LONDON (Reuters) – Highlights of the sixth day at Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Saturday (times GMT):
1530 NADAL SCYTHES DOWN TSONGA
Rafa Nadal, playing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for the first time at a Grand Slam in over 11 years, blasted past the Frenchman 6-2 6-3 6-2. The Spanish world number two takes on Joao Sousa or local favourite Dan Evans in the fourth round.
1412 STRYCOVA UPSETS WORLD NUMBER FOUR BERTENS
Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova stunned fourth seed Kiki Bertens 7-5 6-1 to reach the fourth round for the first time since 2014, when she went on to make the quarters. It was also Strycova’s first win over a top-five player in over a year.
1334 WILLIAMS DOWNS GOERGES
Serena Williams, seeking a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown, stayed on course with a comfortable 6-3 6-4 victory over Germany’s Julia Goerges in a rematch of last year’s semi-final.
“It’s been an arduous year for me so every match I’m trying to improve. Every time I go out there I try. I’m getting a really late start, but I try,” American Williams said.
It was the end of the road for Swiss 13th seed Belinda Bencic who was beaten 4-6 6-4 6-4 by Alison Riske.
1319 BARTY STROLLS INTO LAST 16
Top seed Ash Barty swatted aside Briton Harriet Dart 6-1 6-1 to become the first Australian woman to make the fourth round of Wimbledon since Jarmila Wolfe in 2010.
Belgium’s 21st seed Elise Mertens also advanced with a battling 6-2 6-7(9) 6-4 victory over Wang Qiang.
1220 LAVER HONOURED ON CENTRE COURT
Australia’s 11-times Grand Slam winner Rod Laver was presented with a miniature replica of the Wimbledon trophy on Centre Court to mark the 50th anniversary of his last title at the All England Club.
Laver won four Wimbledon titles and won all four Grand Slam singles tournaments in the same calendar year twice, in 1962 and 1969.
1210 NISHIKORI AND QUERREY MARCH INTO FOURTH ROUND
Eighth seed Kei Nishikori beat American Steve Johnson 6-4 6-3 6-2 to advance into the fourth round, with the Japanese breaking him six times and hitting 23 winners.
American Sam Querrey also went through in straight sets, beating Australia’s John Millman 7-6(3) 7-6(8) 6-3 after firing down 27 aces and hitting 52 winners.
1127 KVITOVA TOO GOOD FOR LINETTE
Twice champion Petra Kvitova strolled into the fourth round with a 6-3 6-2 victory over unseeded Pole Magda Linette. Joining her was Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, who eased past American Lauren Davis 6-3 6-3.
1015 PLAY UNDERWAY AT WIMBLEDON
Play began in bright sunshine with the temperature hovering around 22 degrees Celsius and a forecast high of 24C.
World number one Ash Barty is in action against Briton Harriet Dart on Centre Court (1200 GMT start) while twice champion Rafa Nadal meets Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Roger Federer continues his quest for a ninth Wimbledon title when he meets Lucas Pouille in the third round.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar and Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ed Osmond)
