The rain disrupted Wednesday’s session and forced the British Grand Slam organisers to postpone several matches. Among them, the one between Paula Badosa and the Czech Brenda Fruhvirtova, so the Spaniard will have to take to the court today. The water and humidity are making themselves felt on the surface these days and Roberto Bautista slipped several times, but, in any case, it did not prevent the Castellón native from beating Lorenzo Sonego (6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and 6-4, in 2h 47m) and earning a date in the third round with another Italian, a veteran like him, Fabio Fognini; the San Remo native is 37 years old, compared to the 36 that his ID reflects.
Despite his age and the challenge that his physical condition seems to have posed to him in recent times, with recurring ailments, Bautista does not give up and is beginning to find light after a very difficult period that had relegated him outside the top 100. So he, a hard worker, appreciates what he has achieved. There are already two victories at Wimbledon, where he savoured that 2019 semi-final against the Serbian Novak Djokovic, and visible signs of an upturn in his game and his spirit.
“Although you may not believe it, these have been very tough months,” he told reporters. “Tennis is very even today and the young players are making a strong entrance, so it is very important to get into the rhythm of competition, which is what I was lacking. The truth is that I am very satisfied with the work I have put in. I have done a great job.” “I am still in love with the day-to-day of this sport,” said the tennis player, who last season was hampered by a sprained ankle and who is back in the top 100 thanks to the double notch he has achieved so far in London.
“Getting up every day to go to training and continuing to acquire knowledge to keep improving is like poison,” he explained. He was one of the positive notes of a day in which the Norwegian Casper Ruud, number eight in the world, said goodbye to the tournament, losing to Fognini 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(1) and 6-3. Jannik Sinner (7-6(3), 7-6(4), 2-6 and 7-6(4) and the Russian Daniil Medvedev (6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-4 and 7-5 against Alexandre Müller) managed to advance, and the Japanese Naomi Osaka was eliminated, who could not beat the American Emma Navarro (6-4 and 6-1).
Today (12.00, Movisar+) the Spaniards Cristina Bucsa and Jessica Bouzas will face each other, the latter being the protagonist of Tuesday’s big surprise by ousting the defending champion, Marketa Vondrousova.
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