Federer Gets Through Norrie At Wimbledon, Medvedev Makes Comeback, Kyrgios Retires

by Staff | July 3rd, 2021, 5:48 pm
  • 3 Comments

Roger Federer moved into his 18th career Wimbledon fourth round hanging on to beat Brit Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 5-7, 6-4.

Federer overwhelmed the 25-year-old who prefers the clay, but things got tight in the fourth after Federer blew a break before managing to get out of a 15-30 hole.

“I’m super relieved as it was a tough battle,” Federer told the crowd. “I was so close to serving it out in the third set and I thought he played excellent today. I think I kept a high-level of play, but he did well to break me at the end of the third set.


“I thought I was extremely calm throughout the match,” he added in press. “Maybe that’s why I saved all the emotions for the very end. It meant a lot to me, because, I thought actually I played a really good match throughout, except maybe that one game where Norrie [broke] me.

“Credit to him for pushing me. I know he’s had a really good season so far. He’s played a ton of matches and a lot of tournaments… That’s why I was extremely happy that I found ways to fight back in that fourth set.”

Federer will now face Italian Lorenzo Sonego. Sonego, who made the Eastbourne final last weekend, kept his good grass run going beating James Duckworth in straight sets.

Sonego’s countryman Matteo Berrettini won his 8th straight match blowing past Aljaz Bedene 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Berrettini smacked 20 aces and he’ll be a big favorite over Ilya Ivasha who made his first Grand Slam week two beating Australian Jordan Thompson.

Alexander lost a first set breaker and then roared back to beat Taylor Fritz 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(4). Zverev has made his last seven Grand Slam fourth rounds while Fritz falls to 0-7 in Slam third round matches.

Zverev will try to improve to 4-0 against Felix Auger Aliassime on Monday. The Canadian made his first Wimbledon fourth round after getting a retirement from Nick Krygios. The Australian stormed out to a 5-1 lead in the first set before injury an ab muscle. He hung on for a 6-2 first set lead, but 25 minutes later after dropping the second set 6-1 Kyrgios was unable to continue.

“I’m sorry for Nick, he was playing so well in the first set,” Auger-Aliassime said in an on-court. “It’s really unfortunate, in front of a packed crowd. We both love playing here and there were some big expectations for this match. We were hoping to put on a good show and entertain the crowd, so it’s unfortunate that he had to retire. I hope it’s nothing too serious and that we’ll see him back during the US swing.”

Kyrgios spoke about the injury.

“I haven’t played this level of tennis in a long time, and obviously playing someone as good as Felix I would want my main weapon, my serve, to be firing,” Kyrgios said.. “I just felt my ab, I definitely did something to it at the end of the first set. But that’s the way it goes.

“He’s a hell of a player and he’s going to do great things in this sport.”

In the final match of the day and of the week, Daniil Medvedev authored his first career 0-2 comeback stunning former finalist Marin Cilic 6-7(3), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.

Cilic was broken in the middle of the second and that lit a fire as the Russian rolled to a 5-0, 40-0 lead. Medvedev couldn’t close but two games later sealed his second career 5-set win.

“It was an unbelievable match,” Medvedev said. “It was the first time I came back from two sets down to win. What is amazing is two times here in Wimbledon, I was two sets down and two times I came back and had a break in the fifth set and lost the match. So going to the toilet after the fourth set, I was like, I’m not going to let this one be another one of those. So I’m just really happy.

“At 5-0 in the fifth set, I have to be honest: I felt like, OK, 5-0, 40-0, it’s done. The match is done. Then it becomes 5-2 and I’m like ‘wow’. Again? But Marin is an amazing player. For the first two sets he basically played better than me, destroyed me. So I’m really happy to come back and win the match.”

The hot-handed, who Hubert Hurkacz hasn’t dropped a set or serve to reach his first Slam fourth round after cruising past 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, is next for the Russian.

MONDAY WIMBLEDON SHCEDULE
CENTRE COURT – 1:30PM
1. Novak Djokovic v Cristian Garin
2. Coco Gauff v Angelique Kerber
3. Roger Federer v Lorenzo Sonego

NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
1. Ashleigh Barty v Barbora Krejcikova
2. Felix Auger-Aliassime v Alexander Zverev
3. Emma Raducanu v Ajla Tomljanovic

NO.2 COURT – 11:00AM
1. Iga Swiatek v Ons Jabeur
2. Marton Fucsovics v Andrey Rublev
3. Hubert Hurkacz v Daniil Medvedev

NO.3 COURT – 11:00AM
1. Elena Rybakina v Aryna Sabalenka
2. Denis Shapovalov v Roberto Bautista Agut


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Medvedev Back In Win Column, Beats Norrie In Los Cabos For First Title Of 2022
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3 Comments for Federer Gets Through Norrie At Wimbledon, Medvedev Makes Comeback, Kyrgios Retires

skeezer Says:

Way to go Fed… into the second week, well done. Always class and entertaining!


tennismonger Says:

Roger Federer: “I will utilize the French Open, a premier Grand Slam event to prepare for the season ahead and perhaps the remainder of my career.”

Nick Kyrgios: “Hold my Pimms, bruv…!”


chrisford1 Says:

After 4 years stuck at #3 player, also a record that me never be broken – 10 years ago this Monday, Djokovic got his 1st week as the #1 player.
==============================
Really hard to have consistent excellence. In a typical year, without Covid and a transition as vets leave and more hot&cold younger players come in – you still may only see 12-10 players that make it to the 2nd week of each the 4 Slams
This year only 5 players have made it to the 2nd week in each Slam:
Djokovic
Medvedev
Zverev
Berrettini
Swiatek

4 guys, one gal. That’s all. For so long, it was so routine to see the “legends” and Andy or Berdych or Ferrer always in the late stages – it was taken for granted. When it is really tough, an all surfaces big career achievement for a player just to make to the 4th or better at each Slam

The list could shrink further, but the USO is a ways off, and the main thing why I brought it up is just being good enough to regularly make it to 4th Round is noteworthy. Then you get the stuff the Big 3, Andy and Serena did over the years…led by Roger Federer sustaining a level and consistency that got him to 23 straight Slam semis. (An unbeatable record, IMO).

Top story: Sinner Swallows Up Zverev For Second Straight Australian Open, 3rd Slam