Caros Alcaraz lost his first set of the week on a rain-interrupted Saturday as Chilean opponent Nicolas Jarry put up a struggle before losing 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5 to reach the Wimbledon second week.
The top seed needed three hours to advance as he fights to keep his top ATP ranking with Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev challenging his superiority.
Jarry who lost to his Spanish opponent in the Rio semi-finals this season, happily gave away four match racquets to autograph-seeking kids on his way off Centre Court.
Alcaraz broke in the penultimate game of the afternoon before closing out victory.
Play around the grounds was paused for up to four hours on outside courts as bands of rainy weather passed through.
“I’m really happy, but exhausted at the same time,” the winner said. “I’m happy to get through that tough match.
“”This match gave me a lot of confidence honestly… (like) every match that I win on Centre Court.
“Last year it was really tough for me to play my first match in the Centre Court. But now I feel that I belong to that court.”
Alcaraz credited keeping his focus with helping him to victory.
“I knew I would have my chances, the key is to always believe,” the 20-year-old said.
Third seed Daniil Medvedev kept his chances of sneaking the No. 1 ranking alive with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Marton Fucsovics to reach the last 16 for the second time on the grass.
Medvedev’s possibilities of reclaiming the top status he held for three weeks in early 2022 depend as well on the outcomes from Alcaraz and seven-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic.
He needed three hours to get past his Hungarian opponent, finishing with a service winner on fourth match point.
“I want to do well here, it’s by far my worst Grand Slam for results,” the 2021 US Open champion said.
“I have a big motivation to change that. But the further you go, the tougher the opponents.
“I want to show my best tennis and enjoy.”
Medvedev is working to lift his game on grass, a surface which has never been his strong suit.
“For sure on clay and the grass I play less good than on hard courts. But I want to try to change it and try to be in the finals of Slams playing the best players, even on these surfaces.
“There’s another chance for me this year. I hope I can continue playing the way I played today.”
Hard-working Stefanos Tsitsipas got something of a break as he competed for the fifth consecutive day due to rain interruptions this week, with the Greek successfully following up on back-to-back defeats of former Grand Slam winners Dominic Thiem and Andy Murray.
Fifth-seeded Tsitpas reached the second week for a second time here as he dominated Serb Laslo Djere 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in just over two hours.
“This is the first time this week it’s been easy for me,” the winner joked. “I’ve had some thrillers in the last few days.
Tsitsipa trailed 3-1 in the second set but quickly put that problem right.
“It was an important moment, I knew that if I didn’t fight back and find solutions, things could change.
“I didn’t give up, I was not hopeless. I felt a momentum switch in the tiebreaker – it was my moment to shine.
“I’ve played five days this week, my body is not the freshest right now.
“But the adrenaline kicked in and I feel no like I just got started.”
No. 6 Holger Rune won a four-hour struggle played out over two days, winning a fifth-set super tiebreaker and saving two match points for Spain’s Alejandro Fokina Davidovich to reach the fourth round for the first time here.
The Dane was not fooled by an underarm serve from his opponent at 8-8 in the deciding set,, sending the trick shot back with interest to earn a match point.
He converted to cheers as the struggle ended 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-6, 7-6 (10-8).
“I was not expecting that,” Rune said. “Wow – what a match.
“It was one of the most fun ones that I’ve played. It;s a great moment for sure reaching the last 16.
“It’s going much better than I expected, I’m so happy.”
American Christopher Eubanks set a personal best in his debut appearance here, reaching the fourth round 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) over Australian Christopher O’Connell after nearly three hours.
Tommy Paul was unable to lodge another American win as he went down to Jiri Lehecka 6-2, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-2 with the Czech to now face Medvedev.
