Three matches to watch on day three at Wimbledon (x denotes seeding):
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) v Denis Kudla (USA)
Head-to-head: First meeting
— Four-time champion Djokovic kicked off his title defence with ease on Monday with a straight sets win over Philipp Kohlschreiber and then watched potential title rivals Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev knocked out of his section of the draw.
On Wednesday, the top seed takes on world number 111 Denis Kudla of the United States.
The Kiev-born Kudla, who moved to the US with his parents on his first birthday, was even less-troubled than Djokovic in making the second round, dropping just eight games against Malek Jaziri.
Kudla made the third round in 2015, knocking out Zverev in the first round before falling to Marin Cilic.
Who’s saying what: “I was there every time he was on the court. I was observing, learning, watching, supporting. There was this connection early on already. Yeah, I think those snacks really made the difference for him in Wimbledon.”
— Djokovic on his role in helping Goran Ivanisevic, now part of his coaching team, win Wimbledon in 2011. Ivanisevic trained at the same academy as a 14-year-old Djokovic in Germany.
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) v Thomas Fabbiano (ITA)
Head-to-head: First meeting
AFP / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASIvo Karlovic serves against Italy’s Andrea Arnaboldi in his opening win
— 40-year-old Karlovic, the oldest man since Ken Rosewall in 1975 to play a main draw match at Wimbledon, found fame in 2003 when he knocked out defending champion Lleyton Hewitt in the first round.
Now ranked at 80 in the world, the big-serving Croat made the quarter-finals in 2009.
He was due to have played seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round but Fabbiano, the 89th-ranked Italian, had other ideas beating the Greek in five sets.
Fabbiano, just 5ft 8in (1.73m) compared to Karlovic’s 6ft 11in (2.11m), has some grass court pedigree this year, making the semi-finals in Eastbourne last week.
Who’s saying what: “Everyone is doing a lot of track and gym work to prolong their careers and are still winning at ages of 38-39. They are never going to stop.”
— Karlovic on the number of older players thriving on the tour
Cori Gauff (USA) v Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK)
Head-to-head: First meeting
AFP / Ben STANSALLCori Gauff celebrates beating Venus Williams
— Gauff, just 15 years old, was the sensation of the first round when she stunned five-time champion Venus Williams having already become the youngest player to qualify for Wimbledon.
In an illustration of her tender years, Gauff is combining her All England Club campaign while completing her high school studies.
On Tuesday, she faces 30-year-old Rybarikova, ranked 139 in the world who put out 10th seed Aryna Sabalenka in the first round.
Rybarikova made the semi-finals in 2017.
Who’s saying what: “My goal is to win it. I said this before: I want to be the greatest. My dad told me that I could do this when I was eight.”
— Gauff on her ambitions.
[AFP]
