Tennis

It must be tough to face a Williams sister but that’s what Elina Svitolina had to do on Centre Court on day one of the championships and she came through it unscathed.

Novak Djokovic won in straight sets, but it was an awkward game for him, not helped by a needless break in play for more than an hour for rain interruption and a wet court.

It’s always a nervous time, the first match on a show court in a slam – Wimbledon makes it extra nervous.

For the next two weeks, SW19 will be out of bounds to anyone who dislikes tennis.
Yep, the Championships are happening and many 10s of thousands will be descending on Church Road in the hope of witnessing some sporting history for the next 14 days.

Catford Wanderers’ ladies first team and mixed second side secured weekend wins.

Julian Langley’s one-year reign as Catford Wanderers’ club champion came to an end when he lost 2-6 6-3 (10-8 ) to the 2019 champion Lyndon Douglas at their finals day.

Catford Wanderers’ men’s 70-and-over super veterans were hosts to Sundridge Park last week.

Novak Djokovic cemented his position in Wimbledon history as one of their greatest ever champions with his fourth win in a row, his seventh in total.

Russian players were banned from this year’s Wimbledon after the invasion of Ukraine, but Rybakina, who now represents Kazakhstan, won 3-6, 6-2, 6-2

Norrie took the first set 6-2, but from then on it was all Djokovic – the Serb dropping just one point in his first four service games of the second set before breaking Norrie’s serve and taking the set 6-3.

The number two seeds won 6-2, 6-2 in less than an hour-and-a-half on a sweltering Centre Court.

Despair and joy for Brits on show courts today

Elena Rybianka saw off the challenge of Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3 to set up a Wimbledon women’s singles final, on Sunday against the hard-hitting Tunesin Ona Jabeur who won her semi earlier against Tatjana Maria by two sets to one.

Rafa Nadal rolled back the years, pushed his injured body to the limit and proved that with an iron will, anything is possible and that’s why he is a multi slam winner.

Norrie faces six-time champion Novak Djokovic in Friday’s semi-final

The world number 103 beat a woman 12 years her junior, but just six places above her in the rankings, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in 2hrs 18mins.

Nick Kyrgios came through a tough five setter against American Brandon Nakashima on Centre Court.

He said: “I was never near my best. I’ve played a lot of tennis and I was pleased to come through it. I’ve never lost a five-set match at Wimbledon.