Wimbledon excitement levels will reach another level on what has become known as 'Manic Monday' when all 16 men’s and women’s fourth-round matches take place within a matter of hours.
ORDER OF PLAY: Wimbledon Day 7
With so much action to take in, we preview five can’t-miss matches as the second week of the tournament begins.
[25] Angelique Kerber v [20] Coco Gauff
Centre Court, second match
The highlight of the Centre Court schedule is this intergenerational clash, pitting two players reaching the peak of their powers against one another.
Gauff, just a few weeks on from a career-best run to the Roland Garros quarterfinals, is back in the second week at Wimbledon without dropping a set, showing an incredible poise, maturity, perspective and well-rounded game for a player just 17 years old.
Down the other end of the court will be a player almost twice her age in Kerber, the 33-year-old who has demonstrated vintage form in building an eight-match winning streak on grass.
The 2018 champion is the only player remaining in the women’s draw to have reached a Wimbledon final.
A magnificent match-up awaits, with Gauff’s fearsome serve countered by Kerber’s excellent return, and both players among the best movers in the game.
[4] Alexander Zverev v [16] Felix Auger-Aliassime
No.1 Court, second match
This high-profile fourth-round match sees Auger-Aliassime attempting to reverse a lopsided head-to-head record against the German, who has won all three of their previous meetings in straight sets.
Auger-Aliassime is through to the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time yet it should come as little surprise, given his huge serve and aggressive instincts have translated well to grass throughout his short career.
But he will need to elevate his level to counter Zverev, a player increasingly comfortable on the Grand Slam stage; should Zverev progress to his first Wimbledon quarterfinal, he will have reached that stage at all four major tournaments.
[1] Ash Barty v [14] Barbora Krejcikova
No.1 Court, first match
There’s a lot to like about this first meeting between the world No.1 and the reigning Roland Garros champion – the only projected fourth-round match between top-16 seeds to eventuate in the women’s draw.
DRAW: Wimbledon women's singles
Barty is attempting to reach her first Wimbledon quarterfinal, and should she do so, she would snap Krejcikova’s 15-match winning streak dating back to May.
Krejcikova described her Wimbledon run as the “perfect result as my debut” and revealed Barty to be a motivating, inspiring force whom she enjoys watching play.
The Roland Garros champions – Barty in 2019, Krejcikova in 2021 – possess all-court games that translate beautifully to grass courts and, thanks to impeccable seasons, are first and second in the points race to the WTA Finals.
[6] Roger Federer v [23] Lorenzo Sonego
Centre Court, third match
Sonego brings to the court an intense energy and power contrasting with Federer’s smooth strokes and serene demeanour, and with grass-court form under his belt, the Italian could really push the eight-time champion in his Centre Court debut.
Sonego has won 15 of his past 21 matches – a run including the ATP title in Cagliari, a Rome Masters semifinal, and a trip to last week’s final in Eastbourne – to reach the second week at Wimbledon for the first time.
Federer, by contrast, returns to this stage of the tournament for the 18th time, and is yet to lose any of his previous 17 fourth-round matches at the All England Club.
“I definitely feel like I've gotten my rhythm now at this point,” he revealed, after seeing off Adrian Mannarino, Richard Gasquet and Cameron Norrie.
[7] Iga Swiatek v [21] Ons Jabeur
No.2 Court, first match
Both Swiatek and Jabeur have broken new ground at Wimbledon, and on Monday these two incredible athletes will come face-to-face in what will be a second-week debut for both.
While both profess a love for clay, Jabeur in particular has shown she can adapt her creative, inventive shot-making to grass; she recently won the Birmingham title and struck 44 winners in a magnificent upset of Garbine Muguruza in the third round.
At the same time, Swiatek has been mowing down opponents at Wimbledon thanks to stellar serving and an aggressive, first-strike approach.
In their only previous meeting, Swiatek won in three tight sets.