World number one Carlos Alcaraz toasted a “special” maiden win on Wimbledon’s Centre Court before he fired a warning to his rivals.

Alcaraz had to work hard to beat France’s Alexandre Muller 6-4 7-6 (2) 6-3 in a tough second-round contest that lasted two hours and 33 minutes on the main stage at the All England Club.

The Spaniard lost on Centre Court to Jannik Sinner last summer and despite combining 31 winners alongside 42 unforced errors against Muller, this latest victory made it seven successes in a row on the grass.

US Open champion Alcaraz has won his last 16 sets on English grass, but feels even better is to come ahead of a third-round meeting with Chilean Nicolas Jarry.

“Yeah, I feel that I can be better. Today I’m going to say it wasn’t my best match on grass, but I feel great,” Alcaraz insisted.

“I always say that doesn’t matter if you play a perfect match, you can be better. It’s my case.

“Of course it is really special to have my first win on Centre Court here in Wimbledon. A really beautiful court. I really wanted to have my first one.

“I feel that I belong in that court. I feel like I’m ready to play more matches, to play more great matches on that court.”

Nerves did appear to be present for Alcaraz during the early exchanges and he sprayed 10 unforced errors in the opening half an hour, but a 135mph ace seemed to ease his tension before he clinched a break in the next game as he edged a tight first set.

Muller, ranked 84 in the world, continued to take the match to Alcaraz, who saw four break points come and go at the start of the second set.

Alcaraz eventually had to go to a tie-break and he reserved his best tennis for the crunch moment. A volley at the net got him off the mark and he followed up with a succession of drops shots that helped him claim the second set.

More break point opportunities were squandered by the 20-year-old in sweltering heat with the roof open on Centre Court, but he eventually did break for only the second time in the match at 4-3 up in the third.

Match point was brought up with a 116mph ace and, although Muller briefly stole the show with a stunning backhand return, another big forehand winner from Alcaraz confirmed his 42nd win of the season.

The first seed added: “A little bit (nervous) at the beginning, but the experience that I had last year help me a lot to manage the nerves better than the last year.

“Of course, the round is different, playing the fourth round against Sinner. It was different. This time I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot.

“I felt different from Centre Court than the Court One. I felt the Centre Court is faster for me than the Court One. It was different for me.

“At the beginning the match was long, let’s say, and I adjust very well until the end.”

Victory for Alcaraz means he remains on collision course to meet defending champion Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a record-equalling eighth title in SW19, in the final on July 14.

But the 20-year-old said: “It would be amazing for me to play a final here in Wimbledon, even better if it is against Novak obviously, but there’s a lot of great players playing here on grass, that feel really, really comfortable on grass.

“I have to be really, really focused until the final. It’s a lot of matches ahead. I have to play my best in every match.

“Let’s see if I reach the final or not.”

Andy Murray suffered more Wimbledon heartache with a five-set defeat by Stefanos Tsitsipas in their delayed second-round clash.

The Scot was two sets to one up overnight when the 11pm curfew came into play but he was unable to complete the job, with fifth seed Tsitsipas fighting back to win 7-6 (3) 6-7 (2) 4-6 7-6 (3) 6-4.

It was a hugely disappointing way for Murray to mark the 10th anniversary of his career-defining first Wimbledon title, and he is all too aware that his chances for another deep run here are ebbing away.

He missed the French Open to focus on his grass-court preparations and arrived at the All England Club feeling confident and healthy for the first time since winning his second title in 2016.

He was unfortunate to run into a top seed so early, and there were many aspects of his performance that were positive, but he would have fancied his chances against Tsitsipas on grass and this one will sting.

The match began under the roof on Thursday but there were blue skies above on the hottest day of the tournament so far when the players returned to Centre Court.

Murray had sparked alarm right at the end of the set by screaming in pain and going down clutching his left groin but he practised as normal ahead of the match and there was no sign of any discomfort.

The breezy conditions perhaps contributed to more errors from both than was the case in the first part of the match, while nerves were sure to play their part with the contest already so close to its conclusion.

Tsitsipas’ backhand leaked a substantial number of errors but his serve was again working beautifully and Murray was unable to force a break point, the 36-year-old smacking the net in frustration as another close game got away.

He had clearly been eager to avoid the lottery of another tie-break and, in a repeat of the first-set shoot-out, it was Tsitsipas who won the final four points.

Murray’s strategy to relentlessly probe the Greek’s backhand was perhaps becoming a little predictable, and he was in serious trouble when Tsitsipas created three break points in the third game of the deciding set, taking the third to break serve for the first time.

Willed on by the crowd, Murray tried to find a way back but Tsitsipas continued to serve very strongly.

Still there was hope as the home favourite saved two match points but he clinched it on his third chance with his 17th ace to book a third-round clash with Laslo Djere.

Cameron Norrie suffered a second-round knockout to Chris Eubanks to end his Wimbledon hopes.

The British number one was left dazed by American Eubanks’ powerful hitting and his haymaker of a serve in a punishing 6-3 3-6 6-2 7-6 (3) defeat.

In a heavyweight start to the contest, the first 20 points all went with serve including nine aces, seven from the arm of Eubanks.

And it was the world number 43 who landed the first blow, breaking Norrie to love on his way to taking the opening set.

Norrie, the 12th seed and a semi-finalist last year, had barely laid a glove on his opponent, winning just three points on the Eubanks serve.

But the South-African-born southpaw hauled himself off the canvas and secured an early break in the second set to level the match.

However, Norrie has looked ring-rusty in recent months and Eubanks, a grass-court title-winner in Mallorca in June, took advantage by breaking twice for the third set.

Eubanks dropped his guard in the fourth, losing his serve to love, but he hit back for 4-4 to leave Norrie on the ropes.

Norrie survived a match point on serve when a Eubanks forehand thudded into the net.

But Eubanks was too strong in the tie-break, a quick one-two of a booming forehand and delicate volley leaving Norrie out for the count.

Anne Keothavong has backed Katie Boulter to give “vulnerable” defending champion Elena Rybakina a run for her money at Wimbledon.

The British number one is through to the third round for the second year in a row and has been rewarded with a plum tie against the third seed.

Rybakina has built impressively on her first grand slam title, reaching the final of the Australian Open and winning the big events in Indian Wells and Rome, but she came into the event under-cooked after illness and has looked shaky at times in her opening two matches.

Keothavong, the captain of Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup team, said of Boulter, who won her first WTA Tour event in Nottingham last month: “She’s been playing some fantastic tennis.

“It’s not just this tournament but over the last few weeks. It’s taken time for all of that to come together. And the biggest thing is she’s been able to remain fit and healthy for a long period of time, which for Katie has always been a challenge.

“It doesn’t get any easier again but Rybakina hasn’t really come into this year’s champs playing lots of tennis. I think this is a good time for Katie to play against her, or for anyone really to play against her, she has looked vulnerable at times.

“And, if you were to be in Rybakina’s shoes, you’re up against a British number one who is popular, who the British public are now familiar with, who will have the majority of that crowd supporting her, which is a situation I don’t think Rybakina has found herself in really anywhere around the world too often.

“Katie, she’s a big-match player, she will absolutely love it. It won’t be a daunting experience for her, which I think is a big thing. It’s not the first time for her going out on Centre Court. Having had that previous experience, that will help carry her.

“It’s a great opportunity. And it’s one where she can swing with freedom and go out there and play.”

Boulter claimed the biggest victory of her career so far in the second round last year against former finalist Karolina Pliskova on Centre Court.

“I think I’ve got the whole entire thing in my memory,” she said. “It was an incredible match. I still think about the time that I served it out. That’s something that I draw on.

“I’m already excited to play against a top player and have a go. I think they’re the moments I get excited for because ultimately it’s a time for me to test myself.”

Boulter will hit a career-high ranking around 70 even if she loses on Saturday and Keothavong highlighted the greater variety she has added to her game under coach Biljana Veselinovic as a key factor in her progress.

“You can see she’s trying to use the drop shot more often, she is trying to look to use width more often,” said Keothavong. “So it’s not just straight flat-ball hitting through the court.

“And that’s the work she has been doing and focusing on with Biljana. And I do think Biljana has been fantastic for her. The team she has around her, they’re all good people. And she’s had some consistency there in that area.”

Boulter is also very settled in her personal life and was out on Court 18 on Friday watching long-term boyfriend Alex De Minaur in his second-round loss to Matteo Berrettini.

Boulter has spoken about how much she has learned from the Australian’s grounded nature, and Keothavong believes they are a good influence on each other.

“Alex is so down to earth and so lovely,” said the former British number one. “They are sickly in a very cute kind of way.

“You can tell how much they care for each other and how much they support each other and it was great to see him court-side supporting her after his match and you see it within their families as well.

“It’s hard enough being a tennis player, the emotional highs and lows. You need people around you who are going to stay level-headed and not look too far ahead or get too excited but help you keep your feet on the ground.”

Rybakina does not expect the partisan atmosphere to be too much of a challenge, saying: “For sure the atmosphere is going to be a bit different. The crowd won’t be supporting me that much.

“I’m sure it’s going to be good. Just hopefully I’m going to win this match. I’ll try my best. She’s a tough player. Her game is aggressive. Also she has a good serve. It’s going to be tough one.”

World number one Carlos Alcaraz had to work hard on his second Centre Court appearance at Wimbledon to earn a straight-sets victory over Alexandre Muller in round two.

Alcaraz was given a stern examination by France’s Muller during a contest that lasted two hours and 33 minutes, but ultimately progressed 6-4 7-6 (2) 6-3.

It made it seven consecutive wins on grass for the top seed, who is viewed by many as the most likely candidate to stop defending champion Novak Djokovic in his pursuit of a record-equalling eighth title at the All England Club.

Alcaraz quickly dismantled Jeremy Chardy in round one, making it 13 sets in a row for the Spaniard on grass after he won at Queen’s last month.

Nerves appeared to be present for the world number one on only his second appearance on Wimbledon’s main stage having lost there to Jannik Sinner last summer.

Despite a classy forehand winner on the run from the second point of the contest, Alcaraz struggled early on and had to save three break points during his second service game.

First seed Alcaraz sprayed 10 unforced errors in the opening half an hour, but a 135mph ace seemed to ease his tension and he clinched a break in the next game as he edged a tight opener.

Muller, ranked 84 in the world, continued to take the match to Alcaraz, who saw four break points come and go at the start of the second set.

Alcaraz eventually had to go to a tie-break and he reserved his best tennis for the crunch moment. A volley at the net got him off the mark and he followed up with a succession of drops shots that helped him claim the second set.

It had been a hard-fought set for Alcaraz but after nearly two hours on court with the roof open and temperatures hitting 29 degrees, the US Open champion showed his extraordinary athleticism during the opening exchanges of set three.

More break point opportunities were squandered by the 20-year-old, but he eventually did break for only the second time in the match at 4-3 up in the third.

Alcaraz brought up match point with a 116mph ace and, although Muller briefly stole the show with a stunning backhand return, another big forehand winner from Alcaraz confirmed his 42nd win of the season.

During his on-court interview, Alcaraz said: “I am really, really happy. My second match on Centre, my first one I lost last year.

“Really happy to play here again and this time with a win. It is a beautiful court. I wanted to enjoy every single second and I think I did.

“I am playing well, gaining more experience and getting better with every match I play.

“Playing here in Wimbledon, it is something special. It feels different compared to other tournaments so it is very special to play here.

“It is an amazing energy I receive and I hope to keep going like this.”

Paula Badosa had to awkwardly inform a reporter she had lost her second-round match after a back injury ended her Wimbledon campaign.

The Spaniard was forced to retire when trailing 6-2 1-0 to Marta Kostyuk after her troublesome stress fracture flared up and she revealed she will not be able to play the mixed doubles with her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas.

To add insult to injury, news of her fitness struggles on Court 18 had clearly not reached an international reporter, who opened her post-match press conference by congratulating her on her victory, prompting a toe-curling exchange.

Responding to the opening comment, Badosa simply replied: “I lost.”

The reporter did not acknowledge her answer and asked her to talk about her fitness and confidence level, to which she replied: “For your information, I just lost. I didn’t win. So, yeah.”

The moderator then again informed the journalist Badosa had lost, which was received by surprise.

Once the result had been established in the room, Badosa went on to say that she will be withdrawing from the mixed doubles due to the problem, robbing fans of a on-court love story.

Asked whether she would be able to compete: “No, no, I won’t be able. The injury is the same as I have been struggling the past weeks.

“It’s the stress fracture. I tried my best to try to play here, but yesterday when I woke up I already, after my first-round match, felt it again. It’s a little bit worse.

“So I will need a few days off and talk to my team and see what I do in the next days and the next weeks.

“The first match I was pretty happy because I felt OK. After the match I spoke with my team, and I was, like, it wasn’t very bad.

“But yesterday, as I said when I woke up, I was worse. Today was worse. I wanted to give it a try in the match, but I think the smartest thing was to stop.”

Kostyuk will play 25th seed Maddison Keys after the American beat Viktorija Golubic 7-5 6-3 while two-time champion Petra Kvitova beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2 6-2 to reach the third round.

Andy Murray reached the “pinnacle of tennis” on this day in 2013 as he became the first British player to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title for 77 years.

Murray raised a standing ovation on Centre Court, where crowds bellowed their support as he sealed a thrilling victory over world number one Novak Djokovic in straight sets – 6-4 7-5 6-4.

The Scot broke down in tears of joy as he claimed the title that had eluded him for so long as a wave of celebration reverberated across the country.

In the players’ box, his mother Judy Murray wept freely while his girlfriend Kim Sears appeared to fight back tears as the British number one kissed his well-earned trophy. Fred Perry had been the last British men’s singles winner at Wimbledon in 1936.

Murray said: “Winning Wimbledon I think is the pinnacle of tennis.

“The last game almost increased that feeling. I worked so hard in that last game. It’s the hardest few points I’ve had to play in my life.

“I can’t believe it. I can’t get my head around that.

“It was different to last year’s final (against Roger Federer) for sure, and then (at) the end of the match, that was incredibly loud, very noisy.

“I’ve been saying it all week, but it does make a difference. It really helps when the crowd is like that, the atmosphere is like that.”

Murray won the Wimbledon crown again in 2016, beating Canadian Milos Raonic and giving him a third grand slam title following his 2012 US Open success.

Andy Murray will return to Centre Court trying to finish the job in his second-round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The two-time champion was two sets to one up against the Greek fifth seed when play was halted at around 10.40pm on Thursday night.

His addition to the line-up makes it a bumper day of action, with the British number one, men’s and women’s number ones and the player who has won more grand slam titles than anyone else also playing.

Here, the PA news agency looks ahead at Friday’s play.

More Murray mayhem


All eyes will be on how Andy Murray pulls up in the morning after the injury scare he suffered in the penultimate point of Thursday night’s action.

 

On set point, the 36-year-old went down screaming when trying to change direction before picking himself up and delivering an unreturnable serve that put him 2-1 up.

The match referee then decided it was too late to start a fourth set, meaning Murray and Tsitsipas must return on Friday afternoon to finish with the Scot leading 6-7 (3) 7-6 (2) 6-4.

Centre’s golden ticket


People with Centre Court tickets will be wondering how they got so lucky as they could hardly have picked a better line-up.

 

With the bonus of Murray finishing his match with Tsitsipas, those gracing Wimbledon’s main show court on Friday boast a combined 34 grand slam singles titles.

Carlos Alcaraz, who felt sidelined when he could not play on Centre Court in front of Roger Federer on Tuesday, opens against Alexandre Muller before Murray returns to finish his match.

Then women’s top seed Iga Swiatek will play Petra Martic before the headline act between Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka closes a thrilling day’s action.

Match of the day

One of the big rivalries of the last 15 years is reignited on Centre Court as defending champion Djokovic faces Wawrinka in the third round.

The pair have fought it out on the biggest stage over the years with two of Wawrinka’s three grand slam titles coming after beating Djokovic in the final, most memorably in a stunning performance at the French Open in 2015.

But injury has taken its toll on the Swiss in recent years and he is no longer competing at the same level as Djokovic, who has almost got better with age.

Wawrinka has given himself “zero” chance of winning Wimbledon but he will have plenty of support on Centre Court as he eyes a huge upset.

Brit watch


Along with Murray’s match to a finish, Cameron Norrie finally returns to action as he looks for a knockout blow in his second-round match with Chris Eubanks.

 

The British number one has not been on court since Tuesday due to rain delays so he will be at least rested for his Court One bout with the American.

And Liam Broady will look to follow up his stunning win over fourth seed Casper Ruud when he faces former semi-finalist Denis Shapovalov on Court Two.

Order of play


Centre Court
Carlos Alcaraz v Alexandre Muller
Andy Murray v Stefanos Tsitsipas
Iga Swiatek v Petra Martic
Novak Djokovic v Stan Wawrinka

 

Court One
Aryna Sabalenka v Varvara Gracheva
Cameron Norrie v Chris Eubanks
Ons Jabeur v Bai Zhuoxuan

Other British singles
Liam Broady v Denis Shapovalov (Court 2)

Weather

Sunny, with highs of 28C.

Liam Broady and Katie Boulter booked their places in the third round of Wimbledon with fine wins on day four, but Andy Murray will have to return on Friday in his attempt to join them.

Murray’s second-round tie under the Centre Court roof with Stefanos Tsitipas had to be suspended just before the 11pm curfew with the two-time champion leading 6-7 (3) 7-6 (2) 6-4.

The two-time Wimbledon winner will hope the fall he suffered on set-point has caused no serious damage and he can resume his efforts to make the last-32 on day five.

Plenty of other matches did get completed on a busy day, with defending champion Elena Rybakina and 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini progressing.

Grand slam champions Daniil Medvedev and Stan Wawrinka were able to win, but Estonian Anett Kontaveit lost in what is the final singles match of her career.

Tweet of the dayPicture of the dayQuote of the dayBrit watchShot of the dayStat of the dayDay of the Comeback

It was comeback central at the All England Club with Broady leading the charge, hitting back from two sets to one down to stun world number four Casper Ruud, but all across the grass courts in SW19 there were marathon fightbacks being completed.

Mikael Ymer roared back from the brink to beat Taylor Fritz in five sets and Yosuke Watanuki was two sets down to Marc-Andrea Huesler before producing an outstanding turnaround triumph.

Perhaps the most epic comeback of day four was reserved for Donna Vekic, who was a set and 5-2 down to Sloane Stephens and heading for an early exit. Instead, the Croatian 20th seed rediscovered her form and won 11 of the next 15 games to clinch victory.

Murray will hope to finish off his fightback on Friday.

Andy Murray will try to join Liam Broady and Katie Boulter in the third round of Wimbledon when his compelling duel with Stefanos Tsitsipas resumes on Friday.

On the eve of the 10th anniversary of his first title at the All England Club, Murray rolled back the years with a performance showcasing all his famous grit, skill and grass-court nous to lead 6-7 (3) 7-6 (2) 6-4.

There were boos when it was announced the match would be halted with 20 minutes still to go until the 11pm curfew but Murray was probably not too disappointed after a hugely concerning moment at set point when the Scot screamed in pain and fell to the ground clutching his left groin.

Mercifully he quickly got to his feet and clinched the set with a serve that drew a Tsitsipas error, and the hope must be he has not done anything that could jeopardise his chances.

The match did not begin until gone 7.30pm, mostly as a result of the win of Broady’s life, with the 29-year-old outlasting world number four Ruud to clinch a 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 6-0 victory.

The win over Ruud, who has made the finals of Roland Garros and the US Open during the past 12 months, was even sweeter for the Stockport left-hander given it took place in front of a buoyant Centre Court crowd.

“It was a pretty terrifying, exhilarating experience coming out at Centre Court on Wimbledon, but it’s been my dream since I was five-years-old,” said Broady.

“I played on Court One in the finals of the juniors (in 2011). I was a set and a break up. I completely choked it, completely guffed it. That has kind of haunted me my entire career, to be honest.

“It always bothered me coming back, playing on the bigger courts and never really feeling like I was comfortable and had performed. That’s why it felt good. I feel like it’s taken a monumental effort for me personally to be able to win a match on Centre Court at Wimbledon.”

Like Broady, British number one Boulter is through to the third round for the second consecutive year after a 6-0 3-6 6-3 win over Viktoriya Tomova, and will meet last year’s winner Elena Rybakina.

“I think it’s a super great opportunity for me,” she said. “I’ve got nothing to lose. She’s clearly the defending champion for a reason.

“I’m going to have a swing and go for it. I’ve got a lot of tennis behind me. It’s time for me to test my skills against an incredible champion. I think I’m playing really well. I feel very comfortable.”

Jan Choinski was the only British singles player to lose, the German-born 27-year-old going out 6-4 6-4 7-6 (3) to his former junior doubles partner Hubert Hurkacz.

Choinski hopes to improve his ranking enough to earn direct entry in 12 months’ time, saying: “I would be very happy coming back next year. Maybe even without needing a wild card for the main draw, try my best to get my ranking to a position where I can enter the tournament by myself.”

Andy Murray is one set away from a place in the third round of Wimbledon after a late-night classic against Stefanos Tsitsipas was halted by the tournament’s 11pm curfew.

On the eve of the anniversary of his first title at the All England Club, Murray rolled back the years with a performance showcasing all his famous grit, skill and grass-court nous to lead 6-7 (3) 7-6 (2) 6-4.

There were boos when it was announced the match would be halted with 20 minutes still to go until the cut-off point but Murray was probably not too disappointed after a hugely concerning moment at set point when the Scot screamed in pain and fell to the ground clutching his left groin.

Mercifully he quickly got to his feet and clinched the set with a serve that drew a Tsitsipas error, and the hope must be he has not done anything that could jeopardise his chances.

Liam Broady’s five-set win over Casper Ruud earlier on Centre Court meant this match did not begin until after 7.30pm, with Murray looking to emulate his less-heralded compatriot by taking out a top-five seed.

For the first time since his second Wimbledon title in 2016, the Scot had arrived at the All England Club feeling fit and healthy, and he declared after dropping just four games to Ryan Peniston in round two that he was playing well enough to beat most of his rivals in the draw.

Murray may no longer be right at the top of the game but he knows his way around a grass court better than most, and there are few of the younger generation who relish competing on the surface.

Tsitsipas is certainly much more comfortable on clay and hard courts, with his best performance here so far a run to the fourth round five years ago.

He had needed two days and five sets to get past Dominic Thiem in round one while Murray had the luxury of the roof for his clash with Peniston, and the court was covered again as they stepped out, with little chance the match could be completed in daylight.

The atmosphere rippled with excitement and both players struck the ball crisply from the start, with not so much as a deuce until the 12th game, when an ill-advised HawkEye challenge from Murray on a ball that clipped the baseline left him facing break point.

He responded with his own forehand on to the line, yelling ‘let’s go’ when Tsitsipas missed the opposite sideline, and into a tie-break they went.

There the Greek took a page from Novak Djokovic’s book of how to play flawless tie-breaks, a series of exceptional points giving him the advantage and letting a little air out of the Centre Court balloon.

Tsitsipas has saved some of his best tennis for the grand slams this year, reaching a second final at the Australian Open, where he came up against the unstoppable Djokovic, and the last eight in Paris.

In the second set Murray was hanging on as Tsitsipas’ forehand really caught fire, the 24-year-old powering 11 clean winners off that side.

But Murray avoided giving up any break points and got his reward, with Tsitsipas finally making a few mistakes to slip to 6-2 adrift.

Murray used all his home advantage, lingering around the net and whipping up the crowd, and a huge roar greeted the next point.

At their only previous grand slam meeting, at the US Open in 2021, Murray said he had lost respect for his opponent over the length of his toilet breaks during a five-set loss for the Scot.

The rules have since changed but Tsitsipas, who had referred to the court as Murray’s living room, was booed on his return from an extended break to change his clothes.

The Greek carried his disappointment into the third set and Murray pounced immediately, creating his first break points of the match and breaking to love.

Tsitsipas recovered his composure and forced two break points in the fourth game but Murray’s serve was now purring and he appeared set to clinch the set comfortably prior to his unfortunate slip.

Liam Broady admitted it took a monumental effort to realise his childhood dream as a career-best win over Casper Ruud on Centre Court made him the first British male into the third round at Wimbledon.

Broady outlasted world number four Ruud to win 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 6-0 in an enthralling contest that lasted three hours and 27 minutes.

Victory over Ruud, who had made the finals of Roland Garros and the US Open during the past 12 months, was even sweeter for the Stockport left-hander given it took place in front of a buoyant Centre Court crowd.

“It was a pretty terrifying, exhilarating experience coming out at Centre Court on Wimbledon, but it’s been my dream since I was five-years-old,” Broady reflected, having lost his only other match on the venue to Andy Murray in straight-sets in 2016.

“I played on Court One in the finals of the juniors (in 2011). I was a set and a break up. I completely choked it, completely guffed it. That has kind of haunted me my entire career, to be honest.

“It always bothered me coming back, playing on the bigger courts and never really feeling like I was comfortable and had performed. Losing to Andy on Centre, losing to (Milos) Raonic on One, then (Alex) De Minaur on One and never winning so much as a set.

“That’s why it felt good. I feel like it’s taken a monumental effort for me personally to be able to win a match on Centre Court at Wimbledon. I mean, Novak (Djokovic) hasn’t lost a match on Centre in 10 years, which is a testament to how good of a player he is, as well, but that was a big one for me.

“This is why I play tennis. I’m 29, going into this tournament I’m 150 in the world, I only have so many Wimbledons left in my career. This has to be seen as a reward. You have to take the bull by the horns with these opportunities.

“I have played on Centre Court now twice in my entire career. The opportunity might not come by again for one reason or another, so I felt more excited than anything going out there.

“Because as hard as it is, you still have to kind of relish the opportunity. It is the pinnacle of the sport, the pinnacle of almost any sport, Centre Court of Wimbledon. Obviously to have got the result as well is the icing on the cake.”

In trademark gutsy fashion, Broady dug deep to down Ruud but did take a tight first set when he reeled off four games in a row with the home crowd fully engaged.

Ruud has made no secret of the fact grass is his least favoured surface but started to up his level and was edged into a two set to one lead.

Broady’s mixture of flamboyance and grit eventually saw him grind down the fourth seed, going on to win seven of the last nine games to inflict the biggest shock of the tournament so far.

After early exits at Surbiton, Nottingham, Queen’s and Eastbourne, the Manchester City fan was delighted to peak at just the right time in his sixth main draw appearance in SW19.

“It’s always better to have played more matches on grass,” British number five Broady insisted after banking £131,000 ahead of facing 26th seed Denis Shapovalov in round three.

“Time on the match court, as Andy has shown in the three challengers he’s won on the grass, is pretty priceless.

“Even though I maybe didn’t get as many results as I’d have liked to in the build-up, literally the day before my first-round match, I went to bed and I thought, ‘Oh, like I feel good now,’

“For the first time in probably three months, I thought, ‘I think my game is there now, I can rest,’ which is when you want it to, isn’t it? The day before the first round of a slam.”

Ruud’s own preparation for the third major of 2023 included attending two concerts of The Weeknd and playing golf before he spent time on the grass during an exhibition event at Hurlingham last week.

He added: “Of course ranking-wise it’s an upset, but I consider him a better grass-court player than myself.

“I think if he plays the way he played today, I think he has good chances of reaching top hundred within the year.”

Katie Boulter says she will have nothing to lose when she gets a shot at defending champion Elena Rybakina at Wimbledon.

The British number one is through to the third round for the second consecutive year after a 6-0 3-6 6-3 win over Viktoriya Tomova, and will meet last year’s winner, probably on Centre Court, on Saturday.

“I think it’s a super great opportunity for me. I’ve got nothing to lose. She’s clearly the defending champion for a reason,” said British number one Boulter.

“I’m going to have a swing and go for it. I’ve got a lot of tennis behind me. It’s time for me to test my skills against an incredible champion.”

Boulter looked set to breeze through her second-round match against Bulgarian Tomova after wrapping up the first set in 27 minutes.

But the 26-year-old from Leicester put her family, as well as boyfriend and men’s 15th seed Alex De Minaur, through the wringer when Tomova hit back to take the second and level the match.

“Do my family get nervous? I don’t know. I’m sure they do,” added Boulter. “My grandpa spends a lot of time actually cramping with nerves. When I see him walk off, I know he’s struggling!

“Obviously I’ve kind of been in their shoes a little bit more watching Alex. I hate every minute of it because it is so stressful.”

Back-to-back net cords helped Boulter break for 2-0 in the decider and after that second-set wobble, she regained her composure and asserted herself on the contest once more.

The Boulter serve was back on song, but she needed to come out on the right end of an epic 24-shot rally before converting a third match point with her 36th winner to complete a fine victory.

“I think I’m playing really well. I’ve played a lot of matches on the grass. I feel very comfortable,” she said.

“It’s always a tough match on grass when you’re playing people like I am today. They’re going to come back at you with a lot more trouble. I have to find ways to win.

“A lot of it is my self-belief. A lot of matches I’ve really drawn from recently to help me get over the line. I definitely did that again today, as well as the British crowd.”

Andy Murray’s main memories of the biggest moment of his life are of tension and fatigue.

“I remember it being unbelievably stressful and then at the end of it huge relief,” he says of the victory over Novak Djokovic that ended Great Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s singles champion at Wimbledon.

The year before had ended with Murray choked by tears on Centre Court following defeat by Roger Federer in his first final.

Twelve months later and with a long-awaited first slam title under his belt in New York, Murray faced another of his major foes with history at his fingertips.

Friday marks the 10-year anniversary of that day and the feelings remain seared in Murray’s mind.

“I was unbelievably nervous before the final and I also remember feeling like my team were really nervous,” he tells the PA news agency.

“They were struggling to hide it. My physical trainer, when we were doing the pre-match warm-up, he was fumbling all of the balls during the reaction drills.”

Even ‘Old Stone Face’ Ivan Lendl, the coach who had helped turn Murray into a slam champion, was not immune to the tension.

“Ivan doesn’t usually talk loads but before the final he was chatting a lot and I just felt my team were feeling it as well,” adds Murray.

“After the match I was exhausted. Twenty or 30 minutes after we got off the court, I was sitting with my wife and I was wanting to sleep. That is not usually how you feel after a match, normally the adrenaline makes it hard to sleep but I was completely spent after the match.”

The history books show Murray won in straight sets, 6-4 7-5 6-4, yet even when he served for the match in a tortuous game that somehow encapsulated all his struggles, it still felt on a knife edge.

Three match points came and went, then there were three break point chances for Djokovic as the tension around Centre Court ramped up and up. Murray stood firm, saving each one confidently, before a fourth chance came the Scot’s way, and this time his opponent netted.

The reaction from Murray was of sheer wide-eyed joy mixed with disbelief before the enormity of it all caught up with him.

For his opponent, the memories are of course very different, although Djokovic could find happiness amid his disappointment for the rival just a week older than him against whom he had been competing since childhood.

“It was not a great result for me obviously in the end, painful to lose a grand slam final, especially the Wimbledon final,” says Djokovic, who has lost only twice at SW19 in the decade since.

“But I was happy for Andy because he deserved it. He was working so hard to get his hands on the Wimbledon title.

“I had to congratulate him because he was a better player that day and it was kind of a perfect scenario for Great Britain and for him as a British player to win at Wimbledon on Centre Court.”

Among the crowd living every twist and turn was an 11-year-old Jack Draper, who eight years later made his own Centre Court debut.

“Watching Andy win Wimbledon on Centre Court in 2013 was an experience that I will never forget,” says the British number four.

“I was only 11 at the time but, looking back, it was definitely a moment that made me more motivated than ever to become a professional tennis player – and compete on the biggest stages against the world’s best players.

“I was very lucky to have Andy as a role model and hope that in the future I can do the same for young players.”

The experience was not at all the same for Murray’s brother Jamie, who was notably absent among the family and friends supporting the Scot courtside.

“I watched the final on a laptop in Stuttgart with my wife,” says the doubles specialist, who had already moved on to his next tournament.

“Of course it would have been great to be there to see him win but reality was it definitely wasn’t a sure thing. He was playing Novak, he’d lost a bunch of finals to that point.

“I was just glad that he won. I didn’t really care that I missed it. Obviously it was a weird situation to find yourself watching the match. The stream wasn’t even particularly great.

“I know what it meant to him to finally get his hands on the trophy. I don’t even remember what it was like when I saw him. Everything had kind of died down by then. It was a bit lame but that’s just the way it was.”

The Wimbledon victory cemented Murray’s place as one of Britain’s sporting greats, and he followed it up three years later with a second title.

Jamie does not believe achieving his biggest goal changed his brother, saying: “He was still incredibly motivated to do the best he could on the court and try to win more grand slams, that his talent probably deserved.

“That was an amazing moment in tennis where these four guys were playing in the semis and finals of every big tournament. They hoovered up everything for so long. I know Andy only won three but he played in 11 grand slam finals, which is a crazy career when you think about it.”

Alexander Zverev made it belatedly into round two at Wimbledon and then insisted his horror ankle injury is behind him.

The German, back in action this season after requiring surgery on the ankle ligaments he tore in last year’s French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal, had to wait until day four to play his opening match due to the rain in south-west London.

He quickly made up for lost time, however, beating Dutchman Gijs Brouwer 6-4 7-6 (4) 7-6 (5) on Court One.

“Am I pleased to be in the second round? Very, yeah. It took me three days, but I’m here. I’m happy about that,” he said.

“No, look, the tournament starts when the tournament starts. For further matches, it’s not going to be easy because the big difference between here and normal tournaments is we’re playing best-of-five sets.

“But I hope that I’ll be fine. I hope that I am physically prepared for this kind of moment.

“It’s not helpful, let’s put it that way, but it is what it is. Nobody has a magic switch for the rain. Nobody can do anything about that.

“Usually winning in three sets at slams is great. Especially in this case it’s even better for me.”

Zverev let out a blood-curdling scream after slipping on the clay at Roland Garros last year and left the court on crutches.

The former world number two, seeded 19th here, was sidelined until February but believes he is now fully fit and firing.

“I mean, I proved at this year’s French Open that my fitness is at a good stage,” he added.

“I think I’m not thinking about these kind of things anymore. That’s usually a good sign, when you’re not thinking about it. It means that you’re prepared.

“For now, as I said, I played three sets. I feel pretty fresh and I feel pretty ready to go.”

Former finalist Matteo Berrettini was another playing catch-up after his match with fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego was suspended on Wednesday night.

Berrettini, who has endured an injury-hit season, was unhappy that the match continued for so long with the court conditions becoming slippery.

The pair resumed on Thursday with Berrettini 2-1 up and he eventually came through in four sets.

Afterwards, he said: “I think sometimes it’s just a little bit weird, like, supervisors or referees dress up with sneakers and say ‘no, it’s playable’. It has to be a little bit more than that.

“I get, for example, that they wanted to finish the tie-break, but we fell three times in the tie-break. I think it’s really tough.

“I know everybody was in a rush. Everybody wanted to finish the match. But when it’s not safe, it’s dangerous, you don’t want to get injured.”

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