Saturday, November 9, 2024

Wimbledon 2024: Draper beats Ymer in five, Norrie through; Murray pulls out of singles – as it happened

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That, then, is us. Thanks all for your company – join us again tomorrow at 11am BST.

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Draper says he really enjoyed it. He missed it last year, “And though you were hoping to see Andy, you were stuck with me instead.” He thanks the crowd, saying they really helped him – there were some nervy moments – and that he loves playing in front of loads of people.

“What an honour,” he says, of being British no 1 given those who’ve come before him. But name-checking Murray in particular, he says he’d not be here without him, “incredible guy off the court, so funny, so genuine, one of a kind, what a competitor, what a champion, thank you very much.” You’d take it!

Draper, I’m told, is also a really great lad, and he certainly comes across that way. I can’t wait to see how he and Norrie go when they meet on Thursday.

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Well played Elias Ymer too. I hope he can kick on from here, because his top level, as we’ve seen, is a very good level.

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Jack Draper (28) beats Elias Ymer 3-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3

Draper made hard work of that – and was made to work hard for that – but he looked superb in the decider, composed and fit. He’ll have grown as a player and as a man tonight, playing a five-setter on Centre, roof open and closed. He meets Norrie next, and that is going be a jazzer.

Jack Draper of Britain celebrates after defeating Elias Ymer of Sweden. Photograph: Alberto Pezzali/AP
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Draper zaps down an ace … then another. The way he’s playing this pressure-set is very impressive, and when he thumps down another serve, called out, he challenges … but the line judge was right. No matter, another good point and Ymer nets, meaning 40-0 and three match points…

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I’d not be surprised if Draper finished this here and now. He’s playing by far the better of the two and shonuff he makes 0-30 thanks to a deep approach and overhead, along with an unforced error. But a long forehand followed by a long backhand – I guess he’s looking for winners, deeming this a bit of a free hit – means 30-all, Ymer then dredges up an ace, and though he then plays another useful approach, he can’t get his volley up and over when sent back a dipper. At 5-3 in the fifth, he’ll have to serve for it.

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Ymer looks shattered now – they’ve been going three hours 10 – and Draper makes 40-0 with an ace, then secures a huge hold for 5-2 in the fifth. He’s always looked to have that bit more, but the way he’s located it in the decider is extremely impressive.

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Talking of whom, Ymer bravely holds to trail 2-4 in the fifth. Draper is looking good here, but he’s not experienced this kind of pressure before, so a couple of good returns and you never know.

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Cameron Norrie beats Facundo Diaz Acosta 7-5 7-5 6-3

Norrie played some good stuff there, especially considering how poor his form has been, and he will now play … Ymer or Draper! Oooh yeah!

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Draper gets 30-40 at 4-1 but wafts a a backhand way long and we’re back at deuce. But Ymer can’t close out when he has the chance, and though he saves another break point, he soon offers a third … saved with an ace! If he could play like this more often, we’d be much more familiar with him than we are – he’s 28 – and he gets away with one when Draper nails a winner then clobbers a poor second-serve return into the net. Deuce again, meantime Diaz Acosta breaks Norrie only to go down 0-40 on serve to face three match points…

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Norrie cedes one of his breaks then snatches it back, and after a little sit-down, he’ll serve for the match at 5-2 in the third.

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Draper gets 0-30 without having to do too much, then a decent return surprises Ymer, who can’t respond. So, three break-points to the good, the Brit noises up his home crowd, accepts the double that follows and consolidates to 15. You got the feeling he’d always have another gear if he needed it and eight out of nine points has probably settled this match. You can see him growing out there.

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Auger-Aliassime breaks Kokkinakis back courtesy of a ball that’s out by as little as is possible to be the case. And though I said earlier that I’m sure he’d love to stay out there, he actually identifies a slippy bit of the court, dew in action … and they call the match for the night. They’ll be back tomorrow level in the fourth at 1-1, the Canadian up by two sets to one.

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A convincing holds apiece on Centre, then another for Draper who leads 2-1 in the fifth. Diaz Acosta, meanwhile, has the trainer out – I said a while ago he looked weary, and I think he’s got cramp – at 4-1 down in the third.

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The roof is shut so here comes our decider! Draper to serve, and he’s waited his whole life for an occasion like this. Can he rise to it?

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I’d like to think we’ve another hour of light – enough to get Draper v Ymer finished – but I have just switched on in my boxroom, so. I bet Thanasi Kokkinakis wants it to stay – he’s on a roll, having just broken Auger-Aliassime for 1-0 in the fourth, while Norrie now has a double-break in the third set of his match against Diaz Acosta. I like the way he’s playing here, aggressive and confident – that can’t be easy, given the run he’s on – but form is fickle and sometimes it appears with little warning.

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Around the courts:

Safiullin 6-7 3-6 7-5 1-1 Cerundolo (26)

Ruusuvuori 7-6 4-6 5-4 McDonald

Nishikori 7-5 2-3 Rinderknech

Goffin 6-3 2-1 Mahac

Cobolli 7-5 4-6 6-4 2-1 Hijikata

Collins (11) 5-3 Tauson

Pouille 3-6 5-5 Djere

Evans 2-6 1-2 Tabilo (24)

Stakusic 4-6 2-4 siniakova (27)

Fritz (13) 6-1 5-1 O’Connell

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Now then! Ymer breaks for 5-4 in the fourth but Draper makes 0-30, then a backhand winner down the line earns three break-back points! An ace follows – the Swede is just refusing to go away – and an overhead gets him to deuce. Then, on advantage, a big serve sets up the putaway, and we’ve got ourselves a decider! The roof will now come over, so we’ve a short pause, time to let you know that Nozza has broken Diaz Acosta at the first time of asking in set three and Kokkinakis has taken a fantastic tiebreak 11-9, saving four match points, so now trails Auger-Aliassime 2-1.

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Ons Jabeur (10) beats Moyuka Uchijima 6-3 6-1

It’s a long way back to her third Wimbeldon final, but she’s already playing better already than she did in Paris and Sabalenka having to pull out won’t have done her mood any harm. She meets Montgomery next.

Ons Jabeur during her match against Moyuka Uchijima. Photograph: John Walton/PA
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Diaz Acosta looks weary as Norrie runs down a drop for 15-0 then, at 40-0, a hopeful forehand down the line is nowhere near and that’s a two-set lead for the Brit. If he keeps concentration, he gets this done in three – perhgps tonight, if the light holds.

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Yup, Norrie is too good for Diaz Acosta and from 30-0 he breaks, with help fro a double and a tremendous forehand down the line. At 7-5 6-5, he’ll once again serve for the second set after change of ends.

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Jabeur is almost there, breaking Uchijima for a 6-4 4-1 lead, and she’s playing nicely. Norrie, meanwhile, finds himself down 30-40, a conservative point allowing his opponent to hit a winner. And when a forehand goes long, he again cedes an immediate break-back, unable to break the back of the match, Oh, and on No 2 Court, though Auger-Aliassime leads 2-0, Kokkinakis is up 5-2 in their third-set breaker.

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You get the sense Norrie has Diaz Acosta if he keeps focused, and there aren’t many better at that. At 4-4 in the second he makes 0-40 and though a big serve saves one break point, a netted backhand means that after change of ends he’ll serve for 2-0. And on Centre, Draper leads Ymer 2-0 3-2, also intimating superiority.

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Draper holds through deuce to lead 2-1 2-1, but Norrie tosses his second-set break to love, so he and Diaz Acosta are now 3-3 in the second. Jabeur, meanwhile, is now up a set and a break at 6-3 1-0, with Auger-Aliassime leading Kokkinakis 2-0 5-5.

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Jabeur rushes through her first set against Uchijima to lead 6-3 while Norrie is now up 4-2 in the second against Diaz Acosta. Otherwise, Martic now leads Jones 4-1 in the third, class telling, Wozniacki has binned Parks 6-2 6-0, and Evnas has begun against Tabilo (24).

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Excellent from Draper, who perhaps lost focus when Ymer took a break between sets. But up advantage, he finds a banging backhand to each corner, the second a winner, and I’d not be surprised if from here, he goes on a tear.

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Diaz Acosta goes long to cede break point then, at the end of the longest rally of the match, he goes wide. So Norrie leads 7-5 2-1 then has the joy of watching his opponent, playing his first major, rant during change of ends; lovely stuff. Back on Centre, though, Ymer has broken Draper first up in set four, the match changing direction yet again.

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It’s so good to see Wozniacki back. I’m sure she left tennis happy, having finally won the major that looked likely to elude her – she lacked a weapon to beat the best when it really mattered – but a kind draw and amazing comeback against Simona Halep in the final got it done for her. Still, you’re a long time retired, so why not play if you still can?

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Draper is having his way with Ymer now, breaking again for a 6-3 third set to lead 2-1. I very much appreciate his competitive charisma, and if he stays fit, he can do plenty.

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Ons Jabeur was meant to be on No 2 Court, but the rain has forced her on to 14 and she leads Moyuka Uchijima 3-0. Elsewhere, Auger-Aliassime is up 2-0 on Kokkinakis but rtrails 2-3 on serve in the third; Yulia Putintseva has beaten the 2018 champ, Angelique Kerber; Caroline Wozniacki leads Alycia Parks 6-2; Francesca Jones and Petra Martic are level at 1-1 in the third; and Flavio Cobolli, who’s a proper prospect, is level with rinky Hijikata at a set apiece.

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Norrie serves out to 15 and is he playing himself into some form here? He leads 7-5 and ids 72% first serves in, 90% of those points won.

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Cameron Norrie has had a minging year and lost his last four matches. But he breaks in game 11 and will now serve for the first set at 6-5; meantime, Draper consolidates, and he’s looking really confident now, leading 5-3 in the third.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas (11) beats Taro Daniel 7-6(5) 6-4 7-5

Next for him it’s Ruusuvuori or McDonald; the Finn leads 7-6.

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On 18, Tsitsipas has broken Daniel in set three and will now serve for the match leading 6-5, while Draper is getting on top of Ymer – who’s playing nicely – but has just thunked a backhand long and wide to cede a break! Draper leads 43 in the third, and the extent of his whoopin’ and hollerin’ tells us what a tough match this is. Which makes sense, because his opponent has had to win three matches in qualifying to get here, which is to say he’s confident and grooved.

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We go again. This is DL Harris back from parenting, and I’m watching Draper 3-6 6-3 3-3 Ymer, Auger-Aliassime 6-4 7-5 0-1 Kokkinakis, Norrie 4-4 Diaz Acosta and Daniel 6-7 4-6 5-5 Tsitsipas.

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And yes, Draper takes the second set Ymer, 6-3, and with some big serving to make up for that disappointing first set. It’s one set each.

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On Court 3, Cameron Norrie has replaced Katie Boulter as the latest Brit to attempt to get past the first round. He’s level at 1-1 with Argentina’s Facundo Diaz Acosta as the evening shift begins.

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Here’s Greg Wood’s report on Harriet Dart’s win, setting up that match with Katie Boulter.

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Meanwhile, Draper is hitting back at Ymer, and goes 5-2 up in the second set. They will be level on sets soon enough.

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Katie Boulter beats Tatanja Maria 7-6 (8-6) 7-5

Boulter sees it out to big cheers, a backhand down the line does it to break her opponent and looks mighty relieved to win at her home slam. Next up for her is fellow plucky Brit Harriet Dart. “I’m expecting an absolute battle,” says Boulter.

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Iga Swiatek beats Sofia Kenin 6-3 6-4

That’s a solid win for the No 1 seed on her least favourite surface. “A solid start,” she says. Funnily enough, Martina Navratilova issued the same judgement on a 20th consecutive win. Kenin, the Australian Open winner in 2020, has never enjoyed SW19 too much, either.

Iga Swiatek of Poland plays a forehand against Sofia Kenin of United States. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
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Jack Draper has lost the first set to set to Ymer, 3-6, and it’s now 1-1 in the second.

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Maria sees that out with some serve-volleying, and Boulter is sent back to serve. She begins with a rare ace but at 30-15, misses a volley at the net. Big serve follows for 40-30, and then a potential winner is overcooked. Though the winner to claim advantage at deuce is inspired. Then comes another miss at the net. The home fans will be reaching for their pink gins after that. Still, the next one point sees another smart set of hitting, and the game is claimed. It’s all back on Maria.

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John Brewin

Katie Boulter is 5-4 up in that second set, so she has the chance to go through if she wins the next game on Court 3. Maria to serve.

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