Day 5 at The Championships features the beginning of third round singles action.
On Friday, many of the sport’s top names take to the courts of The All-England Club. Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, and Coco Gauff headline the day’s schedule.
Here’s a rundown of the most notable matches on Day 5 (in chronological order, all times local):
Daria Kasatkina vs. Naomi Osaka (14) – 1:00pm on No.1 Court
Osaka has advanced through two rounds in straight sets, but she is 0-3 lifetime in the third round of this tournament. Kasatkina was a quarterfinalist here back in 2018, yet she’s also lost her three most recent appearances in the third round. Now representing Australia, Kasatkina required three sets in both of her first two matches, and she only owns 10 victories this season at tour level, as a right hip injury has hampered her play.
The four-time Major champion is 3-0 against Kasatkina, which includes a three-set win at last summer’s US Open.
Arthur Rinderknech (25) vs. Novak Djokovic (7) – 1:30pm on Centre Court
Djokovic easily dispatched of Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday, his 12th consecutive victory over the Greek. Rinderknech has dropped one set thus far, though he’s yet to face a top 100 player. If Djokovic advances, it could set up a Roland Garros rematch against Joao Fonseca, who came back from two-sets-to-love down to defeat Novak in Paris.
Jannik Sinner (1) vs. Jenson Brooksby – Second on No.1 Court
After being pushed to five sets to begin his title defense, Sinner won a tight three-setter on Wednesday over Nuno Borges. Brooksby claimed his first two rounds in straights, though the 25-year-old American arrived at SW19 just 6-16 on the year. Five years ago in Washington, Sinner beat Brooksby in straights.
Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs. Jelena Ostapenko – Second on Centre Court
Sabalenka endured an extended second-set tiebreak against McCartney Kessler in the last round, and is still yet to lose a set. She leads this head-to-head between two of the WTA’s biggest ball strikers by 3-1. However, their most recent encounter went to Ostapenko, which was in the final of Stuttgart on clay a year ago.
Hubert Hurkacz vs. Tommy Paul (21) – Third on No.2 Court
Both of these players have not dropped a set, setting up a big third round matchup between two accomplished grass court players. Paul won Queen’s Club two years ago, and again reached the final this year. Hurkacz was a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2021, and won Halle in 2022, while he returned to the final of Halle in 2024.
Paul is 3-1 against Hurkacz, having prevailed in their last three meetings. This will be their first meeting on grass, as well as their first meeting at a Major.
Claire Liu (Q) vs. Coco Gauff (7) – Third on No.1 Court
Gauff came extremely close to exiting this event on Wednesday, coming from a break down in the third set to eventually defeat Solana Sierra in a deciding tiebreak. Coco continues to struggle on this surface, having lost four grass court matches in a row prior to this fortnight. Liu is a 26-year-old qualifier who is making her debut in the third round of a Major. Gauff owns a pair of straight-set victories over her fellow American.
Felix Auger-Aliassime (3) vs. Michael Zheng (Q) – Third on Centre Court
Thanks to a pair of straight-set victories, Auger-Aliassime has reached the third round of The Championships for the first time since 2021. Zheng is a 22-year-old American who has now qualified for all three Majors this year. He upset Cam Norrie in a fifth-set tiebreak on Monday, before ousting another qualifier in four sets. Last year, Zheng became the first back-to-back NCAA champion in American college tennis since Steve Johnson in 2011 and 2012. He has an impressive all-court game that should quickly propel Zheng up the rankings.
Friday’s full Order of Play is here.
