WIMBLEDON 2024 LIVE: TENNIS SCORES INCLUDING FILS V DE MINAUR AS DJOKOVIC RETURNS AFTER RADUCANU CRASHES OUT

Wimbledon 2024: Day 8

• Past champions Elena Rybakina and Novak Djokovic return to Centre Court on Day 8 at SW19
• Emma Raducanu breaks silence on decision that ended Andy Murray’s Wimbledon career
• Giant Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s run as a lucky loser over after defeat to Lorenzo Musetti
• SET! De Minaur races into the lead against Fils on No.1 Court (6-2)

Arthur Fils 2-6, 4-5* Alex de Minaur

De Minaur serving for the set and is off to a fine start with a few cheap points.

The Aussie soon carves out three set points, but a tense rally with plenty of slices goes the way of Fils. 40-15.

Wimbledon 2024

Elena Rybakina 6-3 Anna Kalinskaya

On Centre Court, 2022 champion Rybakina has just taken the first set against Kalinskaya, 6-3, stepping up after being installed as the favourite with plenty of contenders tumbling, including Swiatek, Gauff and Raducanu.

Wimbledon 2024

Arthur Fils *2-6, 3-5 Alex de Minaur

Some sensation returning from De Minaur, a second return flushed and brings up another break point, this one a set point.

But Fils pummels a serve down at 125mph and is back to deuce.

Wimbledon 2024

Arthur Fils *2-6, 3-5 Alex de Minaur

Excellent tennis from the Australian, again.

The disguised backhand drop shot sends Fils racing to the net.

And De Minaur wins the point with a magnificent lob. Now just one game from a two-set lead.

Wimbledon 2024

Arthur Fils 2-6, 3-4*Alex de Minaur

Lleyton Hewitt with a fist pump between games and barking words of encouragement towards De Minaur below as he wipes away sweat on his forehead.

Fils is putting everything into some of these strokes, De Minaur is happy to slow it down if he can with a slice.

Thunderous tennis from Fils as he sends De Minaur sprawling across No. 1 Court, but the Aussie’s lob almost catches the Frenchman off guard, before a smart smash saves one break point.

A sloppy backhand hits the net though, BREAK! That’s three straight games...

Arthur Fils *2-6, 3-3 Alex de Minaur

Not as comfortable for de Minaur on his serve, as a couple of mistakes lead him to 30-all. He rakes a cross-court forehand across for 40-30, before taking the game as Fils hooks a return long.

The Aussie holds serve and confirms the break!

Arthur Fils 2-6, 3-2* Alex de Minaur

De Minaur easily holds his serve and then races into a 40-0 lead on Fils’ serve in the next game. He hits against the net for 40-15, but he still has two break points.

And he takes it after Fils can only crash a backhand against the net!

Arthur Fils 2-6, 3-0* Alex de Minaur

The first point of the third game goes to the Aussie, as he fires a brilliant cross-court backhand on the jump.

Fils fights back with a couple of brilliant serves though, and his latest one makes it 40-15. But he lets de Minaur back to deuce after a double fault and an unforced error!

And Fils takes the game once more as de Minaur sweeps a shot wide before the Frenchman’s drop shot is returned against the net!

Fils breaks in the second set!

Arthur Fils 2-6, 2-0 Alex de Minaur

Better again from Fils as he takes the first game of the second set and holds serve.

The Frenchman takes a 40-15 lead in the second game two as de Minaur crashes a shot against the net and then scoops a return past the baseline. But de Minaur challenges and it landed on the line by a millimetre!

The point is replayed, and Fils delivers a brilliant slice from the baseline that de Minaur can only hit against the net.

The Frenchman has two break points, but he loses both of them as he fires a shot into the net.

Fils saves the game with a brilliant cross-court shot before gaining the advantage after approaching the net and guiding a volley over.

And Fils breaks after de Minaur can only return against the net!

Wimbledon 2024: De Minaur takes the first set against Fils

Wimbledon 2024: de Minaur takes the first set against Fils

Arthur Fils 2-6 Alex de Minaur

Good work from de Minaur as his approach to the net forces Fils into an attempted lob that lands out.

Fils goes long with the next shot before de Minaur takes the first set 6-2!

Arthur Fils 2-5* Alex de Minaur

Signs from Fils that the next set might be more equal, as he races into a 40-0 lead before a long rally ends with him forcing de Minaur back and forth before firing a cross-court winner.

Arthur Fils *1-5 Alex de Minaur

A bit more fight here from Fils as he fools de Minaur with a drop shot and then forces him into hitting a shot long.

The Aussie goes long once more with an unforced error to bring us back to deuce, but he recovers well to rake a brilliant cross-court into a postage stamp past Fils.

Fils slices into the net on the next point to give de Minaur the game.

Arthur Fils 1-4* Alex de Minaur

Alex de Minaur races into the 40-0 lead thanks to an ace and some unforced errors from Fils, and another error from the Frenchman crashes against the net for 4-0 in the first set.

But Fils takes his first game of the day, rifling home a couple of aces and conceding just the one point. Much improved there from the Frenchman.

Wimbledon 2024: Arthur Fils v Alex de Minaur

Arthur Fils 0-3* Alex de Minaur

We move on to Court One, where ninth seed Alex de Minaur faces Frenchman Arthur Fils.

The Australian breaks Fils in the first game and then holds serve to confirm, and we’re already at 2-0 in set one.

Fils goes long on two returns in a row for 30-15 to de Minaur, but the Frenchman drags himself back into it as he approaches the net.

He rifles his next effort into the net to give de Minaur the chance at a double break – but he fires past the baseline for deuce.

The Aussie takes the advantage after Fils drags a shot wide, and the game then goes to the Australian!

Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 Perricard

That was a gutsy effort from Musetti, he stayed calm despite a one-set deficit and ruthlessly controlled the power coming his way from Perricard.

He moves to 11-3 on grass this season, the most wins on tour for the surface, with a quarter-final against Zverev or Fritz next.

Musetti beats Perricard 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2

Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2*Perricard

Perricard wrapped up his last service game in 45 seconds, and he clearly doesn’t want to get into rallies here, but it’s forcing him into mistakes.

He goes long on the return for 15-0 to Musetti, and then scoops into the net when approaching for 30-0 to the Italian.

He looks tired now, hooking a backhand long for three match points.

He rifles in an ace to save himself for now, and then another unreturnable serve for 40-30 to Musetti.

And Musetti takes it after a 30-stroke rally that ends with the Frenchman scooping past the baseline!

Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-2* Perricard

Musetti holds serve once again, with Perricard offering him plenty of unforced errors in that game.

Perricard needs to do something special if he wants to stay in the competition now. 5-2, with a rain break potentially on the horizon, and the Frenchman to serve.

Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-2* Perricard

Comfortableon his serve for Musetti, as Perricard makes two errors on the return to give the Italian a 40-0 lead.

Musetti hooks a backhand wide for 40-15, but he takes the game after Perricard approaches the net but can only guide his return into the net.

Musetti *4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 3-1 Perricard

Perricard looks like he’s done out on Court Two, failing to return the serve before Musetti fires in an ace. The Italian takes the game after approaching the net and guiding the winner in.

Better from Perricard on his serve though, and he gets to the net to fire the winner. He does the same next point, but fires a return wide for 30-15.

He takes the game after Musetti mistimes his shot and scoops an easy return wide of the line.

Musetti *4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 2-0 Perricard

Musetti holds serve within four minutes – he wants to beat the rain and Perricard today.

Perricard goes long with his return for 15-0, and it 30-0 to the Italian after a brief rally at the net ends with Perricard scooping another shot long.

Musetti has the Frenchman on the ropes now - the longest rally of the match ends with Perricard tiredly dragging a cross-court backhand wide of the line.

Three break points for Musetti – and he dispatches a lovely shot down the line after another long rally. He’s broken in just the second game!

Musetti *4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Perricard

19 unforced errors from Perricard in that set, compared to just three from Musetti.

The Frenchman won only 56 per cent of his first serve points there too.

He’s looking a little bit drained in what is his seventh match so far.

Wimbledon 2024

Musetti *4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Perricard

It’s been spitting on No.2 Court for a while, blustery too. But Musetti is coping well in the cool conditions and dispatching a number of winners to combat the erratic Perricard.

The lucky loser is 2-1 down now and must dig deep to keep his unlikely run alive. Some of his serves have missed by far, yet he’s still content to throw down 129mph second serves, even in a game where he tossed away three double faults.

A big set coming up to see if Perricard can extend another match to five sets.

Musetti takes the third set against Perricard

*Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Perricard

Perricard uses a challenge to confirm his shot landed narrowly in, and he gets the 30-0 lead before Musetti claws his way back in.

And he levels things with a brilliant cross-court winner that Perricard can’t return at the net!

And he’s ahead, 40-30, with another excellent cross-court winner. He’s got a break/set point here.

But he misses out for now as Perricard finds the inside of the line with a huge backhand.

He slices against the net though, and Musetti has advantage again – and the Italian takes the third set as Perricard hooks against the net!

Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 5-3 Perricard*

Musetti races into a 40-0 lead after Perricard forces one shot wide and other long.

The Italian approaches the net but Perricard forces him into the cushioned return from a lob before rifling a passing shot through.

No matter for the Italian though, as he takes the next point and holds serve again.

*Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 4-3 Perricard

An entertaining first point in the next game, with both players exchanging shots at the net before Perricard guides the winner across the Italian on the volley.

The Italian scoops another shot long and it’s 40-15, though Perricard’s mistake lets him back into it at 40-30.

A silly double fault from the Frenchman makes it deuce – he went for the big second serve again. He double faults again, back-to-back, to give Musetti the advantage and a chance for a second break – but he fires in 130mph serve for deuce again.

Musetti almost takes the win after two brilliant returns down the line, but his second is centimetres too long. The Italian has a third break point as the mild rain begins – but the Frenchman brings us back to deuce with a nice cross-court winner.

An extraordinary point saves Perricard – Musetti tries the inventive lob with the racquet between his legs, but it’s not high enough to beat the 6’8 Frenchman.

Moments ,after, he saves another break point by firing two brilliant overheads, the second of which is unreturnable.

Perricard finally takes it after forcing Musetti wide and then firing the return into acres of empty space.

Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 4-2 Perricard*

The sky is getting greyer and greyer at the moment, but no sign of a break in play yet.

The sixth game of the set starts off equal, before Perricard skids a return well wide and it’s 40-15 before he knows it.

The next point results in a couple of lovely shots in the rally, before Musetti takes the game with a beautiful backhand passing shot that he guides down the line.

*Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 3-2 Perricard

A good first serve from Perricard is too much for Musetti, and the Frenchman makes it 30-0 after Musetti scoops a return past the baseline.

Another huge serve – 128mph – is unreturnable, and it’s 40-0.

The Frenchman takes the game with an overhead smash, and will look to answer Musetti’s break in the next game.

*Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 3-1 Perricard

Perricard could be in trouble here!

The Italian has the break point and he takes it for an early advantage in set three.

The Italian hits a brilliant cross-court winner for 30-15 in the next game, before an almost carbon copy of the shot once more to make it 40-15.

He confirms the break with a silky drop shot that the Frenchman can’t reach.

Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 1-1 Perricard*

Perricard takes the first game of the third set, and Musetti will hope to hold early on too.

Perricard scoops a return into the base of the net and the Italian follows up with an ace to take it to 40-0.

The Frenchman can’t return the second serve on the next point after the Italian cleverly sends it wide, and both players hold.

Musetti takes the second set on Court Two

Musetti 4-6, 6-3 Perricard

Perricard races to the net to guide a backhand volley home, with a little help from the top if the net.

But Musetti responds with a superb raking cross-court winner past the advancing Frenchman for 30-15.

He gets the next point and he’ll have two set points – he only needs one though, as Perricard hooks a return long and the Italian takes the second set!

Musetti 4-6, *5-3 Perricard

A lovely dustuigsed drop shot from Musetti puts him 40-15 up, so he has two break points.

And Perricard double faults! What a risk – he went for the big second serve and it landed miles wide.

Musetti will serve for the set.

Musetti 4-6, 4-3* Perricard

Another fairly one-sided game for the one serving, with Perricard scuffing a couple of shots to give Musetti the 40-15 lead before the Frenchman can’t return the serve. Another hold for 4-3.

Musetti 4-6, *3-3 Perricard

Both players holding serve so far in set two, with Perricard’s serve giving him to games with unanswered points.

Musetti 4-6, *1-1 Perricard

Musetti entered Wimbledon with the most wins on grass this year and a 10-2 record.

A solid service game to open the second set sees Musetti target the Perricard forehand out wide on the love side of the court.

A comfy hold, just what the Italian needed after dropping a tight opener.

In a flash, Perricard holds, coming in with aggression and calmly cushioning a backhand volley away from Musetti to hold.

Wimbledon 2024

Musetti *4-6 Perricard

Who is attacking most?

Well, Musetti is attacking just 25% of the time, and Perricard is attacking in 37% of the points.

The more aggressive player is being rewarded so far, it helps when your first serve is easily touching 130mph.

A wayward forehand back across court on the run from Musetti drifts out. Set point...

But that’s a sloppy backhand from Perricard and he spurns his first shot at claiming the first set. But that’s enough, 139mph, 6-4 to Perricard and big step for the giant Frenchman towards the quart-erfinals.

Unforced errors? Well, Musetti made just two to Perricard’s nine. But he could only make five winners to his opponent’s 10. With 27 points each, it was a tight first set.

Wimbledon 2024

Musetti 4-5* Perricard

The towering Frenchman makes light work holding to confirm the break.

Now Musetti serving to stay in the set. But Perricard is bullying his opponent somewhat, stepping in and swiping the ball deep and wide of Musetti’s stance.

But the Italian approaches the net well and puts away a smash to edge ahead once more.

And Perricard lets one go and will now serve to claim the first set.

Wimbledon 2024

Musetti 3-4* Perricard

A crunch game for both men here, Perricard digging out a delicate drop shot with a volley. But at 0-30, the Italian swipes a fine winner and brings himself back into the contest at 30-30.

A chip and run from Perricard and Musetti nets to bring up break point but Musetti salvages the first. But the Italian's forehand sails long in the next point and another unforced error is enough for the lucky loser to strike first, he leads 4-3 with a break.

Wimbledon 2024: Order of play on Monday

Here’s a reminder of the scheduled order of play today on the main courts.

NOW on Court Two – (25) Lorenzo Musetti 3-2 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

1pm Court One – Arthur Fils v (9) Alex de Minaur

1.30pm Centre Court – (4) Elena Rybakina v (17) Anna Kalinskaya

2pm Court Two – (21) Elina Svitolina v Wang Xinyu

2.45pm Centre Court – (13) Taylor Fritz v (4) Alexander Zverev

3pm Court One – Yulia Putintseva v (13) Jelena Ostapenko

4.15pm Court One – (11) Danielle Collins v (31) Barbora Krejcikova

4.45pm Centre Court – (15) Holger Rune v (2) Novak Djokovic

The full order of play can be seen below.

Wimbledon order of play and Monday’s schedule

Coco Gauff praises depth of women’s tennis after Wimbledon exit

“I’ve played so many slams where anybody can win. The seed is just a number, just an advantage so you don’t play another seed first round. That doesn’t mean you can’t lose, as we’ve seen a lot of seeds drop out. We’ve seen defending champions drop out,” the American told reporters.

“Even though the (unseeded) players may not be as known, they’re so talented. That’s something that fans of the game are a little bit disrespectful when it comes to other players on tour. Maybe their ranking isn’t there but the level is there.

“They’re here for a reason. They deserve their spot. There’s no easy draw. There’s no cakewalk or anything. This is a competitive sport and we all want to win.”

“When you see seven different champions in the past few years, that just shows there’s so much depth in the game I think it’s great. I think it makes the sport entertaining,” the 20-year-old said. There’s no easy matches... it pushes me as a player to want to be better.”

Wimbledon 2024: Day 8

Iga Swiatek’s ‘tank was empty’ as world number one exits Wimbledon

World number one Iga Swiatek admitted she had nothing left in the tank after she suffered more Wimbledon woe by crashing out in the third round to Yulia Putintseva.

Swiatek was on a 21-match winning streak and looked on course to cruise into the last 16 when she claimed the opener, but the Kazakhstan player hit back with a brilliant second set where she broke twice.

Four-time French Open champion Swiatek raced off court before the decider and when she eventually returned faced boos from an impatient crowd.

It seemed to knock the top seed off her stride and Putintseva roared to a 3-6 6-1 6-2 victory on her third match point.

Iga Swiatek’s ‘tank was empty’ as world number one exits Wimbledon

Wimbledon 2024 weather forecast: Rain set to disrupt Monday’s matches

Wimbledon could be set for further disruptions due to rain and wind on Monday as players, fans and ground staff battle the elements.

The overall outlook is much better though, with the UK’s summer barely getting off the ground and the tennis at SW19 affected last week by spells of rain and blustery winds.

Below-average temperatures are expected once more on Monday after rain heavily impacted the amount of play on Sunday.

Wimbledon weather forecast as rain set to disrupt Monday’s matches

Iga Swiatek booed out of Wimbledon as Yulia Putintseva halts 21-match win streak

World number one Iga Swiatek suffered more Wimbledon woe after she was booed on Court One before she crashed out in the third round to Yulia Putintseva.

Swiatek was on a 21-match winning streak and looked on course to cruise into the last 16 at the All England Club when she claimed the opener, but the Kazakhstan player hit back with a brilliant second set where she broke twice.

Four-time French Open champion Swiatek raced off court before the decider and when she eventually returned faced boos from an impatient crowd.

Iga Swiatek booed out of Wimbledon as Yulia Putintseva halts 21-match win streak

Wimbledon’s ‘Last 8 Club’ and why winners get free tickets for life

The fourth round of Wimbledon gets underway on Sunday with players knowing they are just one more win away from the quarter-finals of the Championships.

It’s a special stage of the tournament as the second week begins and the contenders for the titles are narrowed down, while there is also more than prize money at stake.

Reaching the quarter-finals of the men’s and women’s singles at the All England Club earns players £375,000, as well as entry into an exclusive Wimbledon group.

Wimbledon’s ‘Last 8 Club’ and why winners get free tickets for life

Jannik Sinner lays down powerful marker to leave Carlos Alcaraz quaking

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz remain on course for a scintillating semi-final showdown at Wimbledon but the Italian will be happier with his work on the middle Sunday at SW19 as the pair moved just one step away from renewing a rivalry that could well define the next decade of men’s tennis.

While Alcaraz was toiling away on Centre Court, being pushed by the relentless Ugo Humbert before escaping with a four-set win, Sinner was swatting away a potentially dangerous foe in Ben Shelton on No 1 Court with remarkable ruthlessness.

Shelton has arguably been the busiest man at Wimbledon this week, with his first three matches in the men’s singles draw all going to five sets, while he has also been playing doubles alongside Mackenzie McDonald. The 21-year-old American, who burst on to the scene with his run to the semi-finals at last year’s US Open, is a ball of energy around the court and showed no ill effects from his punishing schedule, but Sinner largely outclassed him in a 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) win that took just over two hours.

Jannik Sinner lays down powerful marker to leave Carlos Alcaraz quaking

Judy Murray responds to Emma Raducanu comment after shock Wimbledon doubles decision

Judy Murray has said she was being sarcastic when she labelled Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal from her mixed-doubles match with Andy Murray as “astonishing”.

Andy’s Wimbledon career came to an abrupt end as Raducanu’s decision to pull out of the mixed-doubles left the two-time champion unable to play his last match at SW19.

Raducanu withdrew while citing stiffness in her wrist, prioritising her health ahead of her singles match against Lulu Sun as the 21-year-old bids to reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final.

Judy Murray responds to Emma Raducanu comment after shock Wimbledon doubles decision

Coco Gauff crashes out with shock defeat to continue Wimbledon woe

Coco Gauff failed to smash through her grass ceiling as she once again was unable to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

The second seed was beaten in straight sets, 6-4 6-3, by fellow American Emma Navarro on Centre Court.

Wimbledon remains the only grand slam at which Gauff, the reigning champion on the hard courts at the US Open and a runner-up on the Roland Garros clay, has not reached the last eight.

She had previously reached the fourth round on the lawns of SW19 twice, including on her debut in 2019 when, as a precocious 15-year-old, she beat former champion Venus Williams.

Gauff looked like a genuine contender for the title this year with the draw having opened up nicely, not least with Saturday’s defeat of her nemesis, the world No 1 Iga Swiatek.

Coco Gauff crashes out with shock defeat to continue Wimbledon woe

Carlos Alcaraz hopes Spain follow his lead after beating France’s Ugo Humbert

Reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz hopes his fourth-round victory over Frenchman Ugo Humbert is a good omen ahead of Spain’s Euro 2024 semi-final on Tuesday.

Alcaraz had his serve broken five times by Humbert but regrouped to book a quarter-final berth, which will take place on the same day Spain face France in Munich for a place in the final.

With Spain set to kick off at 8pm on Tuesday, world number three Alcaraz is hopeful All England Club organisers will schedule his last-eight tie for earlier in the day.

“Hopefully they’re going to get the same results as me today,” Alcaraz said with a smile.

Carlos Alcaraz hopes Spain follow his lead after beating France’s Ugo Humbert

TV presenter Anne Diamond criticised over ‘unforgivable’ Emma Raducanu remark

The TV presenter Anne Diamond has been criticised for calling Emma Raducanu’s decision to drop out of a mixed doubles tournament with Andy Murray “unforgivable”.

The 21-year-old tennis champ announced on Saturday (6 July) that she had pulled out of the match with Murray due to stiffness in her right wrist – this, however, meant that what would have been Murray’s final Championships match was cancelled. Instead, his defeat alongside his brother Jamie in the men’s double on Thursday (4 July) would now be recognised as his last ever match.

Diamond, who found fame on the Eighties chat show Good Morning Britain and is currently a presenter on GB News, was appearing on the channel when she criticised Raducanu. At one point she compared the player’s decision to Rishi Sunak’s heavily condemned decision to leave a D-Day event early in June.

TV presenter Anne Diamond criticised over ‘unforgivable’ Emma Raducanu remark

When is Novak Djokovic’s match at Wimbledon against Holger Rune?

Novak Djokovic battles Holger Rune for a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, with the seven-time champion expecting “fireworks” in the match of the day on Centre Court.

Djokovic has lost twice against the 21-year-old Rune in their previous five meetings, with Rune defeating the Serbian in back-to-back matches in Paris and Rome to establish himself as one of the sport’s biggest rising stars.

Rune has struggled for forms at times this season but the confident Dane will fancy his chances of pulling off an upset, with Djokovic dropping a set in his two previous wins against the British wildcard Jacob Fearnley and unseeded Australian Alexei Popyrin.

When is Novak Djokovic’s match at Wimbledon against Holger Rune?

Wimbledon 2024 prize money: How much do players earn round-by-round?

The total prize money at Wimbledon has reached £50m for the first time ahead of the 2024 Championships.

The winner of the men’s and women’s singles titles will take home a record £2.7m each, with the runner-ups earning £1.4m.

The prize money increases round-by-round, starting from £60,000 for reaching the first round - even if you don’t win.

Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova took home a record £2.35m last year, with the prize money for the men’s and women’s singles champion increasing by almost 15 per cent in 2024.

Wimbledon 2024 prize money: How much do players earn round-by-round?

Wimbledon 2024 commentators and presenters: BBC line-up including Nick Kyrgios, Clare Balding and John McEnroe

Wimbledon returns to our screens over the next fortnight after a thrilling tournament last year that culminated in Carlos Alcaraz defeating Novak Djokovic in an epic men’s final watched by an audience of over 15 million.

There was a significant change in the BBC’s coverage last year, as Clare Balding succeeded Sue Barker as the face of Wimbledon. Barker had been the BBC’s lead Wimbledon presenter for 30 years.

And there is a controversial addition to the coverage this year, with Nick Kyrgios, the Australian star and Wimbledon runner-up two years ago, joining the BBC to offer commentary while he remains sidelined by injury.

Wimbledon 2024 commentators and BBC presenters including Nick Kyrgios

Giant Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard carries the spirit of the lucky loser at Wimbledon

After his lucky break, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is making the most of his opportunity at Wimbledon. At 6’8”, the giant Frenchman with a serve that has reached a top speed of 151 mph can appear to tower above the rest of the field at the All England Club in more ways than one: with 105 aces and 196 winners from his three wins so far, he is topping the stat sheets while flying through the tournament.

But what is even more notable against Mpetshi Perricard’s breakthrough is that he wasn’t even supposed to be in the main draw. Beaten in the final round of qualifying, he is the first lucky loser to reach the second week at Wimbledon for 29 years.

The lucky loser has found he has, well, “nothing to lose”. As the top seed in qualifying, Mpetshi Perricard thought his hopes of a Wimbledon debut were over a narrow defeat to compatriot Maxime Janvier. Mpetshi Perricard was left hanging around the locker rooms at the All England Club, holding out for a late withdrawal, when on Sunday night he got the news he was waiting for. He replaced Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the main draw and took the injured Spaniard’s first-round match against the American seed Korda.

Giant Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard carries the spirit of the lucky loser at Wimbledon

Emma Raducanu out of Wimbledon after painful defeat to qualifier Lulu Sun

At least Emma Raducanu knew the feeling, of being the unknown, overlooked quantity and stepping onto the big stage to attack with merciless intent. But at Wimbledon, the strategy that won Raducanu the US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier has now been used against her.

As New Zealand player Lulu Sun thundered another crushing forehand winner past Raducanu on Centre Court, the world No 123 advanced to the quarter-finals having started the tournament in the first round of qualifying two weeks ago.

A 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 scoreline illustrates one story from this match, a one-sided first set, a battle in the second, a challenging third after Raducanu slipped on the grass and called a medical timeout that rather stalled her comeback.

But a winners’ count of 52 for Sun to Raducanu’s 19 tells another tale. The Sun, really, was on fire, as the last British player in the singles draw was wiped off Centre Court by a barrage of forehand strikes from the 23-year-old only making her second appearance at a grand slam.

Emma Raducanu out of Wimbledon after painful defeat to qualifier Lulu Sun

Wimbledon Monday order of play: Past champions Elena Rybakina and Novak Djokovic return on Day 8

Novak Djokovic returns to action as the fourth round of Wimbledon continues, with the seven-time champion facing Holger Rune in the match of the day on Centre Court.

Rune, 21, has beaten Djokovic in two of their five meetings and the confident Dane will fancy his chances of taking down the seven-time champion at Wimbledon. .

Elsewhere, Elena Rybakina is looking strong and the 2022 champion Anna Kalinskaya in a wide-open section of the women’s draw after Yulia Putintsevka knocked out world No 1 Iga Swiatek.

Wimbledon order of play and Monday’s schedule

Emma Raducanu breaks silence on decision that ended Andy Murray’s Wimbledon career after singles exit

Emma Raducanu said she stands by her decision to withdraw from her Wimbledon mixed-doubles match with Andy Murray after exiting the singles tournament following a three-set defeat to qualifier Lulu Sun.

Raducanu woke up with a stiff wrist on Saturday and informed Murray that she would be prioritising her involvement in the singles, even though it denied the two-time champion a final match at the All England Club.

The 21-year-old was then knocked out in the singles in the fourth round by world number 123 Sun on Centre Court on Sunday, losing in three sets to the qualifier as she struggled with her lower back.