Number one seeds in both men’s and women’s draw safely negotiate Manic Monday at Wimbledon

The final manic Monday before play is introduced on middle Sunday from next year was one to remember.

In the men’s draw favourite and world number one Novak Djokovic continued his imperious form in swatting aside world number 30 Cristian Garin 6-2, 6-4, 6-4, while world number seven Andrey Rublev is also though, having to win a fifth set against Marton Fucsovics of Hungary.

Roger Federer is also through, beating Italian Lorenzo Sonego 7-5, 6-4, 6-2.

Number 10 seed Denis Shapovalov beat number 8 seed, Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 while number 25 seed Karen Khachanov saw off Sebastian Korda 10-8 in the fifth set.

Italian Matteo Berrettini, the number 7 seed, beat Ilya Ivashka 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 but Danil Medveev, the number 2 seed, will have to return on Tuesday to complete his match – he was two sets to one up and going with serve at 3-4 in the fourth when rain came late in the day.

And even later in the day on No.1 Court Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime beat number four seed, German Alexander Zverev in the fifth set to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.

After his game Djokovic was asked about battling the fans as well as his opponent, but said he enjoyed some support of his own on No.1 Court today.

He said: “It was great. I had support. It was a great atmosphere on the court, I felt.

“Look, I understand that most of the people, they want underdog to win in most of the cases. You just have to deal with that, accept it.

“Sometimes I’m able to just kind of let it go and keep the focus on what matters for me and on the match. Sometimes I get distracted. Again, we all are human beings. We all tend to lose our way in a way when we don’t want it. But it happens.

“I am happy particularly with the match today. After third round, it was kind of up and down for me. Today was a very solid performance from the first to last point. I was mentally present. I was serving much better, using the court well.

“Cristian played for his first time on Centre Court. You could see he was nervous, making a lot of unforced errors at the beginning of the match, which gave me an opportunity to win comfortably the first set, which I have used.

“After that it was some close games in the second set, but I just managed to break his serve when I needed it the most.”

All eight remaining women were also in action. Angelique Kerber, winner in 2018, is beginning to hit her stride, beating Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-4 while number one seed Ashleigh Barty is also through after victory over Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, 7-5, 6-3.

But new British hero Emma Raducanu is out – she was forced to retire injured at one set and 3-0 down to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.

Tunisian Ons Jabeur knocked out Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 and Balarus’ Aryna Sabalenca continued her fine run with a three-set win over Elena Rybakina.

Karolina Pliskova, the number 8 seed, saw off Liudmila Samsonova, losing just five games in a 6-2, 6-3 win, while Karolina Muchova beat Paula Badosa of Spain 7-6, 6-4, and Viktorija Golubic beat American Madison Keys 7-6, 6-3.

As the matches begin to come thick and fast, Barty said she was happy with her fitness after her win today.

She said: “The focus in between matches is exactly how it always is. It’s recovery and prioritizing that recovery. That’s always been a massive part of my career. Being able to do that this week has been great.

“We just continue to do all the right things. Obviously, like I’ve said, the rehabs between Paris and here in London, we had 22 or 23 days. We were able to kind of work backwards from that point. We did everything as best we could.

“I’m feeling great. I’m feeling ready. Obviously getting more and more matches is really nice to be able to feel the court under my feet.”

Pictured top: Novak Djokovic (Picture: PA)