Djokovic survives second round at Wimbledon with difficulty
Novak Djokovic reached the third round at Wimbledon after a surprising tough stretch of work. The tennis superstar had to even "work for some luck." Daniel Altmaier and Jule Niemeier didn't make it to the second round.
Djokovic, with his children and wife as spectators on the tribune, avoided a fifth set in Wimbledon and made it to the third round with effort. In his second appearance this year at Church Road in London, the 37-year-old Serbian tennis star defeated the 15-year-old British player Jacob Fearnley 6:3, 6:4, 5:7, 7:5.
The record Grand Slam tournament winner had to accept his first set loss two days after his trouble-free entry into the grass classic and seemed vulnerable against the British wildcard holder. In terms of form, it might not be enough for his eighth Wimbledon title. Fearnley is only the number 277 in the world.
"A very windy day, very challenging conditions. He surprised me," said Djokovic looking at his opponent: "I probably had a chance in the fourth set. This match deserved to go to a fifth set. But I'm glad it didn't."
Djokovic hopes for improvement
With a 5:4 lead in the fourth set and serving for the former world number one, the surprising outsider was just two points away from forcing a decisive break. Djokovic on Centre Court: "I hope I can play better in the next round." Djokovic faces Alexei Popyrin from Australia on Saturday for a place in the quarterfinals.
However, the sporting peak of the short grass season is over for Daniel Altmaier. The 25-year-old German lost his rescheduled second-round match against the same-aged Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6:7 (3:7), 3:6, 6:1, 7:6 (7:3), 4:6.
The match with the Canadian Wimbledon semi-finalist from 2021 was postponed due to rainy weather on Wednesday. The German, who is not very experienced on grass, only came into his own from the third set on. From the beginning, he had a chance, as Shapovalov also seemed unstable. Instead of using his momentum, he gave away his first service game in the fifth set decisively.
Altmaier after interruption plays better
Altmaier lost the second set and left the court, but he acted more offensively afterwards. Twice he called for the physiotherapist, who treated him at the adductor area. He had no major problems to report. Altmaier matched Shapovalov's unstable left-handed play in sets. Instead of using his momentum, he gave away his first service game in the fifth set decisively.
Altmaier had defeated the British outsider Arthur Fery in the first round and reported muscle problems afterwards. With his five-set victory in the first round, he had reached the second round of a Grand Slam tournament on grass for the first time. So far, Jan-Lennard Struff from Germany has advanced to the third round and plays against Daniil Medvedev on Friday for a place in the quarterfinals.
Two years after her completely surprising entry into the quarterfinals, Wimbledon ended for Jule Niemeier for the second time in a row after the second round. The 24-year-old from Dortmund lost to the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina with 3:6, 4:6. In the second set, Niemeier took out a notebook at the beginning and read something from papers, but she had to congratulate her opponent after 75 minutes. In the first round, Niemeier had convinced against the Swiss Viktorija Golubic the day before.
Novak Djokovic's Wimbledon journey continues in the third round, after overcoming a challenging match against British player Jacob Fearnley. Despite facing a fifth set, he managed to secure his place with determination.
Despite putting up a strong fight in the fourth set, Daniel Altmaier fell short in his second round match against Denis Shapovalov at Wimbledon, ultimately losing in a thrilling five-set encounter.
