Wimbledon 2024: Alcaraz survives Tiafoe upset bid, Gauff sweeps to 4th round

July 5 (UPI) -- Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz fended off an upset bid by Frances Tiafoe, outlasting the American in a nearly 4-hour match Friday at Wimbledon. Coco Gauff also advanced to the fourth round with a straight-sets triumph.

Alcaraz, ranked No. 3, totaled 16 aces compared to nine for Tiafoe. He also fired 55 winners and converted 5 of 8 break point opportunities in the 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 win. Tiafoe, ranked No. 29, totaled 39 winners and converted 3 of 10 break point chances.

"There were a lot of difficult moments during all four sets," Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. "All I was thinking was 'OK, fight one more ball.' I was just thinking about the next ball and the tie-break I told myself I had to go for it. If I lose it, I lose it.

"I went for it all the time, and it is good to get through once again."

Alcaraz will face No. 65 Brandon Nakashima of the United States or No. 16 Ugo Humbert of France in the fourth round. The Nakashima-Humbert match was among several suspended Friday because of rain at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria and No. 12 Tommy Paul of the United States joined Alcaraz as the highest-ranked players to advance through early wave of third-round matches.

Gauff needed just 62 minutes to eliminate third-round foe Sonay Kartal of the United Kingdom. The No. 2-ranked women's player totaled five aces, 16 winners and just 15 unforced errors in that 6-4, 6-0 triumph. She also converted 5 of 9 break point opportunities against her No. 298 foe.

Gauff will face fellow American Emma Navarro (No. 17) in the fourth round. The winner will meet No. 7 Jasmine Paolini of Italy or No. 12 Madison Keys of the United States in the quarterfinals.

Navarro beat No. 30 Diana Shnaider of Russia 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. Keys and Paolini advanced with respective straight-sets wins over No. 19 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine and No. 176 Bianca Andreescu of Canada.

No. 93 Paula Badosa of Spain also advanced with a Day 5 upset of No. 12 Daria Kasatkina of Russia. She will meet No. 27 Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine or No. 37 Donna Vekic of Croatia in the fourth round.