Wimbledon 2022: Emma Raducanu wins Centre Court debut as Andy Murray starts with victory
Wimbledon enters day three at the All England Club with Emma Raducanu, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic the headline attractions, following Serena Williams’ dramatic late defeat last night.
Today’s order of play sees Raducanu back after a Centre Court debut and looking to get past Caroline Garcia, with Murray scheduled to be third on Centre with the prospect of some late drama against the big-serving John Isner. The home favourites are due on after Djokovic opens against Australian 26-year-old Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Cameron Norrie (vs Jaume Munar), Heather Watson (vs Qiang Wang) and Harriet Dart (vs Rebeka Masarova) will look to keep up the momentum from an impressive first two days for British players at SW19, as is Ryan Peniston, the 26-year-old debutant who picked up his first grand slam win in the opening round. He faces experienced American Steve Johnson first on Court 3.
Elsewhere the exciting Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz (vs Tallon Griekspoor) and women’s world No2 Ons Jabeur (vs Katarzyna Kawa) take to Court 2 and Court 3 respectively this afternoon, while Wimbledon champions Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza also feature on Court 2.
Follow all the action from day two live, including the latest results, reaction and analysis from the All England Club
Rain delays start at Wimbledon
Peniston faces a stiff task up against Stevie Johnson, a 32-year-old American who has produced a solid, understated career at the top level, peaking at world No 21 in 2016.
Johnson likes grass and his best grand slam singles performance came at Wimbledon in 2016, reaching the fourth round. He has a couple of ATP 250 titles on grass, too.
Steve Johnson, pictured, beat Grigor Dimitrov in the first round
(Getty Images)
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 12:28
Rain delays start at Wimbledon
Play is now delayed until at least 12.30pm.
The roofs are up on Centre and Court 1, while on Court 3 an inspection of the surface is under way. The nerves will be jangling for Ryan Peniston, who is being made to wait for his second ever grand slam match.
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 12:20
The remarkable story of Ryan Peniston
First up on Court 3, when play does eventually get under way, is Ryan Peniston, who has an extraoardinary story.
He said having cancer as a baby has been a “blessing in disguise” for making him “tougher as a player” after winning his debut singles match at Wimbledon.
The 26-year-old wildcard was loudly cheered on by his parents, Paul and Penny, from the side-lines of a packed court watching his triumph over Switzerland’s Henri Laaksonen.
At the age of one, Peniston was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a tumour near his stomach, which required surgery and chemotherapy before years of regular check-ups.
The Essex-born player has previously attributed his late blooming in tennis to battling this as a youngster, as he grew up “a foot smaller than all my peers”.
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 12:16
Rain delays start at Wimbledon
A few images from a rainy morning at SW19:
Novak Djokovic warms up on the practice courts
(PA)
People sit under umbrellas as rain delays the start
(AP)
Water is cleared from the outside courts on day three
(PA)
A bird skips across the grass
(Reuters)
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 12:04
Rain delays start at Wimbledon
Play will now be delayed until at least 12.15pm after a series of mini drizzles soak Wimbledon and grease the many courts which had optimistically had their covers stripped off after the heaviest downpour ended at around 11am.
Positioning myself on Court 3 this morning, where there is no shelter from the rain, was a grave mistake.
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 11:56
Order of play at Wimbledon today
And some of the main action on the outside courts:
- Anhelina Kalinina vs Lesia Tsurenko (29)
- Tommy Paul vs Adrian Mannarino (30)
- Panna Udvardy vs Elise Mertens (24)
- Tim Van Rijthoven vs Reilly Opelka (15)
- David Goffin vs Sebastian Baez (31)
- Alexander Bublik vs Dusan Lajovic
- Diane Parry vs Mai Hontama
- Lucie Hradecka & Sania Mirza (6) vs Magdalena Frech & Beatriz Haddad Maia
- Alejandro Tabilo vs Miomir Kecmanovic (25)
- Marie Bouzkova vs Ann Li
- Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs Irina-Camelia Begu
- Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares (9) vs Benjamin Bonzi & Arthur Rinderknech
- Jodie Anna Burrage & Eden Silva vs Arianne Hartono & Demi Schuurs
- Oscar Otte (32) vs Christian Harrison
- Nikoloz Basilashvili (22) vs Quentin Halys
- Sarah Grey & Yuriko Miyazaki vs Asia Muhammad & Ena Shibahara (5)
- Shuai Zhang (33) vs Marta Kostyuk
- Jiri Vesely vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
- Dalma Galfi vs Kaja Juvan
- Aljaz Bedene & Soon Woo Kwon vs Thanasi Kokkinakis & Nick Kyrgios (10)
- Frances Tiafoe (23) vs Maximilian Marterer
- Tatjana Maria vs Sorana Cirstea (26)
- Maja Chwalinska vs Alison Riske (28)
- Rajeev Ram & Joe Salisbury (1) v Daniel Altmaier & Carlos Taberner
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 11:46
Order of play at Wimbledon today
Here’s what’s happening on the main four courts today:
Centre Court (from 1.30pm)
- Novak Djokovic (1) vs Thanasi Kokkinakis
- Caroline Garcia vs Emma Raducanu (10)
- Andy Murray vs John Isner (20)
- Jule Niemeier vs Anett Kontaveit (2)
- Karolina Pliskova vs Tereza Martincova – to finish, 7-6(1) 5-5
- Cameron Norrie (9) vs Jaume Munar
- Maria Sakkari (5) vs Viktoriya Tomova
- Casper Ruud (3) vs Ugo Humbert (15)
- Greet Minnen vs Garbine Muguruza – to finish, 6-4
- Angelique Kerber vs Magda Linette
- Tallon Griekspoor vs Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (5)
- Qiang Wang vs Heather Watson
- Ryan Peniston vs Steve Johnson
- Yanina Wickmayer vs Jelena Ostapenko (12)
- Jannik Sinner (10) vs Mikael Ymer
- Katarzyna Kawa vs Ons Jabeur (3)
Ons Jabeur became the new world number two after her first-round win at Wimbledon (John Walton/PA)
(PA Wire)
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 11:37
Rain delays start at Wimbledon
While we wait, here’s a picture of Rufus the hawk, who has been keeping pigeons away from the All England Club for 15 years now, having taken over from Hamish (also a hawk).
Rufus the Harris hawk at work on day three of Wimbledon 2022 (Aaron Chown/PA)
(PA Wire)
As PA explains, Wimbledon’s hawk trainer has revealed he was told to “get a proper job” in the early years of his now hugely successful profession. Wayne Davis, from Corby in Northamptonshire, has been training hawks – Hamish and later Rufus – to clear pigeons from the All England Club in south-west London for 22 years.
Wayne Davis and Rufus the Harris hawk on day three of Wimbledon 2022 (Aaron Chown/PA)
(PA Wire)
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 11:29
Rain delays start at Wimbledon
No tennis so far this morning, but the forecast looks sunny and dry this afternoon. That will be a relief to organisers who are already behind schedule, with several first-round matches still to be played including Britain’s Harriet Dart, who takes on Rebeka Masarova on Court 12.
The covers are peeled off the outside courts
(PA)
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 11:23
Rain delays start at Wimbledon
A further update on Court 3, where Peniston is due on this morning: “As there as slight rain in the area, there will be no play until 11.45am.”
Lawrence Ostlere29 June 2022 11:20
