‘It was stressful’ - Carlos Alcaraz has another hard Wimbledon match as Cameron Norrie keeps English hopes alive

Carlos Alcaraz reacts during his match against Jan-Lennard Struff on day five of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London. Photo credit: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

Carlos Alcaraz nearly had the stuffing knocked out of him by big-serving German Jan-Lennard Struff.

The defending champion looked to be cruising to a 21st consecutive match win when he breezed through the opening set.

But 6ft 4in Struff strutted his stuff in the second, firing down 139mph missiles before shocking second seed Alcaraz when he clinched the crucial break for 5-3 before levelling the match.

However Alcaraz, who needed five sets to overcome veteran Fabio Fognini in the first round, gathered himself to win 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4 in two hours and 25 minutes.

“I knew it was going to be really difficult and I had to be focused on every shot,” said the 22-year-old Spaniard.

“His game suits the grass, big serves, coming to the net, so I’m pleased with everything I did today. Proud to get the win in four sets.

“To be honest, I was suffering in every service game I did. Lots of break points down. It was stressful.”

Next up for the five-time grand slam champion is Russian 14th seed Andrey Rublev.

Taylor Fritz has been on court for so long this week he could soon be eligible for squatter’s rights.

The American fifth seed came through two marathon five-setters spread over three days to reach the third round, while a three-hour 12-minute win over Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in four has also taken its toll.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m a bit sore after this match, because even though it was four, it was much more physical than my other two matches,” he said.

“I did a lot more side-to-side running in the heat as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m a bit sore. But overall I’m feeling good.”

Fritz will face Australian Jordan Thompson, who beat Luciano Darderi, also in four sets.

Thompson, who is hindered by back problems, is in the last 16 for the first time.

Fiery Italian Darderi was angered when Thompson’s cap came off during a rally with the 31-year-old catching it and going on to win the point – had it hit the ground he would have lost it.

Brazil’s rising teenage star Joao Fonseca disappointed his legion of noisy fans after he lost the all-South American showdown with Nicolas Jarry.

Chilean qualifier Jarry secured a fourth-round meeting with Britain’s Cameron Norrie after a 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6 (4) victory on a raucous Court Two.

Cameron Norrie celebrates winning his match against Mattia Bellucci

Norrie kept the British hopes alive in the Wimbledon men’s draw by brushing aside Italian world number 73 Mattia Bellucci to reach round four.

Jack Draper’s surprise second-round loss on Thursday to former finalist Marin Cilic left Norrie as the last British man standing in SW19.

To the delight of the Court One crowd, the 2022 semi-finalist delivered, recovering from a slow start to win 7-6 (5) 6-4 6-3.

Norrie will take on either Brazilian teenage sensation Joao Fonseca or Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry next, with two-time defending champion Alcaraz a potential quarter-final opponent.

The 29-year-old has dipped below the radar since his exploits of three years ago, plummeting from a career-high ranking of eighth to 61st – via a spell at 91st – and slipping below Draper and Jacob Fearnley in the British pecking order.

He gave a reminder of his talents by sweeping past 12th seed Frances Tiafoe in round two and this – on paper, at least – looked to be a more straightforward assignment.

Yet Norrie was on the backfoot in the early stages against a fellow left-hander who scalped Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas early this year and came out all guns blazing.

Bellucci broke to love in the opening game and then fought back from 40-0 down to hold in game two, while his 16 first-set winners included an outrageous forehand around the side of the net off the Briton’s serve.

Norrie eventually broke to love to level at 4-4 before a stunning backhand helped settle a tense tie-break in his favour.

Bellucci took a set off Draper in the first round of this year’s French Open before fading.

Following his bright start, the 24-year-old looked set to suffer a similar fate after failing to hold at the start of the second set but he soon broke back from 40-0 down.

However, Norrie regained the initiative in game seven before sealing the set with an ace and then easing through the decider to progress in two hours and 28 minutes.

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