Key events
Jannik Sinner (1) beats Ben Shelton (14) 6-2 6-4 7-6(9)
Shelton has his moments but Sinner played some terrific stuff, especially early on, and a double sends him into a quarter-final with either Daniil Medvedev (5) ot Griggzy Dimitrov (10).
Sinner raises match point … so Shelton rattles an ace down the T, his dad loving it as much as we would if we were watching our own nipper. But his lad soon faces another match point…
Oh Ben! He tries a colossal inside-out forehand but gives it just too much pop and that’s his set-point gone. This, though, is now a match, but can Shelton prolong it beyond this breaker? Back on Centre, Raducanu fights through a long and arduous hold to trail 2-6 2-1.
First mini-break goes to Sinner at 3-2 and big serves cement it, but then he goes long – I think, because my coverage jumps – so we’re at 5-5, then Shelton carves a gorgeous forehand winner down the line to raise set point!
Shelton secures himself a breaker with a hold for 6-5, then at 30-all next game, Sinner goes long to cede set point … only for the young American to net a forehand when offered a weak second serve. From there, Sinner closes out, so we’ll now enjoy a breaker. On Centre, meanwhile, Sun leads Raducanu 6-2 1-1.
Shelton holds for 5-4 in the third and when Sinner sends a forehand long, at 30-all he’s two points away from the set. Yeah, alright then. Up 40-30, Sinner steps away when a ball rushes towards his tootsies, playing a kind of hotdog by jamming racket between legs, before putting away a forehand. That is ridiculous.
Raducanu thwacks a forehand and Sun lets it go … rightly so because it falls out. It cements a 6-2 first set for the qualifier – the first set the former US Open champ has lost this tournament – and she’s staying nice and composed out there.
Sun breaks again and she’s loving it out there! Raducanu just can’t get herself going – her first serve hasn’t been as reliable as usual today – and down 5-2, the first set seem set to forsake her.
ABSOLUTE SAKE! Vekic-Badosa is a really great ruckus now, the former up 4-3 in the third on serve … so of course it resumes raining.
Back on Centre, Sun leads Raducanu 4-2 and remains the better player.
Just like that, Sinner makes 0-40, and though Shelton responds with a service-winner, an ill-advised drop is given the treatment and we’re all square in the third at 4-4.
Gosh, serving at 6-2 6-4 1-4, Sinner leaps into a drive-volley and just about lands the ball inside the line; he holds, but Shelton is serving and playing much better now, and if he manages to nick the set, we could have a seriously exciting fourth.
Badosa breaks back immediately for 1-2 in the third – she looks the better player to me; Shelton consolidates to lead Sinner 3-0 having lost the first two sets; and Raducanu seizes one break back so trails Sun 1-3.
Sun has to plough through deuce for her consolidation but she gets there in the end and leads 2-0, but there are signs Raducanu is getting warm. Shelton, meantime, holds and makes 30-40, then outlasts Sinner in a long rally, a netted forehand giving him the break! No one has ever won four five-setters in a row and he’ll have to if he’s to move on; well, he’s on the way, likewise Vekic who, with the help of a net-cord on break point, now leads Badosa 2-0 in the third. Oh and as I type, Sun breaks Raducanu a second time for 3-0!
We’re back for our third stint on No 2 Court, Badosa securing the second set against Vekic 6-1.
Yup, Sinner holds to 15 and leads 6-2 6-4; so far, Shelton has nothing for him. On Centre, though, Raducanu is quickly down 0-40, and though she makes 30, allowed to get away with the slowest of second serves, Sun does then convert for a 1-0 lead.
Back on No 1, Sinner is serving for the second set at 5-4; there’s no sense Shelton can do anything about it.
Raducanu has saved 13 of 14 break points this tournament; that is ridiculous. I reckon she thinks she can win this – especially with Sabalenka and Swiatek gone – so I’m not surprised she’s pulled out of the mixed doubles.
There’s something very statesmanlike about Sinner now. He’s so calculating and thorough, with the power to do more or less as he pleases. Shelton is trying his best but just can’t cope, trailing 2-6 3-4 down a break. On Centre, Sun and Raducanu are out.
Emotional scenes at Silverstone…
Next on Centre Court: Lola Sun v Emma Raducanu.
It was a good match, that. Alcaraz says playing lefties is always tricky – he thinks he learnt from his match against Draper at Queen’s. Asked how he’d commentate on the second-set point in which he did the splits, slipped and still won, he offers “Unbelievable!” Otherwise, he decides his shots at the last minute but the tweener is his favourite, and he plans to rest and recover before reappearing on Tuesday. He’s into his seventh consecutive grand slam quarter-final and, as we noted, was always going to be too good in this match, however well Humbert played.
Carlos Alcaraz (3) beats Ugo Humbert (16) 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-5
Alcaraz can and will play better than that, but biggups are due to Humbert, who played very well – he was brave, creative and looks to be hitting a stride. Alcaraz, though, moves on and will meet Tommy Paul (12) or Roberto Bautista Agut next.
Shelton is 73% on first serves and is struggling to hold; Sinner has upped his level for this one, a champion easing through the gears. Alcaraz, meanwhile, finds himself down 0-15 so clatters down an ace, then a beautifully-disguised drop makes 40-15 and two match points….
Alcaraz is just ridiculous. He plays a terrific game, breaking Humbert to 15 and disaplying all his characteristic chasing and diving before landing a wickedly dipping forehand on to the base line for 6-5. He’ll shortly serve for the match; Sinner has broken Shelton to lead 6-2 2-0.
Well done Ugo Humbert. He holds to 30 and Alcaraz must now serve to stay in set four at 4-5, in the knowledge than anything slow or short, his opponent will wade right in. Sinner, meanwhile, breaks again and now serves for the set … which he closes out 6-2 in 29 minutes. Shelton’s method of hitting heavy balls with winners every now and again just isn’t good enough to trouble him.
Alcaraz secures his hold and I wonder if he’s now properly absorbed into the match. He leads 2-1 4-4 ad I’d not be surprised were he to break next game.
Up 4-3, Humbert runs down a drop to make 0-15, then punishes a forehand return down the line for another winner; he’s feeling himself. And have a look! A double means 0-40, and Alcaraz rants at himself and his box, unable to comprehend what’s happening to him … then quickly makes deuce. Maybe he needs a bit of jeopardy to get himself going, though as I type he spanks a forehand wide. Meantime, Sinner breaks Shelton for 3-2 and looks pretty impressive out there; his consistency is the difference so far and, as I type, he holds comfortably for 4-2 in the first.
Shelton needs a challenge to avert a break before securing a hold for 2-1. He’s hitting it very hard indeed and, as ever, looking like he’s having a great night out there. And on Centre, Umbert has again broken back – he’s going for almost everything and it’s working well for him.
Alcaraz consolidates to lead 2-1 3-1 and, blip presumably over, you now expect him to finish this match in short order. On No 2, meanwhile, a double hands Badosa a second break in set two; she’ll soon serve for a decider at 5-1 in the second … but of course it’s raining again. I doubt Vekic will mind because momentum was against her.
We see footage of Novak Djokovic helping remove a cover on a practise court; he’s such a man of the people I’m choking up here!
Sinner and Shelton are ready. Shelton, by the way, has won three five-setters to get here, which sounds exhausting. But Mattia Bellucci, Lloyd Harris and Denis Shapovalov are excellent players, so beating them consecutively suggests a player in form.
Who saw this one coming? Er everyone. Alcaraz breaks Humbert in the first game of set four … but a fine return on to the line when up 15-40 redeems it immediately! Who saw that one coming? Er definitely not me.
Badosa breaks Vekic immediately in set two, trailing 2-6 2-0, while Sinner and Shelton arrive on to No 1.
I still can’t stop thinking about Keys, though, who gave so much in a brilliant match to put herself in a winning position; I can’t bear even to imagine her frustration, and she’ll need a while to get over this, I’m sure. Otherwise, Humbert serves out for a 6-1 set – do we got ourselves a ball-game? – and Alcaraz leads 2-1.
Yup, Vekic serves out to lead Badosa 6-3, while Humbert breaks Alcaraz again then consolidates; it’s 5-1 in the third.
On Centre, Alcaraz has lost a bit of focus, ceding a break to Humbert who now trails 0-2 3-1.
We’re back under way on No 2, Vekic serving for the first set against Badosa.
Next on No 1 Court: Jannik Sinner (1) v Ben Shelton (14). Don’t mind if we do!