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Friday's Final Word
- Aussie outclassed Italian Luciano Darderi
- Next faces fifth seed Taylor Fritz on Sunday
Jordan Thompson’s impressive Wimbledon march has continued, with the wounded warrior storming into the fourth round for the first time in his career.
Ominously, he then declared: ‘I’m not anywhere near 100 per cent – but I’m still fighting my a** off every point.’
Harbouring a debilitating back injury that made him moan after his two previous courageous five-set wins that even ‘snails move faster’, Thompson looked in sharper nick on Friday as he beat Italian Luciano Darderi 6-4 6-4 3-6 6-3 in their third-round showdown.
It booked the battling ‘Tommo’ his first last-16 appearance at Wimbledon at the ninth attempt, and only the second fourth-round date of his Grand Slam career, matching his US Open performance of last year and 2020.
Thompson believes he can prevail in a mouth-watering last-16 clash on Sunday with in-form fifth seed Taylor Fritz, the big-serving American he beat on the grass at Queen’s Club last year.
‘It’s a pathetic outlook if I go out there thinking I can’t win. I won last time on grass, but very different grass, in different circumstances,’ the 31-year-old from Sydney said post-match.
Jordan Thompson’s impressive Wimbledon march has continued, with the wounded warrior storming into the fourth round for the first time after beating Italian Luciano Darderi
The battle-hardened Aussie next faces big-serving fifth seed Taylor Fritz on Sunday for a spot in the quarter-finals
‘So, you know, it’ll be a new day.’
On the eve of the Championships, the injury-plagued Thompson wasn’t sure he would be fit to play because of the painful sacroiliac joint problem in his back.
He has also battled on in the doubles, so as not to let down partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Thompson is the first Australian to reach the fourth round at the grass-court slam this year, with both Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina having the chance to join him on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Rinky Hijikata’s daydream of pulling off the greatest of Wimbledon escapes against Ben Shelton lasted less than a minute when the pair resumed their match that was suspended controversially with the 10th seed about to serve for the match.
When the match resumed on No.2 Court in the Friday afternoon sunshine, everyone could see the funny side once Shelton won all four points in just 55 seconds, including three booming aces, to complete the 6-2 7-5 6-4 victory in two hours and 12 minutes.
Sydneysider Hijikata, who had been unable to dent the two-time grand slam semi-finalist’s delivery all match, couldn’t help but grin ruefully.
‘That was an absolute clinic on how to serve out a match if you’ve got one game to go,’ he said. ‘I thought it was a bloody good effort by him.’
