Injury-plagued duo Grigor Dimitrov and Matteo Berrettini go head to head in the round of 16 of the men’s matches on Center Court.
AFP Sport looks at three matches to watch from day six of the tournament (x denotes seeding):
Camila Osorio (Colorado)/Solana Sierra (Argentina) – Serena Williams (USA)/Venus Williams (USA)
First meeting
– Serena Williams’ return to singles tennis after a four-year absence ended with a first-round loss to Maya Joynt.
The 44-year-old is fit enough to play doubles with Venus despite suffering a knee injury in their Center Court match on Tuesday.
Tournament organizers have postponed the Williams sisters’ first-round match until Saturday to give Serena “as much time as possible” to recover, which will please rival Sierra.
“Honestly, it’s crazy,” said the Argentine, who will partner Colombian Osorio.
“I never thought I would have the chance to play against them, and now I have the opportunity to face both of them.
“I’m really looking forward to it and I think it’s going to be a great experience.”
Serena and Venus last played women’s doubles at the All England Club in 2016, when they won their 14th and final Grand Slam title as a duo.
Alexandra Eala (PHI x29) v Iga Swiatek (POL x3)
Face-to-face meetings 1-1
Defending champion Iga Swiatek was in fine form as she dispatched Karolina Pliskova in the second round © Adrian Dennis / AFP/File
— Swiatek made a statement to her title rivals by dispatching former world number one Karolina Pliskova in the second round, losing just four games.
She then renews her growing rivalry with Ila, who was the first to enter Center Court.
Swiatek suffered a shock defeat to the Filipina in last year’s Miami Open quarter-finals before getting revenge on clay a few weeks later in Madrid.
“She has a difficult game. I would imagine that on grass it is even more difficult because of the surface. Of course, she uses her strengths, changes of rhythm and all that,” said the six-time Grand Slam champion from Ilya.
Eala, 21, has already made Philippine history by becoming the first player from a Southeast Asian country to reach the third round of a Grand Slam tournament in the Open era.
“She won a Grand Slam on grass. She won the Grand Slam tournament on clay. She won a grand slam on hardcourt, so I mean, I’m expecting a big challenge,” Eala said of Swiatek.
“But I think I’m ready for it. I’m ready to face this.”
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) v Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
Face-to-face meetings 1-1
Grigor Dimitrov won an emotional victory over Jakub Mensik in the second round © Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP
– Dimitrov will take on former Wimbledon finalist Berrettini in a battle of two wounded warriors after a cathartic win over rising Czech star Jakub Mensik.
The Bulgarian, ranked 146th after missing out due to injury, is playing as a wild card.
He was forced to retire with a chest injury when he beat eventual champion Jannik Sinner by two sets in the round of 16 last year.
“I’m just trying to stay in the moment as much as I can, like I said, embrace it, cherish it, do the right things, eat right, rest a little bit, enjoy again and then go out and do what you love,” the 35-year-old said of his return to the court.
Berrettini’s injury problems are well known, but the Italian showed signs of returning to his best form, reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open where he had to retire due to injury.
“The love for sports is the same,” he said. “The love of competition, the love of pushing one’s limits is always the same. Now I’m 30. I’m not 20 anymore.”
This will be the first meeting between the two since 2019.
© 2026 AFP