the lanky Capetonian is guaranteed another £93 000 (R2.16 million).

Harris’s best performance to date on the hallowed grass courts at Wimbledon came in 2021 when he reached the second round.

The South African website will keep readers updated in free-to-read articles as to Harris’s progress at the tournament.

The match will take place on Court 9.

Harris came through three rounds of qualifying to secure his spot in the men’s singles main draw for the tournament which starts today.

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He will be the only South African – male or female – in singles action at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2024.

Lloyd Harris is currently ranked 118th in the world, while 19-year-old Michelsen is 55th.

They have never faced each other before at ATP tour level.

Whoever wins the match will take on the winner of the clash between American 14th seed Ben Shelton and Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in the second round.

Handsome pay day awaits Lloyd Harris

Harris beat Italy’s Andrea Vavassori 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying, then proved too strong for Britain’s George Loffhagen, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in the second round.

Last Thursday, 27-year-old Harris beat France’s Hugo Grenier 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) to seal his qualification.

He is guaranteed a handsome pay cheque at Wimbledon, no matter how far he progresses.

It’s already been a lucrative few days for Harris who picked up £40 000 (R935 000) for progressing through the qualifying rounds.

Should he lose his first round match in the tournament itself, the lanky Capetonian is guaranteed another £60 000 (R1.4 million).

Harris’s best performance to date on the hallowed grass courts at Wimbledon came in 2021 when he reached the second round.

The South African website will keep readers updated in free-to-read articles as to Harris’s progress at the tournament.

At the time of publishing it’s unclear whether Harris will be in men’s doubles or mixed doubles action at Wimbledon.

Nominally Aryna Sabalenka is the favourite as the woman the bookmakers favour to win the title but she hasn’t played since a retirement in her second match of the grass swing.

Wimbledon women’s singles crown is anyone’s to win

World No 1 Iga Swiatek has a poor record on grass and has opted not to play any WTA Tour events on grass ahead of Wimbledon.

The 2022 champion Elena Rybakina has also had a grass season hampered by injury.

Gauff’s compatriot Jessica Pegula has won a title on grass but in she has failed to progress beyond the last eight at a Grand Slam having lost six singles quarter-finals at Majors.

Defending champion and World No 6 Marketa Vondrousova hasn’t really shown the form that saw her surge to the title in 2023 since that run.

Seven different women have been crowned Wimbledon singles champion over the past seven years which Gauff believes is a credit to the quality on the WTA Tour.

“I think for me it just shows there’s a lot of talent on the women’s tour and it’s anybody’s game,” Gauff said.

“It gives you confidence obviously when you see that the field isn’t stacked.

She added: “I guess stacked in the way where there’s one player dominating or three players dominating. I think everybody has an equal shot and it’s just about who can perform better that week.”

Second seed Gauff doesn’t feel rankings mean much.

“The ranking is just a number. I think maybe if I was No.1, I might feel different,” she said. “(World No.) 2, 3, 4, 5, anything for me is all interchangeable if you’re not No.1. I haven’t taken too much attention to it.”

Bouncing back

Gauff lost to fellow American Sofia Kenin in the first round of the 2023 Championships, which caused her to reflect deeply for a few weeks.

“That was a tough moment for me. I think the first two, three weeks after that, I was really in a dark place. It was tough for me to realise I have so much time. When that happens you just feel the weight of everything on you,” she said.

“But I think I’ve just grown a lot.

“I’m glad I used that moment to just strive to get better.

“I still know I’m nowhere near where I can be.

“I think that experience taught me that a bad moment doesn’t last forever. That part of the season was tough, then the next part of the season was the best I’ve ever had.”

Gauff faces world No.52 compatriot Caroline Dolehide in her first match at Wimbledon on Monday 1 July.

Wimbledon fans will eat over 29,000kg of strawberries and drink 275,000 cups of Pimms, according to Sportscasting.com traders.

Wimbledon to sell tons of Strawberries

Over 500,000 tennis fans attended Wimbledon in 2023 and with temperatures expected to be higher this year and the crowd needing to cool down, those numbers could be put in the shade.

The odds are based on the staggering numbers produced last year when over 270,000 cups of Pimms were drunk and Wimbledon reporting 1.92m strawberries are eaten each year.

We could see Wimbledon crack through the 2 million strawberries mark this year.

“During Wimbledon 2023 it was reported that over 530,651 fans passed through the famous SW19 gates and with a similar figure likely this year, food and drink sales will be sky-high,” Sportscasting.com spokesman Andy Newton said.

“If just 5% of these tennis lovers buy a bottle of bubbly – this means the bookmaker’s 25,000+ prediction of champagne sales will be easily hit. While around half of the attendees will need to buy just one cup of Pimms to hit the 275k figure the oddsmakers are saying.

“However, the strawberry odds look juicy to me. According to the official Wimbledon site more than 38.4 tons of strawberries (1.9m) are sold each year. This equates to over 34,000kg – meaning we should certainly be ‘creaming’ up some of the 10/11 on offer for there to be over 29,000kg of the popular red fruit eaten.”

Oddsmakers predict

• Betting experts say over 29,000 kg of strawberries will be chomped at Wimbledon
• Pimms sales to exceed 275,000 cups over Wimbledon week, according to odds  
• More than 25,000 bottles of Wimbledon champagne will be popped, say bookies  

What’s special about strawberries

Unlike raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, strawberries are not genuine berries. However, the rose family of plants includes raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Since strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside rather than the inside, they aren’t really regarded as berries.

Strawberries are classified as “false fruits,” despite the fact that they are a fruit. It is a cluster of several little fruits rather than a single fruit. Because they grow from various regions of the flower as well as from several ovaries in a single bloom, they are also known as “accessory aggregate fruit.” As separate fruits known as achenes, the strawberry seeds are really joined to a structure known as a fleshy receptacle. A strawberry is made up of two parts: the fleshy container and the seeds, which are small fruits.

Strawberries are hand-picked and delivered each morning of The Championships, the berries are timed to ripe perfection, so they can be enjoyed at their absolute best during the two weeks of Wimbledon.

Coldest celebration in Wimbledon and tennis history?

The internet went nuts over Rybakina’s apparent non-celebration, which has become her signature after winning matches. Even matches as big as a grand slam final at SW19. The tears eventually came in her post-match press conference where she said “You asked me for emotion.”

Rybakina is among the favourites again in 2024

25-year-old Kazask player Elena Rybakina is ranked fourth in the world and is understandably one of the favourites to lift the Venus Rosewater dish this year. Her game is perfectly suited to grass as she possesses a massive serve and brutally flat and powerful groundstrokes on both wings. In 2022 she came back from a set down in the final to beat Tunisia’s talented shot-maker Ons Jabeur. Jabeur suffered heartbreak again in the 2023 final, going down to unseeded Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets. Vondrousova and Rybakina, both born in June 1999, could meet in the latter stages of 2024’s event.

Alcaraz enters Wimbledon in fine form and with good memories

Novak Djokovic had not lost on the hallowed Wimbledon centre court since 2013 and had amassed 91 Wimbledon match wins. That’s until Carlos Alcaraz came along in 2023. Another absurd fact about him is that he was the youngest active Wimbledon men’s champion until Alcaraz, with Nadal and Andy Murray as the other two. How does one even get one’s head around something so ridiculous? The arena of statistics is where Djokovic seems to be especially dominant over his peers, but how about a few of these facts which further illustrate the enormity of this achievement? After his win at Roland Garros just weeks ago, Alcaraz is the youngest man in history to win major events on all three surfaces.

ALCARAZ RIPS UP THE RULE BOOK

20 years old at the time, Carlos Alcaraz was the third youngest player to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title, behind only Boris Becker and Björn Borg. He opens the defence of his crown on Monday 1 July against Estonia’s Mark Laja. They start around 14:30 SA time.

Who’s going to win the Wimbledon crown in 2024?

ALCARAZ EDGES DJOKOVIC IN ALL-TIME WIMBLEDON CLASSIC

The dust has settled on an astonishing tennis match where the two best tennis players in the world slugged it out for the most prestigious prize.

FEAR INHIBITS PROGRESS

It’s human nature to feel afraid when the stakes are high and there’s so much to lose. Perhaps 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz doesn’t quite grasp the concept of fear yet, or maybe he’s just one of those rare creatures who was born for the entertainment industry.

In the game where Alcaraz unflinchingly served it out to win the title, the Spaniard, who only turned 20 in May, hit a drop shot on the opening point and fluffed it into the net. Undeterred, he went to the well again on the very next point to draw Djokovic in and then casually stroke a delicious lob over the tall Serb’s head.

To do what Alcaraz did at that moment is so fearless it’s bordering on bonkers. You do have to try something different to beat a man of Djokovic’s class and pedigree. How did he do it then?

CARLOS ALCARAZ VS NOVAK DJOKOVIC IN A NUTSHELL

So, let’s roll it back and summarise a tennis match of almost unthinkable and unprecedented quality. Let’s try, at least.

ALCARAZ STRUGGLES TO GET GOING, DJOKOVIC EXERTS HIS AUTHORITY

Alcaraz looked inhibited, flustered and rushed as Djokovic claimed the first set in a typically imperious fashion. Bookmakers already felt vindicated by the overwhelming odds they handed the Serbian maestro to claim his fifth consecutive Wimbledon crown and eighth overall. Those backing him were rubbing their hands in glee. It felt inevitable. Everything about Djokovic when he gets that steely look in his eyes has felt so inevitable down the years. Ask all of his victims.

CARLITOS UNDETERRED

Alcaraz seems to be built differently though. It’s been said he’s got Nadal’s physicality and defensive instincts, Federer’s stylish, proactive aggression and Djokovic’s mobility and iron-clad mental strength to make him look like some perfect prototype designed in a laboratory. The truth is, Alcaraz is uniquely himself. 16 years Djokovic’s junior, perhaps the Spaniard has enjoyed the benefit of studying the three greatest players of all time while still a child in his formative years on the clay courts of Murcia at his local Real Sociedad club. When he was 13, Alcaraz spoke of Federer as his favourite player.

In the second set, he bounced back in what might go down as the greatest set of tennis contested at Wimbledon this millennium. Alcaraz settled it with a sweet backhand pass as he lapped up the crowd’s wild excitement, who already knew they were in for something special because it was happening right before their eyes.

NOVAK SWEPT ASIDE IN THE THIRD BUT RESPONDED LIKE A CHAMPION

Alcaraz dominated the third set, eventually winning a marathon fifth game lasting 26 minutes and containing 13 deuces and seven break points. He had established a 4-1 lead and closed it out with the panache we’re now accustomed to seeing.

Onto set four, and Novak Djokovic responded. Of course, he did. The finest returner of serve ever witnessed dealt with Alcaraz’s improving deliveries to force a decider in the final. Of course, he did.

At that point, most of the conventional wisdom pointed to him marching towards the finish line as his less experienced opponent would surely crumble under the pressure. Surely?

THE PRESSURE COOKER FIFTH

Alcaraz squandered a breakpoint in the opening game of the decider and then saved one on his own serve with some miraculous defensive work. He broke to make it 2-1 after a long exchange which saw Djokovic fall and almost recover, Alcaraz passed and Novak destroyed his racket. Djokovic’s paintbrush was mangled beyond recognition as it left permanent marks on the wooden net post. The service break left scars on his psyche.

Alcaraz stuck to his guns, serving with relentless precision and battering Djokovic with massive forehands into both corners. There were two drop shots with contrasting outcomes at 5-4 when he served the match out, but the cameras will love his lunging backhand drop volley the most because it took the collective breath away. This guy has every shot in the book and he’s also invented a few of his own.

ALCARAZ ALREADY AT HOME ON GRASS

The Spaniard’s tally of consecutive wins on grass, his least favourite surface by far, stands at 12. A title at Queens, his first on the green stuff, has been followed by the most coveted trophy in all of tennis. He did so by beating a man who had triumphed in 33 consecutive matches at Wimbledon and was unbeaten in a completed match at SW19 since 2016.

DJOKOVIC FINALLY CAST ASIDE IN HIS BACKYARD

Novak had not lost on the hallowed Wimbledon centre court since 2013 and had amassed 91 Wimbledon match wins. Another absurd fact about him is that he was the youngest active Wimbledon men’s champion until Alcaraz came along, with Nadal and Andy Murray as the other two. How does one even get one’s head around something so ridiculous? The arena of statistics is where Djokovic seems to be especially dominant over his peers, but how about a few of these facts which further illustrate the enormity of this achievement?

ALCARAZ RIPS UP THE RULE BOOK

At 20, Carlos Alcaraz was the third youngest player to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title, behind only Boris Becker and Björn Borg. His second grand slam title means he is the first new male player to win multiple major titles since Stan Wawrinka in 2015. By halting Djokovic’s four-year dominance at Wimbledon, he has denied the 36-year-old the chance of equalling Roger Federer’s record of eight titles.

MAGNITUDE OF BEATING DJOKOVIC DIFFICULT TO GRASP

Alcaraz laughed in the face of an inevitable outcome. There are two layers of irony involved here. Just a month prior, 36-year-old Djokovic wore Alcaraz into the ground in a Roland Garros semifinal where the youngster played through severe cramp. Here, Carlitos stayed the course on that front. He also won the mental battle and, crucially, held his nerve on an occasion that must have felt so foreign. Since when did anybody have the audacity to beat Djokovic in a psychological battle?

TENNIS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN AFTER CARLOS ALCARAZ

1-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 was the final score line but it doesn’t begin to describe what went down on an unforgettable afternoon at Wimbledon.

If you happened to watch this high stakes, premium quality piece of theatre then you’re already aware of how lucky you are. Alcaraz will win a host of grand slams in his career and you’d be silly to miss any of the entertainment that gets served up along the way.

Alcaraz opens the defence of his title on Monday 1 July against Estonia’s Mark Lajal. They’ll open proceedings around 14:30 SA time. Novak Djokovic begins his quest for a 25th grand slam against Vit Kopriva on Tuesday.

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Lloyd Harris has much to be buoyant about.

He kicked off the start of the British grass season by winning the Surbiton Trophy tournament on 9 June.

Weeks later, his successful run in the Wimbledon qualifying tournament, secured him a first round Wimbledon appearance on Monday.

‘Excited at playing in a grand slam’

Things are finally back on track.

On the weekend before the start of The Championships, Wimbledon, Harris was excited at the prospect of playing in a grand slam after a series of injuries and major wrist surgery kept him out of action for eight months.

The Cape Town-born player spoke of his career trajectory to date, from Futures tournaments, followed by a year and a half on the Challengers tour, eventually working his way up to be the top of his game.

But a series of injuries halted his success, culminating in major wrist surgery, which could have resulted in retirement.

At his pre-Wimbledon press conference this weekend, Harris said: “I worked my way up year by year to the top of the game, had good success but unfortunately got injured when I was at my best. It’s been a tough journey back after missing eight months, a lot of other injuries occurred also, so that’s been really tricky, but I’m healthy now and enjoying and starting to play good, so I’m happy with that”.

Lloyd Harris had wrist surgery

But it’s hard to come back from a hiatus in any sport, let alone one that has involved multiple injuries.

Harris acknowledged that his wrist surgery could have been career-ending, as he faced the uncertainty of whether he’d be able to play at the same level again.

The surgery was to fix a tear to his triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) – a ligament in his wrist, which Harris explained, had to be repaired and put back together, involving a lengthy rehab: “With the wrist you never know how it’s going to heal, or if it’s going to be 100%, because you’re working with so many nerves, but ultimately I healed from it.” 

He was grateful “to be fully recovered, and from that it is massive and I’m only looking forward from here”.

Thankfully, things have continued to improve: “It’s the best I’ve felt in the last two and a half, three years, I’m in a very good place mentally and physically. My tennis is feeling good, and I feel like I’m playing a high level. It’s good to be back in the main draw of a grand slam, competing against the highest level where I want to be, and where I have been in the past, so I’m excited to get back to that and earn and work my way back to the top.”

‘100% happy coming back to Wimbledon’

Harris considered what Wimbledon meant to him, as he looked towards playing on Day 1 on Monday.

He spoke about how it had special memories for him since childhood: “100% so happy coming back to Wimbledon”.

But the path to Wimbledon hasn’t been easy.

His biggest test, both mentally and physically, was having to transition from playing the best of three sets in the first two rounds of the qualifying, to the best of five sets in the final round.

“It’s a difficult transition, because the first two matches you play best out of three sets, and then all of a sudden the next day you’ve got to play the best of five, so it’s a bit of a mental and physical transition, as my match was three hours – so a lot longer, a lot more physical, so it’s a good test, I felt good in the match, and after, so it’s good signs for me that give me a lot of belief going into this first round, so I have one of those already under the belt now, I’ve had a few days to recover, I’ll practice again and build up now, so that definitely is a good feeling taking it into a main draw”.

Whilst the transition to play a five setter was “tricky”, Harris said that it made the success all the more special, as “I earned my way to be playing here, so I’m very relieved but also very excited at the same time”.

‘Use to my advantage’

Harris’s first round opponent on Monday is Alex Michelsen of the USA, ranked No 62.

The two have previously faced each other in 2023 at the ATP Mallorca tournament, when Harris won the qualifying round against Michelsen.

At the prospect of playing Michelsen, Harris replied: “We’ve played before, so I know his game a little bit, but I know that the first round of a grand slam is always a bit tricky. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of time on the grass this year, so that’s nice coming in with a lot of matches, a lot of preparation, so I’m feeling positive, happy, excited and physically good.”

He acknowledged that his advantage over his opponent, was experience, having played in more grand slams and five set matches: “It’s different now being the more experienced player amongst some of the younger players around, so it’s nice to have that advantage – something I can definitely use if the matches go longer, or you get those big moments, I’ll try and use that to my advantage”.

Asked what he was planning to do before his first round match, Harris replied: “I’ll have an easy practice, I’ve already finished my day today, which a harder day today, which included a bit more training, more time spent, but tomorrow will be just an easy hit, a lot of preparations on the body and just getting focused and zone in on the match”.

Lloyd Harris is scheduled to play Alex Michelsen on Court 9 at Wimbledon on Monday, 1 July.

Amisha Savani is reporting from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon exclusively for The South African website

Djokovic went under the knife following a meniscus tear but was hell bent on playing at Wimbledon.

Now he is chasing an incredible 25th Grand Slam title at the All England club.

Novak Djokovic kept the faith in Wimbledon bid

Djokovic revealed that he has had extensive discussions with tennis players and other athletes who have suffered the same type of injury.

“After extensive conversations with certain athletes that have been through very similar situations, for example, Taylor Fritz who has been through something pretty much the same, like I have three years ago,” Djokovic said from Wimbledon.

“I think he injured himself also in Roland Garros. He said 21 days after he played his first round in Wimbledon. [Stan] Wawrinka, Lindsey Vonn, they all shared their experiences.

“Really, that gave me faith and optimism that if rehab is done right and correct, and if of course, the knee responds well, which is something that is very unpredictable, then there is a pretty good chance that I’ll make Wimbledon.”

Don’t call it FOMO

Djokovic has a great desire to turn out at Wimbledon but said that he wouldn’t class it as a fear of missing out.

“I wouldn’t call it a fear of missing out,” Djokovic claimed.

“I would just say it’s this incredible desire to play, just to compete.

“Particularly because it is Wimbledon, the tournament that always has been a dream tournament for me when I was a kid.

“I always dreamed of playing Wimbledon. Just the thought of me missing Wimbledon was just not correct. I didn’t want to deal with that.

“As I said few days ago, I didn’t come here to play a few rounds and prove to myself and others that I can actually compete in one or two matches. I really want to go for the title.

“So the last three days have given me enough optimism and good signs that I can actually be in a state to compete on the highest level for the next few weeks, hopefully.”

Djokovic said that he hasn’t had any setbacks during his recovery and is feeling good ahead of his bid to win Wimbledon for the eighth time.

“I still have couple days’ time. I play on Tuesday. I’m confident about the health of my knee and just general physical state is really good.

“Obviously once the tournament starts, I’ll have more I guess sensations and more feedback from how knee reacts to a best-of-five Grand Slam match.

“So far everything that was done was very positive.

“I haven’t had any setback. If I had one setback, I would be then questioning whether I should be here or not. But I haven’t had a single one. Why not give it a shot?”

South Africa’s Lloyd Harris is set to be in action against young American star Alex Michelsen. Their match is slated to go down on Court No. 9.

Carlos Alcaraz opens up Wimbledon Centre Court

The action on Centre Court is set to get underway at 14:30 (SAST) on Monday with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz facing qualifier Mark Lajal.

Home player Emma Raducanu will be up next on the main court when she faces 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

The action on Centre Court concludes with second-seeded American Coco Gauff facing compatriot Caroline Dolehide in her first match.

Daniil Medvedev will get proceedings underway on Court No 1 with his match against Aleksandar Kovacevic.

Women’s title favourite Aryna Sabalenka will then take on Emina Bektas of the United States on No 1 while Jannik Sinner headlines day one on the second show court with a match against Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.

Wimbledon order of play – Monday 1 July

CENTRE COURT – Wimbledon SHOW COURT – 14:30 START

Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) [3] vs Mark Lajal (EST)

Ekaterina Alexandrova [22] vs Emma Raducanu (GBR)

Caroline Dolehide (USA) vs Coco Gauff (USA) [2]

No.1 COURT – Wimbledon SHOW COURT – 14:00 START

Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) vs Daniil Medvedev [5]

Emina Bektas (USA) vs Aryna Sabalenka [3]

Jannik Sinner (ITA) [1] vs Yannick Hanfmann (GER)

No.2 COURT – Wimbledon SHOW COURT – 12:00 START

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [10] vs Dusan Lajovic (SRB)

Stan Wawrinka (SUI) vs Charles Broom (GBR)

Naomi Osaka (JPN) vs Diane Parry (FRA)

Victoria Azarenka [16] vs Sloane Stephens (USA)

No.3 COURT – Wimbledon SHOW COURT – 12:00 START

Alex Bolt (AUS) vs Casper Ruud (NOR) [8]

Jasmine Paolini (ITA) [7] vs Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP)

Martina Trevisan (ITA) vs Madison Keys (USA) [12]

Tommy Paul (USA) [12] vs Pedro Martinez (ESP)

COURT 12 – Wimbledon SHOW COURT – 11:00 START

McCartney Kessler (USA) vs Maria Sakkari (GRE) [9]

Matteo Berrettini (ITA) vs Marton Fucsovics (HUN)

Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) vs Liam Broady (GBR)

Brenda Fruhvirtova (CZE) vs Mirra Andreeva [24]

COURT 18 – Wimbledon SHOW COURT – 12:00 START

Greet Minnen (BEL) vs Heather Watson (GBR)

Gael Monfils (FRA) vs Adrian Mannarino (FRA) [22]

Qinwen Zheng (CHN) [8] vs Lulu Sun (NZL)

Mattia Bellucci (ITA) vs Ben Shelton (USA) [14]

Court 4 – 12:00 START

Dayana Yastremska (UKR) [28] vs Nadia Podoroska (ARG)

Marta Kostyuk (UKR) [18] vs Rebecca Sramkova (SVK)

Zizou Bergs (BEL) vs Arthur Cazaux (FRA)

Sara Errani (ITA) vs Linda Noskova (CZE) [26]

Court 5 – 12:00 START

Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) vs Varvara Gracheva (FRA)

Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) [32] vs Maxime Janvier (FRA)

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) vs Yafan Wang (CHN)

Mariano Navone (ARG) [31] vs Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)

Court 6 – 12:00 START

Cristian Garin (CHI) vs Juncheng Shang (CHN)

Alexandre Muller (FRA) vs Hugo Gaston (FRA)

Donna Vekic (CRO) vs Xiyu Wang (CHN)

Court 7 – 12:00 START

Borna Coric (CRO) vs Felipe Meligeni Alves (BRA)

Arantxa Rus (NED) vs Yue Yuan (CHN)

Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) vs Sebastian Ofner (AUT)

Court 8 – 12:00 START

Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) vs Fabian Marozsan (HUN)

Nao Hibino (JPN) vs Elise Mertens (BEL)

Eva Lys (GER) vs Clara Burel (FRA)

Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) vs Maximilian Marterer (GER)

Court 9 – 12:00 START

Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) vs Lin Zhu (CHN)

Olga Danilovic (SRB) vs Anca Todoni (ROU)

Lloyd Harris (RSA) vs Alex Michelsen (USA)

Otto Virtanen (FIN) vs Max Purcell (AUS)

Court 10 – 12:00 START

Pavel Kotov vs Jordan Thompson (AUS)

Daria Saville (AUS) vs Peyton Stearns (USA)

Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) vs Yuliia Starodubtseva (UKR)

Sumit Nagal (IND) vs Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB)

Court 14 – 12:00 START

Nicolas Jarry (CHI) [19] vs Denis Shapovalov (CAN)

Daria Kasatkina [14] vs Shuai Zhang (CHN)

Karolina Pliskova (CZE) vs Diana Shnaider

Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) vs Tallon Griekspoor (NED) [27]

Court 15 – 12:00 START

Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) vs Frances Tiafoe (USA) [29]

Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) vs Ugo Humbert (FRA) [16]

Sorana Cirstea (ROU) [29] vs Sonay Kartal (GBR)

Bianca Andreescu (CAN) vs Jaqueline Cristian (ROU)

Court 16 – 12:00 START

Dominik Koepfer (GER) vs Fabio Fognini (ITA)

Daniel Altmaier (GER) vs Arthur Fery (GBR)

Tamara Korpatsch (GER) vs Yuriko Lily Miyazaki (GBR)

NOT BEFORE 18:30

Qiang Wang (CHN) vs Emma Navarro (USA) [19]

Court 17 – 12:00 START

Taylor Townsend (USA) vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [25]

Sebastian Baez (ARG) [18] vs Brandon Nakashima (USA)

Jakub Mensik (CZE) vs Alexander Bublik (KAZ) [23]

NOT BEFORE 18:30

Paula Badosa (ESP) vs Karolina Muchova (CZE)

Harris, 27, came through three rounds of qualifying to secure his spot in the men’s singles main draw starting on Monday, 1 July.

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He will be the only South African – male or female – in singles action at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2024.

Lloyd Harris is currently ranked 118th in the world, while 19-year-old Michelsen is 55th.

They have never faced each other before.

Whoever wins the match will take on the winner of the clash between American 14th seed Ben Shelton and Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in the second round.

Handsome pay day awaits Lloyd Harris

Harris beat Italy’s Andrea Vavassori 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying, then proved too strong for Britain’s George Loffhagen, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in the second round.

On Thursday, Harris beat France’s Hugo Grenier 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) to seal his qualification.

He is guaranteed a handsome pay cheque at Wimbledon, no matter how far he progresses.

It’s already been a lucrative few days for Harris who picked up £40 000 (R935 000) for progressing through the qualifying rounds.

Should he lose his first round match in the tournament itself, the lanky Capetonian is guaranteed another £60 000 (R1.4 million).

Harris’s best performance to date on the hallowed grass courts at Wimbledon came in 2021 when he reached the second round.

The South African website will keep readers updated in free-to-read articles as to Harris’s progress at the tournament.

At the time of publishing it’s unclear whether Harris will be in men’s doubles or mixed doubles action at Wimbledon.

He will be the only South African – male or female – in singles action at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2024.

Harris, 27, came through three rounds of qualifying to secure his spot in the tournament starting on Monday, 1 July.

Harris beat Italy’s Andrea Vavassori 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying, then proved too strong for Britain’s George Loffhagen, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in the second round.

On Thursday, Harris beat France’s Hugo Grenier 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) to seal his qualification.

Handsome pay day awaits Lloyd Harris

Lloyd Harris is currently ranked 118th in the world.

He is guaranteed a handsome pay cheque at Wimbledon, no matter how far he progresses.

It’s already been a lucrative few days for Harris who picked up £40 000 (R935 000) for progressing through the qualifying rounds.

Should he lose his first round match in the tournament itself, the lanky Capetonian is guaranteed another £60 000 (R1.4 million).

Harris’s best performance to date on the hallowed grass courts at Wimbledon came in 2021 when he reached the second round.

The South African website will keep readers updated as to Harris’s first round opponent once the draw has been conducted.

At the time of publishing it’s unclear whether Harris will be in men’s doubles or mixed doubles action at Wimbledon.

Bobat played on South Africa’s first non-racial international tennis tour at the age of 18 and was initially invited to take part in the junior singles event at the Wimbledon tournament.

Wimbledon withdrew Hoosen Bobat’s invitation

However, his entry was cancelled by the AETC on the instructions of the then general secretary of the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF), Mr Basil Reay, acting at the behest of the Apartheid-era exclusively-white South African tennis union.

“All we wanted to do was play tennis,” Bobat told the Guardian. “To make our people back home proud that black people, no matter the lack of facilities, lack of sponsorship, can still play on the greatest stage in the world.”

According to a statement issued on behalf of Bobat and South African academic Saleem Badat requests for a meeting between the former player and the AELTC have been denied.

ALSO READ: Wimbledon line judges’ future uncertain as Grand Slam embraces AI

Justice further delayed

Badat asserts that the issue was raised in a letter to AETC chief executive Sally Bolton and added that she has replied saying she does not have time to meet them.

“Prevarication in dealing with this issue will only add salt to a long-standing wound,” said Saleem Badat. “I have therefore written to her again saying we very much hope that the issue will be treated with due urgency.

“Her initial reply to me said that entries that year were via national federations, but she seems not to appreciate that – in the context of Apartheid – a black South African would not have been permitted to be a member of the racist, exclusively-white national federation. That was forbidden by law.

“The exclusion of Mr Bobat from junior Wimbledon in 1971 is a profound matter of social justice that touches on questions of ‘race’, diversity and inclusion, issues that the All-England Lawn Tennis Club states that it is committed to confronting.

“I hope that this commitment will extend to rectifying past injustices. Mr Bobat’s 1971 exclusion is an opportunity for the AELTC to acknowledge a fifty-two year wrong and contribute to healing a sore that has festered far too long.”

You can watch the event live on wimbledon.com.

Championships Referee Gerry Armstrong and Championships Referee Designate Denise Parnell will oversee the draws to be held in the brand new Media Theatre on the roof of the All England Club Broadcast Centre.

Top seeds revealed

Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed on the men’s side after he regained the world No 1 ranking earlier this week.

Meanwhile the top women’s seed is Iga Swiatek thanks to her long reign as WTA World No 1.

ALSO READ: Venus Williams handed Wimbledon wild card

Since 1927 only two unseeded players have won singles titles at Wimbledon – Boris Becker in 1985 and Goran Ivanisevic in 2001.

No unseeded player has won the Ladies’ Singles although four players have reached the final whilst not being seeded only to lose the championship match.

ALSO READ: Is this the coldest celebration in tennis history?

Between 2002 and 2019, seeding for the Men’s Singles was determined by a surface-based formula, which reflected more accurately an individual player’s grass court achievements in the two years immediately before the date used for seeding. 

After The Championships 2019, it was decided that the seeding formula had served its time and Wimbledon moved into step with the other Grand Slams.

Wimbledon men’s singles seeds

1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Novak Djokovic
3. Daniil Medvedev
4. Casper Ruud
5. Stefanos Tsitsipas
6. Holger Rune
7. Andrey Rublev
8. Jannik Sinner
9. Taylor Fritz
10. Frances Tiafoe
11. Felix Auger-Aliassime
12. Cameron Norrie
13. Borna Coric
14. Lorenzo Musetti
15. Alex de Minaur
16. Tommy Paul
17. Hubert Hurkacz
18. Francisco Cerundolo
19. Alexander Zverev
20. Jan-Lennard Struff
21. Roberto Bautista Agut
22. Grigor Dimitrov
23. Sebastian Korda
24. Alexander Bublik
25. Yoshihito Nishioka
26. Nicolas Jarry
27. Denis Shapovalov
28. Dan Evans
29. Tallon Griekspoor
30. Tomas Etcheverry
31. Nick Kyrgios
32.  Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

Wimbledon women’s singles seeds

1.  Iga Swiatek 
2. Aryna Sabalenka
3. Elena Rybakina 
4. Jessica Pegula 
5. Caroline Garcia 
6. Ons Jabeur 
7. Coco Gauff 
8. Maria Sakkari
9. Petra Kvitova
10. Barbora Krejcikova 
11. Daria Kasatkina 
12. Veronika Kudermetova 
13. Beatriz Haddad Maia 
14. Belinda Bencic 
15. Liudmila Samsonova
16. Karolina Muchova 
17. Jelena Ostapenko 
18. Karolina Pliskova
19. Victoria Azarenka
20. Donna Vekic
21. Ekaterina Alexandrova 
22. Anastasia Potapova 
23. Magda Linette 
24. Zheng Qinwen 
25. Madison Keys 
26. Anhelina Kalinina 
27. Bernarda Pera 
28. Elise Mertens 
29. Irina-Camelia Begu 
30. Petra Martic 
31. Mayar Sherif 
32. Marie Bouzkova 

The most common name for winners of Wimbledon and other Grand Slams

BonusCodeBets.co.uk has analyzed 3686 individual winners of all the Major tennis tournaments (Wimbledon, US Open, French Open, Australian Open) since the late 19th century across singles and doubles to find out what names have won the most tournaments. 

“The analysis of tennis champions reveals intriguing patterns in names throughout history, “said a BonusCodeBets spokesperson. 

ALSO READ: Wimbledon 2023 All seeds announced ahead of the draw

“Names like ‘John’ and ‘Mary’ have consistently left their mark, suggesting a blend of tradition and excellence. 

“Even in the modern era, ‘John’ and ‘Elena’ continue to shine at Wimbledon, showcasing their enduring legacy. 

ALSO READ: Venus Williams handed wild card

“These name associations provide an interesting glimpse into the fascinating narratives of tennis greatness.”

According to the results of the analysis of the 587 individual names across all major tournaments since 1877: 

ALSO READ: Is this the coldest celebration in tennis history?

Players named “John” have won the most trophies – 14 to be specific.

The most recent John to win Wimbledon was John McEnroe back in 1984.

“Robert” and “William” are in second and third place, with 10 and 7 players winning trophies, respectively.

What about the ladies

When looking at female names, “Margaret” and “Mary” tie for the first place with 7 Margarets and 7 Marys winning trophies each, followed by “Helen” (6 players won trophies) and “Elena”, “Dorothy” and “Suzanne” tied for third place (4 players won trophies).

If only the Open Era is considered (since 1968): 

“John” is still the most common name of a grand slam winner – 7 individual Johns have won at least one of the grand slam tournaments since 1968.

“Elena” and “Mary” tie for second place in the Open Era of grand slams – 4 individual Elenas and 4 Marys have won at least one of the grand slam tournaments since 1968.

17 names in the Open Era tie for third place (3 individual winners each name).

Wimbledon winners by name

When looking only at the winners of Wimbledon: 

“John” is the most common name of a Wimbledon winner – 8 individual Johns have won at SW19 since 1877.

“Frank” is the second most common name of a Wimbledon winner – 5 individual Franks have won Wimbledon since 1877.

“Herbert”,” Ken”,” Max” and “Pat” tie for third place with 4 individual winners per name.

Amongst women, “Helen” and “Elena” tie for first place – 3 Helens and 3 Elenas have won The Championships since 1877.

If only the Open Era of Wimbledon is considered (since 1968): 

“John” is still the most common name of a Wimbledon winner – 5 individual Johns have won Wimbledon since 1968.

“Elena” is the second most common name of a Wimbledon winner – 3 individual Elenas have won Wimbledon since 1968.

12 names in the Open Era of Wimbledon tie for third place (2 individual winners each name).

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The 26-year-old, a former world number one and twice winner of both the Australian and US Opens, will be playing in the main draw of Wimbledon for the first time in five years after becoming a mother.

So too will former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, who also once topped the world rankings, with the 33-year-old Dane another recipient of a wildcard.

Wildcards are given by the All England Club to players who are not ranked high enough to qualify directly into the main draw.

Wozniacki, disappointed to miss out on a wildcard at the French Open, told Britain’s PA news agency: “I have so many special memories.

“I won junior Wimbledon back in 2005, so it’s a long time ago. There’s something so special about playing on Wimbledon’s Centre Court that you can’t replicate anywhere else.”

Home favourite Emma Raducanu handed Wimbledon wildcard

Germany’s Angelique Kerber, the 2018 Wimbledon champion and another former world number one who took time out from tennis to start a family, has also received a wildcard entry into the tournament, which starts on July 1.

Another wildcard announced on Wednesday went to home favourite Emma Raducanu, who made her breakthrough run to the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2021 – shortly before her stunning triumph in winning that year’s US Open as a qualifier.

It will be the first time in two years that Raducanu, 21, has been on the grass courts of Wimbledon following wrist and ankle surgery in 2023.

Last week, Raducanu lost an all-British semi-final at the Nottingham Open to eventual champion Katie Boulter in what was still an encouraging start to her grass-court campaign.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse