2023 Wimbledon: Four best Middle Sunday matches

For many years due to tradition, there was no tennis on the middle Sunday. Since last year there now is tennis scheduled and on Sunday, the fourth round will commence. Here are the top four matches of a new tradition at Wimbledon.

(1) Iga Swiatek–POL vs. (14) Belinda Bencic–SUI

Swiatek, the women’s world number one, is a four-time grand slam champion. She won the French Open in 2020, 2022 and 2023, and the United States Open in 2022. Yet Swiatek has never reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Bencic is the reigning Olympic gold medalist, and 2019 United States Open semifinalist. Head-to-head, Swiatek has won two of three matches. Swiatek beat Bencic 6-2, 6-2 in the final of Adelaide in 2021, and 6-3, 7-6 in the 2023 United Cup in Australia. Bencic meanwhile beat Swiatek 7-6, 6-3 in the fourth round of the 2021 United States Open.

(19) Victoria Azarenka–BLR vs. Elina Svitolina–UKR

Azarenka is a two-time Australian Open champion as she won in 2012 and 2013. Svitolina is a two-time grand slam semifinalist as she reached the final four of Wimbledon and the United States Open in 2019. Head-t0-head Azarenka has won all five meetings. Azarenka won in the second round of Qatar in 2015, 6-3, 6-7, 6-1, in the first round of the 2015 Rogers Cup in Toronto, 6-1, 6-4, in the second round of Rome in 2019, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, the quarterfinals of Qatar in 2021, 6-2, 6-4, and the third round of the 2022 Australian Open, 6-2, 6-0.

(2) Novak Djokovic–SRB vs. (17) Hubert Hurkacz–POL

Djokovic has a men’s record 23 grand slam titles and seven Wimbledon titles. Hurkacz reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2021, where he lost in four sets to Italy’s Matteo Berrettini. Like Azarenka, Djokovic is a perfect 5-0 against his middle Sunday opponent. He defeated Hurkacz 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the 2019 French Open, 7-5, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 in the third round of Wimbledon in 2019, 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 in the 2021 Paris Indoor, 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of Madrid in 2022, and 6-3, 7-5 in the quarterfinals of Dubai in 2023.

(7) Andrey Rublev–RUS vs. (23) Alexander Bublik–KAZ

Rublev reached the quarterfinals of the United States Open and Australian Open over the last year. Bublik reached the final of Halle last month, where ironically he beat Rublev in the final 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. This was Bublik’s first win over Rublev, as Rublev won thrice prior.