It was drizzle on Middle Sunday, the last officially game-free Sunday of the tournament.
The weather mixed up the players' plans a little, because they are not allowed to do much more than let themselves be driven from the hotel to the facility and back and do a little training in between.
With the words: "One hour there, one hour back, the day is almost over" Roger Federer described the situation at the end of the first week at Wimbledon. On this Monday the second, for the last time with all 16 games of the fourth round, begins the farewell to the wonderful, filled to the brim Manic Monday.
Federer's first class goal of still being there in week two has been achieved, and when asked how much he likes it, he replies: “Very much. VERY. "After a frighteningly nervous start in the first game, a clear increase in the second and further confirmation in the third with a few moments of doubt in the middle, he has now reached the state he had described before the tournament:" If I only once get rolling ... ”Against Lorenzo Sonego from Italy, number 23 and a good lawn man, he will play again on Center Court, for the fourth time in this tournament.
Alexander Zverev has only had the honor of being a guest on the world's most famous tennis court once, five years ago against the Czech Tomas Berdych. But especially in the first week it's less about the where and how, and more about winning at all, and that's exactly why he was satisfied after the victory in four sets against the American Taylor Fritz. It was certainly not the best game of his three so far, he said afterwards, but he had found a way to win and that was what counted. “You can't play perfect tennis for two weeks, you can't. I'm happy so far, but I know that there is still a lot of work ahead of me. "
This work will now be played in the second game of the day on Court No. 1 in the form of Felix Auger-Aliassime appear, a good three years younger than Zverev and currently number 19 in the world, industry code FAA. In round three, the Canadian lost a set against Nick Kyrgios, who had entertained himself and the audience in the first week, but at the beginning of the third the Australian gave up with pain in his abdominal muscles.
Whether the task against Auger-Aliassime will now be less difficult than it would have been against Kyrgios is a matter of debate. One thing is certain: it is becoming more predictable. In three games so far, Zverev has not lost a set, but none of these games took place on the lawn on which the Canadian plays best. What makes him dangerous? "He enjoys flat balls and can generate a lot of speed from them," says Zverev, "not many can do that."
Angelique Kerber can do it too, and she is expected on Center Court in round four. When she won in round three against Aliaksandra Sasnowitsch (2: 6, 6: 0, 6: 1) she seemed tired and absent from the end of the first set until a long rain break, but the break helped. After a concentrated start to the sequel, there was no stopping it, and after 75 minutes it was over. In round four against the 17-year-old Cori Gauff this Monday (around 4.30 p.m. on Sky) it should take longer.
Two years ago on her debut at Wimbledon, the American had already conquered the green world with great momentum and landed in the round of 16, and her repeated appearance at this level will now be her fourth in a Grand Slam tournament. Four times the last sixteen at 17 - that is reminiscent of the teenage dominance of earlier times with Jennifer Capriati, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis. Angelique Kerber is also impressed by the qualities of her opponent. “She's very professional, very focused, and she knows what she wants. She's got the fire. I've never played against them, so I'm really looking forward to the match. "
Great Britain has meanwhile discovered another young player with a bang, 18-year-old Emma Raducanu, daughter of a Chinese mother and father from Romania, born in Canada and landed in England at the age of two, currently number 338 in the world. Starting the first Grand Slam tournament of her life with a wildcard, she astounded with three wins and a brave game. And the dimensions of the breathlessness of the discovery could be seen in the Sunday edition of the Daily Mail. Emma Raducanu and Harry Kane, star strikers of the national soccer team, appeared at the top of the front page, the same size in the picture.