First set: Sabalenka 5-6 Raducanu* (*denotes next server) Raducanu wins the next to earn two break points, cheered on by her friends, who have packed out the players’ box.Sabalenka gets a fortunate net-cord bounce, but in the next rally, it’s Raducanu who takes charge – and breaks again!First set: Sabalenka 5-5 Raducanu* (*denotes next server) Raducanu, reinvigorated by that remarkable game, floats a winner down the line – and then another, this time hit flat and leaving Sabalenka on her heels.0-30.What a set this is.But then Raducanu, trying to chase down a drop shot, slips and lands heavily.

Sabalenka is up to the net to check on her, but thankfully, she seems OK.First set: *Sabalenka 5-5 Raducanu (*denotes next server) We’re past the eight-minute mark, and a ferocious return earns set point No 6.A spinning second serve is wildly mishit.Sabalenka drills a 90mph forehand to earn set point No 7 … but the backhand return flies long on second serve!Raducanu finally earns her first game point, spin and slice helping her dictate the point.But then a drop-slice fails to make it over the net.

Twelve minutes … and Raducanu wisely goes back to Sabalenka’s backhand on serve to win the next point.The world No 1 then skids an effort long and Raducanu holds! Seven set points, seen off.First set: *Sabalenka 5-4 Raducanu (*denotes next server) A big test of nerve here, serving to stay in the set – and she absorbs a big forehand, steering it into the open court.Sabalenka is really unleashing her power now though, and earns a break and set point – saved by an ace down the middle.Another break/set point is won in a rally, and saved with an accurate first serve – but Raducanu is struggling to keep the length on her shots, and loses her footing to offer up another break point.

Again, it’s rescued by her first serve – and she repeats the trick on Sabalenka’s fourth set point,What next? Oh, a double fault – but Sabalenka then sends her attempted winner wide …Raducanu was checking her strings after struggling to control the ball in the last couple of games – but it’s Sabalenka who gets a new racket, freshly restrung, delivered by her hitting partner,She looks a bit confused, having turned the set around with her current choice of racket, but eventually accepts it,First set: Sabalenka 5-4 Raducanu* (*denotes next server) Sabalenka has made a few uncharacteristic errors and looked a little downbeat, but she’s finding her groove now, making it nine points in a row before Raducanu finds the baseline at 40-0 down,It’s a brief reprieve, Sabalenka smashing down an unreturnable serve.

First set: *Sabalenka 4-4 Raducanu (*denotes next server) One surprising early stat is that Raducanu is winning more of the longer rallies.She’s played a solid defensive game so far, but is in a bit of trouble here at 0-30 down, a second serve belted back down the line by Sabalenka.The slice that’s been serving Raducanu so well drifts long, and Sabalenka has three break points.She takes the first, Raducanu again unable to keep the ball in court as her opponents finds an extra gear.First set: Sabalenka 3-4 Raducanu* (*denotes next server) Raducanu queries a call with the umpire, with Hawk-Eye suggesting the ball was in by 0.

4mm.It helps Sabalenka to 40-0, and while a delicate Raducanu drop shot prolongs the game, she grinds her way through the next rally.First set: *Sabalenka 2-4 Raducanu (*denotes next server) A long way to go, of course, but this is about as good a start as Emma Raducanu could have hoped for.An ace and a smashed volley make it 10/10 first-serve points won and when she lets Sabalenka back into a point, the world No 1 sends a floating shot a fraction wide.The fine margins going Raducanu’s way, so far.

First set: Sabalenka 2-3 Raducanu* (*denotes next server) Sabalenka is the world’s top player by a distance, but has suffered painful defeats in two slam finals this year.At 30-all, there’s another test of mettle as Raducanu hits a winner down the line despite a stumble.A mighty ace down the middle takes care of that, but Sabalenka then mistimes a forehand.Break point, saved neatly at the net, but Raducanu gets another chance.She somehow returns a brutal first serve, and Sabalenka eventually nets!First set: *Sabalenka 2-2 Raducanu (*denotes next server) An encouraging service hold for Raducanu, holding to love with two aces in the mix.

Now she changes rackets to return, an interesting tactic that we also saw Laura Siegemund use effectively earlier on today.First set: Sabalenka 2-1 Raducanu* (*denotes next server) I should add that the roof was closed in the break between matches, to avoid any further delay later on.Sabalenka has made some early unforced errors but shows signs of finding her range here, a fizzing backhand securing the game.First set: *Sabalenka 1-1 Raducanu (*denotes next server) A big moment for Raducanu after a strong opening game – there’s an early double fault, a bold ace out wide and a miss from Sabalenka as she holds to 15.First set: Sabalenka 1-0 Raducanu* (*denotes next server) A couple of missed shots early on from Sabalenka bring up our first deuce – and Raducanu punches an 82mph return for break points.

A pair of huge first serves turn things around, and Sabalenka comes in behind her serve to secure the hold.Emma Raducanu and Aryna Sabalenka are out on court, ready for battle.There are a few empty seats around Centre Court, but they still get a rapturous reception.After one final, punishing rally, both players chasing from side to side, Khachanov puts a winner just out of his opponent’s reach, and slumps to the floor.He’ll face Kamil Majchrzak next and will be favourite, not that it means much at this year’s Championship.

Khachanov takes charge early on, and leads 8-3 in a first-to-10 race.Borges fights back, though, saving two match points on serve to trail 9-8.But now his opponent has ball in hand …Just one live singles match still ongoing – Borges and Khachanov are locked in a super-tie-breaker, after the Russian broke back to deny Borges victory.That match has been going on for three hours and 45 minutes.Carlos Alcaraz chats to Annabel Croft.

“I knew this would be very difficult, his game is very well-suited to grass.I try to take the opportunities that he brought to me, and I’m just pleased to get the win in four sets.It was stressful! Any time he could push me, he did it.It was just a case of trying to survive.Then he missed that volley – I can’t believe I’m standing here now.

”He’s also asked about playing golf with Andy Murray recently – he says they played twice recently, and won a round each.“We need a decider,” he adds, and everyone on Centre Court chuckles gently, because this is Wimbledon.From being mired in a real battle, Alcaraz has the chance to serve out and get off court.He does so in style, holding to love – and Struff will be left to rue an easy volley on game point just a few moments ago.Too late now: the defending champion is through.

“It was nerve wracking at the end,” Mertens says.“I didn’t know what the score was … I lost to her a week ago [at Bad Homburg], she’s an incredible player so I’m very happy with the win.” What was different this week? “It’s Wimbledon! It’s special.” Mertens has a great doubles record here, having reached at least the semis for the last four years – and she has a match tomorrow.A double-fault from Struff, his ninth of the match, and at a pivotal moment, 40-30 up on serve.

He fights back to earn another game point, then coughs up another double.It’s a puzzling game, with both players hitting lovely shots and making weird mistakes, but Alcaraz finds the line with a cross-court winner for break point … and takes it when Struff nets!The tie-break momentum swings Mertens’ way and Svitolina can’t fight back, netting a forehand as her opponent books her fourth-round place.The first set took 26 minutes, the second 72 minutes, but the crucial detail is that Mertens won them both.On No.1 Court, Svitolina takes a 3-0 lead but Mertens pegs it back to 4-2 at the changeover, and then 4-4 as she looks to get the job done in two sets.

The winner of this match, incidentally, will play Sabalenka or Raducanu next …Alcaraz can’t shake Struff off, slipping 0-30 down on serve and holding his wrist between points,A delightful drop-shot and big first serve down the middle get him back in the game, and he wraps up the hold as Struff skids an effort long,Can Svitolina take the second set to a tie-break? A fifth double-fault doesn’t help her cause, and she then goes long to slip 15-30 down,Mertens sends an attempted winner wide, though, and her opponent holds with a winner deep into the corner,Alcaraz living on the edge, some scruffy shots allowing Struff a break point – but he closes down a cross-court volley, lifting the ball back just inside the baseline.

He holds to make it 3-3 in the fourth, while Mertens battles to stay on serve in the second set against Svitolina.Struff v Alcaraz passes the two-hour mark, still on serve in the fourth set with the German leading 3-2.On No 3 Court, Portugal’s Nuno Borges – wearing a black ribbon in a tribute to Diogo Jota – has broken Khachanov in the decider.Is another seed on his way out?What a day for Laura Siegemund – having stunned Madison Keys in singles earlier, she’s just won her doubles opener alongside Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia.The pair defeated the American duo of Hailey Baptiste and Caty McNally 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.

Just over a year ago, Jarry was ranked 16th in the world – but has been struggling ever since with vestibular neuritis, a nerve disorder which causes vertigo and dizziness.Having fallen outside the world’s top 200, he battled through qualifiers to reach here and has now beaten Holger Rune and Fonseca to reach the last 16.“Every day is a battle,” the Chilean told the ATP website.“Every month it’s a bit better.I have to reteach my body and my eyes to do certain things.

While I improve in my tennis, the other skills also are improving on the same path.Right now I’ve been able to have a good all-around package to be able to compete at this level.”Nicolás Jarry beats João Fonseca 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6! Fonseca’s hopes of a deep run at his first Wimbledon are over as qualifier Jarry seals victory in the fourth-set tie-break – and sets up a last-16 meeting with Cameron Norrie.Elina Svitolina is hanging on, saving break points at 6-1, 4-3 down and levelling the set with a forehand that clips the very edge of the line.On Centre, Struff has held firm early in the fourth set, and leads 2-1 on serve.

More tennis players in songs: “Another mention for the dynamic duo (Venus and Serena) courtesy of Ludacris – My Chick Bad.Wouldn’t advise listening to it though,” writes Tor Turner.Meanwhile, Brad Elliott informs me that “If Loving You Is Wrong, from Faithless’ debut album, had a somewhat raunchy reference to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.”More from the women’s draw, where Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka both went out earlier today.Alcaraz wins third set, leads Struff 2-1! Carlitos gets the job done and is a set away from the fourth round.

After this match on Centre Court, there’s still Aryna Sabalenka v Emma Raducanu to come …Speaking of Borges and Khachanov – the Russian has taken the fourth set 6-3, and they’re going to a decider on No 3 Court.Svitolina broke Mertens to open the second set, but the Belgian immediately hit back, and leads 3-2 in the second set.Here’s our report on Cam Norrie, something of a forgotten figure to British tennis fans, who has bounced back in style to reach the last 16.Kamil Majchrzak beats Arthur Rinderknech 6-3, 7-6, 7-6! Disappointment for Rinderknech, who couldn’t follow up his shock win over Zverev – instead it’s his Polish opponent, currently ranked No 109 in the world, who advances to face either Nuno Borges or Karen Khachanov in the last 16.More tennis players in songs: “Conchita Martinez” by Saint Etienne, nominated by Gavin Broad; and Chris Fagg points out that rapper Lil Wayne loves a tennis reference, sampling Elena Dementieva’s grunts and name-dropping Roger Federer, Steffi Graf and others.

Some strong words from coach Goran Ivanisevic for Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has drifted down to 24th in the world rankings and only played two sets at this year’s tournament before retiring.“He’s too good a player to be out of the top 10.He wants, but he doesn’t do anything.I was shocked, I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life.With this knee, I am three times more fit than him.

This is really bad.”Struff immediately slips back into bad habits on serve, three double faults in one game allowing Alcaraz an early break in the third set.The Spaniard quickly backs it up to lead 3-0.Mertens has wrapped up the first set against Svitolina, winning it 6-1.If the Ukrainian can’t turn things around, that will leave just six of the top 16 women’s seeds remaining in the draw.

“Kendrick Lamar notably mentioned Serena Williams in his Drake diss-track, ‘Not Like Us’,” writes Jack Synnott.“And she appeared on stage with Kendrick at this year’s Super Bowl!” Of course.And another mention for the legendary sisters from Super Furry Animals, courtesy of Paul Turner.Struff levels with Alcaraz at 1-1: Despite a quite brilliant diving volley to save a point, Alcaraz can’t stop Struff from serving out the set – and the defending champion is in a match here.Jordan Thompson beats Luciano Darderi 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3! The Australian is into the fourth round here for the first time – which is something of a surprise, given that he’s a decent grass-court player.

Next up, the No 5 seed, Taylor Fritz.Struff is growing into this match, a deft volley putting Alcaraz under pressure on serve, and he has a break point when his opponent fails to land a winner down the line under pressure.He converts it, too, nailing a backhand return – and will now serve for the second set!On tennis players in songs, David Dyte writes: “You mean Michael Jackson wasn’t singing about Billie Jean King?”Alcaraz promptly drops out of the zone, handing back the break to Struff.The German leads 3-2 on serve in the second set.On No 1 Court, Mertens has an early break against Svitolina