2024 Wimbledon Day 6: Djokovic Danger Tests v Popyrin, Swiatek, Zverev, Rybakina v Wozniacki

The third round is scheduled to conclude Saturday at Wimbledon with Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev leading the men while world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and former champion Elena Rybakina are featured for the women.

Djokovic and Zverev both take on stern tests in rematches from Australia. The 7-time champion Djokovic takes on Australian Alexei Popyrin who pushed Djokovic to four sets in Melbourne. The Serb was in some trouble to Popyrin in the third set before prevailing.

“Big serve, big forehand,” Djokovic said of Popyrin. “He loves that serve-plus-forehand play.

“We had a good match, very good match in Australia. I think he improved his backhand a lot and his movement. That was maybe not as good in the past. He’s becoming a very complete player. Tall guy. He’s not afraid to finish the point at the net.

“If he serves well, it’s very tough to play. Anybody on the grass that serves as good as he serves,” he said. “I guess one of the keys will be in that match how good I will be able to read his serves and get it back in play, make him work for his points. On my end, serve well as well.”

Zverev had to go the distance to fend off Cameron Norrie in a final set tiebreak thriller. Overall, Zverev leads Norrie, a former Wimbledon semifinalist, 5-0 and had won all eight sets until Melbourne.

“I think he’s maybe having one of his best years of his career so far,” Norrie said Thursday. “He’s in form. He’s serving well. He likes the grass. It’s a completely different matchup to the first few rounds that I’ve had, playing two lefties.

“All the skills that I’ve been practicing I can use in this match especially. I played him in Australia. I know what to expect. I played him a few times. I’ve never beaten him before, so I think it’s a really tough, tough draw for me. But I’m excited to be through and excited to play against another top player and test myself in five sets.”

Swiatek will have a tricky test against Yulia Putintseva who just won a grass title and Rybakina tests former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki who has never done that well on the grass.

Also today, Ben Shelton will finish his match against former semifinalist Denis Shapovalov in an all-lefty battle. That match will resume at 3-2 indoors in the Court 1.

Daniil Medvedev will try to finish off Jan-Lennard Struff as they match was suspended with the Russian up two sets to one. And French phenom and lucky loser Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard meets Emil Ruusuvuori. The 20-year-old 6-foot-8 Frenchman has bombed 78 aces and held all 42 service games thus far.

“I always love the tennis. It’s one of the first Grand Slams I think, so every champion won this tournament. So for me it’s like the home or the house or tennis paradise,” Mpetshi Perricard said.

“I watch a lot of finals when I was young. So for me Wimbledon is a special place and special place to be. When you play, it’s like unbelievable.”

Arthur Fils is scheduled early, as well, as is American No. 1 Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune.

Two-time finalist Ons Jabeur meets Elina Svitolina who made the semifinals last year and Jelena Ostapenko is lurking for Swiatek.

SATURDAY WIMBLEDON SCHEDULE
CENTRE COURT – 1:30PM
Cameron Norrie (GBR) v Alexander Zverev (GER) [4]
Ons Jabeur (TUN) [10] v Elina Svitolina (UKR) [21]
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Novak Djokovic (SRB) [2]

NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
Ben Shelton (USA) [14] leads Denis Shapovalov (CAN) To Finish 3-2
Iga Swiatek (POL) [1] v Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)
Elena Rybakina (KAZ) [4] v Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) / Shuai Zhang (CHN) v Andy Murray (GBR) / Emma Raducanu (GBR)

NO.2 COURT – 11:00AM
Harriet Dart (GBR) v Xinyu Wang (CHN)
Daniil Medvedev [5] leads Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) To Finish 6-1 6-3 4-6 1-1
Taylor Fritz (USA) [13] v Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) [24]

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