Purcell/Thompson book third-round spot as Bopanna/Ebden upset at Wimbledon

Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson’s fast start to Wimbledon continued on Saturday afternoon, when the Australian duo eased into the third round at the grass-court major.

The 2022 champion Purcell and his partner Thompson overcame Fabrice Martin and Matwe Middelkoop 6-4, 7-5 to make it four sets played, four sets won this week at the All England Club. They won 85 per cent (34/40) of points behind first serves en route to an 86-minute triumph on Court 8.

Purcell and Thompson are chasing their fourth tour-level title of the season this fortnight in London. They triumphed on hard courts in Dallas and Los Cabos in February, before notching a title on clay in Houston in April.

There was a major upset on Court 8, where Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens defeated second seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 6-3, 7-6(4). The German duo will take on Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen or Lloyd Glasspool and Jean-Julien Rojer next.

Other teams to book their third-round spot on Saturday included Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, who beat Romain Arneodo and Sem Verbeek 6-4, 6-4. The top duo in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Team Rankings, Arevalo and Pavic will meet Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul next. The 16th seeds overcame Julian Cash and Robert Galloway 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(10-4).

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