Kerber survives another day at Wimbledon

Angelique Kerber lived dangerously for more than two hours before finally subduing the tenacious challenge of American outsider Shelby Rogers in three sets to reach Wimbledon round of 16.

The German top seed Kerber, who was runner-up to Serena Williams last year, prevailed 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.

Kerber has struggled for form in recent months and at times was blasted off court by Rogers’ heavy hitting from the baseline.

However, the world No.1 Kerber kept faith with her error-filled game plan to seal victory when Rogers, ranked 70th in the world, belted a service return long.

Kerber will face 2016 French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, who accounted for Sorana Cirstea 6-2 6-2 in a 70 minute third-round match, on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals.

Muguruza, the 2015 runner-up at the All England Club, played cleanly and finished with 18 winners and only 10 unforced errors. She did not drop a set this week.

Agnieszka Radwanska, the No.9 seed, came back from a set down to beat the 19th seed Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 3-6 6-4 6-1 on Centre Court.

Radwanska, the 2012 finalist, will face the seventh-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round after the Russian veteran blew away Slovenia’s Polona Hercog 6-4 6-0.

American Coco Vandeweghe, the 24th seed, hit 23 winners to beat compatriot Alison Riske 6-2 6-4.

Magdalena Rybarikova continued her fine run on grass this year with a comfortable 6-2 6-1 victory over Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko, while Petra Martic defeated Zarina Diyas 7-6 (8-6) 6-1.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!