Aljaz Bedene knew what he was in for on Monday at The Championships. In order to break down Ivo Karlovic for a place in the second round, he’d need to win tie-breaks. In the final game, after four tie-breaks and a pulsating four hours and 25 minutes, the 27-year-old Bedene struck a crosscourt forehand return winner, then a backhand return winner down the line past No. 21 seed Ivo Karlovic for the lone break of the match - and his 14th win of the season. Bedene maintained his perfect record (4-0) against Karlovic with a 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 6-7(7), 7-6(7), 8-6 victory on No. 3 Court in fading light at the All England Club. It is the first time a match...
Playing in his first grass-court match in two years, Rafael Nadal looked like his dominant self on Monday, avoiding an early shocker at The Championships and cruising past Aussie John Millman 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 to earn his 850th match win. Nadal becomes just the seventh player to reach 850 match wins – after Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas, John McEnroe and Andre Agassi. “It was a very positive match for me, a good start... I am through to the second round. That's a very important thing for me. And I happy because I didn't win a lot of matches the last couple of years here in Wimbledon. Today I win one, and I am looking forward to...
