While Jordan Thompson focused on his third round match against Luciano Darderi on Friday, spectators on Court 18 could be excused for being distracted by his famous Australian supporters.
Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles champion and now Australia’s Davis Cup captain, was a prominent member of Thompson’s player box, while former world No.1 Pat Rafter took in some of the match from the broadcast balcony.
Rafter is attending The Championships for the first time since 2014 and making only his second visit since he contested the latter of two consecutive Wimbledon finals in 2001.
Earlier, Rafter spent time reminiscing with Goran Ivanisevic about the 2001 Wimbledon final, which was played on a Monday after rain delays.
Known for his serve and volley style, Rafter was delighted to see Thompson make multiple trips to the net, which proved the right strategy as the world No.44 progressed in comparatively smooth fashion.
After five set wins over Vit Kopriva and Benjamin Bonzi, Thompson was a 6-4 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 winner over Darderi.
This is Thompson's best performance in his ninth campaign at The Championships, where he is now preparing to meet No.5 seed Taylor Fritz in the fourth round.
“It means everything,” said the 31-year-old. “I think grass is my best surface and it hasn’t really shown at Wimbledon, so to finally live up to expectations is extremely pleasing.”
Back in business
Could Andrey Rublev and Cameron Norrie be warming up for a return to the business end of The Championships? Both claimed confidence-boosting wins on Friday.
For No.14 seed Rublev, a 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 win over tricky Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Friday was a significant step towards matching his best performance as a 2023 quarter-finalist.
Norrie backed up his second round upset of No.12 seed Frances Tiafoe with a straight sets win over Mattia Belucci on No.1 Court.
He enters the fourth round against qualifier Nicolas Jarry with hopes of replicating his semi-final campaign at Wimbledon in 2022.
Marathon men
Karen Khachanov, a quarter-finalist four years ago, was made to work for a return to the second week at The Championships.
After almost four hours, the No.17 seed dispatched Nuno Borges 7-6(6), 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(8) to set up a meeting with Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak.
But an inspired run finally ended for headline maker Arthur Rinderknech.
After wins over No.3 seed Alexander Zverev and Cristian Garin, the Frenchman exited in straight sets to Majchrzak, who conquered Matteo Berrettini in the first round.
Youth versus experience
The Wimbledon dream continues for Solana Sierra. Having exited the tournament in Qualifying, only to earn entry as a lucky loser, the 21-year-old Argentine advanced to the last 16 with a 7-5, 1-6, 6-1 victory over Cristina Bucsa.
It sets up a youth-vs-experience fourth round match with Laura Siegemund, who advanced with a straight sets upset of No.6 seed Madison Keys.
At 37, Siegemund was the second-oldest woman to start at Wimbledon (after German countrywoman Tatjana Maria) and will be thrilled to make up for lost time.
Siegemund fell in Grand Slam Qualifying 10 times before making her main draw debut at the 2015 Championships. Ten years on, world No.104 Siegemund has advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time.
Linda Noskova, the No.30 seed, is also relishing a career-best performance; with a 7-6(6), 7-5 win over Kamilla Rakhimova, the 20-year-old Czech setting up a fourth-round meeting with No.13 seed Amanda Anisimova.
Doubling up
There was a rematch – of sorts – of the 2024 ladies’ singles final as Barbora Krejcikova, partnering Hao-Ching Chan, faced Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani in the second round of the 2025 ladies’ doubles.
Just as she’d done in the final last year, the Czech emerged triumphant. In an upset, Krejcikova and Chan claimed a 6-3, 6-2 win over the No.3 seeds and recent Roland-Garros champions.
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