Wimbledon 2024: Alcaraz v Tiafoe, Paolini v Andreescu in third-round action – live | Wimbledon 2024

Stuart Broad is having a lovely old time since his retirement from cricket, isn’t he? Fair play to the guy. I wonder how he’d get on with the challenge system in tennis …

Alcaraz and Tiafoe are knocking up on Centre, which is filling up nicely.

This is seriously high-quality stuff. With all due respect to Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart, whose Battle of Britain yesterday was all nerves, tension and tetchiness, this is comfortably a cut above. Paolini looks like she’s about to hit every shot into the net, yet never does. Her forehand is an absolute sledgehammer. On serve at 3-3.

It’s a hard-fought hold and a visceral “C’MON!” from Andreescu in the end. 2-2

Things are now well under way on the outside courts. Tommy Paul v Alexander Bublik has just started on Court 2, while Carlos Alcaraz is about to make his grand entrance on Centre, facing Frances Tiafoe.

Some lovely stuff around the net from Paolini. She anticipates the drop-shot well and then shows a delicate touch with the volley to see out the point. And then, in the next point, she unfurls a fantastic volley on the stretch.

Andreescu’s early momentum seems to have already been halted. Ah, but at 15-40 and under pressure, goes bang, bang – successive aces.

Daria Kasatkina versus Paola Badosa is under way in the women’s singles on Court 3. Meanwhile, Paolini holds serve – the first hold of the match. It’s 2-1 to the this year’s French Open finalist.

It’s easy to forget Andreescu was a mere 19-year-old when she beat Serena Williams in the US Open final in 2019. She’s never made it past the third round at Wimbledon, but she could be involved in a classic here, judging by the opening exchanges. Paolini has dug deep to force deuce, then a break point, then Andreesu skews it into the net. Break back! 1-1

A couple of mighty groundstrokes from Andreescu force it to 15-40 on the Italian’s serve. A floaty second serve is then brutally punished by the Canadian, who thumps it down the line to break in the opening game. Wow.

I’m hearing a few whispers that patches of blue sky have been spotted above the All England Club. Don’t quote me on that, though.

We’re ready to rock and roll on No 1. Paolini to serve first.

Play is set to commence on the outside courts from 1pm BST after rain but the roof is on Centre and No 1, the latter of which has just seen Jasmine Paolini and Bianca Andreescu enter the court. They’re knocking up now after a brief pep talk from the umpire.

This should be a good match. Paolini is bang in-form and a very likeable player, a revelation even, while Andreescu is making an almighty comeback after years of injury.

Andy Murray had an emotional swansong to remember on Thursday night but his tournament isn’t over yet, with practice slated for Friday before a mixed doubles date alongside Emma Raducanu that could take place on Saturday.

Murray was in tears after watching a montage of the most memorable moments of his career, with tributes from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams, before talking through his memories with Sue Barker. Per PA:

“It was really nice,” said Murray. “When the video was playing, my head was spinning a lot. I know I’m about to have to speak. It’s difficult in those moments because there’s a lot of people you want to thank and address. It was pretty emotional as well. Watching the video was nice but hard as well for me because it’s coming to the end of something that you’ve absolutely loved doing for such a long time.

“But it was obviously really nice that a lot of the players stayed. I have very close, good relationships with the British guys that were there but there’s also a number of players there on that court that I have enormous respect for, some of the greatest players in the history of the game. It feels like an ending to me. Whether I deserve it or not, I don’t know. But they did a really, really good job.”

There’s a cracker on Court One to open up at 1pm, when the No 7 seed Jasmine Paolini tackles Bianca Andreescu, and fans should be treated to another when Grigor Dimitrov faces Gaël Monfils afterwards. And then it’s the biggest match of Sonay Kartal’s career when the Briton faces No 2 seed Coco Gauff to round off the action there.

From one of our team at SW19 …

Preamble