This week in 2018, #NextGenATP Frenchman Ugo Humbert was No. 290 in the ATP Rankings, competing at an ITF Pro Circuit event in France in which he did not face a player inside the Top 600. What a difference a year makes.

Humbert upset fellow #NextGenATP player Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in two hours and nine minutes on Friday to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon. Before arriving at The Championships for his debut, the 21-year-old had never advanced past the second round of a Grand Slam. He is the 43rd man in the Open Era to make the Round of 16 at the grass-court major on his debut.

“I’m very happy about this match. Felix is a great player and a good friend, so I was really happy to share the court with him,” Humbert said. “For sure, it will be the next generation and the future.”

Men To Reach #Wimbledon R16 On Debut In Past 10 Years

The World No. 66’s reward in the next round is defending champion Novak Djokovic, the top seed. It will be Humbert’s first match against a Top 10 opponent. In the first round, the lefty moved to 2-0 against Top 20 opposition when Gael Monfils retired down 0-3 in the fifth set in their battle, which Monfils led two sets to none.

There was plenty of hype for a #NextGenATP star to face Djokovic in the fourth round. But many believed that player would be Auger-Aliassime, who has reached his first three ATP Tour finals this season to reach a career-high No. 21 in the ATP Rankings, also advancing to the semi-finals in Miami.

Instead, it will be Humbert, who began this fortnight with just six tour-level wins this year. The Luxembourg resident has climbed the ATP Rankings thanks in large part to his success on the ATP Challenger Tour, winning four titles on that circuit in the past 12 months, and reaching three additional finals. Humbert’s best tour-level result came at the Open 13 Provence, where he advanced to the semi-finals this February.

Humbert entered this tournament in ninth place in the ATP Race To Milan. If he shocks four-time champion Djokovic, the lefty will move into one of the seven qualifying positions for the Next Gen ATP Finals.

“It’s a dream. It’s maybe the best match of my career, for sure,” Humbert said. “I would like to enjoy this night, this victory, and I will prepare my match against Djokovic with my coach.”

It appeared Auger-Aliassime was putting himself in position to make a run towards a match against Djokovic even after losing the first set, taking a 5-2 lead by showing more confidence and loosening up his shoulders. But Humbert remained level-headed throughout and never let his level dip, pressuring the 18-year-old to serve out the set.

And after Humbert broke back, he broke for the second consecutive return game when Auger-Aliassime double faulted into the net. The Frenchman then took a commanding lead by closing out the set with an inside-out forehand winner off the back foot.

Humbert was unrelenting throughout the match, serving well to keep Auger-Aliassime from gaining any rhythm, while also showcasing impressive shotmaking on No. 1 Court. He showed no nerves after earning an early break in the third set, pumping his fist towards his camp and cracking a smile after his teenage opponent sprayed a final inside-out forehand wide.

“I would like to play my game, and yes, I have the chance,” Humbert said about facing Djokovic. “If not, I’m not coming on the court.”

Entering the season, Roberto Bautista Agut had never made a major quarter-final. But now, the No. 23 seed will have a chance to reach his second of the year after upsetting No. 10 seed Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-1 in the third round of Wimbledon on Friday.

Bautista Agut has proven a tough customer for World No. 9 Khachanov at the Grand Slams this year, having now defeated him in straight sets in Melbourne and London. The 31-year-old, a nine-time ATP Tour champion, proved too solid for the rising Russian, making only 11 unforced errors in the match, while also striking 28 winners. Khachanov hit the same number of winners, but made 14 more unforced errors in their one-hour, 53-minute clash.

In the next round the Spaniard will face Benoit Paire, who wrestled away the momentum from Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely late in the third round en route to a 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-3, 7-6(2) win over two hours and 45 minutes on Court 18. Paire, the No. 28 seed from France, struck 78 winners — including 19 aces — past Vesely, who had led by a set and 5/4 in the second-set tie-break.

The 30-year-old Paire, who advanced to the fourth round of a Grand Slam championship for the fourth time (also at 2017 Wimbledon), has lifted two ATP Tour trophies in 2019 at the Grand Prix Hassan II (d. Andujar) and at the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon (d. Auger-Aliassime).

Bautista Agut has won all six of the pair’s previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings, with only two of those matches going past straight sets. One of those two battles came at The Championships in 2015, when Bautista Agut overcame a two-set deficit against the Frenchman to advance after two hours and 37 minutes.

There will be a lot at stake for both men, as they have combined to reach one Grand Slam quarter-final in 60 previous appearances. Paire is into the fourth round of a major for the fourth time.

Thomas Fabbiano registered arguably the biggest surprise through the first two rounds of Wimbledon when he knocked out World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, avenging his 91-minute defeat to the Greek last year at the All England Club. Prior to that victory Monday, the Italian – who turned pro in 2005 – had never won a set against a Top 20 opponent, though he upset Stan Wawrinka en route to the third round last year at Wimbledon.

He will look to reach the fourth round for the first time at a Grand Slam when he plays Fernando Verdasco on Friday.

ATPTour.com takes a look at five things to know about the Italian:

1. Began Playing Tennis At Six
Fabbiano, who celebrated his 30^th birthday at the end of May, credits his father for his start in tennis. “I started playing at six years old, thanks to my father who was a member in a small tennis club,” he says. “I started to play with the wall. Since that moment, I didn’t stop playing tennis.”

He grew up idolising Marat Safin and Andre Agassi, but says his style is not similar to either of theirs. He describes it as “a lot of first serving and move with my forehand and make my opponent run from everywhere”.

2. Proud Of The Italian Charge
Fabbiano is one of nine Italian men in the Wimbledon main draw at the start of the tournament, and one of three through to the third round, joining Fabio Fognini and Matteo Berrettini. His closest friends on tour, Berretini and Lorenzo Sonego, won grass-court titles respectively in Stuttgart and Antalya leading into Wimbledon.

Read: Italy’s Strength In Numbers

“It’s going really well. We’ve won two titles with Matteo and Lorenzo the past two weeks, so it’s really amazing the men’s side in this moment. Fabio won a [Masters] 1000 a few months ago,” he says. “We are all in good shape and hope to continue this way.”

3. Grass Is Now His Most Successful Surface
He may have drawn inspiration from his closest friends’ success on grass. Prior to last week’s Nature Valley International, Fabbiano had won three career matches on this surface. Entering his third-round match against Verdasco, Fabbiano will have an 8-5 grass-court record.

In Eastbourne, Fabbiano qualified and defeated the likes of Laslo Djere and recent Queen’s Club finalist Gilles Simon to reach his first tour-level semi-final. He backed up that run with wins over Tsitsipas and Ivo Karlovic at Wimbledon.

4. He’s 5’8”, But Likes Playing Tall Players
Fabbiano is not intimidated by players who tower over him. This year, he’s defeated the ATP’s tallest players – 6’11 Reilly Opelka and 6’11 Karlovic – in Grand Slam action. In January, he withstood 67 aces as he prevailed against Opelka in a fifth-set tie-break in the second round of the Australian Open. On Wednesday, he defeated Karlovic in a 6-4 fifth set to reach the Wimbledon third round.

“I think I like to play with these kinds of guys,” says Fabbiano. “I know to be patient, to wait in the right moment to break them. Just have patience: This is the key to play against these kinds of guys.”

5. Don’t Expect Him To Skydive Again Soon
Off the court, Fabbiano enjoys reading books and going to dinner with friends. Last year in Los Cabos, he enjoyed some of the more adventurous activities on offer, including paddle-boarding and skydiving.

“Skydiving was one of the craziest things I’ve ever done in my life, and I don’t think I’m ready to do it again the next 2-3 years!” he says.

Top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic looks to continue his top form when he faces talented Pole Hubert Hurkacz in third-round action on Friday at Wimbledon. Fourth seed and 2018 runner-up Kevin Anderson also takes the court against No. 26 seed Guido Pella.

World No. 1 Djokovic won his lone FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting against Hurkacz two months ago at Roland Garros, but the Pole is thriving on grass and through to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time. The Serbian seeks his 12th appearance in Week 2 at The All England Club. He’s been at his best from the first ball this week, dropping an average of nine games in his first two rounds.

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Anderson recorded his 20th Wimbledon win with his second-round victory on Wednesday over Janko Tipsarevic. The South African has been limited to three tournaments since January due to a right elbow injury, but appears healthy and primed for another big run at The Championships. Pella is perhaps best known for his clay-court prowess, but has matched his best result at SW19. The 29-year-old Argentine clinched his first ATP Tour title this March in Sao Paulo (d. Garin).

Russian Karen Khachanov, seeded 10th, takes on No. 23 seed Roberto Bautista Agut. The Spaniard leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 3-2 and won their lone grass-court match last year at the NOVENTI OPEN, but Khachanov prevailed in their most recent battle this May in Rome. Bautista Agut opened his season with a title in Doha (d. Berdych) and maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open, while Khachanov cracked the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings by reaching his first major quarter-final last month at Roland Garros.

A #NextGenATP player is guaranteed to reach the second week when No. 19 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada meets Frenchman Ugo Humbert. Auger-Aliassime is excelling in his debut professional season on grass, finishing runner-up at the MercedesCup (l. to Berrettini) and reaching the semi-finals at the Fever-Tree Championships. Humbert recorded his first ATP Tour semi-final on home soil this February in Marseille. Both men are competing in the main draw at The All England Club for the first time.

Other matches headlining Friday’s schedule include No. 11 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia taking on No. 21 seed David Goffin of Belgium. Medvedev won their only FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting this year in Melbourne. Canadian Milos Raonic, the No. 15 seed and 2016 runner-up, gears up for a big-serving battle with American Reilly Opelka.

ORDER OF PLAY – FRIDAY, 5 JULY 2019

Centre Court start 13:00
[4] Kevin Anderson vs Guido Pella
Two WTA matches

No. 1 Court start 13:00
WTA match
[1] Novak Djokovic vs Hubert Hurkacz
[19] Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Ugo Humbert

No. 2 Court start 11:00
WTA match
[10] Karen Khachanov vs [23] Roberto Bautista Agut
[11] Daniil Medvedev vs [21] David Goffin

No. 3 Court start 11:00
Two WTA matches
Fernando Verdasco vs Thomas Fabbiano

Court 12 start 11:00
[15] Milos Raonic vs Reilly Opelka
WTA match

Court 18 start 11:00
[28] Benoit Paire vs Jiri Vesely
WTA match

Click here to view the schedule for all other courts.

Andy Murray made a triumphant return to Wimbledon with Pierre-Hugues Herbert, delighting the No. 1 Court crowd with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 victory over Marius Copil and Ugo Humbert. The victory was the Brit’s first-ever men’s doubles win at The All England Club.

“It was obviously brilliant to be back. Really nice atmosphere towards the end of the match,” said Murray. “Every time I’m on the court now, it’s great. I’m just playing tennis again. Pain-free, healthy. It’s nice. It’s what I have enjoyed doing since I was a kid.

“At times over the past few years, I was not getting any enjoyment out of it. The fun is back. Hopefully my hip will feel good for a while.”

Murray, who prevailed two weeks ago at the Fever-Tree Championships (w/Lopez), received a standing ovation as he walked on court. After shaking off a slow start in their first match together, Herbert/Murray asserted their dominance in return games by racking up 18 break points and converting on seven. Murray wrapped up the match with a forehand volley winner after two hours and 28 minutes.

Herbert has enjoyed success before at The Championships, teaming up with Nicolas Mahut to win the doubles title in 2016 (d. Benneteau/Roger-Vasselin). Next up for Herbert/Murray are sixth-seeded Croatians Nikola Mektic and Franko Skugor.

“I think once I get on the court, I’m still very competitive. I want to win. I prepare properly. I try and do my best,” said Murray. “It just feels different than what it did before. I don’t know if that will change over time or if it will stay the same. But I don’t have huge expectations. I just want to go out, enjoy the match, give the best effort of what I’ve got. If I do that, then that’s fine.” 

Seventh seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, making their 20th appearance as a team at The All England Club, moved past Denys Molchanov and Igor Zelenay 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4. The Bryans have won here three times (2006, 2011, 2013) and Mike prevailed here last year with Jack Sock (d. Klaasen/Venus). Bryan/Bryan will play Marcelo Arevalo and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela in the second round.

Fifth seeds and 2015 champions Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau sprinted into the second round over Italian pair Marco Cecchinato and Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. Awaiting them are Fabrice Martin and Hugo Nys.

Eighth seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers required just one hour and 39 minutes to move through the Spanish pairing of Marcel Granollers and Gerard Granollers 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Peers finished runner-up here (w/J. Murray) in 2015. Next up for Kontinen/Peers are Robert Lindstedt and Tim Puetz.

Other teams to advance on Thursday include No. 11 seeds Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France, who defeated British wild cards Liam Broady and Scott Clayton 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Robin Haase and Frederik Nielsen, the No. 16 seeds, also moved on with a convincing 6-2 6-2, 6-3 victory over Romain Arneodo and Damir Dzumhur. Nielsen’s lone Grand Slam title came here in 2012 (w/Marray).