Wimbledon: Alcaraz wins thriller to battle through to last 16
BBC – World number one Carlos Alcaraz held off a spirited challenge from 25th seed Nicolas Jarry to move into the last 16 – and match his best Wimbledon run.
The 20-year-old Spaniard won a four-set thriller 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 7-5 on Centre Court in an absorbing third-round tie that took almost four hours.
Alcaraz will play 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini of Italy after he beat German 19th seed Alexander Zverev.
Elsewhere, third seed Daniil Medvedev defeated Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4.
Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, playing for the fifth successive day after beating Andy Murray on Friday in a match that began on Thursday, beat Serbia’s Laslo Djere.
Tsitsipas won 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 and will meet unseeded American Chris Eubanks, who won three tie-breaks to overcome Australia’s Chris O’Connell.
Berrettini beat Zverev 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-5), despite a rain delay on Court One as they had to wait for the roof to be closed during the second set after it had been opened before the match started.
Humid indoor conditions
Alcaraz broke Jarry’s serve in the seventh game to take the opening set, but lost the second on a tie-break.
The match began under the roof and tournament rules meant it had to stay closed despite the hot and sweaty conditions, with a number of spectators repeatedly using handheld fans in an attempt to keep cool.
Alcaraz instantly got back on track in the third set, producing some excellent passing shots and delicate drop shots as he broke in the fourth game to go two sets to one ahead.
But the fourth did not go entirely to plan as the big-serving Jarry led 3-0 and 4-2, although Alcaraz fought back to seal a memorable win against the 27-year-old.
Third seed Medvedev is most comfortable on hard courts but said after the second round that, while not totally at home on the grass, he is “knocking on the door”.
Medvedev will face Jiri Lehecka in the last 16 after the Czech Republic player eliminated American 16th seed Tommy Paul, winning a five-set encounter that lasted four hours, four minutes.