On July 7th, under the bright skies of No.2 Court at Wimbledon, Flavio Cobolli turned Centre Court dreams into reality as the 22-year-old Italian toppled former US Open champ Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(3) in over three hours of gripping grass-court theatre, announcing himself as tennis’s newest giant-killer; mixing bold drop shots and fearless rallies.
Cobolli kept dragging Cilic, still swinging big at 36, out of his comfort zone, and while the Croatian veteran fought valiantly to snatch the third set in a tiebreak, it was Cobolli who roared through the fourth-set breaker. He sealed the win with a forehand winner and collapsed to the turf in disbelief, his eyes misty as he declared this a day he’d “never forget.”
Marin Cilic against Flavio Cobolli
The crowd, still buzzing from the drama, already began dreaming of his looming quarter-final clash with Novak Djokovic, a true passing-of-the-torch moment brewing on the lawns of SW19.
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Belinda Bencic (Credit @ WTA)
(Quick match Recaps)
Djokovic def. De Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 — classic Novak Houdini act on Centre Court: dropped the first set, trailed 1-4 in the fourth, then flipped the switch and reeled off nine of the last eleven games to keep his chase for an eighth Wimbledon crown alive. De Minaur’s lightning footwork dazzled early, but Djokovic’s big-match steel proved too much.
Bencic def. Alexandrova 7-6(4), 6-4 — Bencic finally breaks her fourth-round curse at Wimbledon, showing ice-cold nerves in a tense tiebreak and saving match points in vintage style. Returning from maternity leave, the Swiss star’s tears said it all as she reached her first quarterfinal here. A high-quality scrap from start to finish.
Cash/Glasspool def. Andreozzi/Demoliner 6-3, 6-4 — the British pair powered into their first Slam quarterfinal together, serving lights-out and charging the net with swagger. A clean, confident win that sets up a tantalizing all-British clash in the next round, Centre Court vibes guaranteed!
De Minaur came out like a lightning bolt, snatching the first set and surging to 4-1 in the fourth, but Djokovic’s trademark resilience flipped the script as he reeled off nine of the last eleven games, proving once again that you can’t bury the Serb until the handshake; insiders say Novak’s ability to absorb pace and turn defense into instant offense was the killer edge, while De Minaur’s explosive speed thrilled but ultimately couldn’t crack Djokovic’s mental fortress.
Credit @ ABC News
🏆 Honorable Mentions
Flavio Cobolli’s coming-out party: The 22nd seed’s dazzling mix of power and finesse toppled Marin Cilic in four sets, punching his ticket to a first Slam quarter-final and fueling Italy’s historic Wimbledon run.
Belinda Bencic’s milestone moment: The Swiss star, back from maternity leave, held her nerve against Alexandrova to reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final, her tears afterward saying it all.
Spotlight Matchups Today
Match | Time (BST) | Insight |
|---|---|---|
Fritz vs. Khachanov | Court 1, 11:00 AM BST | Big serves, bigger forehands. Fritz chases his first semi, but Khachanov’s power and five-set stamina could turn this into a grass-court brawl. |
Norrie vs. Alcaraz | Centre Court, 11:00 AM BST | Norrie’s hoping home-crowd magic rattles Alcaraz, but the Spaniard’s explosive game might just blow him away. |
Galfi vs. Juvan | Court 2, 9:00 AM BST | Galfi’s firepower meets Juvan’s crafty defense in a sneaky-good clash. Whoever handles pressure best could score a career breakthrough. |
Today’s grind isn’t just about who plays, but how they play.
Fritz to dominate with his serve? Likely, if he keeps first-serve percentages high and shortens rallies against Khachanov’s heavy baseline blows.
Khachanov to push it five? Entirely possible—his power game and Grand Slam grit can turn this into a war if Fritz blinks under pressure.
Norrie to frustrate Alcaraz? He’ll try, slicing, hustling, and keeping rallies awkward, but Alcaraz’s explosive offense might simply blow past the Brit’s defenses.
As Wimbledon rolls on, Cobolli’s rise, Djokovic’s Houdini act, and Bencic’s comeback light up the lawns, setting the stage for fierce battles ahead. Fritz eyes his breakthrough, Norrie braces for Alcaraz’s firepower, and Shelton’s star keeps climbing. Grass, grit, and glory, it’s all still to play for.
Credit @ BBC
