Wimbledon day six: British singles interest ends as Katie Boulter loses

Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev both got through to the fourth round in four sets in men’s singles draw, while Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka were winners in the women’s draw.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how day six unfolded.

Alcaraz’s four-hour escape

Not that way, Nico #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/XjapkDToeM

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz, the world number one, is generally regarded as the most likely contender to stop Novak Djokovic, but his title credentials came under real scrutiny in his third-round match with Nicolas Jarry.

The Chilean is currently enjoying a career-best ranking, but had only won one match at Wimbledon before this year, so it is perhaps no surprise that he did not know which side of Centre Court the players’ chairs were when walking out.

However, Jarry made Alcaraz work hard as he levelled at one set all and then was a break up in the fourth set, looking primed to take it to a decider.

But the Spaniard showed all of his battling skills as he won five of the last six games to seal a 6-3 6-7 (6) 6-3 7-5 success in just short of four hours.

Fokina’s late gift

8-8 in the tiebreaker.

Who expected Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to do an underarm serve? #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/2ki8QOqkXz

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2023

When Alejandro Davidovich Fokina goes to bed tonight he will probably have nightmares. Only he knows what possessed him to produce an underarm serve at 8-8 in his match-deciding tie-break against Holger Rune, which the Dane gleefully ran on to with ease and despatched a winner that gave him match point.

The sixth seed, who described the Spaniard’s serve as “crazy” and “unexpected”, duly obliged to book his fourth-round spot.

Tweet of the day

A spectator was hit on the head by a shot from a completely different court… ????#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/GuSx9Pu2GX

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2023

Shot of the day

A shot that had everyone in disbelief.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s extraordinary effort is today’s Play of the Day, presented by @BarclaysUK #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/pnKLmk88ia

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2023

Picture of the day

Brit watch

Home interest in the singles is over for another year after Katie Boulter’s Centre Court demise.

The British number one was the last Briton standing after Cameron Norrie, Andy Murray and Liam Broady all went out within 90 minutes of each other on Friday, but she was dismantled by defending women’s champion Elena Rybakina on Saturday night.

Boulter, who won at Nottingham in the build-up, matched her best performance at this tournament but was outclassed by Rybakina, who won 6-1 6-1.