Can Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek continue their standout season by capturing a second major team title?

The Croatian-American pair made a winning start at Wimbledon, where they defeated Indians N.Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan 7-6(5), 6-4 in the first round on Saturday. Second seeds Dodig and Krajicek, who won 84 per cent of their first-serve points to advance, will meet Robert Galloway and Lloyd Harris or Marcos Giron and Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round.

Dodig and Krajicek have earned four titles this season, including last month at Roland Garros. They maintained their form to then win their first grass-court team title at The Queen’s Club and were finalists at the ATP 250 event in Eastbourne, where their 13-match winning streak was halted.

In other men’s doubles action, fifth seeds Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Santiago Gonzalez rallied to beat Frenchmen Gregoire Barrere and Quentin Halys 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(10-5). The French-Mexican team will next face British wild cards Toby Samuel and Connor Thomson.

Carlos Alcaraz is brimming with confidence after escaping a stern challenge from Nicolas Jarry on Saturday at Wimbledon. On Centre Court, the Spaniard battled back from a break down in the fourth set to notch a 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3, 7-5 victory and return to the fourth round for the second straight year on the London lawns.

“This match gave me a lot of confidence today,” the 20-year-old said in his post-match press conference. “I feel really comfortable on that court. I feel [I have] a lot of confidence right now.”

Alcaraz assessed the level of his opponent as worthy of a place in the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The Spaniard himself entered Wimbledon as World No. 1. Should he go on to meet Novak Djokovic in the final, the top spot in the men’s game would be on the line.

Asked how he is handling the prospect of that potential final, Alcaraz admitted he hopes the marquee matchup comes to fruition.

“Not only tennis fans [and] sports fans want the final. Myself as well, honestly,” he said, before noting the long path he faces to reach that stage. “I have three rounds ahead. I’m really focussed on the next round. It’s [Matteo] Berrettini or [Alexander] Zverev. Both players have great tennis on grass.”

Later on Saturday evening, Berrettini wrapped up a 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) win against the 19th-seeded German.

“It’s going to be a really tough one,” Alcaraz said, before his opponent was confirmed. “But obviously my dream is to play a final here. Even better if it’s Novak.”

PASSED A TOUGH TEST 📝@carlosalcaraz fights past Jarry in an entertaining 4️⃣ set match 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3, 7-5!Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Wimbledon | #wimbledon pic.twitter.com/KgG1h6PwMY

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 8, 2023

Last year in his first Wimbledon, Alcaraz reached the fourth round but was beaten by Jannik Sinner in what was his Centre Court debut. Now with two straight wins inside the storied stadium, Alcaraz is beginning to add his own chapters to the court’s legend.

“I watched a lot of videos, a lot of matches from legends playing on that beautiful court. Knowing that I’m going to be in the history, in the books, playing on that court for me is something I will never forget,” he said. 

“Honestly, on the side at 40-all when I returned the forehand, I remembered the first match that Roger Federer won on that court against [Pete] Sampras, winning with a return passing shot from the forehand. I remember every time. I said to myself, ‘I want to play that return every point.’

“It’s something that for me is crazy to remember, to live that experience as well.”

He’ll likely have another opportunity on Centre Court on Monday against Berrettini. With a win, he would be through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time.

It’s go time for Matteo Berrettini!

Having played just one match in the past three months coming into Wimbledon due to a stomach injury, the Italian needed only to return to the hallowed lawns of The All England Club to rediscover his best form.

Playing Alexander Zverev on No. 1 Court in a match that began with the roof open and concluded with it closed after a brief second-set downpour, Berrettini used his weight of shot on serve and from the baseline to overwhelm Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in two hours and 27 minutes.

“It must be something special about this place. I love to play here,” Berrettini said. “Last year I missed it unfortunately and I still didn’t heal from that withdrawal. This tournament changed my career, my life, it’s so special to be here.”

Zverev had eight service holds to love (including four straight to start the second set) but couldn’t put a dent in the Berrettini serve, earning just one break point chance for the match.

It was a devastating performance that will not have escaped the attention of top seed Carlos Alcaraz, whom Berrettini plays next.

Berrettini’s pulsating run, including strong wins over Lorenzo Sonego and Alex de Minaur spanning four days of play in the opening two rounds, is in stark contrast to his tepid first-round exit to Sonego in Stuttgart in what was hist first tournament since the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in mid April.

“I spent many days in my bed crying about not being able to play, so playing five days in a row is nothing,” Berrettini said. “I missed playing, I missed competing. I’m finding extra energy every day.”

A finalist in his last outing at Wimbledon in 2021, Berrettini missed last year’s tournament after testing positive for Covid-19. This year, he came into the tournament with a modest 7-7 record after an injury-interrupted season. In his only appearance on grass before Wimbledon, the 27-year-old eked out just three games against Sonego in the first round of Stuttgart.

Despite his struggles, Berrettini has stepped it up at the majors. He has now reached the second week in eight of the past nine Grand Slams he has contested, a run that includes three quarter-finals, the 2022 Australian Open semi-final and the ’21 Wimbledon final, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.

Looking ahead to his clash with Alcaraz, whom he beat in a fifth-set tie-break at the 2022 Australian Open, Berrettini said, “The first time I played him two years ago I felt that this kid was special. He has won so much already. We’ve always had great matches so I’m really looking forward to that one.”

Did You Know?
On Saturday evening, both Berrettini and Zverev were near untouchable on serve. Zverev put 81 per cent of first serves into play and won 82 per cent of those points. Berrettini put only 68 per cent of first serves into play but won 86 per cent of those points.

Both men had impressive winners-to-unforced errors ratios: Berrettini 35-22; Zverev 34-23 in a reflection of the quality of the match. They made a combined 60 approaches to net.

It is not uncommon for Daniil Medvedev to bust out a meme-making dance following a win.  For the World No. 3, one particular dance stands out as his personal favourite, he revealed in the latest ATP Uncovered ‘Fan Questions’ series.

“That was probably my best dance move I have ever done in my life!” Medvedev said when referring to his dance at the 2019 US Open.

That was not the end of the 27-year-old taking questions about dancing. Medvedev answered what celebration he will do if he wins a second major title.

“You are going to see, it is going to be interesting!” Medvedev said, while cracking a smile.

Watch the full video below to learn Medvedev’s favourite Formula One driver, what photo he has as his lock screen, the coolest trophy he has won, and more.

Christopher Eubanks continued his red-hot grass-season Saturday by reaching the fourth round of a major for the first time at Wimbledon. A surprise development to some, perhaps, given that the American is a debutant at the grass-court major, but not to World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev.

“I say with my coach that he has kind of — I don’t know if it’s the same in English like it is in French — total tennis,” said Medvedev of Eubanks in his post-match press conference on Saturday after his third-round win against Marton Fucsovics. “He is not scared of anything. He just goes for it. [He] hits very, very fast and goes to the net as soon as he has the opportunity, has a big serve.

“From what I saw, because I’ve known him for a long time, he managed to find something this year which I don’t think he had before. The consistency of doing back-to-back matches, not missing too much, going for the same shots, just being consistent.”

Medvedev prevailed in straight sets against Eubanks in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in March in Miami. Since then, the American has risen to a career-high No. 43 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and lifted his first ATP Tour title at the Mallorca Championships. The 27-year-old Eubanks will take on fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas next at the All England Club.

“A first title gives you wings, if we can say it like this,” said 20-time tour-level titlist Medvedev. “We can see it here [at Wimbledon]. So right now, it seems like he’s going to be a player to beat for many more years to come. But we never know. For the moment he is playing great, so not much more to add.”

With his 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory against Fucsovics, Medvedev advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon for the second time. The only major where he is yet to make a quarter-final appearance, the 27-year-old is feeling positive as he prepares to take on Czech star Jiri Lehecka in the last 16.

“I’m very motivated, very determined,” said Medvedev. “I said it before the tournament, that I want to do well here. The thing is that everyone can play well. We saw today, Marton played well. I managed to turn the match around. Great. I play Jiri next. He’s a really strong opponent. I think on grass he can be really dangerous. I’m going to try my best to at least equal [my best Roland Garros] performance.

“For sure, right now, by the results, it’s sure that on clay and the grass I play less good than on hard courts. But I want to try to change it and try to be in the finals of Slams playing the best players, even on these surfaces. That’s another chance for me this year.

“I hope I can continue playing the way I played today. I felt like I played well. Hopefully I can continue this way through the tournament. I’m going to have my chances.”

Reaching SUPER speed 🏃‍♂️ @DaniilMedwed | Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Wimbledon | #wimbledonpic.twitter.com/XeLBrUfU6B

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 8, 2023

Medvedev has won five ATP Tour titles (a joint Tour-leading tally with Carlos Alcaraz) in a standout 2023 season. Having produced such consistent form so far this year, the third-seeded Medvedev is keen to extend his success to the major as he chases a second Grand Slam crown to add to his 2021 US Open triumph.

“It’s a great feeling to win titles. The bigger the title, the better,” said Medvedev. “[Reaching the final at an event] I would say is great for experience, but it is not the same. It’s always better to be in the final than lose in the first round, but still a title is better.

“I’m really happy for my season, but I have two Grand Slams to come. One is going over right now. I hope that I can do well during them.”