Tunisia's Ons Jabeur reacts as she competes against France's Diane Parry. AFP
Tunisia's Ons Jabeur reacts as she competes against France's Diane Parry. AFP
Tunisia's Ons Jabeur reacts as she competes against France's Diane Parry. AFP
Tunisia's Ons Jabeur reacts as she competes against France's Diane Parry. AFP

Ons Jabeur and Novak Djokovic breeze into Wimbledon fourth round


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Tunisian Ons Jabeur breezed through her latest match at Wimbledon to book a place in the fourth round and warned her rivals more is to come.

A 6-2 6-3 win over Diane Parry in 68 minutes was the longest amount of time Jabeur has spent on court at the All England Club this summer, and means she has only played a little more than three hours in SW19 so far.

The third seed was in superb touch against her French opponent and showed her full repertoire of tricks on Centre Court with several trademark drop shots able to help her into the last-16.

In the men’s competition, Novak Djokovic comfortably reached the last 16 at Wimbledon on Friday while Maria Sakkari became the sixth top-10 women's seed to crash out in the first week.

Three-time defending champion Djokovic demolished Serbian compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 to stay on course to pull level with Pete Sampras as a seven-time champion, one behind Roger Federer's men's record.

“So far, so good,” said the 35-year-old top seed after beating a player who described him as his “idol”.

“I expect high standards from myself. You always want to raise the level and things are shaping up well.”

Waiting in the fourth round is Dutch wild card Tim van Rijthoven.

Back in the women’s draw, Elise Mertens, who downed former Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber 6-4 7-5, stands between Jabeur and a place in the quarter-finals.

Jabeur, one of the favourites for the title, said: “Hopefully I will be even better for the next matches.

Novak Djokovic outclassed Miomir Kecmanovic to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon. EPA
Novak Djokovic outclassed Miomir Kecmanovic to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon. EPA

“I am playing the tennis that I love to see. Obviously there's a few things to improve and I want to be challenged for the next round, for sure, and see how I handle that pressure.

“For me, sometimes I start playing not so good. I feel like at the end of the tournament I start playing better and better. When I get more matches and I get used to the courts, to the environment here, I think I start to play better.”

After racing through her opening two matches with Mirjam Bjorklund and Katarzyna Kawa, a similar pattern developed in this third-round tie after Jabeur broke three times in the first set.

Tatjana Maria provided the big shock on day five by knocking out Maria Sakkari.

Fifth seed Sakkari had beaten the German at the Australian Open in January but suffered a 6-3 7-5 loss in one hour and 30 minutes on Court Two.

Tatjana Maria produced one of the shocks of the day by beating fifth seed Maria Sakkari. AFP
Tatjana Maria produced one of the shocks of the day by beating fifth seed Maria Sakkari. AFP

It secured world No 103 Maria a maiden appearance in the fourth round of a grand slam.

“I'm the first time in the last 16, so that's already amazing, and to win against Sakkari today, yeah, it's pretty awesome,” she added.

Maria will next take on Jelena Ostapenko, who beat the German and her partner Oceane Dodin in the women's doubles on Thursday.

Twelfth seed Ostapenko was the first woman into the fourth round but needed three sets to get the better of Irina Begu 3-6 6-1 6-1.

Jule Niemeier also progressed and in the process ended the run of Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko.

The biog

Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.

Favourite car: Lamborghini

Results

Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)

Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)

Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Expo details

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.

It is expected to attract 25 million visits

Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.

More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020

The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area

It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THE SPECS

Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury

Engine:  3.6L V-6

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 310hp

Torque: 367Nm

Price: Dh280,000

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Updated: July 02, 2022, 3:53 AM`