As is always the case when Wimbledon rolls around, British fans have their eyes on the home favourites bidding for singles glory in London.
Andy Murray ended a 77-year wait for a home champion at the grass-court grand slam in 2013, before replicating his triumph in 2016, but there have been no British winners in the singles draw since – on either the men’s or women’s side.
Still, day one saw a record seven Britons advance this year, but how are the home crop faring as the rounds go on?
Emma Raducanu managed a spirited run in SW19 in 2021 before winning the US Open later that year, and she produced some vintage tennis in a strong run again this year.
She won in round one, albeit at the expense of another Briton, in Swansea’s Mingge Xu, and continued her title bid against a fellow major winner: Marketa Vondrousova, who won Wimbledon in 2023 no less, but whom Raducanu ousted in 2021 and beat again on Wednesday.
But she came unstuck against top seed and three-time grand slam champion Aryna Sabalenka, who required two hours to see her off 7-6(6), 6-4 in an instant classic in front of a captivated Centre Court crowd.
Elsewhere on the women’s side, Heather Watson, Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones fell at the first hurdle, while Katie Boulter fell in the second round with a three-sets loss to Solana Sierra.
However, Sonay Kartal’s meteoric rise has continued: the 23-year-old has advanced to the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time, thanks to wins over 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko, Viktoriya Tomova, and Diane Parry.
Still, other beaten Britons in the women’s draw were Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic in round one, part of a crop of talented British teenagers who were awarded main-draw wildcards to Wimbledon for the first time.
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On the men’s side, title hopeful Jack Draper dismissed Sebastian Baez in straight sets, with the Argentine retiring when two sets down, to set up a second-round match with major winner and former Wimbledon runner-up Marin Cilic. That’s where things went pear-shaped for the fourth seed as he crashed out to Cilic in four sets. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Oliver Tarvet overcame Leandro Riedi but then fell to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who triumphed at the All England Club in 2023 as well.
In an all-British tie, Dan Evans progressed at the expense of Jay Clarke, but the former was then ousted by seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in round two, suffering a one-sided loss.
However, Cam Norrie rolled back the years to some of his finest moments in SW19 as he battled past Roberto Bautista Agut in round one and won a second-round epic against 12th seed Francis Tiafoe to become the last British man standing.
He backed that up with a straight-sets win over Italy’s Mattia Bellucci to reach the fourth round for the first time since his phenomenal run to the semi-finals in 2022.
Jack Pinnington Jones, 22, stunned Tomas Martin Etcheverry in round one but could go no further as Flavio Cobolli ended his hopes, while Arthur Fery upset 20th seed Alexei Popyrin but fell to Luciano Darderi in round two.
Johannus Monday could not get past the first round, losing to 13th seed Tommy Paul in straight sets, and George Loffhagen also fell, as did 2023 boys’ singles champion Henry Searle and American-born Oliver Crawford. All four were awarded main-draw wildcards to SW19.
Billy Harris started well but was unable to join Norrie in the third round, losing 3-6, 4-6, 6-7(7) to Nuno Borges after an impressive straight-sets win over Dusan Lajovic in the first round.
Still playing
Men’s draw
Cam Norrie
Women’s draw
Sonay Kartal
Eliminated
Men’s draw
Jay Clarke, Johannus Monday, George Loffhagen, Henry Searle, Oliver Crawford, Billy Harris, Oliver Tarvet, Jack Pinnington Jones, Arthur Fery, Dan Evans, Jack Draper
Women’s draw
Heather Watson, Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Jody Burrage, Mingge Xu, Francesca Jones, Hannah Klugman, Mika Stojsavljevic, Emma Raducanu
