Australia’s Alex de Minaur has taken down Jaume Munar for the second time in a serious this 12 months to achieve the third spherical of Wimbledon, whereas Daria Saville misplaced an exhilarating and heartbreaking match to 18th seed Marta Kostyuk.
Simply as he did within the second spherical at Roland Garros, de Minaur simply dealt with Munar, who was as soon as a junior rival of the Australian primary when he lived in Munar’s native Spain.
Whereas these days leant extra within the Spaniard’s favour, de Minaur prolonged to 4-0 his skilled document in opposition to Munar with a 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 win in simply over two hours on court docket three.
It arrange the prospect of a third-round conflict with fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis, ought to he beat French qualifier Lucas Pouille later within the day.
De Minaur had regarded within the temper to race to victory so shortly in opposition to an opponent scuffling with double-fault hassle — Munar coughed up 9 in whole — that he would have the ability to end earlier than his girlfriend, British primary Katie Boulter, began her all-British election day particular in opposition to Harriet Dart.
“I may need made it for the beginning if I hadn’t obtained damaged within the final set,” he advised the gang afterwards.
“However I am going to bathe, calm down and do my finest to recover from there to help Katie.
“That is at all times the floor I’ve loved enjoying on, it is particular to play at Wimbledon and hopefully I can go deep into the event now.”
The information was not so good on the ladies’s facet, as Saville’s loss to Kostyuk left Australia with out a lady within the singles draw, however she didn’t go down with out a battle.
Saville spent three hours and 10 minutes on court docket in opposition to her Ukrainian opponent earlier than in the end happening 4-6, 7-6(7/2), 6-4.
Australia’s world quantity 82 regarded on observe for her first third spherical on the grasscourt main since 2018 after taking the primary set and main 3-0 and 5-2 within the second set.
However Kostyuk, a quarterfinalist at this 12 months’s Australian Open, battled again and compelled a tie-break with a 20-minute sport within the second set that contained seven deuces on Saville’s serve.
Kostyuk powered by means of the breaker and, regardless of a spirited effort from Saville, superior to the third spherical at SW19 for the second straight time.
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ABC/AAP
