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Kyrgios and Tsitsipas out of control

Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas pushed the boundaries of fairness beyond recognition, spectators went wild – and referee Damien Dumusois struggled to stay in control. In a spectacular Wimbledon match between two players who had a deep dislike, Kyrgios prevailed 6: 7 (2: 7), 6: 4, 6: 3, 7: 6 (9: 7) and reached the round of 16 on Saturday evening.

The 27-year-old Australian was outraged from the start, grumbling about the line judges and shouting across the pitch. Then the scene that made him explode: After a forearm serve, Tsitsipas (23) threw the ball into the audience in frustration – and got a warning for it. Kyrgios demanded more, he called the referee, when he made no other decision, he kept complaining. “Are you stupid?” he asked Dumusois: “You are a disgrace, you change the rules as you wish.”

Tsitsipas reacted angrily and hit some balls brutally hard on Kyrgios’ body when he was on the net. Not the fine tennis kind at the posh All England Club. But the tournament account asked the fans on Twitter: “Don’t you feel entertained?” After hitting the ball again in the stands, Tsitsipas received a point penalty.

Number one surprisingly eliminated at Wimbledon

It was only in the fourth round that things calmed down, there was more play than discussion. After the roof was closed at 4:4, Kyrgios won the game. The “bad boy” of the tennis scene, who was once punished by the ATP after a freak out and played under probation for months, had previously caused a stir during the tournament. On his first lap, he lost his temper and spat in the direction of a spectator who allegedly insulted him.


Iga Swiatek in the match against Alize Cornet
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Image: AP

Before that, in the far more disciplined part of the evening, the number one in Wimbledon was eliminated surprisingly early: After 37 wins in a row, six titles and a dominance that is unique in this millennium, Iga Swiatek has been deciphered – by an experienced Frenchwoman who has experience with it , knocking out the All England Club favorite from the tournament.

Swiatek lost in the third round to Alize Cornet 4-6, 2-6, the same fate befell Serena Williams eight years ago. The eighth top 10 player was knocked out of a tournament full of surprises, including Germany’s Jule Niemeier and Tatjana Maria, in the first week.

“I knew I could beat Iga”

“I live and train for these matches,” said Cornet in the winner’s interview on Center Court, where she had also defeated Williams at the time: “I knew I could beat Iga. If I have a chance against them, it’s on grass. Here she plays less confidently. I guess I like the surprises.”

After her French Open victory, Swiatek decided not to warm up on grass and canceled the tournament in Berlin. That took revenge in Wimbledon. In the previous round against the Dutch outsider Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove, she had to fight unusually hard to get through and later admitted that she was a little strange about the fast green.

Alize Cornet celebrates winning the first set.


Alize Cornet celebrates winning the first set.
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Image: dpa

“I don’t want to lie, grass is a tricky surface for me,” admitted the Pole: “I think everyone can see that I don’t play as efficiently as on other surfaces.”

On the other hand, Cornet, who also beat Angelique Kerber in Bad Homburg as a Wimbledon preparation, feels very comfortable. The 32-year-old has the experience of 62 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, equaling the record held by Japan’s Ai Sugiyama at this edition of the championships in south-west London.

“I am like a good wine – and good wine always ages well in France,” said Cornet and found words of comfort for Swiatek, who is eleven years younger and who has had to deal with a defeat for the first time since February. “I’m a big fan of hers. She is so talented, an incredible player and a lovely ambassador for women’s tennis,” said Cornet.

Double out for Niemeier / Petkovic – Nadal sovereign

Wimbledon surprise Jule Niemeier was eliminated in the doubles competition one day before her singles round of 16. The 22-year-old from Dortmund lost alongside Andrea Petkovic (Darmstadt), twelve years her senior, against Xu Yifan/Yang Zhaoxuan (China/No. 9) 3:6, 6:0, 5:7. The German duo missed a match point.

Niemeier has already won three singles on her debut at the All England Club and is expected to meet Brit Heather Watson on Center Court on Sunday. The number 121 in the tennis world rankings, who like Niemeier is in the round of 16 of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time, won her doubles with Harriet Dart on Saturday, but then gave up the mixed with her compatriot Ken Skupski – officially because of a knee injury.

On the other hand, co-favorite Rafael Nadal did not show any weakness among men. The 36-year-old Spaniard showed his best performance of the tournament on Saturday evening in a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win over Italian Lorenzo Sonego. In the previous two rounds, Nadal had given up one set each. In the round of the top 16 he now meets the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, whom he had already defeated at the French Open. After the triumphs at the Australian Open and the French Open, Nadal still has the chance of his third Grand Slam title of the year.

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