Good morning! Action will be getting underway at
Wimbledon shortly as the sixth day of the championships is here. There are three Wimbledon champions in action, with
Roger Federer,
Petra Kvitova and
Andy Murray all on Centre Court, as well as lots of other fascinating matches scheduled.
So here's the order of play for the two big show courts:
Centre Court:
Sam Groth vs. Roger Federer
Jelena Jankovic vs. Petra Kvitova
Andreas Seppi vs. Andy Murray
Court One:
Caroline Wozniacki vs. Camilo Giorgi
Marin Cilic vs. John Isner
James Ward vs. Vasek Pospisil
Gael Monfils vs. Gilles Simon
Roger Federer ousted the big serving Sam Querrey in the last round, and he'll have to be on strong returning form again today as he faces Australia's
Sam Groth, who holds the record for the fastest serve on the ATP tour. Petra Kvitova has spent less than 90 minutes on court so far in this championship, but she faces a tough task against former world number one Jelena Jankovic, before Andy Murray completes the day on Centre against Andreas Seppi. The British number one has a good record against the Italian, but Seppi knocked Federer out in the Australian Open earlier this year, so can rise to the occasion.
The second match on Court One is certainly worth keeping an eye on. Marin Cilic and John Isner return tied at 10-10 in the fifth set. The American was involved in a mammoth 11-hour match just a few years ago at Wimbledon, and Cilic has already come through a close match in round two, so that has potential to run for a while. Britain's James Ward has a decent chance to continue his run as he comes up against Vasek Pospisil, while the ever-entertaining Frenchman Gael Monfils takes on compatriot Gilles Simon. Caroline Wozniacki is up first there though, looking to match her career-best fourth round appearance at Wimbledon.
Some of the smaller courts already have players out warming up. Germany's Dustin Brown takes on Viktor Troicki on Court Three, having defeated two-time champion Rafael Nadal in four sets two days ago. 10th seed Angelique Kerber is already underway too - she's facing Garbine Muguruza on Court Two.
If you were following yesterday's action, you'll know that British number one
Heather Watson came close to causing a massive upset in her match against
Serena Williams. Watson served for the match against the world number one, but the top seed fought back to narrowly claim the win. Here's what the world number 59 had to say on Twitter after her exit:
WEATHER WATCH! So far the weather has been pretty kind to the schedule, with few disruptions over the first five days. It looks like it's going to stay dry today too, with sun forecast through until the early evening.
There are plenty more big names to follow later today. Former women's runner-up Sabine Lisicki takes on 15th seed Timea Bacsinszky, while another former finalist, Tomas Berdych, is in action against Pablo Andujar. 2012 finalist Agnieszka Radwanska plays later too, with the 13th seed facing Australia's Casey Dellacqua.
2004 champion Maria Sharapova has already secured her spot in the fourth round, beating Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania in straight sets yesterday. The Russian insists that she
always believes she can win.
The match that most of the crowd on the famous hill outside Court One will be waiting for today is Andy Murray's clash with Andreas Seppi. In seven previous meetings between the two, the Italian has only won once back in 2006 in the first match between the pair. This will be their first match at Wimbledon though.
Missed any of Friday's matches? Don't worry, all of yesterday's match reports, reaction and loads more is still available on our
Wimbledon page, where you can also follow live scores and updates from today's matches.
British number one
Heather Watson has been speaking more about her loss to world number one
Serena Williams. The top seed admitted after the match that Watson played the better match, and Watson revealed that Williams
praised her performance when they shook hands at the net at the end of the match.
Nadal's conqueror Dustin Brown is already in action in his third round match. It's on serve in the first set against Viktor Troicki, and it would appear that the German has found a fan in former heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis:
SET! Viktor Troicki gets the break which hands him the first set 6-4 against Germany's Dustin Brown. The 22nd seed has made a better start than Rafael Nadal managed against the world number 102.
It's just over half an hour until action gets underway on Centre Court. Roger Federer's only previously meeting with Sam Groth was in the second round at the US Open last year, where the world number two wrapped up a comfortable 6-4 6-4 6-4 win.
SET! 20th seed Roberto Bautista Agut is another player on court early today, and he's made a solid start to his match, edging out world number 153 Nikoloz Basilashvili in a first-set tiebreak.
Britain's James Ward will be looking to make it through to the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time later today. He's friends with opponent Vasek Pospisil, but insists that he is
ready to face the Canadian number two.
It certainly looks like he is ready too, as Ward has already been out for a morning practice at SW19:
Romanian tennis fans will have been dealt a big blow in the first round when third seed Simona Halep crashed out of the women's draw. Her compatriots have been stepping up though, and it looks like Monica Niculescu could be making it into the second week of the tournament, as she's a set up against Kristyna Pliskova.
SET! Roberto Bautista Agut had a bit of a battle in the first set against Georgian qualifier Basilashvili, but there were no such issues in the second set, as he wraps it up 6-0 to leave him just six more games from a spot in round four.
SET! Viktor Troicki is now 2-0 up against Dustin Brown, beating the German in a tiebreak to claim the second set. Brown had been a break up early in the set, but the Serbian hit back.
So, it's almost time for seven-time champion Roger Federer to make his way out to Centre Court for his third-round match against Sam Groth. We'll still keep you up to date with the scores from elsewhere, but we'll be focusing on game-by-game updates from Federer's match.
Before the players make their way out of the locker room, a number of the special guests at Centre Court are being introduced to the crowd, as is tradition for the middle Saturday. Among those in the royal box to watch today's action are Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams, England's record-breaking wicket taker James Anderson and former Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll.
SET! It looks like there's a rather epic battle going on out on Court Two, as Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza have only just finished their first set after almost 90 minutes on court. It went to a tiebreak, with both players having a number of chances to clinch the set, but it was Muguruza who came out on top, winning the breaker 14-12.
So far, it's been plain sailing for Federer. He thrashed Damir Dzumhur in the first round before recording a straight-sets win over Querrey to reach this stage. Federer was the runner-up last year, missing out on an eighth title in a five-set battle with Novak Djokovic. He'll be keen to avenge that loss this year.
27-year-old Aussie Sam Groth is still a relative newcomer to Grand Slam tennis. Aside from a wildcard at his home tournament in 2009, he didn't make his debut at the majors until last year, and was knocked out in the first round at SW19 in 2014. This run matches his third-round appearance in Melbourne earlier this year, but he will have to play the best match of his career to stun the world number two today.
Both players won a grass-court title on the build-up to Wimbledon. Federer won an eighth title at Halle in Germany, while Groth defeated compatriot Luke Saville in the final of a challenger event in Manchester last month.
The players make their way out on court. There's a huge cheer as the seven-time winner makes his way out, but the ever-present Australian Fanatics are in place to welcome Groth too.
Groth is best known for holding the record for he fastest serve on tour. The Aussie hit a 163.7mpg serve during a challenger tour match in Busan in 2012. By contrast, Federer's fastest ever serve was at Halle in 2010, and measure 143mph.
RESULT! After a closely-match first set, it didn't take Roberto Bautista Agut long to come through in straight sets against Nikoloz Basilashvili, dropping just one game in the second and third game. Read about his victory
here.
Right then, the players are ready to get the action underway on Centre Court, with Sam Groth serving first.
There's a bit of an odd start to the match as Federer calls for a challenge, believing that Groth has hit the ball long, only for the umpire to overall the line judge's call. That leads Groth to call for the review, but the umpire was right. A couple of huge serves from the Australian, including an ace, soon get him off the mark though, along with some clever play at the net. Variety like that could be key to keeping Groth in this match, and he seals the game with a 142mph ace.
Federer's serve doesn't have the same power as Groth's, but it's one of the most accurate on the ATP tour, and that causes problems for Groth on the return, giving the Swiss a comfortable hold in his first service game of the match.
Back on Court Three, Dustin Brown has taken the third set against Viktor Troicki to keep himself in the match.
Groth certainly isn't wasting any time, blasting a 147mph ace past the seven-time champion, before another huge delivery forces Federer to hit the ball into the net, handing the Australian the game.
The pair exchange groundshots from the baseline, but Groth hits his backhand out wide, before an ace from Federer quickly hands him a 40-0 lead. The second seed misses a forehand to give Groth a chance, but the record-breaking server is lacking on the return.
BREAK! Groth misses a couple of first serves, allowing Federer to take the return early against the second serve and put the Australian under pressure. Groth tries to wrap the game up with a volley, which has been a useful shot for him so far, but he gets it wrong to take the game to deuce. Federer shows his prowess at the net with a stunning sliced volley to give himself a break point, but Groth saves it with another huge serve. He actually got the ball toss wrong in the build up, offering a very Australian "sorry mate" apology to Federer. A couple more break points come and go for the Swiss, but Groth tries one volley too many and hits the ball into the net to hand Federer the break.
Over on Court Two, it took Garbine Muguruza 90 minutes to win the first set against Angelique Kerber, but the 10th seed needed just half an hour to level the match and force a deciding set.
It doesn't take Federer long to consolidate the break as Groth continues to find it hard to return the world number two's superbly accurate serving.
Groth look a little shell-shocked from the last couple of games, opening with a double fault. He quickly gets it back to 30-30, before hitting yet another ace, and Federer can only return long on the next point, preventing last year's runner-up from claiming a fourth game in a row.
Federer is absolutely rattling through his service games, as Groth fails to get a single return in for a second game in a row against the Swiss's serve.
Three aces in a row from Groth put him a strong position before Federer rifles his forehand long, ensuring that the second seed will have to try to serve out the first set next.
Caroline Wozniacki has made a bright start on Court One, wrapping up the first set against Camila Giorgi 6-2.
SET! Roger Federer is also a set to the good as he gets the better of Groth in rally, which have been few and far between so far, before hitting an ace. He clinches the set when the Australian misses a return, which has been the main problem for the 27-year-old so far.
BREAK! Groth is mixing it up at the start of the second set as he comes in for a volley, but a double fault on the next point gives Federer a chance to get an early break on the board, and he pounces with a stunning forehand to the sideline.
Groth just isn't able to put any pressure on Federer with his return of serve at the moment, as he just isn't able to read the movement that the world number two gets on the ball at all. He does manage to pick a point up, but it's an otherwise straight-forward hold for the seven-time champ.
RESULT! It's the end of a remarkable run for world number 102 Dustin Brown. The German has been beaten
in four sets by 22nd seed Viktor Troicki.
Groth is off the mark in the second set, getting his first serves in to keep Federer at the back of the court on the return. The wind is still causing the Australian a few problems with his ball toss, but he keeps his cool and gives a big shout of "come on" to try to fire himself up at the end of the game.
Groth tries his luck with a drop shot, but everything is going Federer's way at the moment, and the second seed manages to slot it back past his opponent, before a run of superb serves help him seal the game.
Groth has certainly got his rhythm back on serve as he gets a hold to love for the first time in this set. He's still a long way from being in this match, but at just a break down he has a chance in this set, but still needs to find a way to return the Federer serve.
After watching Groth make a string of poor returns against his serve to put him 40-0 up, Federer makes a rare unforced errors, slicing his backhand wide, but he makes amends on the next point as the Australian hits his return well wide.
It's a stunning serving display from both players at the moment as Groth continues to thump the ball over the net, finishing the game with his 12th ace of the match.
Groth tries to attack the Federer serve, coming in from the baseline to fire a well-timed backhand winner, putting him ahead in the game, but Federer quickly responds to maintain his break of serve.
RESULT! Angelique Kerber had been considered a dark horse for this year's Wimbledon, sitting in the opposite side of the draw to Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, but the 10th seed is out,
losing in three sets to Spain's Garbine Muguruza.
Well, Federer will have to serve for the set as Groth continues to use his power to get a comfortable hold. Federer made a stunning backhand return to give himself a chance to wrap it up against his opponent's serve, but he'll get a chance to go it in his own game next.
SET! It's as cool as you like from Roger Federer as he cruises to a two-set lead, hitting back-to-back aces down the centre of the court to wrap it up. There's a sense of inevitability about the result now, with the second seed needing just six more games to secure his spot in the fourth round.
RESULT! Garbine Muguruza hasn't had to wait too long to find out who she will be playing in round four, as fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki has dispatched Camila Giorgi
6-2 6-2 on Court One, matching her best ever run at SW19.
Groth makes a solid start to the third set, coming into the net to make a low volley out wide, allowing him to clinch the game with a big serve a couple of points later, and that's given the Australian fans around Centre Court something to shout about.
Federer is off the mark quickly, and he's still not having to do too much to hold as Groth fires a run of wayward return back at the Swiss, before a long forehand from the Aussie hands the world number two the game.
Groth is a break point down as Federer gets in from the baseline to attack the Aussie's serve. He come into the net to save it though, before an ace gives him advantage, and he escapes with his serve intact on the next point as Federer hits his return wide.
Groth asks for a review on the Federer serve, but the second seed's delivery hit the line, meaning he hasn't actually missed a first serve yet. The seven-time champion has no problems with the next couple of points though, watching Groth's long returns fly past him to hand him the game.
Groth looks really settled on serve at the moment as he races to a 40-0 lead, before he leaves Federer stretching to return a serve down the centre line, which he can only slice into the net. Groth's giving himself a good chance in this second set, but he's still yet to force Federer to save a break point.
At the moment, it feels like this set is heading towards an inevitable tiebreak, as Federer makes sure that the Australian does not get a look at his serve, racing through yet another easy hold.
A 144mph ace puts Groth 30-15 up, before a swinging serve out wide is returned long. Groth comes into the net to win the game, hitting two excellent the volleys to keep the set on serve.
Groth tries to keep Federer on his backhand to give himself a chance in a rally, but the Aussie mis-hits, sending his forehand to the net, while a long backhand on the next point puts Federer 40-15 up, but the second seed misses his backhand. Groth has returned well in this game, but his forehand effort is a fraction long to give Federer the game. That's about as well as Groth has returned against the Swiss today.
At 30-30, Groth comes into the net looking for another volley, but Federer spots the danger and squeezes an excellent forehand past the Australian to bring up a break point. A drop shot from Groth takes the game to deuce though, before a lovely volley lands right on the sideline to give Groth advantage, and a second-serve ace seals it. Groth's net play has been patchy in the opening couple of sets, but he rescued him in that game.
On Court 18, former runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska has made quick work of Casey Dellacqua, beating the Australian 6-1 6-4. She'll face the winner of the match between defending champion Petra Kvitova and former world number one Jelena Jankovic, which is next up on Centre Court.
Groth has certainly started to return better in the last couple of games, but Federer continues to fire his serves in, clinching the game when Groth hits a forehand a fraction long.
Groth is still having a lot of luck with his play at the net, but he twice finds himself in the middle while Federer threads it past him. An excellent volley to the baseline from Groth leaves him 40-30 up, before a thunderous serve seals it. Groth will gets at least a tiebreak from this match.
Having spent over four hours on court trying to beat John Isner yesterday, it's taken Marin Cilic just over quarter of an hour to wrap up his match against the American, winning 12-10 in the fifth set. He faces another American next in Denis Kudla.
Groth is giving it everything he's got to try to get a break of serve against the world number two, racing along the baseline and even trying a lob. Federer edges in front, but a stunning forehand from Groth brings up deuce for the first time on the second seed's serve. A poor return from Groth gives the Swiss advantage, and he takes the game with an ace. It's tiebreak time!
Groth 1-0* Federer
Groth 1-1* Federer
Groth *1-2 Federer
Groth *2-2 Federer
Groth 3-2* Federer. Another big ace from Groth keeps the tiebreak on serve.
Groth 3-3* Federer
Groth *4-3 Federer. A rare double fault from Federer gives Groth the minibreak.
Groth *5-3 Federer
Groth 6-3* Federer. Federer's forehand goes wide, and Groth has three set points!
Groth 6-4* Federer. Federer saves the first as Groth returns long.
Groth *6-5 Federer. Groth misses the net, but he still has one set point remaining on his own serve.
SET! Sam Groth has got a set back! The Australian comes in to the net looking for a volley winner. Federer gets his racquet to it, but it drifts just wide, handing his opponent the set. It's an excellently-played tiebreak from Groth.
Federer's nipped off court for a quick comfort break so there's just time for an update from around the courts. Former runner-up Sabine Lisicki is a set down against Timea Bascinszky, while James Ward is just about to get his match against Vasek Pospisil underway on Court One. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Ivo Karlovic are embroiled in a close battle on court three, with the Croatian winning the opener in a tiebreak. The winner of that match potentially meets Andy Murray in the next round, assuming the Brit beats Andreas Seppi later.
Federer doesn't get off to the best start as a couple of mishits hand Groth two points, but an ace puts the second seed 40-30 up, before he comes into the net to clinch it.
BREAK! Federer is on the hunt early on, forcing Groth to deuce before a sloppy forehand from the Australian hands the world number two a break point, which he converts when a poor second serve allows Federer to rifle a forehand winner back past his opponent. The Swiss is really on a charge now.
Groth hits a lovely forehand down the sideline to keep himself in the game, but he tries to same shot on the next point and gets it wrong. The Aussie's returning has gradually improved over the course of this match, and an excellent stroke on the backhand sets up deuce. Federer pulls out two big serves to make sure he doesn't let his opponent back in the set though.
Groth gets a game on the board in the fourth set despite coming under pressure from some excellent Federer returns.
Federer is racing towards a spot in the fourth round now as he fires his 16th ace of the match past the Australian to wrap up a comfortable hold of serve. He looked a little rattled at the end of the third set, but Federer's focus is back.
On Court Three, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is back on level terms in his match against Ivo Karlovic after taking the second set 6-4.
Groth is still serving well as he faces what looks like an inevitable defeat to Federer. The Swiss knows that he's got a break in the bag, and isn't trying to attack the big serving Australian too much anymore, allowing his opponent a fairly straight-forward hold.
Groth makes a couple of solid returns to give himself a glimmer of hope at 30-30, but an ace from Federer put the Swiss back ahead before Groth tries to force a forehand winner, sending it long. Federer is now just one game off a spot in round four.
GAME, SET & MATCH! Shots at the net have kept Groth in this match, and he pulls off another spectacular volley to wing the opening point, but Fededer can be pretty handy at the net too, and proves it on the next point. A forehand to the back corner brings up two match points for the second seed. Groth struggles with Federer's well-struck return, scuffing the ball into the net to send the seven-time champion through.
Sam Groth deserves a lot of credit for his performance, particularly in the third set tiebreak. The Australian is the first man to take a set off Federer at this year's Wimbledon. The world number two is still yet to face a break point though, having dropped the set in a tiebreak.
Talking to
BBC Sport following his victory, Federer said: "He can stay in the match just by serving, that obviously what makes him dangerous on any surface, but particularly on the grass. I focussed on my own service games, and I don't think I had any break points, so I'm very pleased with the match. I've played [fourth-round opponent Roberto Bautista Agut] on one occasion, maybe twice. He knows how to play on this surface."
RESULT! Another player making it into round four is 21st seed Madison Keys. The Australian Open semi-finalist beat Germany's Tara Maria to reach the last 16 at SW19 for the first time in her career.
RESULT! The results in the women's draw are coming thick and fast as Timea Bacsinszky has knocked out former finalist Sabine Lisicki in straight sets. The 15th seed had never been past the second round before this year at SW19.
So next up on Centre Court will be women's defending champion Petra Kvitova. The two-time champion has been in sensational form in the first two rounds, winning her opening match in just 36 minutes before racing through her second-round clash too. She faces a stiffer challenge in the form of former world number one Jelena Jankovic. The Serb has reached numerous semi-finals in the other Grand Slams and a final at the US Open, but she's never been past round four at the grass-court major.
SET! There's bad news for the British fans watching on Court One as Canada's Vasek Pospisil has claimed the first set 6-4 in his third-round match against James Ward.
Fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki secured her spot in the fourth round earlier with a comfortable 6-2 6-2 win over 31st seed Camila Giorgi of Italy. After the match, the Dane admitted that she is
happy with her form this week.
US Open champion Marin Cilic was briefly back on Court One to finish his epic five-set thriller against John Isner. The American has a history of getting into long matches at Wimbledon, resulting his opponent admitting that he was
relieved to need just two more games to clinch the victory.
Wozniacki has also thanked her fans on Twitter following her win:
Roger Federer has a couple of days off before he returns to take on 20th seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in the fourth round. Today is the first time that he has dropped a set this year at SW19, and he hopes that a relatively comfortable first week will
help him as he reaches the business-end of the tournament.
Petra Kvitova is already a break up in her first set against Jelena Jankovic. When the Czech defended her first Wimbledon title in 2012, she fell in the quarter-finals to Serena Williams, who went on to win the title that year. Assuming she gets past Jankovic today, it will be Agnieszka Radwanska up next for Kvitova, with the Pole having lost to Williams in the 2012 final.
James Ward is also up a break in the second set of his match against Vasek Pospisil. Both players have a lot to play for in that match. With David Ferrer withdrawing before the tournament, and Rafael Nadal losing in round two, it's a pretty open section of the draw, with the winner taking on 22nd seed Viktor Troicki next.
SET! The lengthy battle between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Ivo Karlovic continues on Court Three, with the Croatian moving a set again with a 7-2 win in a third-set tiebreak. That match has been going on for almost two hours now.
SET! James Ward is back on level terms in his match against Pospisil. The Briton got a break early in the set after dropping the opener, and it was enough for him to wrap it up 6-3.
SET! Petra Kvitova looks to be in excellent form again today as she claims the opening set against Jelena Jankovic 6-3 in less than 30 minutes. The Serb made just three unforced errors in the set, but Kvitova's performance was strong enough to seal it anyway.
One of the first matches of the day saw Germany's Dustin Brown knocked out in four sets to Viktor Troicki. The world number 102 beat Rafael Nadal in the second round, and insists that he is
happy with his week at SW19.
Plenty of fans with ground passes for Wimbledon today are taking advantage of the big screen on the side of Court One to watch James Ward's match from Henman Hill:
Sam Groth has taken to Twitter following his four-sets defeat to Roger Federer earlier. It was the Australian's first appearance on Centre Court, and he admits that the Swiss was just "too good" today:
There's a worrying moment for Jelena Jankovic on Centre Court as she rolls her ankle while sprinting to return a Petra Kvitova groundstroke. She's left clutching her right foot for a few moments before gingerly getting back to her feet. However, with the way Kvitova has been playing so far, the Serb won't have to battle on for much longer!
Andy Murray will be on Centre Court after this match. There's already been success for his brother Jamie today through, as he and Australian John Peers are through to the third round in the men's doubles with a five-sets win. Murray has never been past the third round in the men's doubles at Wimbledon, but is a former mixed doubles champion alongside Jelena Jankovic, who is on action on Centre now.
James Ward didn't get off to the best start in his match on Court One this afternoon, but he's really hitting his stride now. The Briton is two breaks up in the third set as he pushes towards a 2-1 lead over Canada's Vasek Pospisil.
SET! Former finalist and sixth seed Tomas Berdych is in action on Court Two at the moment, but after 50 minutes on court he's a set down against Pablo Andujar of Spain, who has won the opening set 6-4.
It looked like it was all over for Jelena Jankovic a few minutes ago. Down a set and 3-1, the former world number one rolled her ankle, and appeared to be limping physically and metaphorically towards defeat. However, she's won four of the last five games to leave Petra Kvitova serving to stay in the second set.
SET! James Ward holds serve to wrap up the third set 6-2, and is now just one set off a spot in the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time in his career.
Well, that's all from me this evening, but stick around as Daniel Lewis will be here for the remainder of today's action to keep you up to date with the rest of today's matches, including Andy Murray's third-round tie against Andreas Seppi.
Hello, folks! We've had plenty of excitement already today, but still have the main act to come - Andreas Seppi vs. Andy Murray. That one will get underway upon the conclusion of the match currently taking place on Centre Court between Jelena Jankovic and Petra Kvitova.
SET! That one will go on for a while longer yet, however, as Jankovic has just forced a third set. The Serbian was 3-1 down at one stage, before recovering well to keep her Wimbledon aspirations on track. That final set should be a thriller!
GAME, SET & MATCH! There is one result to bring you from SW19, though - number 13 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has just crashed out, having suffered defeat to Ivo Karlovic. Three of the sets required a tie-break to separate the pair, but it was the Frenchman who came out second best.
We'll turn attention to the Seppi-Murray match shortly, but before then it's worth recapping the day's big stories so far. Dustin Brown, the conqueror of Rafael Nadal earlier this week, saw his Wimbledon campaign come to an end at the hands of Viktor Troicki. The man ranked 102 in the world has won many admirers this week, but he ultimately didn't have enough in the tank to progress beyond round three.
Seven-time champion Roger Federer marched towards another success by easing past Australia's Sam Groth in straight sets, meanwhile. There is also a place in round four for Roberto Bautista Agut, who made little mistake in his meeting with Nikoloz Basilashvili this afternoon.
In the women's side of the draw, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki both progressed through with wins over Garbine Muguruza and Camila Giorgi respectively. The reigning champion, Petra Kvitova, has been taken to a third set by Jelena Jankovic on Centre Court, with the scores tied at one-game apiece in that decider.
SET! Sixth seed Tomas Berdych has bounced back from losing the opening set against Pablo Andujar to level up in style. He has just taken the second set 6-0 in a time of just 23 minutes to remain firmly on track.
That defeat for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga opens up Andy Murray's side of the draw even more. Rafael Nadal has already departed, of course, and now the number 13 seed has joined him in failing to reach the latter stages. It means the winner of this evening's Murray-Seppi clash will now face Ivo Karlovic.
Incidentally, a report from that Wilfried Tsonga match can be
found here, while for those of you joining us late, all the other results from across day six can be viewed
right here.
UPDATE! The decisive third set in the Centre Court meeting between Jankovic and reigning champ Kvitova is currently going the way of serve. The top seed looked home and dry not so long ago when a set to the good and holding a two-game advantage in the second, but Jankovic has battled back to really put the pressure on her opponent.
SET! Bad news for home hopeful James Ward in his match against party-pooper Vasek Pospisil. The Brit has lost what could be a decisive fourth set 6-3 to see his opponent draw level. Could it be a case of another brave but ultimately futile showing?
Andy Murray and Andreas Seppi are being made to wait in the wings this evening due to that aforementioned entertaining affair currently taking place on Centre Court. Both men have been speaking to reporters ahead of the match; Murray stressing that Nadal's surprise exit will only serve as
extra motivation to remain focused, while opponent Seppi insists that beating the Brit
will not top his Australian Open achievement.
UPDATE! Kvitova now trails Jankovic four games to three in the all-decisive third set out on Centre Court, but she currently has serve and looks good value to level things up. Something has got to give at some stage.
SET! Berdych certainly appears to have found his rhythm now, taking the lead against Andujar for the first time. He fell a set behind before quickly levelling up, and a break of serve in the eighth game has now seen him edge closer to round four.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has been left upset by this shot which sealed victory for opponent Ivo Karlovic... rightly so, it must be said.
GAME, SET & MATCH! Jelena Jankovic has taken out reining women's champion Petra Kvitova. It was a fine performance from the Serbian, who had to dig deep when seemingly out of the contest in the second set. Plenty of drama and excitement on Centre Court, then, but the day's play doesn't end there.
A full report from Petra Kvitova's surprise defeat can be found
right here. Anticipation is growing around SW19, meanwhile, as Andy Murray prepares to emerge for his third Wimbledon test.
Updates from James Ward's tightly-contested match against Vasek Pospisil will be provided throughout the remainder, but for now let's turn attention to events on Centre Court...
Murray, seeking a second Wimbledon crown, has reached this stage with no real scare as of yet. Never at his true best against Mikhail Kukushkin, the Brit eased through with another straight-sets win over Robin Haase last time out. Should he progress this evening Ivo Karlovic - not Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - will await in the next round.
Seppi, on the other hand, had a real battle against Borna Coric last time out. The Italian came out on top in five sets, while Brydan Klein was his first-round victim earlier this week. Seppi has already defeated Roger Federer this year, of course, but he has failed to really impress on the grass surface.
The number 25 seed reached the fourth round here back in 2013, but he has failed to get beyond this stage in his nine other visits to the English capital.
Okay, both players are ready - can Murray maintain his charge for a second Wimbledon title? Let's find out.
BREAK! Murray eases into the contest well, racing into a 30-0 lead in a straightforward manner, but an overhit shot allowed Seppi to get off the mark. The Italian didn't ask enough of his opponent, however, and it was a case of Murray standing firm and replying to each of his opponent's shots to earn a break of serve in the opening game.
The longest rally yet ends with Seppi hitting a wayward shot, which allowed Murray to edge ahead 30-15. It is all simple stuff from the Scotsman, as he responds to everything his opponent has to offer in these early stages. Any pre-match nerves Murray may have had will certainly be gone now.
Murray attempts the most casual backhand flick in an attempt to maintain his third-game lead, but he fails to beat the net. Seppi remains with the third seed throughout, and he does well to get off the mark with a sweet dropper to settle him down following a shaky start to things.
UPDATE! Andy Murray is now officially the last Brit standing, as James Ward has suffered a crushing defeat in his meeting with Vasek Pospisil. A full report from that one can be found
right here.
Murray holds serve once more, kicking things off with an ace on Centre Court. The third seed then tipped the ball over the net to catch out his opponent and open up a 30-0 lead, standing firm to take the game 40-15 in a simple manner.
Seppi finds his groove in the fifth game, claiming a love service game for the first time this evening. The Italian needed that under his belt.
The number 25 seed builds on that impressive fifth-game showing to take a 15-0 lead, but Murray soon levels things up. The Scot then looked on the backfoot, only for a wayward Seppi shot to see him edge ahead 30-15. The Italian, looking to drop the ball close to the net, fails in his attempt which gifts Murray the chance to open up a two-game lead once more, but a lazy shot, which was well off the mark, denied him the chance of doing so. Seppi ups things to take it all the way, but a solid Murray serve was too much for his opponent to handle and he does indeed have a 4-2 advantage.
BREAK! A brilliant shot at 15-0 up puts Seppi well on the back foot, as Murray closes in on the first set. The home favourite pushed on with what was probably his best game to date, breaking the Italian for the second time today in an impressive manner.
SET! Murray fails to handle a shot down low close to the net which allows Seppi back into things at 30-0. The Italian struggled to deal with the Scotsman's follow-up serve, but he got fortunate when it came back off the net and landed on the right side of the court. Murray dealt with it well, though, going 40-15 ahead and within touching distance of the game. Seppi sticks with him but only just, as the third seed saw things through to hold and take the set.
GAME, SET & MATCH! Berdych has come through his third-round clash against Andujar 4-6 6-0 6-3 7-6(3).
Click here to read a full report from that one.
BREAK! Murray is making Seppi look very average at the moment, pushing on from a comfortable 6-2 first-set victory to race 30-0 ahead in double-quick time. Seppi prolongs things slightly, but he can't handle a high shot from Murray, volleying it back narrowly outside the whitewash.
Mr. Murray clearly has other plans for this evening, because he is in no mood to stick around. Fifteen love soon becomes 30 with his fifth ace of the evening. The Scotsman is moving well around the court, but he has yet to truly be troubled as he runs away with the second game of the second set with a powerful smash.
Better from Seppi, who impresses with his serve to seemingly get off the mark in the second set. Murray pulls a point back to put the pressure on slightly, but the Italian does indeed see the job through, converting a volley to this time hold his serve.
There is little to separate the pair in a tight start to the fourth game, but Murray can do no wrong at this moment in time. Seppi sticks with the British number one, but Murray always had another gear in him which he used to go effect to secure the final two points.
Seppi holds to keep the pressure on his opponent somewhat as the clouds begin to cover the sun above Wimbledon. A flat volley from the Italian puts him in control, with Murray striking the net with his next two shots.
As simple as you like for Murray, who again wastes no time to race 30-0 ahead. There was to be no love service game as Seppi did make inroads, but the Scotsman got himself over the line to take the fifth game 40-15.
BREAK! Murray finds himself trailing the world number 27 30-0, but he does very well to battle back and level up with a string of impressive shots. Having taken a third-successive point, the Scotsman makes the most of his break point to move into cruise control with a trademark backhand. The fourth round beckons.
SET! One hour into this third-round match and it appears to be curtains for Seppi. Murray has not really been forced to break into a sweat so far. The home hopeful finds himself 30-0 up, but credit to his opponent for levelling things up. Seppi looked to be in control in the battle for the the all-important fifth point, only to overhit his return to gift Murray the advantage. It swings one way and another, with a first double fault of the match from the Brit then seeing Seppi emerge as favourite. Murray dug deep, though, winning a fifteenth set in a row against his Italian opponent with an ace out wide.
At 15-0 up, Seppi works his opponent hard in his pursuit of a second point which he duly collects. It is far better stuff from the number 25 seed, who then cruises 40-0 ahead. A smart drop shot is too much for Murray to handle, making it a love game for a previously out-of-sorts Seppi.
Seppi has yet to break Murray, which shows little sign of changing anytime soon. This was a game all about the last point, which the Scotsman did brilliantly to prevail in. A cross-court backhand gets him over the line.
The Italian is looking better than he did in the opening two sets, which perhaps explains why he has yet to be broken by Murray. Seppi grinds his way through the game, but worryingly, he appears to have picked up an injury to his calf which requires some treatment.
SET! Elsewhere, Monfils leads compatriot Simon out on Court One. He has taken the first set 6-3, with his only break of serve coming early on.
BREAK! Seppi appears to have shaken off the injury pretty well, storming 40-0 ahead against an opponent who just may be feeling a little complacent at this stage. At least that did appear to be the case until he took the next two points after a second double fault of the match, only for the Italian to earn a vitally important first break of the evening to potentially make it game on once again.
Seppi holds against a disgruntled Murray, who appears unhappy about that earlier medical time out. A volley into the net doesn't faze the Italian, with a forehand strike going wide of its intended target from his opponent to make it 4-1. Game on, indeed.
BREAK! Down and out not so long ago, Seppi has certainly stepped things up and he is now within touching distance of claiming his first set. He has cruised through this third set and, although he did squander his first break point, Murray failed to capitalise by netting at 40-15 to see this one slip away.
SET! A mammoth seventh game ends with Seppi taking the set, meaning that Murray has yet to win a game since his opponent's time out which may just act as a real turning point. A shoulder complaint is shaken off the by the Scot, but he is clearly roused as the game goes the distance. A fourth ace of the match secured the set for Seppi at the third time of asking, after Murray continued to deny him up until that point. Centre Court takes a deep breath.
BREAK! Errors are creeping into the 2013 champion's game more and more, with Seppi earning a break point which he failed to take. A truly gripping point, which contained a 23-shot rally, was edged by Murray to level up the scoreline at 40-40. The Scotsman earned advantage but could only find the net against a truly revamped number 25 seed. Murray could do no wrong 30 minutes ago, but another slip-up cost him as the Italian belted a backhand to earn a break of serve. Incredible!
SET! Murray is now taking a breather and receiving some treatment to his shoulder, which is probably wise. It's been more than 35 minutes since he last won a game. Elsewhere, Simon has levelled up against Monfils by taking the second set 6-3.
Murray is still down receiving some treatment. Surely this is more than just mind games following Seppi's earlier medical time out?
BREAK! That is without doubt the biggest game of Murray's tournament to date, coming on the back of his five-minute breather. Six games on the bounce won by Seppi comes to an end as the Scotsman earns a vital break.
As simple as you like - Murray runs away with the second game of the fourth set. The breather clearly worked, much like it did with his opponent a little earlier, as he holds with a 40-0 win. The British number one did have to briefly mentally prepare himself before each serve, but he seems to be well enough at the moment.
BREAK! Well there was a little scare that lasted for more than 30 minutes, but Murray is now back on track and on course for round four. The Italian's momentum has been killed off completely, as a weak backhand early on allows Murray to take control. Seppi did produce an impressive serve to give himself hope, yet the third seed is not in the mood for giving away silly points anymore.
This match is all about momentum, which is now firmly back with the home favourite. Victory is now just two games away as Murray takes the fifth game, driving home a volley to open things up. The third seed doesn't let off and cruises into a commanding position. Ivo Karlovic awaits.
BREAK! Murray lets off a huge roar on Centre Court - he can sense it. After losing six games in a row, the Scotsman is now on fire to make it five in a row in his favour. At 30-0 up, a Seppi drop shot failed to clear the net which allowed Murray to grab a further foothold. The outcome really was inevitable.
GAME, SET & MATCH! It was never in doubt, was it? Murray maintains that impressive momentum to book his place in round four, after just the slightest of scares in the third set. Seppi turned things around brilliantly, but the third seed is keeping the flag flying for Britain with a 6-2 6-2 1-6 6-1 success on Centre Court.
An ace from the off got the crowd feeling the excitement, with Seppi then finding the net with his return on the next point to see 15 become 30. An ace sealed the inevitable for Murray, who ended the match with a six-game winning streak.
UPDATE! A full report from that Centre Court tussle can be found
right here. Elsewhere, there is still one match taking place on day six at Wimbledon. French competitors Monfils and Simon are locked at one-set apiece and in a race to wrap things up before play is suspended for the night.
The thoughts of Andy Murray in the immediate aftermath of that 6-2 6-2 1-6 6-1 victory over Andreas Seppi this evening:
What's that? You want some more reaction from Murray? Not a problem:
"The shoulder is fine now. Towards the end of the second set it started to tighten up. When he took a medical time-out, it cooled down a little bit. When you've got a 90 kilo guy lying on top of you, it's not very pleasant."
The big story from day six at Wimbledon came on Centre Court prior to Murray's victory, with Jelena Jankovic knocking out reigning women's champion Petra Kvitova. The second seed made some interesting comments after the match, which can be viewed
right here.
We also saw the ever-impressive Roger Federer maintain his hopes of winning an eighth Wimbledon crown earlier today. The Swiss ace defeated Sam Groth in four sets to progress though, but he
admitted afterwards to being a little irked by the traditional all-white dress code.
We also said goodbye to British hopeful James Ward a little earlier. He was unable to maintain his impressive showing in this year's tournament, falling to a 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-3 8-6 defeat at the hands of Vasek Pospisil. The Canadian was full of praise for his opponent, however, describing the 28-year-old as a
"very good player".
UPDATE! The final match of day six is proving to be one of the tightest, meaning that it is likely to be called to a halt prior to the outcome being decided this evening. There's around 40 minutes of game-time ahead of us, but we are currently deep into the third set of that one.
SET! Right on cue, Simon takes a crucial one-set lead in that tightly-contested match on Court One. An 8-6 victory in the tie-break means that he holds a 3-6 6-3 7-6(6) lead in what could potentially be the final set of the evening.
There was a lengthy discussion between the players and officials a moment or so ago. We have around 35 minutes of playing time ahead of us, but Simon and Monfils are happy to continue. Word is that it could be moved onto Centre Court in order to declare a winner this evening.
A delighted Henman Hill reacts to Murray's earlier victory:
There's no play scheduled for tomorrow, remember, which is clearly enough to give organisers a headache with this ongoing match showing no signs of coming to an end anytime soon. The organisers are against locked in talks, but the official has given them the green light to play another game at least.
Monfils, a great entertainer, is the subject of a few jeers as he appears to want to call it a night. Play has officially been suspended, but we may be moving over to Centre Court.
The roof on Centre Court has been shut, so I'm going to assume that play will indeed move across in due course. Still no official announcement as of yet, but Monfils made it clear that he had no intention to continue in the bad light.
That could well be curtains for play on day six, so let's recap what we have seen over the past 10 hours or so.
- Andy Murray managed to shake off a niggling shoulder injury beat Andreas Seppi in four sets
- Reigning women's champion Petra Kvitova was knocked out at the third-round stage by Jelena Jankovic
- Roger Federer maintained his search for an eighth Wimbledon crown by beating Sam Groth
- British hopeful James Ward saw his campaign come to an end following defeat to Vasek Pospisil.
Monfils and Simon not only battling against each other, but also the clock. In the words of Richard O'Brien - "Will you start the fans please..."
Okay, Monfils and Simon have just re-emerged out on Centre Court to resume their all-French affair. We have 90 minutes before play has to be suspended for good until Monday, so fingers crossed for a fast-paced start to things.
Monfils has levelled the match on centre court as he has taken the fourth set with relative ease 6-2. The French duo will now face off in a decider to earn a place in the fourth round of the competition.
GAME, SET, MATCH! Gilles Simon has knocked his compatriot Gael Monfils out of Wimbledon in the third round. The number 12 seed had just enough quality to edge out Monfils as he took the final set 6-2 to advance to the round of 16 where he will face sixth seed Tomas Berdych.
Here is
our report of the action from the match between Simon and Monfils, which was an epic five-setter on court number one and centre court.
Thanks for joining our blog of the action from day six of Wimbledon. We will be back with all the match on Monday, but until then, it's goodbye.