Wimbledon 2017: Heather Watson &Henri Kontinen through, Ken & Neal Skupski lose

Reigning champions Heather Watson and Henri Kontinen continued their defence of the Wimbledon mixed doubles with a comfortable last-16 victory.

Britain’s Watson and Finnish playing partner Kontinen won 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 against fourth seeds Ivan Dodig and Sania Mirza.

They play 10th seeds Rohan Bopanna and Gabriela Dabrowski in the last eight.

Watson and Kontinen, who are unseeded, won last year’s tournament having never played together previously.

Earlier, British brothers Ken and Neal Skupski lost their first Grand Slam quarter-final in the men’s doubles.

The pair, from Liverpool, lost 7-6 (13-11) 6-4 6-4 against fourth seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo.

• Live scores and schedule
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Ken, 34, and Neal, 28, missed three sets points in a 20-minute tie-break before fourth seeds Kubot and Melo took an hour-long opener.

Poland’s Kubot and Brazilian Melo needed a single break in each of the following sets to reach the last four.

Later on Wednesday, Ken Skupski and fellow Briton Jocelyn Rae earned a thrilling victory in the mixed doubles to set up a quarter-final tie against top seeds Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis.

Skupski and Rae won 5-7 6-4 9-7 against ninth seeds Max Mirnyi and Ekaterina Makarova in fading light on Court One.

The British pair needed two and 21 minutes before Rae, a 26-year-old from Nottingham, served out their third match point.

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Injured Djokovic retires against Berdych – highlights & report

Novak Djokovic is out of Wimbledon after retiring injured during his quarter-final against Tomas Berdych.

The former world number one, who would have regained top spot by winning the title, was down 7-6 (7-2) 2-0 when he withdrew with an elbow injury.

Djokovic, 30, had treatment on a right shoulder injury during his last-16 win over Adrian Mannarino and needed further attention against Berdych.

The Serb said he would consider whether surgery was needed to fix the injury.

“I haven’t felt this much pain since I’ve had this injury,” said Djokovic.

“It’s not the shoulder, it’s the elbow that has kept bothering me for over a year and a half.

“I was able, for 30 minutes, to play with some pain that was bearable, but the serve and forehand were shots where I could feel it the most. After that, there was really no sense [in continuing].”

• Murray knocked out of Wimbledon – watch & read
• Federer cruises into semi-finals – watch & read
• British hope Konta faces five-time champion Williams

Czech world number 15 Berdych, the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up, will face Roger Federer in the semi-final.

Djokovic had been set to play his last-16 match against Mannarino on Monday but it was delayed as Rafael Nadal’s match against Gilles Muller went to five sets and tournament officials decided to not move the Serb on to the available Centre Court.

He beat Mannarino 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in Tuesday’s opening match but was the only men’s quarter-finalist not to have a day’s rest between rounds.

Against Berdych, Djokovic called a medical time-out after losing the first-set tie-break and received attention on his right arm before he withdrew.

“It is unfortunate I had to finish Wimbledon in this way. If someone feels bad, it is me,” added Djokovic.

“I spent about two hours, two and a half hours, on the table today in between the warm-up and match, trying to do everything I could to make me fit.

“I’m going to talk with specialists, as I have done in the last year, to try to figure out what’s the best way to treat it and find a long-term solution.

“The level of pain was not decreasing, it was only increasing as the days went by. Unfortunately, today was the worst day. Probably the fact I played yesterday, days adding up, it wasn’t helping at all.”

Analysis

John Lloyd, former GB Davis Cup captain on BBC Two

We called it pretty quickly – he couldn’t serve above 115 mph from the start. Once Berdych hung in there and won the first set, Novak knew that there was no chance.

Boris Becker, three-time Wimbledon champion on BBC Two

Most players have niggles and pains; nobody in the second week is 100% healthy. But only Djokovic can say how his body is. He knows whether he can play on or not.

It is the right decision. Murray and Djokovic were dominant last year but they are nowhere near that level now. It is a gruelling schedule and everybody else will put in that extra 10% to beat you.

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• Take on the legends in our interactive game

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Retaining title would be even better – Reid

Top seed Gordon Reid says wonderful memories from last year’s triumph can inspire him to retain his wheelchair singles title at Wimbledon.

The 25-year-old Scot won the inaugural title with a 6-1 6-4 success against Stefan Olsson and begins his defence against the Swede on Thursday.

Reid is also the reigning doubles champion and again pairs up with England’s Alfie Hewett.

“It feels great to be back, it gets the excitement flowing,” said Reid.

“To be the first person to win the trophy was special and to retain it would be even better.

“I’ve got great memories but now it’s about focusing on trying to do the same this year. I’ll take it one match at a time.

“Stefan is in good form and enjoys playing on the grass, so it’s not going to be an easy match at all.”

Reid, who collected an MBE from the Queen in Edinburgh last week, added the first Wimbledon singles title to his Australian Open victory last year.

He began 2017 by collecting the doubles prize in Australia, completing the set of majors, with two previous French Open wins and US Open success in 2015.

“Singles-wise, this year has not been ideal but the doubles has been good,” Reid told BBC Scotland.

“Hopefully, I can use this tournament to get some confidence for the second half of the season.”

Reid, who also won Paralympic singles gold last year, recalls “drinking champagne with the Murray team” last year following Andy Murray’s second Wimbledon title.

Murray has reached the last eight as he attempts to defend his title and Reid is aiming for another Scottish double, with the help of some superstition.

“I’m trying to get the same lucky number 13 locker as last year,” he laughed.

“There’s someone else in there, so I’ve reserved it for when they leave.”

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Roger Federer vs Milos Raonic Wimbledon 2017 Preview and Prediction

Following Andy Murray’s match on the centre court schedule on Wednesday will be the clash between Roger Federer …

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Novak Djokovic vs Tomas Berdych Wimbledon 2017 Preview and Prediction

Just a day after controversial decision making saw Novak Djokovic fail to play on Manic Monday, he finds himself back on…

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Blockbuster QFs Highlight Wednesday Action

Blockbuster QFs Highlight Wednesday Action

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Marach/Pavic Battle Into Wimbledon SFs

Marach/Pavic Battle Into Wimbledon SFs

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Andy Murray vs Sam Querrey Wimbledon 2017 Preview and Analysis

Andy Murray will be looking to join fellow Brit Johanna Konta in the semi finals of Wimbledon on Wednesday afternoon.…

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Gilles Muller vs Marin Cilic Wimbledon 2017 Preview and Prediction

The quarter of the draw that contained Marin Cilic was the one that most people pinpointed as the section to most likely see…

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'I'm tremendously proud of being part of a little bit of history'

Johanna Konta is “tremendously proud of being part of a little bit of history” after becoming Britain’s first women’s Wimbledon semi-finalist for 39 years.

Sixth seed Konta, 26, matched Virginia Wade’s 1978 feat with a gutsy 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 win over Romanian second seed Simona Halep.

She has equalled her best Grand Slam run and will next face Venus Williams.

“Ever since I was nine years old I’ve believed in my own ability and dreamed big,” Konta told BBC Sport.

“I don’t give myself too much time to dream and more focus on the work. I just stuck to my true self.”

Konta was watched by Wade from the Royal Box on Centre Court, with the 1977 champion describing the Briton’s performance on Tuesday as “absolutely stunning”.

“Both players were so good but she had a tougher mind and was more aggressive,” Wade said.

“It’s fine to be the last British women’s winner to win Wimbledon, but it’s better to have plenty of British players to win. I’m just surprised it’s taken so long.”

• Who is the real Johanna Konta?
• Five reasons Konta could win Wimbledon
• Konta stuns Halep to reach semis – report & highlights
• Muguruza, Willams & Rybarkova reach last four

‘Konta never takes anything for granted’

Six-time Wimbledon singles champion Billie Jean King praised the way Konta handled herself both during and after the match.

“I love the fact that she talks about her ambition. Women are taught not to talk about ambition,” said the American, who won 39 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles.

“We should be nice, be polite – she says it like it is. She never takes anything for granted.”

Konta, ranked seventh in the world, is the first British woman to be among the top 10 since Jo Durie in April 1984.

“She knows that every time she goes on court it’s a blessing,” King added.

“Great Britain should be so proud of her and she should be proud of herself.”

Konta dreams of Slam success

The way Konta fought back after losing the first set and held her nerve during a tense final set will surely have boosted her confidence before she meets five-time champion Williams on Thursday.

Though she is searching for her first grass-court title, Konta’s form on the surface has been impressive. She reached the final at Nottingham and the semi-finals at Eastbourne before being forced to withdraw with a back injury.

“I’ve dreamed of success in every Slam,” said Konta, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2016.

“I think it makes it more special because it is home.

“I feel my opponents have pushed me, and I in turn them, and to create such a sporting excitement for the crowd makes it very special.”

‘Go JoKo!’ – Reaction to Konta’s win

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