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Wimbledon: Serena Williams survives; Djokovic dominates

By The Sports Xchange
Great Britain's Heather Watson reacts during her match against American Serena Williams on day five of the 2015 Wimbledon championships, London on July 03, 2015. Williams won the match 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI.
Great Britain's Heather Watson reacts during her match against American Serena Williams on day five of the 2015 Wimbledon championships, London on July 03, 2015. Williams won the match 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI. | License Photo

Serena Williams dodged a major upset on Friday, surviving a pulsating three-set match with England's Heather Watson to advance to the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Defending men's champion Novak Djokovic advanced to the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the 25th consecutive time in easier fashion, with 15 service aces and 38 winners to beat Bernad Tomic 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. French Open champion Stan Wawrinka also breezed to a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win over Fernando Verdasco.

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"I served well. It's not easy to win against Bernard in straight sets. I am pleased with the way I'm playing, I'm very close to where I want to be," Djokovic said.

Williams was down two breaks in the third set before she staged an impressive rally against the young Watson, winning four straight games and then producing two late breaks to salvage the victory. She'll next face sister Venus Williams for the sixth time at Wimbledon and the 26th time in their careers. Serena has a 14-11 record in head-to-head meetings and is 3-2 at Wimbledon.

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Venus had an easier time in the third round, defeating Aleksandra Krunic 6-3, 6-2. The sisters will play Monday.

Maria Sharapova also advanced at the All England Club, dispatching Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4, 6-3.

"There is only one champion in the end and the one who raises their game is the champion," said Sharapova, who won the ladies singles in 2004.

There was one upset on the men's side. Nick Kyrgios upended No. 7 Milos Raonic 5-7, 7-5, 7-6, 6-3.

American John Isner's match against No. 9 Marin Cilic was suspended because of darkness in the fifth set with the score tied 10-10.

Saturday's order of play:

Centre Court

Samuel Groth vs. No. 2 Roger Federer

No. 28 Jelena Jankovic vs. No. 2 Petra Kvitova

No. 25 Andreas Seppi vs. No. 3 Andy Murray

Court 1:

No. 5 Caroline Wozniacki vs. Camilia Giorgi

No. 9 Marin Cilic vs. No. 17 John Isner (completion of suspended match)

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James Ward vs. Vasek Pospisil

No. 18 Gael Monfils vs. No. 12 Gilles Simon

Court 2:

No. 20 Garbine Muguruza vs. No. 10 Angelique Kerber

No. 15 Timea Bacsinszky vs. No. 18 Sabine Lisicki

No. 6 Tomas Berdych vs. Pablo Andujar

Court 3

No. 22 Viktor Troicki vs. Dustin Brown

No. 13 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. No. 23 Ivo Karlovic

Court 12

Nikoloz Basilashvili vs. Roberto Bautista Agut

No. 21 Madison Keys vs. Tatjana Maria

Court 18

Kristyna Pliskova vs. Monica Niculescu

No. 13 Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Casey Dellacqua

Magdalena Rybarikova vs. Olga Govortsova

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