WIMBLEDON — Second round action began on Wednesday at Wimbledon with Dayana Yastremska (UKR) and Hubert Hurkacz (POL) backing up their first career wins in London with another victory.
Yastremska defeated one of the hottest players on grass this season in a battle of under 21-year-olds. [27] Sofia Kenin entered Wimbledon having won Mallorca two weeks before, but Yastremska ended her grass season with a three-set victory.
The 19-year-old Ukrainian will play Viktorija Golubic (SUI), who is also making her first third round appearance on Friday.
Hurkacz scored another 4-set victory to advance to the third round of a Slam for the first time in his career, where he will play top-seeded Novak Djokovic. This will be the pair’s second meeting after playing in the first round at Roland-Garros.
On Thursday, Great Britain’s Harriet Dart, who had the Duchess of Cambridge watch her opening round match, continued her Cinderella run in her hometown. Dart defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia, who scored one of the biggest upsets of the tournament in her first round, in three sets.
“I think I'm a very fiery type of competitor,” said Dart after the match. “I think that definitely shows. I'm such a fighter.”
Later in the day, Steve Johnson (USA) needed five sets to upset 25th-seeded Alex De Minaur. The American was down 0-30 in four of his service games in the final set but held each time to escape with a 3-6, 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory.
Belinda Bencic (SUI) wrapped up Day 4 for Team Yonex with another straight-set victory. After winning the final six games of the match for a 6-3, 6-1 victory, Bencic will look to carry that momentum into her next match against Alison Riske with her eyes set on reaching the second week.
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Men
Hubert Hurkacz (POL) - VCORE PRO 97 / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125 / ECLIPSION2 / London Collection def. Leonardo Mayer, 6-7, 6-1, 7-6, 6-3
Steve Johnson (USA) - VCORE 98 def. Alex De Minaur, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Women
Harriet Dart (GBR) - VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR PRO 125 def. Beatriz Haddad Maia, 7-6, 3-6, 6-1
[13] Belinda Bencic (SUI) - EZONE 100 / POLYTOUR PRO 125 def. Kaia Kanepi, 6-3, 6-1
Dayana Yastremska (UKR) – VCORE PRO 100 / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125 & POLYTOUR DRIVE 125 / FUSIONREV3/ London Collection def. [27] Sofia Kenin, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
Viktorija Golubic (SUI) – VCORE 98 def. Yulia Putintseva, 6-4, 7-6