Top

Wimbledon 2017: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic in action on Day 6

In women's draw, Angelique Kerber will take on Shelby Rogers of the United States.

London: Centre Court fans at Wimbledon will be hoping to see a bit more of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on Saturday when they play back-to-back third round matches.

The last time Djokovic and Federer played successive matches on tennis' most famous stage, fans were left short changed as both of their first-round opponents quit midway through the second set with injuries.

Latvia's Ernests Gulbis, once a top 10 player but now ranked 589th, and Germany's Mischa Zverev are unlikely to disappear quite as easily however, and are likely to pose the first real tests to Djokovic and seven-times champion Federer.

Women's top seed Angelique Kerber has been finding her grasscourt feet following her struggles in the first half of the season and will be hoping to continue her resurgence against American Shelby Rogers.

Agnieszka Radwanska, runner-up here in 2012, will open Centre Court proceedings against Swiss Timea Bacsinszky.

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be back to complete the fifth set of his encounter against Djokovic's 2016 conqueror Sam Querrey.

Here are all the details of five third round matches to watch at Wimbledon on Saturday:

Zverev a welcome foe for Federer:

When Roger Federer looks across the Centre Court net at Mischa Zverev, the seven-time Wimbledon champion may feel a swell of positivity surge through him. The last time Federer faced the German 27th seed in a Grand Slam was at the Australian Open earlier this year when he won in straight sets en route to his epic final triumph over Rafael Nadal.

Federer also defeated Zverev last month at Halle and once again he left the tournament with the silverware a few days later. Federer has looked in imperious form so far and it would be a seismic shock if Zverev knocked him out.

Head to head: Federer leads 4-0

Djokovic faces enigmatic Gulbis:

Novak Djokovic arrived at Wimbledon in the midst of the worst period of his career, but the Serb has shown signs of recapturing his mojo in his first two matches. Will the three-time Wimbledon champion, without a Grand Slam title since last year's French Open, he able to tame the unpredictable talents of Ernests Gulbis? The 28-year-old Latvian was ranked in the top 10 in 2014 – the year he beat Roger Federer en route to the French Open semifinals.

Now ranked 589, Gulbis enjoyed his best win for three years when he defeated former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro in the second round. "I'm going to have even less to lose next match. Maybe I'll play even better," he warned Djokovic.

Head to head: Djokovic leads 6-1

Hair and heir apparent:

Austrian world number 217 Sebastian Ofner has stunned the tournament by making the last-32 on his Grand Slam debut. Ofner has already won 10 times more money this week than he has earned all year although his progress has also been noticed for his immaculately gelled hair.

One Twitter user even compared him to 1980s Austrian pop singer Falco. On Saturday, he faces highly-rated German 10th seed Alexander Zverev who is looking to make the fourth round of a major for the first time.
Head-to-head: First meeting

Kerber shunted out:

The path seems open for world number one Angelique Kerber to make the Wimbledon final again, having been beaten last year by Serena Williams.
The German top seed faces Shelby Rogers of the United States, who is on her best-ever Wimbledon run by making it to the third round.

Wimbledon occasionally shunts big names out onto Court Two to give those who cannot afford the most expensive tickets the chance to see top stars. They sometimes get unsettled by playing in the 4,000-seater sunken bowl but Kerber, who won the US and Australian Opens last year, should be more than a match for the world number 70.

Head-to-head: Kerber leads 1-0

Ghosting Raonic seeks to spook Spaniard:

Milos Raonic lost last year's final to Andy Murray but the sixth seed has ghosted through the first two rounds virtually unnoticed this time around, with all eyes on the defending champion and former winners Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Having put out Jan-Lennard Struff in three sets then Mikhail Youzhny in four, the Canadian takes on Spain's 25th-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas first up on Court One.

"This is not necessarily his most natural surface. It's going to be about trying to take the racquet and the decision-making abilities out of his hand and try to sort of dictate and play on all my terms as much as possible," said Raonic.

Head-to-head: Series level at 1-1

( Source : Agencies )
Next Story