Aryna Sabalenka praying for no more Wimbledon upsets after battling win

LONDON – World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka said she hopes there are “no more upsets” at Wimbledon after reaching the third round with a hard-fought 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 win over Marie Bouzkova on July 2.

Several stars suffered shock first-round exits from the All England Club, including second seed Coco Gauff, third seed Jessica Pegula and fifth seed Zheng Qinwen.

Top seed Sabalenka was pushed hard by Bouzkova in the opening match on Centre Court on July 2 as her opponent matched fire with fire in a bruising encounter.

But she eventually had too much in her locker for the 48th-ranked Czech, firing an impressive 41 winners in a match lasting one hour and 35 minutes.

The Belarusian said after her win she was aware of the seeds who had crashed out but planned to focus on her own game.

“Honestly it’s very sad to see so many top players losing in the first round but you better focus on yourself and stay away from the results,” she said.

“I mean of course you’re going to know the overall picture but it’s better to take it one step at a time and do your best every time you’re out here competing and I’m trying to stay away. I hope it’s no upsets any more in this tournament, if you know what I mean!”

The first set went with serve until Sabalenka doubled faulted in the 11th game to hand Bouzkova the chance to serve for the set.

But the Belarusian broke back with a searing backhand down the line and won the tiebreak to establish a foothold in the match.

Sabalenka broke again in the fifth game of the second set to move within sight of victory and closed out the match with little fuss.

She will face 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu or former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the third round on Friday.

Although Sabalenka is a three-time Grand Slam champion, she has suffered agonising three-set defeats in this year’s Australian Open and French Open finals.

The 27-year-old has never been beyond the Wimbledon semi-finals and missed last year’s tournament with a shoulder injury.

Also through was Madison Keys.

There is nothing flashy about Keys, but she knows how to get the job done and that priceless quality was on display as she eased past Olga Danilovic 6-4, 6-2 and into the third round.

The Australian Open champion is on the hunt for further Grand Slam glory at the All England Club and could become the first woman since the great Serena Williams to win those two Majors in the same season.

While Williams’ ferocious weapons were clear for all to see, Keys is more the model of consistency.

She has a big forehand and serve, but a potent part of her arsenal is being able to step up when it matters most.

The 37th-ranked Danilovic put up a brave fight, which included saving five break points in one game in the second set, but Keys’ consistency meant she never looked like causing an upset.

“I definitely felt a little more comfortable today, it’s the cloudy rainy England we know and love so I felt a little more normal,” she said.

“I knew that she could play really great tennis, I really just wanted to get a lead and run with it.”

Next up for Keys is a match against Germany’s Laura Siegmund, who has already earned her best result at Wimbledon by reaching the third round.

In the men’s draw, Britain’s Cameron Norrie returned to his favourite patch of Wimbledon turf to stun American 12th seed Frances Tiafoe and reach the third round with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 win.

Court One might lack the aura of the All England Club’s historic Centre Court, but Norrie loves it, having won three matches there during his semi-final run in 2022.

Tiafoe’s exit means 14 of the 32 men’s seeds are out of the tournament less than halfway through the first week. AFP, REUTERS