Alcaraz, Gauff Advance to Wimbledon Fourth Round

Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and US Open winner Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round on Friday, showcasing their dominance on the grass courts.

Alcaraz, the world number three, faced a stern test from close friend Frances Tiafoe in a thrilling five-set encounter. After dropping the first set, Alcaraz rallied to win the next two before Tiafoe forced a fourth-set tiebreak. However, Alcaraz's powerful serve and aggressive play proved too much for the American, as he sealed the victory 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.

"It's always a big challenge playing against Frances," said Alcaraz. "He's a really talented player, really tough to face, and he has shown again that he deserves to be at the top and fight for big things."

Gauff, the world number two, had an easier time against British qualifier Sonay Kartal, winning 6-4, 6-0. The American dominated the second set, allowing her opponent just eight points.

"This is my first time playing a British player here, so I was a little nervous because I knew you'd be for her, which is understandable," said Gauff. "Thankfully, you guys were pretty nice to me, so that helped."

Other notable results included Tommy Paul's straight-sets victory over Alexander Bublik, Grigor Dimitrov's defeat of Gael Monfils, and Madison Keys' advancement to the second week.

Lulu Sun made history by becoming the first woman from New Zealand since 1959 to reach the last 16. The 23-year-old upset Chinese eighth seed Zheng Qinwen in the first round and continued her impressive run with a straight-sets win over Zhu Lin.

"Practically more sheep and deer than people," joked Sun about her hometown of Te Anau. "I hope this win will be big news there."

Tags: #Wimbledon, #CarlosAlcaraz, #CocoGauff, #FrancesTiafoe, #SonayKartal