Wimbledon 2017: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic advance to 3rd round; Karolina Pliskova knocked out

London: Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic had to play all three sets at Wimbledon this time. The former champions both advanced to the third round on Thursday, two days after their opening matches ended early when their opponents retired with an injury. [caption id=“attachment_3785041” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Roger Federer celebrates winning the second round match against Dusan Lajovic. Reuters[/caption] Federer was broken early in his match, but the seven-time champion recovered quickly and beat Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (0), 6-3, 6-2. Djokovic, a three-time champion, defeated Adam Pavlasek 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. Djokovic won the Wimbledon title in 2011, ‘14 and ‘15. But he has not won a major title since completing a career Grand Slam at the 2016 French Open. In his opening two matches at the All England Club, Djokovic has only lost eight games. “It’s perfect. Exactly what I want,” Djokovic said. “I don’t want to have any five-set matches in there.” Djokovic, the second seed whose shock third round loss to Sam Querrey at Wimbledon 12 months ago precipitated a worrying decline in form, will next face Ernests Gulbis. “It was a very warm day, it wasn’t easy to play point after point and some long rallies,” said Djokovic. Gulbis, a former top 10 player, sprang a surprise as the world number 589 defeated former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). Federer has lost 14 games so far and will next face 27th-seeded Mischa Zverev. “I struggled at the start and couldn’t find my rhythm,” said Federer, who dropped his first service game to trail 2-0 to his 79th-ranked opponent. “But once I got rid of the nerves I played some inspired stuff.” The Swiss star next faces German serve-and-volleyer Mischa Zverev. US 17th seed Jack Sock suffered the biggest upset of the day, losing to 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-2 to Austrian world number 217 Sebastian Ofner who had never played at the majors before this week. Fellow American John Isner, seeded 23, was also knocked out by Israeli Dudi Sela 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3. At 32, Sela, who got to the fourth round back in 2009, is into the third round this year. Milos Raonic, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, Gael Monfils and David Ferrer also reached the third round. Ferrer advanced when opponent Steve Darcis retired with an injury while trailing 3-0. Darcis is the eighth man to retire during a match this week. The Belgian took a medical timeout after 18 minutes of play and was unable to continue. Favourite Pliskova ousted One of the favorites in the women’s tournament, third-seeded Karolina Pliskova, lost on Centre Court. Magdalena Rybarikova beat Pliskova 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the third round for the second time in 10 appearances. Pliskova entered the tournament with a chance to take over the No 1 ranking. [caption id=“attachment_3785043” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Karolina Pliskova reacts during her second round match against Magdalena Rybarikova. Reuters[/caption] “For me, the tournament is over. So whatever happens happens. I’m not going to pray for somebody losing or winning. That’s not my thing,” Pliskova said. “My expectations were a little bit different than to make one round here,” Pliskova said. “That’s tennis, you know. Still, you still can play well and you don’t have to win. That’s my case today.” Top-seeded Angelique Kerber also advanced to the third round, along with seventh-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, ninth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, 14th-seeded Garbine Muguruza and 24th-seeded CoCo Vandeweghe. Kerber next faces Shelby Rogers who beat Lucie Safarova 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-3 with the Czech possibly still distracted by the events involving close friend and doubles partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Agnieszka Radwanska, the 2012 finalist, saved two match points to see off Christina McHale 5-7, 7-6 (7), 6-3. Fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki defeated Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3, 6-4 and will take on Anett Kontaveit in the third round. Estonia’s Kontaveit upset 29th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-2 in their second-round clash. Kristina Mladenovic slammed the condition of Wimbledon’s legendary Court 18 on Thursday, saying the grass was dangerously sparse, a hole appeared, and both she and her opponent wanted to quit. The French 12 seed was playing Alison Riske in a second round encounter on Court 18, the smallest of the five show courts with 782 seats, which the American won 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Mattek-Sands suffers horrible injury American wildcard entry Mattek-Sands suffered a horrific knee injury on Thursday which left her screaming in pain, pleading for help and officials accused of freezing in her desperate moment of need. Moving up toward the net in the opening game of the third set against Sorana Cirstea of Romania, Mattek-Sands slipped and fell. She immediately clutched her right knee. “Please help me! Please! Please!” screamed Mattek-Sands as she clutched her right knee after collapsing running to the net in the first point of the deciding set of her second round match against Romania’s Sorana Cirstea. The women’s tour said Mattek-Sands had suffered an “acute knee injury” and had been taken to hospital. The All England Club defended their response, claiming: “The first response to Court 17 was within one minute, by a qualified ambulance technician. In a statement, they added: “The player was kept on court while pain relief was given. “The player was then transferred directly to an ambulance and taken under emergency conditions to a hospital.” With inputs from agencies