Wimbledon in 10 highlights: Rain, records and royals

Wimbledon saw Carlos Alcaraz dethrone Novak Djokovic, Marketa Vondrousova take a surprise women’s title while there was also rain, records and royals.

AFP Sport looks at 10 highlights from this year’s Grand Slam tournament which wrapped up on Sunday.

Dry hard! Djokovic mops up

Heavy rain brought havoc to the schedule on the second day with just an hour’s play possible on the outside courts, which meant 69 of the planned 77 matches were unable to be completed.

Novak Djokovic helped dry Wimbledon’s Centre Court with his towel on the first day, appealing to fans to “blow” on the court during a lengthy delay.

‘Just Stop Oil’ stops play

Climate activists interrupted matches on the third day, scattering orange confetti and jigsaw pieces on Court 18.

Two men and a woman, all wearing T-shirts with “Just Stop Oil” printed on them, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage.

One fan shouted “Get off the court” as spectators booed and jeered.

38-point tiebreaker

Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko reached the fourth round after triumphing in the longest-ever tiebreak in a Grand Slam women’s singles match.

The deciding breaker stretched to a record 38 points as the 34-year-old defeated Ana Bogdan of Romania 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (20/18) to make the last 16.

Tsurenko took victory on a seventh match point after saving five match points herself in a three-hour 40-minute epic on Court 14.

Murray faces the end

Andy Murray admitted he didn’t know if he will be back at Wimbledon next year after a heart-breaking second round loss to world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Two-time champion Murray went down 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (2/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 after a gruelling four-hour 40-minute match-up.

The defeat meant 36-year-old Murray has not made the second week of a Grand Slam since reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2017.

“I don’t know,” said Murray when asked if he would be back at the All England Club next year.

Down and out after underarm serve

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina insisted he had no regrets after his decision to serve underarm when just two points from a place in the last 16 spectacularly backfired.

The Spaniard opted for the unorthodox tactic at 8/8 in the fifth set tiebreaker against sixth seed Holger Rune before losing in five sets.

“It was just another serve. I don’t regret anything,” said Davidovich Fokina who also squandered two match points.

Azarenka and ‘unfair’ boos

Victoria Azarenka blasted the Wimbledon crowd as “unfair” and “drunk” after she was booed off Centre Court following her defeat to Elina Svitolina in a politically charged clash.

Ukraine’s Svitolina came through in three sets and opted not shake hands with Belarusian Azarenka in protest over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Belarus is a key military ally of Moscow.

“It wasn’t fair. It is what it is. What can I do?” said Azarenka.

Eubanks’ winning feeling in defeat

Having described grass as the “stupidest” surface, big-serving Chris Eubanks left Wimbledon as a shock quarter-finalist and record-breaker.

As well as being the only man to hit over 100 aces at the tournament, he unleashed 321 winners, beating Andre Agassi’s record of 317 from 1992.

Djokovic hit by hindrance call

Novak Djokovic endured a double mini-setback in his straight sets win over Jannik Sinner when he was docked a point for hindrance for a loud grunt which accompanied a down-the-line winner. In the same game, the Serb was handed a code violation for taking too long between points.

“The hindrance could have changed the course of the match. I felt nervous after that call, but I managed to re-group,” Djokovic said.

Hugs welcome, Jabeur tells Princess Kate

Ons Jabeur was so disconsolate after her shock Wimbledon final defeat to Marketa Vondrousova that she told Kate, the Princess of Wales, that “hugs are always welcome”.

In a moving moment on Centre Court, the wife of the heir to the British throne, gave the tearful Tunisian a warm embrace as she handed her the runners-up trophy.

“She didn’t know if she wants to give me a hug or not. I told her hugs are always welcome from me. That was a very nice moment and she’s always nice to me.”

Alcaraz and changing of the guard

Carlos Alcaraz defeated seven-time champion Novak Djokovic to claim his first Wimbledon title, shattering the Serb’s dream of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown.

World number one Alcaraz recovered from dropping the first set and saving a set point in the second to win 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 after four hours and 42 minutes on Centre Court.

“It’s great for the new generation. I think to see me beating him and making them think that they are capable to do it, as well,” said Alcaraz.