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Novak Djokovic kept his bid to win the 2026 Wimbledon Championships alive with a four-set fourth round victory over Roman Safiullin.

Tennis365 watched from Centre Court as Djokovic prevailed 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a battle lasting three hours and 25 minutes — and it was even more challenging than the scoreline suggests.

Djokovic had won his first three matches against Safiullin without dropping a set, but he was pushed hard in this fourth encounter by an opponent who impressed with his aggressive, all-court game.

After coming through qualifying at Wimbledon, Safiullin won five-setters against Andrey Rublev and Botic van de Zandschulp before dismantling Joao Fonseca in the third round.

The 28-year-old Russian has bore no resemblance to a player of his current ranking — 132nd — during his run at the All England Club.

Rather, Safiullin has looked far more like the player he was when he reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2023 and achieved a career-high ranking of world No 36 in January 2024.

After breaking Safiullin in the opening game of the match, Djokovic faced huge pressure on his own serve in the first set.

The Serb lost two of his first three service games and had two fight off two set points on his serve at 2-5, before he battled back to force a tiebreak, which he won with his third set point after trailing 1-3.

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In the second set, Djokovic lost just five points on serve and earned the only break of the set in the sixth game.

The 39-year-old then found himself 0-2 down in the third, but he broke straight back in the third game.

With Djokovic serving at 2-3, he came under siege and eventually succumbed on Safiullin’s sixth break point.

The tennis great’s frustration boiled over after this setback as he launched a ball into the wall at the opposite side of the court, an act that drew some jeers from the crowd.

Safiullin held his nerve to serve out the set, which was a reward for the level he produced for much of the match.

Djokovic delivered a strong response in the fourth set as he saved a break point in the opening game before emphatically breaking Safiullin to love.

The No 7 seed cruised on serve thereafter and turned on the style with some dazzling return winners and sublime volleys as he approached the finish line.

Djokovic’s level at the age of 39 remains unprecedented, and this was his 106th win at Wimbledon, which has seen him move clear of Roger Federer for the most men’s singles victories at the grass-court major.

While Safiullin deserves huge credit for making his life so difficult, Djokovic will likely not be delighted with playing another tough four-setter that pushed beyond the three-hour mark after his hard-fought wins against Yibing Wu and Arthur Rinderknech.

This was, perhaps, part of the reason for Djokovic’s angry reaction to being broken at an important stage in the third set.

Djokovic has spent a total of 11 hours and 17 minutes on court, and the concern is that the energy he has expended could cost him in the latter stages — something that was a common theme for him at Grand Slams in 2025.

Many are expecting Djokovic to meet world No 1 and reigning champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, and he may need to be at his best physically if he is to dethrone the Italian.

The 24-time major champion delivered a remarkable display to defeat Sinner in a five-set semi-final at the 2026 Australian Open.

This victory did, though, come after Djokovic had a walkover in the fourth round and benefitted from Lorenzo Musetti retiring in the third set of their quarter-final.

On the other hand, some questions remain over Sinner, who is yet to look entirely convincing at Wimbledon a month on from his shock physical collapse at Roland Garros.

We will soon learn if Djokovic’s body will cooperate when it matters most as he aims to equal Federer’s Wimbledon men’s title record and extend his own Grand Slam record.

If Djokovic were to lift the famous gold trophy on Sunday, he would become the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in tennis history, surpassing Ken Rosewall.

Next up for Djokovic is a quarter-final showdown with either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina — two players in fine form.

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The post Novak Djokovic continues to defy age at Wimbledon – but could his latest win cost him the title?  appeared first on Tennis365.

The President of the Philippines has hailed Alexandra Eala as a ‘real inspiration’ for the nation, particularly its young people, insisting that ‘this is just the beginning’ for the 21-year-old star.

Eala became the first player from the Philippines to reach the second week of a Grand Slam after stunning defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-6(9), 6-2 to book her place in the Wimbledon fourth round.

The world No 32 recovered from an early break and edged a dramatic first-set tiebreak before dominating the six-time Grand Slam champion in the second set.

Eala will next face Jasmine Paolini after the Italian defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari to reach the last 16.

The Filipina won their only previous meeting, beating Paolini 6-1, 7-6(5) at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai earlier this season.

“She is becoming a real inspiration, especially for the youth – for the Filipino youth,” the President commented during a recent press briefing in Canada.

“We now have a player – a woman, at least – who has reached the third round at Wimbledon; it is an extraordinary achievement, truly world-class. It is amazing.

“Remember when she started winning? I keep saying, ‘This is just the beginning.’ She is just starting. And, as you can see, I was right: she is just starting.

“Our young prospect still has a lot to offer. This is truly great news. I watched the last set this morning, and it was… a great result. A wonderful result.

“Congratulations Alex. Keep going. We are all behind you,” he continued.

“The entire Filipino nation is rooting for you; we know you are fighting hard, filling us with pride, and bringing prestige and honour to the Philippines.

“Keep going, keep going, keep going! We are behind you. Well done.”

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Shortly after her landmark victory over Swiatek, Eala was asked what it means to have become an inspiration to thousands of people in her home country.

“Heavy question,” the 21-year-old replied.

“Well, you got me speechless there. It’s an honour to be able to pave the way for young girls.

“It would be the honour of my life to be able to inspire others. I think inspiration is such a beautiful thing.

“Then again, I want to remind anybody that you can take inspiration from anywhere you want. Anywhere, anyone, if you want to be inspired, and if you’re inspired by it, it will just come to you.

“I try to be as authentic as I can. I believe in being genuine. I believe in my values.

“This exposure I guess or this platform that I have has really allowed me to self-reflect. It allows me to become the best version of myself, because I know that a lot of people look up to me.

“Then again, I think the main message here is that I don’t want them to look at me and say, I want to be the next Alex Eala. I want them to look at me and say, ‘wow, I want to be the first me. I want to make my own path.’”

The post Philippines President hails Alexandra Eala as ‘real inspiration’ after historic Wimbledon run appeared first on Tennis365.

Australian Open finalist John Lloyd has spoken to Tennis365 about Alexander Zverev’s chances of winning more Grand Slam titles after his breakthrough at Roland Garros.

Zverev defeated Flavio Cobolli in the championship match at the 2026 French Open last month to secure his maiden Grand Slam title.

The German, who lost his first three major finals, was previously considered by many to be the best player not to win a Grand Slam.

The 29-year-old has been a prominent presence at the top of men’s tennis for much of the last decade, having won 25 titles, including seven Masters 1000 events, two ATP Finals titles and an Olympic gold medal.

Zverev, who holds a career-high ranking of world No 2, is currently ranked third behind Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz — who have been the two dominant forces on the ATP Tour since the start of 2024.

With his triumph at Roland Garros, Zverev ended a streak of nine consecutive Grand Slam titles won by either Alcaraz or Sinner.

Zverev is seeded second at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, where he will face Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round.

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Wimbledon is Zverev’s least successful Grand Slam tournament, and he is aiming to reach the quarter-finals at the All England Club for the first time.

In an exclusive interview with Tennis365, Lloyd praised Zverev for the way he handled the pressure on him at Roland Garros.

“I think it hasn’t been talked about as much — how much pressure he was under there [at the French Open],” said the former British No 1.

“And once he got to the final, if he’d have choked that, honestly, I certainly don’t think he would have ever won a Slam.

“His confidence would have been… he had to win. And he came through. Okay, the match wasn’t good at all. The tennis was not good. But he found a way to win.

“And now, he should open his shoulders up more, and we’ll see Zverev at his best. And when he’s at his best, he’s bloody good.

“I mean, he’s always good. But now he’s got that under his belt, he should be free.”

Asked if Zverev can win more majors and be the biggest threat to Sinner and Alcaraz for the foreseeable future, Lloyd’s response was emphatic.

“Definitely. Definitely. No doubt, no question. As long as he keeps the hunger, which I’m sure he will,” said Lloyd, who was ranked as high as 23rd in the world.

“Getting that monkey off his back is huge. He’ll open his shoulders up now. He’s going to be dangerous.”

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Carlos Alcaraz is a notable absentee at Wimbledon and fears are growing that he may also be forced to miss the final Grand Slam of the year at the US Open.

Alcaraz on the US Open last year as he completed the full set of major titles and joined the ranks of the all-time greats in men’s tennis, but he has been out of action since injuring his wrist playing at the Barcelona Open in April.

The hastiness of his decision to pull out of the French Open and Wimbledon highlighted the severity of the injury and while there have been limited updates from his camp in recent weeks.

Video footage emerged of Alcaraz hitting the ball gently last week as he made tentative steps back onto court, but there are just eight weeks until the start of the US Open and that leaves the Spaniard in a race against time to be fit.

If Alcaraz was going to play in one of the ATP 1000 events in Canada or Cincinnati to test his fitness, that timespan for a return would shrink again.

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Now there are rumours that Alcaraz may not even attempt to return to defend his US Open title, as he may wait until the back end of the year when his wrist should be fully healed.

There has been no confirmation of the nature of the injury, but that is not a surprise from a tennis player who will be keen to ensure his opponents are not fully aware of his physical issues.

While the rumours suggesting Alcaraz may not return in time to play in New York, we would expect to see more strenuous footage of him practicing on court if we was preparing to make a return in the next month.

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Alcaraz has spoken about his excitement to return to the sport, as he suggested the injury he has suffered is part of the path that has been outlined for him by the sporting fates.

“Everything happens for a reason. I believe it’s fate, and that life has something special for me when I return, something beautiful,” he said.

“Now I realise that what really matters, my family, who have always been there to support me; they never forced me to play tennis but always gave me the choice and that helped me continue to enjoy it and never feel stressed. They’re the reason I’m the person I’m today.”

Alcaraz’s presence has been missed at Wimbledon this year, with the two-time champion leaving a big hole in the men’s draw with his absence.

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The post Fears grow for Carlos Alcaraz as alarming rumours swirl over his possible comeback appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala sent shockwaves through the tennis world with her stunning win against defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek on Centre Court and former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has seen enough to believe she is on her way to Grand Slam glory.

Eala held her nerve to beat Swiatek 7-6(9) 6-2 win fired the hero of the Philippines into the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time and she will also achieve her highest career ranking at the end of this tournament.

While Rusedski did not suggest Eala would win Wimbledon in next Saturday’s final, he is convinced the 21-year-old has what it takes to claim the title on Centre Court at some point in her career.

“This is somebody who’s going to win the Wimbledon Championship one day and possibly get to the top five in the world. She is that good,” said Rusedski on his podcast, after he watched Eala big moment from the commentary box on Centre Court.

“The ground strokes, the tenacity, absolutely brilliant. It was great for me to see her live and I was so impressed.

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“What I was impressed with was her mental fortitude, her strength, her mentality. She was the one who looked like she had the six major titles. It wasn’t Iga Swiatek, who looked anxious, she was nervous.

“Eala shows she has a very high tennis IQ and has been trained brilliantly well at the Rafael Nadal Academy. The sky’s the limit for her. I really look at her serve, and it’s not that far away from being a great serve in time if she changes just a few little aspects, but the mentality is like Rafa. Never say die from start to finish, gets the job done, finds a way.

“She is the real deal. She is a breath of fresh air. And what a moment. First Filipino man or woman to be into the fourth round at a major. And I think the roll will keep on going for her.”

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Rusedski’s praise for Eala was contrasted by his damning verdict on Swiatek, as he suggested the outgoing champion has big problems to solve in her mind and her game after she lost to a player she has practiced with in recent months.

“I think first set she was beaten by the better player,” he said of the Polish player. “When she went off court at the end of the first set, her brain was spinning. She couldn’t accept it.

“What will hurt Swiatek was all those practice sessions with Eala went against her because when it came to the big moments, she knew where to go.

“When Iga has time in the backhand corner with her forehand, it’s always inside out. On the run, she can only really hit it cross-court. And you saw Eala anticipating where Swiatek was going to play at the big moments. Eala deserved to win.”

READ NEXT: Alex Eala’s sensational win against Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon proves she belongs with the best

The post Alex Eala told she is ‘going to win Wimbledon’ by former British No 1 in bullish claim appeared first on Tennis365.

Serena Williams has announced her withdrawal from the Wimbledon ladies’ doubles, where she had been set to compete alongside her sister, Venus.

The American recently made her return to professional singles at SW19, narrowly losing to Australian Maya Joint in a hard-fought three-set match.

Williams had been expected to partner Venus in the women’s doubles, with the legendary sisters having previously won seven Wimbledon doubles titles together at the All England Club.

However, she has been forced to withdraw from the event after sustaining a knee injury during her singles match against Joint.

Williams took to Instagram to announce the heartbreaking news.

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“I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,” she began.

“Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside @Venuseswilliams once more meant the world to me.

“I did everything I could but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete.

“I’m especially grateful to tournament director, Jamie Baker, and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to recover. Thank you to the fans for your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful

“All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you

“The photo of the syringes is the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match – yikes! The good news is that my knee shouldn’t swell or collect that much fluid again.

“The bad news is that, as hard as I tried, I wasn’t able to be ready for doubles.”

Williams’ next tournament is yet to be confirmed, though she is widely expected to receive wildcard entries into the upcoming events in Cincinnati and New York as she continues her return to the WTA Tour.

The sisters last competed together at the 2022 US Open, where they were beaten 7-6(5), 6-4 in the first round by Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova. That tournament marked the beginning of Serena’s much-publicised ‘evolution’ away from professional tennis, before she announced her return earlier this season.

Before this year’s Wimbledon, Williams also enjoyed a successful return to doubles at Queen’s Club Championships, where she partnered Victoria Mboko to upset third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6(2), 6-2 in the opening round.

The pair were forced to withdraw before their second-round match after Mboko suffered an injury during her singles campaign, bringing their promising run to an early end.

Williams then teamed up with Karolína Muchova at the Berlin Open. However, the duo were defeated 6-4, 6-4 in the first round by Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos, leaving Wimbledon as their next planned appearance together before Williams’ latest injury setback.

The post Serena and Venus Williams denied Wimbledon reunion as injury forces withdrawal appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala could be set to reach a new milestone in the WTA Rankings after her stunning victory over Iga Swiatek at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.

Tennis365 watched from Centre Court at Wimbledon as Eala upset Swiatek — the world No 3 and defending champion — 7-6(9), 6-2 in a pulsating encounter.

In a thrilling first set lasting an hour and 24 minutes, Eala converted her fourth set point to win a dramatic 20-point tiebreak after she was broken serving for the set at 5-3.

Eala then broke Swiatek three times in the second set before saving five break points when serving out the match at 5-2.

The 21-year-old Filipina’s outstanding win sees her progress to the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time after she had won just one match across her first five Grand Slam main draw appearances.

It was Eala’s third encounter with six-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek, and she now leads the head-to-head 2-1, having also defeated the Pole at the 2025 Miami Open.

In her on-court interview, Eala said: “I don’t know how to describe this feeling. I’m into the second week of a Grand Slam and it is amazing for me.

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“Iga is a phenomenal player and a really nice person, so I’m really grateful to be able to share Centre Court with her at Wimbledon nonetheless.

“I’m really emotional. For someone like Iga, who has won so many Grand Slams, this achievement may seem small, but for someone who grew up in the Philippines it is huge.

“I went to train with my brother and my grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks, light-up shoes and chubby cheeks, so to younger me, this is everything!

“But obviously, just because I’m emotional, does not mean I’m satisfied, so next round, let’s go!”

Asked how nervous she was stepping out onto Centre Court, Eala said: “This is one of the biggest matches of my life, for sure. This is my dream court as well, so I’m really happy with the atmosphere you guys gave. Thank you so much for cheering me on.

“How many times have I dreamed of opportunities like this? When I have my opportunities, I have to take them because they are blessings. Just being here is a blessing, I worked so hard to get here and I’m taking it. If I’m here, I have a chance, so I’m taking it.”

How Eala beating Swiatek affects the WTA Rankings

Eala’s run to the last 16 at Wimbledon has increased her points total by 230 to 1,666 points in the Live WTA Rankings.

Having started the tournament as the world No 32, Eala has climbed to a projected position of 28th, which would see her improve on her current career-high ranking of 29th.

Eala will face 13th seed Jasmine Paolini in the fourth round at the grass-court major, and a win would take her points tally to 1,856, which could see her climb as high as world No 23.

Swiatek began Wimbledon as the world No 3, but her points total has taken a massive hit after her third round exit as she was defending the 2,000 points she earned for winning the title in 2025.

The former world No 1 has lost a massive 1,870 points, which has seen her total fall to 4,539, and it means she has dropped three places to sixth in the live rankings.

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Elena Rybakina was one of the leading favourites to win the women’s singles title at Wimbledon 2026, but her campaign ended with a shock third round exit.

World No 2 Rybakina was upset 7-6(4), 6-1 by 25th seed Elise Mertens on No.1 Court at the All England Club on Saturday.

Rybakina was aiming to win a second Wimbledon title and third Grand Slam overall, having won her maiden major in London in 2022.

The big-serving Kazakh, who has secured 13 WTA Tour singles titles, has not reached a grass-court final since her Wimbledon triumph.

In her on-court interview, Mertens said: “I have no words actually. I feel a little bit like… ‘woo.’

“I’m very happy I won that first set and kept the momentum going. She’s an incredible player. She’s won Wimbledon in the past. A really tough opponent.”

Asked about her nerves when closing out the match, the Belgian said: “I mean, I think you could see that.”

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Elena Rybakina misses world No 1 opportunity at Wimbledon

Rybakina began Wimbledon with a chance of overtaking Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the WTA Rankings to become world No 1 for the first time.

The 27-year-old could have guaranteed her ascent to top spot by winning Wimbledon, while a final or semi-final result would have been enough if Sabalenka had lost a round earlier than her.

However, Rybakina’s third round defeat means she will remain in second position, and Sabalenka will retain the No 1 ranking.

Sabalenka held a 947-point advantage over Rybakina at the start of Wimbledon, but the 28-year-old Belarusian is defending 780 points from her semi-final run last year.

Rybakina, meanwhile, was defending just 130 points from a third round exit 12 months ago, and her defeat at the same stage this year means she will remain on 8,143 points.

Sabalenka, who started Wimbledon with 9,090 points, currently has 8,550 points in the Live WTA Rankings ahead of her fourth round match against Naomi Osaka on Sunday.

The four-time Grand Slam winner will move onto 8,740 points if she reaches the quarter-finals.

Rybakina will now have to wait until the North American hard-court swing to have another opportunity to catch Sabalenka.

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The post How Elena Rybakina’s shock Wimbledon exit affects world No 1 ranking battle with Aryna Sabalenka appeared first on Tennis365.

Wimbledon were far from happy with tennis’ top players plans to boycott the media at the Grand Slam, despite being offered a 20% increase in prize money.

The top players went 22% of the revenue from Grand Slams and they have consistently said they are prepared to boycott the major events in tennis.

The likes of Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka have been at the forefront of the movement and they even conducted a media boycott at Roland Garros.

The top players on the ATP and WTA Tours cut short their media obligations at the Paris Grand Slam and they planned to do so again at Wimbledon.

But, then, just a day before the Grand Slam was set to begin, they announced a U-turn on their plans.

Now, we might now the reason as to why.

According to Jon Wertheim, of The Tennis Channel, Wimbledon responded to the potential boycott by fighting fire with fire.

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“Two sources told me that the All England Club was not happy by this protest,” said Wertheim. “Disappointed and surprised was their public remark. It was considerably more intense behind closed doors.

“What did they do? They cut off millions of dollars in comp tickets that the players traditionally received. I heard stories of players parents going to pick up tickets and saying: ‘Sorry, the tickets aren’t available.’ That got players attention. They went to the leaders of this protest.

“The protest members essentially called off the boycott on the eve of the tournament. There are further talks scheduled both with Wimbledon and with the US Open here on site, but no tickets to players. That proved to be a pain point.”

It is currently unclear whether there will continue to be plans for boycott at the US Open, which is the next Grand Slam on the tennis calendar.

However, the top players on the Tour have subsequently played ball for the entirety of Wimbledon so far. The players have all conducted their media responsibilities as requested, except for one high-profile star.

Serena Williams opted not to talk to the press following her first round defeat to Maya Joint at Wimbledon.

That is technically against the rules, but the 23-time Grand Slam champion cited a knee injury as the reason she did not turn up to her post-match press conference.

As a result, Williams was not fined by the All England Club. She is expected to return to play doubles alongside her sister Venus Williams on Saturday’s order of play.

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Rick Macci, a renowned former coach of Serena and Venus Williams, has told Tennis365 why he has concerns about Aryna Sabalenka’s mentality as the Belarusian chases the Wimbledon title.

Sabalenka is seeking her maiden Wimbledon crown at the 2026 edition of the historic grass-court Grand Slam tournament in London.

The world No 1’s best result at the All England Club is reaching the semi-finals, which she achieved in her three previous appearances in 2025, 2023 and 2021 (Sabalenka missed Wimbledon in 2024 and 2022).

Sabalenka has spent 87 consecutive weeks as the world No 1 since overtaking Iga Swiatek in October 2024, and she has been the dominant player on the WTA Tour in this period.

The 28-year-old is a four-time Grand Slam champion, and she has not fallen before the quarter-finals in her last 14 appearances at majors.

Despite this, Sabalenka has not converted her outstanding consistency into as many Grand Slam titles as some feel she could, and perhaps should, have won.

Sabalenka has won just one of the last six majors since the start of 2025, losing in three finals.

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Last month, Sabalenka collapsed to a shock quarter-final loss to Diana Shnaider at Roland Garros after leading 6-3, 4-1 with a double break in the second set. She lost the last 10 games — and 12 of the last 13 games — as Shnaider won the third set 6-0.

The Belarusian then lost a final set 6-0 again in her semi-final defeat to Jessica Pegula at the Berlin Open, which was her only grass-court event before Wimbledon.

Speaking exclusively to Tennis365, Macci described the one-sided scorelines in Sabalenka’s two most recent losses as a “red flag.”

“Look what’s going on with Sabalenka — the last two losses, she got a donut (6-0) in the third set… What is that? What is that? That’s a bit of a red flag,” said the American coach.

“She was stellar in tiebreaks, her record in tiebreakers was unreal. But it seems like, on the biggest stage, a few things start to bother her.

“And there’s a fine line between winning and losing, especially on the women’s tour. Let’s just hope that she figures it out.

“But to me, it’s a little bit of a red flag to not have enough pride to even scrape out a game against two players where you’re definitely the better player on paper.

“I don’t know what’s going on [with Sabalenka] off the court, but if you’re not there every single point… the margins are so thin — they’re just razor thin — and anybody can beat anybody anytime, anywhere.”

Asked who he is backing to win the women’s singles title at Wimbledon, Macci picked world No 2 Elena Rybakina over Sabalenka.

“I was going to go with Sabalenka a few weeks ago (laughs), until I’m seeing what’s going on,” said Macci.

“I’m going to go with [Elena] Rybakina.”

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