Top seed Carlos Alcaraz moved into the third round at Wimbledon with a 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-3 win over 84th-ranked Alexandre Muller on Friday, putting on an entertaining if error-strewn performance on Centre Court.
Muller, 26, who has spent most of his professional career on the second-tier Challenger circuit, was able to pressure Alcaraz into an uncharacteristic 41 unforced errors. But the young Spaniard’s all-around game, a mixture of power and exquisite touch, was just too strong.
At key moments, Alcaraz produced backhands that swerved around the net post, lobs that puffed the baseline chalk and unreturnable serves that reached 130 mph.
“I’m getting more experience and getting better every game,” Alcaraz said in an on-court interview. “Wimbledon is different to other tournament. I want to enjoy every single second, and I did.”
Novak Djokovic moved into the fourth round as he pursues some more significant numbers — a fifth consecutive title and eighth overall at Wimbledon — by making quick work of Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (5). Djokovic trailed 5-3 in the closing tiebreaker before reeling off the last four points.
With the Centre Court roof closed and the clock ticking toward the cutoff point, Djokovic, who is pursuing his 24th major crown, finally looked less invincible and was pushed into a tiebreak when he sliced a backhand volley wide.
Wawrinka led 5-3 in the breaker, but Djokovic hit back to earn Saturday off.
In other results Friday, American Christopher Eubanks pulled off a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (3) upset of 12th-seeded Cameron Norrie to reach the third round, while Andy Murray was eliminated in a five-set battle played over two days when he lost 7-6 (3), 6-7 (2), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 to No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
After breaking serve in the seventh game, Alcaraz won the first set on his fourth set point with a big serve. He raced to a 6-0 lead in the second-set tiebreaker before ultimately winning it with a glorious half-volley.
Alcaraz, who made it to the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, produced a searing passing shot to break serve in the ninth game of the final set and wrapped up the match on his serve with a forehand winner.
“There’s a lot of great players playing here on grass that feel really, really comfortable on grass. I have to be really, really focused until the final,” Alcaraz said. “It’s a lot of matches ahead. I can’t relax. I have to play my best in every match. Let’s see if I reach the final or not.”
Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev advanced to the third round by beating Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Medvedev’s previous best effort at Wimbledon was the fourth round in 2021, but he thinks he is finally feeling at home at the grass-court Grand Slam.
“Getting there. Maybe at the door. Not inside, but at the door,” Medvedev said. “It’s perfect. This match was much better than the first one. I felt that I was doing many, many things good.”
In other second-round matches, No. 6 Holger Rune swept Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-4; Matteo Berrettini upset No. 15 Alex De Minaur 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; and No. 19 Alexander Zverev beat Yosuke Watanuki 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 14 Lorenzo Musetti won Friday’s only matchup of seeded men’s players with a 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 17 Hubert Hurkacz to reach the fourth round. No. 8 Jannik Sinner is into the fourth as well after beating Quentin Halys 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.