James Ward claims a significant place in today's coverage of Day 4 at Wimbledon. The win by the British No.4 over a player ranked 65 places above him meant that Ward and Andy Murray take the home challenge into the sixth day of the Championships on Saturday. They are now the last British survivors in the men’s singles.
Ward has to wait to discover if he will make his debut on Centre Court next against the Canadian Vasek Pospisil but there is no doubt that he has earned the chance. Quite apart from the fact that Ward has so far earned £77,000 in prize money, the best sum by far of his career, he can also count Murray as a genuine friend and appreciates his support.
"A lot of stuff that he does and says doesn't get reported much," said Ward."It's nice to have that support from such a great player. Good habits rub off on you if you spend enough time around someone. He’s been a big help to me and I'm grateful.
"I can't ask for anything more at the moment. Top 100 is something you work for throughout your whole career. The win definitely put me in there."
British supporters will be working hard to lift the chances of Heather Watson, the last home-grown survivor in the ladies’ singles, who takes on world No.1 Serena Williams. "It will be a great experience for me and where better to play her than here at Wimbledon?" Watson asked.
Watson first came to Wimbledon at the age of seven and used the visit to acquire posters of her Centre Court opponent today. "When people who don't know much about tennis find out I play, one of the first questions is, ‘Have I played Serena. And I'm like, no, but I have played ‘Venus'!
The Mail's Mike Dickson reminds us that Williams was beaten by a French journeywoman at Roland Garros in 2012. But Dickson warns: "She has become less prone to sudden loss of form."
Rafael Nadal, one of Wimbledon's perennial favourites, will be watching the rest of the Championships at his home in Majorca. His defeat to world No.102 Dustin Brown on Centre Court introduced Brown to a wider world and gave photographers the chance to produce some stunning images of Brown and his dreadlocks.
Brown will now command a much broader audience when he faces Victor Troicki in the next round on Saturday and says: "On this surface I am confident that I can play my game. Obviously, I am not unbeatable on this surface but it comes more natural playing on this, especially with my type of game. I’m looking forward to the next match."
Nadal has now lost to a player outside the top 100 at four successive Wimbledon Championships. But Nadal's many fans will already be planning to greet his return next year. The Spanish player says: "This is not the end. That's sport – good moments, bad moments. Obviously this is a bad moment for me. I'm a good loser. I accept and keep going – it's the only way."
