Top women’s seed Aryna Sabalenka and defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz both overcame stern challenges to advance to the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Sunday, while Britain’s Cameron Norrie kept home hopes alive with a dramatic five-set victory. Sabalenka, who ended Emma Raducanu’s run in the previous round, earned Centre Court approval with a 6-4, 7-6(4) win over doubles partner Elise Mertens. The Belarusian, banned from Wimbledon in 2022 and injured last year, is now two wins away from her maiden title at SW19.
Alcaraz survived an explosive battle against 14th seed Andrey Rublev, recovering from a first-set tiebreak loss to win 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The Spaniard, chasing a rare Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, praised Rublev’s power game: “He forces you to the limit on each point.” The world No. 3 extended his winning streak to 22 matches and will next face Norrie, who endured a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-7(5), 6-3 marathon against big-serving Nicolas Jarry.
The tournament’s automated line-calling system faced scrutiny after a malfunction cost Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova a point during her win over Britain’s Sonay Kartal. Meanwhile, Sabalenka relished the crowd’s unexpected support after her polarizing match against Raducanu: “I didn’t have to pretend they were cheering for me – they really were,” said the world No. 3, who next faces German veteran Laura Siegemund.
Norrie’s gutsy performance against Jarry, who fired 46 aces, marked his first Grand Slam quarter-final since 2022. The South Africa-born left-hander told BBC Sport: “I had to dig deep and use the crowd – they got me through.” With Alcaraz eyeing a third straight major and Sabalenka seeking her second Slam of 2024, Wimbledon’s second week promises high-stakes drama.