Wimbledon day three: Novak reignites love affair with Centre Court as security is set to tighten

Tennis365
Novak Djokovic celebrates beating Jordan Thompson
Novak Djokovic celebrates at Wimbledon

Just Stop Oil protesters disrupted play on the third day of the Championships as Katie Boulter’s straight-sets victory provided the only cheer for British hopefuls at Wimbledon.

Boulter’s victory over Daria Saville was one of two matches on Court 18 targeted by the climate activists, who threw orange confetti and jigsaw pieces on the lawn.

There were no such disruptions for Novak Djokovic or Iga Swiatek on Centre Court after they cruised through in quick time to make the third round.

British number one Jodie Burrage had opened up proceedings on the venue but lost emphatically in her second-round match while compatriots Arthur Fery, George Loffhagen, Heather Watson and Sonay Kartal all suffered first-round exits.

Tweet of the day

Picture of the day

A Just Stop Oil protester on throws confetti and jigsaw pieces on to the grass and causes a delay during Katie Boulter’s match on Court 18 (Adam Davy/PA)

Quote of the day

Novak Djokovic on Centre Court, where he hasn’t lost since 2013: “We have a very romantic relationship.”

Brit watch

Only five British players remain in the singles draws at Wimbledon (PA Graphics)

Shot(s) of the day

Stat of the day

Chaotic day three for organisers

If Wimbledon organisers were left cursing the weather after day two of the Championships, Wednesday brought even more problems with rain and protests.

Light morning rain meant a delay on the outside courts and when play did get under way just after 12.30pm, it barely lasted half an hour before players were forced off again.

Live tennis should still have been on the menu, but the questionable decision to keep the roof open on Court One resulted in a delay to Daniil Medvedev and Fery’s first-round clash starting.

Just Stop Oil protesters then caused havoc on Court 18, with Sho Shimabukuro and Grigor Dimitrov’s match disrupted shortly before another rain delay, and the climate activists also targeted Boulter’s contest later in the day on the same court.

With a number of cancellations and other matches moved, only to subsequently be suspended, it proved to be a challenging day for organisers, who will hope the only orange spotted in SW19 on Thursday is the sun.

Wimbledon day three results

Wimbledon results on Wednesday, the third day of the 2023 tournament at the All England Club (x denotes seeding; Players representing Russia and Belarus are banned from competing under the name or flag of their countries).

Men

1st rd

Alexandre Muller (FRA) bt Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

Frances Tiafoe (USA x10) bt Wu Yibing (CHN) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-4

Dominic Stricker (SUI) bt Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5

Ilya Ivashka bt Federico Coria (ARG) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-0

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x21) bt Sho Shimabukuro (JPN) 6-1, 6-2, 6-1

Holger Rune (DEN x6) bt George Loffhagen (GBR) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2

Daniil Medvedev (x3) bt Arthur Fery (GBR) 7-5, 6-4, 6-3

Adrian Mannarino (FRA) bt Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 6-3, 6-2

Marcos Giron (USA) bt Hugo Dellien (BOL) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-4

Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Tallon Griekspoor (NED x28) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4

Francisco Cerundolo (ARG x18) bt Nuno Borges (POR) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4

Jiri Lehecka (CZE) bt Sebastian Ofner (AUT) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4

Milos Raonic (CAN) bt Dennis Novak (AUT) 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1

Tommy Paul (USA x16) bt Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN) 7-5, 6-3, 6-1

Christopher Eubanks (USA) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3

Jiri Vesely (CZE) bt Sebastian Korda (USA x22) 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Ben Shelton (USA x32) bt Taro Daniel (JPN) 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3

Laslo Djere (SRB) bt Maxime Cressy (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (9/7)

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (10/8)

Taylor Fritz (USA x9) bt Yannick Hanfmann (GER) 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3

Guido Pella (ARG) bt Borna Coric (CRO x13) 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1

Harold Mayot (FRA) bt Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) 6-3, 6-4, 7-5

Roman Safiullin bt Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x20) 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-5

Denis Shapovalov (CAN x26) bt Radu Albot (MDA) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2

Grégoire Barrère (FRA) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-3

2nd rd

Jannik Sinner (ITA x8) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 7-5, 6-1, 6-2

Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) bt Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5

Women

1st rd

Danielle Collins (USA) bt Julia Grabher (AUT) 6-4, 6-4

Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) bt Camila Osorio (COL) 6-3, 6-4

Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Rebecca Peterson (SWE) 6-2, 6-3

Donna Vekic (CRO x20) bt Zhang Shuai (CHN) 6-2, 6-3

Anett Kontaveit (EST) bt Lucrezia Stefanini (ITA) 6-4, 6-4

Bai Zhuoxuan (CHN) bt Ysaline Bonaventure (BEL) 7-6 (7/0), 6-1

Natalija Stevanovic (SRB) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x18) 6-2, 6-3

Tamara Korpatsch (GER) bt Carol Zhao (CAN) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2

Petra Kvitova (CZE) bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1

Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA x13) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4

Jaqueline Cristian (ROM) bt Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) 6-3, 6-4

Sorana Cirstea (ROM) bt Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-1, 2-6, 6-3

Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x17) bt Greet Minnen (BEL) 6-1, 6-2

Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) bt Bernarda Pera (USA x27) 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-3

Katie Boulter (GBR) bt Daria Saville (AUS) 7-6 (7/4), 6-2

Alize Cornet (FRA) bt Nao Hibino (JPN) 6-2, 6-2

Marta Kostyuk (UKR) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE x8) 0-6, 7-5, 6-2

Paula Badosa (ESP) bt Alison Riske (USA) 6-3, 6-3

Madison Keys (USA x25) bt Sonay Kartal (GBR) 6-0, 6-3

Anastasia Potapova (x22) bt Céline Naef (SUI) 6-3, 6-3

Kaja Juvan (SLO) bt Margarita Gasparyan 6-0, 6-3

Mirra Andreeva bt Wang Xiyu (CHN) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5

Barbora Krejcíková (CZE x10) bt Heather Watson (GBR) 6-2, 7-5

Madison Brengle (USA) bt Sara Errani (ITA) 6-3, 6-1

Ekaterina Alexandrova (x21) bt Emma Navarro (USA) 6-4, 6-3

Varvara Gracheva (FRA) bt Camila Giorgi (ITA) 6-2, 6-4

2nd rd

Iga Swiatek (POL x1) bt Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 6-2, 6-0

Daria Kasatkina (x11) bt Jodie Burrage (GBR) 6-0, 6-2

READ MORE: “People don’t know him” – Novak Djokovic glares at Wimbledon fans after negative reaction

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