Key events

With that, day four draws to a close, with wins for nearly all the leading names, Alexander Zverev, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Matteo Berrettini, Flavio Cobolli, Frances Tiafoe and Marta Kostyuk included; defeats for three of the four remaining Brits, leaving Arthur Fery as the sole survivor; and an emotional victory for an inspired Grigor Dimitrov against Jakub Mensik. Want to do this all again tomorrow? Of course you do! See you then. Bye!

What redemption for Dimitrov, after the cruellest of luck against Jannik Sinner last year. And he’s taken out one of the most dangerous young players in the draw, having needed a wildcard just to line up at this year’s tournament. It’s Dimitrov’s first win over a top-20 player since 2024, secured largely because he played the big points better. Mensik won only two of 15 break points and zero of eight in the first set, while Dimitrov was three for nine overall.

Dimitrov is then asked about whether the shadow of what happened last year was hanging over him when the roof closed. “Of course I was hoping I was going to finish the match before the roof closed, it was almost identical to last year, but all you can do is smile. Today was about embracing what comes next.” Finally, he’s told it’ll be Berrettini next, another player who’s suffered his own injury hell. “If nothing else, it’s going to be a pretty match,” smiles Dimitrov. “I’m looking forward to it, but right now I’m going to rest. I’m going to enjoy and cherish this moment.” As he should.

Mensik has a warm embrace for Dimitrov, before the 15th seed leaves the court. He’ll have many more Wimbledons to shine, he’s such a big talent. But now Dimitrov is speaking to the crowd and says he has even more emotions than after his first-round win. “I’m so happy to be back. I’m very overwhelmed,” he says, before having to pause to regather his composure. “It was a great match today, all I wanted to do was come out and fight, I didn’t think about winning and losing. The atmosphere was spectacular as always, I feel so loved and supported, thank you for embracing me.”

Dimitrov defeats Mensik 7-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3

The crowd are LOUD. It’s clear who they’re supporting, as Dimitrov steps up to serve for a spot in the third round against Matteo Berrettini. 15-0 develops into 30-15 but Dimitrov then slices a backhand into the net. Dimitrov slips on the baseline as he tries to get back Mensik’s punchy return and it’s break point. 30-40. But Mensik nets! And then again! Dimitrov has his first match point … and he finishes in some style, with a fizzing forehand winner! Dimitrov is screaming to the skies (or more accurately the roof that he really didn’t want to be closed) and all of the work that he’s done to recover from the torn pectoral muscle he suffered at Wimbledon last year is worth it. Lovely scenes.

Grigor Dimitrov celebrates after winning his second round match against Jakub Mensik. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

Not so for the Czech Mensik right now, though. Dimitrov is displaying the flexibility of a player half his age as he does the splits before dispatching an unreturned volley on his way to a hold from deuce. He then finds a way to hit through Mensik, who’s at the net, and it’s 30-all on Mensik’s serve … and then break point! That’s despite Mensik having just hit the 30 mark for aces tonight. Mensik saves the BP with another snarling serve, but Dimitrov gets a second … Dimitrov knifes a slice … and Mensik is cut into pieces!! Dimitrov has the break and from 3-1 down in the fourth set, he’ll now serve for the match at 5-3!

Noskova defeats Osorio 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

The ninth seed and Berlin warm-up winner is through, and the 21-year-old’s got the game to do some damage here. Czech players + grass = the perfect combination.

Linda Noskova focuses on the ball during her win over Camila Osorio. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images

Mensik is a huge server but it’s not fully firing in game six as Dimitrov secures a break-back point with a beautiful one-handed backhand winner down the line. And then lightning strikes twice as Dimitrov does it again to break! They’re back on serve at 3-3 and Dimitrov will be desperate to get this done in four sets. The 35-year-old certainly won’t be the favourite against the 20-year-old if this goes to five.

Dimitrov’s head seems a little clearer as he holds to 30, and applies a bit of pressure on Mensik’s serve at 30-all. But Dimitrov is wincing after missing a second-serve return, and then smacking into the net when the point was there for the taking. He throws his racket to the grass in frustration, and Mensik is well on his way to extending this match to a fifth set. It’s Mensik 6-7, 6-4, 5-7, 3-1 Dimitrov*.

On No 1 Court, play has resumed, but Dimitrov still seems to be deep in his funk about the roof being closed as he drops serve straight away, and his mood gets darker when Mensik consolidates the break for 2-0.

The crowd have quickly forgiven Tiafoe for taking out their home player and they’re cheering the American loudly as he speaks on court. “I didn’t want to play for another day in a row, I wanted to get this done before it got too dark,” he says. “A good performance from him. The Brit didn’t win today but I’m happy I did. It was a great atmosphere, thanks for staying, it got a little cold there [this is hot for London, Frances!], there’s nothing like Wimbledon. I get another chance to do it in a couple of days.”

Tiafoe defeats Choinski 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2

Choinski is the son of two professional ballet dancers but his feet barely move as Tiafoe skips to 15-0, 30-0, 40-0 and three match points. Choinski goes for broke with a forehand down the line … and misses. The British No 2 is out – having unsurprisingly faded in the fourth set given everything he’d put into the match before that – and Tiafoe is through to the third round at the only major where he hasn’t yet made the quarter-finals. And he’s got a potential blockbuster against Bublik in the third round.

Frances Tiafoe celebrates his victory over Jan Choinski. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

The roof is being closed on No 1 Court and Dimitrov isn’t at all happy. The Centre Court roof was closed during the match when Dimitrov was close to knocking out the eventual champion Jannik Sinner last year, and then Dimitrov suffered a torn pectoral muscle and had to quit. So this is probably bringing back some bad memories for the Bulgarian. He’s arguing with the umpire but in vain; there’ll be a break for 10 minutes or so, and Dimitrov will have to hope it doesn’t interrupt his rhythm or cause his body to stiffen up.

Well, well, well! Two set points for Dimitrov at 15-40 on Mensik’s serve. Take one of these and Dimitrov will have a two sets to one lead over the 15th seed, and given the age gap between them, you feel this is a set that Dimitrov surely needs to win. I’m not sure he’ll have enough in the tank to go to five. And Mensik double faults!! Cue a timely email from Gavriella Epstein-Lightman: “Dimitrov’s run at Wimbledon is incredibly uplifting considering he hadn’t got two wins in a row all year until Mallorca last week. Dimitrov’s forehand is a hammer as always, and his knifed slice backhand is especially deadly against Mensik, whose forehand has a tendency to break down under pressure.”

Bublik beats Jacquet 6-3, 6-4, 7-6

Victory for the enigma wrapped in an enigma that is Alexander Bublik, as the 10th seed gets past the French qualifier Kyrian Jacquet in straight sets. I’m not sure how many underarm serves or drop shots he hit, but I’m guessing probably about 963. Next for Bublik: Tiafoe or Choinski.

Alexander Bublik serves during his victory over Kyrian Jacquet. Photograph: John Walton/PA

Mensik, serving to stay in the third set at 4-5 against Dimitrov, is wobbling a little at 15-30. Cap backwards – just like Dimitrov, which is making is slightly hard to see who’s who (though I’d say the 20-year-old Mensik is carrying it off slightly better than the 35-year-old Dimitrov) – he calmly steadies himself to secure the next three points. So it’s Mensik 6-7, 6-4, 5-5 Dimitrov*.

Big Foe is once again a Big Foe for the No 2 Court crowd as he breaks Choinski right at the start of the fourth set. He’s roaring and fist pumping; you can see what this means to him. He’s dialled in now and if he can hold serve from here victory is guaranteed. Tiafoe takes little time to back up the break as she extends his advantage to 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, 2-0.

Paolini beats Golubic 7-6, 6-4

Celebrations elsewhere too. Jasmine Paolini has a smile as wide as court 17 as she completes a straight-sets victory over the Swiss Viktorija Golubic. Paolini, the runner-up at Wimbledon and the French Open two years ago, hasn’t been beyond the fourth round of a major since having that season of her life, but the 30-year-old is still such a joy to watch and crowd favourite, and everyone is queueing up for a photo as the Italian tries to leave the court. Paolini plays Maria Sakkari next.

Rybakina will play Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the third round – and if she reaches at least the quarter-finals she’s got a chance of ousting Aryna Sabalenka as the world No 1. “I’m trying not to think about it,” Rybakina says on court. “I need to focus on a match at a time. All the opponents are tough, you never know how you’ll wake up each day. But hopefully it happens soon. If not I’ll keep working.”

Rybakina defeats McNally 6-1, 6-2

And now let’s whizz over to Centre Court, because Rybakina is serving for the match at 6-1, 5-2 against McNally. Rybakina, the 2022 champion and this year’s Australian Open winner, has never lost before the third round at Wimbledon and that record will surely remain intact this year. She moves to 40-30 after a kamikaze rush to the net by McNally. A simple putaway for Rybakina on match point … and she thwacks into the net! Rybakina’s face hardly ever betrays any emotion, but there’s an eye roll from the second seed there. She quickly regains composure, though, to claim the next two points. Two sets, only three games conceded and 70 minutes played. It doesn’t get much more straightforward than that.

Thanks Daniel. Another stellar stint. Right, first things first. Some match reports for your perusal:

Righto, that’s my day done; here’s Katy to take you through to the close.

Mensik makes advantage then, in the next rally, Dimitrov either decides he needs to shorten the points or loses patience, swatting a forehand wide, and we’re level at one set all. Does Wa Griggzy have it in him to reverse momentum?

Down 40-0, Dimitrov saves one set point with a forehand winner – he needs more of those – then a terrific volley helps him retrieve the second, Mesik going across the face of the net but wide. Oh, and then responding to a fine sliced return – Griggzy is so, so good at those – he goes long, so to deuce we go.

Yes he can, a backhand return punished line to the corner, and his celebration is as much one of relief as of joy; he’s worked out that he needs to give himself room to attack the body-serve Dimitrov likes to deliver when under pressure and he’ll shortly serve for one set all at 5-4 in the second.

Rybakina has broken McNally at the first time of asking in set two and also consolidated, so she leads 6-1 2-1, while Noskova has taken the first set against Osorio 6-3. Now, back on No 1, Mensik has raised an 11th break point at 6-7 4-4; can’ he finally make it happen?

Noskova, a recent top-1o entrant and former Roland Garros junior champ, is on top against Osorio, up 5-2, while Mensik flows a delightful backhand winner down the line to raise break point at 3-3 in the second. Dimitrov, though, saves it, and from there secures his hold to lead 7-6 4-3; he’s enjoying the battle a fair bit more than how he’s playing.

Linda Noskova plays a return to Camila Osorio. Photograph: Kin Cheung/AP

On No 1, we’re on serve in set two. Dimitrov leading Mensik 7-6 3-2; Tiafoe serves out a 6-2 set to level with Choinski at a set apiece, and it feels like class has taken over from form. The Brit started superbly, but might just’ve spent himself in the process.

Rybakina is all over McNally, bousting through a 6-1 first set, while Tiafoe is playing more like himself now, up 4-2 in the second after Choinski dominated and eventually snaffled the first. And, as I type, he secures a double break, and this is a difference, I guess between the elite and the rest: anyone on tour can play well for a bit, but the best have the ability to sustain a level.

Elena Rybakina eyes the ball as she prepares to a return to Caty McNally. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/Reuters

In comms, they’re wondering if this, at 35, is Dimitrov’s last appearance at Wimbledon; I really hope not, because he’s still got so much to give, but of course his body may have had enough, just as he may fancy a change of lifestyle. He needed a wildcard to make it into the competition, but a win here would give him a decent shift up the rankings.

Those two are level at 5-5 in the first, while Bublik leads Jacqeut 6-3 1-4; Mertens leads Timofeeva 3-0 in the third; Lehecka leads Molcan 2-0 2-1 with a break; Cirstea, who did so well in Paris, leads Birrell 6-3 2-1 with a break; Noskova leads Osorio 2-1; Tiafoe leads Choinski 3-2 in the second, with a break but having lost the first; Dimitrov leads Mensik7-6 2-1; and Rybakina leads McNally 4-1.

Maria Sakkari beats Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 0-6 7-6(7)

Gosh, what a win that is for Sakkari, who survived a bagelling and, the last time we checked in, needed a break to stay in the match. next for her, Paolini or Golubic.

Maria Sakkari eyes a return during her victory over Kamilla Rakhimova. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPASakkari celebrates with her team including partner Konstantinos Mitsotakis. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Cobolli is so much fun – he tosses a towel into the crowd, then signals that’s it – and what a contest he’ll have with Dimitrov or Mensik. His competitive charisma burns through the screen, and though I’m not sure he’ll win a major, I’d love for him to.

OK, so let’s see what Cobolli had to say. He’s really happy his dad’s still here, and it was a tough match against a good opponent.

Today is his trainer’s 10th anniversary, so he congratulates him, saying he’s in time for dinner.

Duckworth, he says, hits very flat which, on grass, makes him hard to break and he didn’t play well, but he’s happy to have won – and it was windy, which isn’t easy. But he’s happy to have the honour to play at Wimbledon and he’s looking forward to the next round.

Busted harvesting towels, he says they’re for his team, before thanking the crowd and the Italian support, saying he didn’t play that well today, but it’s easier with them cheering and he hopes they come for the next round.

Unsurprisingly given the mental dump he must’ve experienced, Choinski is broken in game one of set two, but again, he makes deuce on the Tiafoe serve…

Dimitrov makes 6-5 then, as they slug it out from the back, he’s the one looking to dominate, blocking back the return then slicing hard before moving to the forehand and pushing Mensik over the baseline ... until the error comes! That is a burglary, and doesn’t Wa Griggzy love it! He leads by a set, Mensik having burned seven break points while he won none – and yet.

Mensik gets to 4-2 in the breaker then nails an ace, and when Mensik comes in next point, he realises he’s run past the ball and can’t get back at it; 4-4.

Next on Centre: Caty McNally v Elena Rybakina (2).

Back with Berrettini, he says his career has been great and though he’s had tough moments, he’s back, he’s smiling when he’s playing, it’s a privilege.

Gosh, Choinski forces another opportunity to take the set … and this time, the sixth, he takes it, Tiafoe going long; he must be an exceptionally relieved young man, Thinking to do for the no 17 seed, who’s not been at it so far.

After Tiafoe doubles on game point, Choinski forces another advantage, and can he takes this one? Er no, he cannot, straying long; that’s 10 chances to break forsaken. You just can’t do that at this level, but when Tiafoe forges in front again, he plays a decent rally to restore deuce as the game hits the 10-minute mark; on No 1, Dimitrov serves out to force a first-ert breaker, but Mensik has been easily the better player so faar.