Wimbledon: Sabalenka leads as Evans exits and Osaka wins
Aryna Sabalenka won the first set of her Wimbledon second-round match against McCartney Kessler on Wednesday, while Dan Evans ended his playing career with a men's doubles defeat alongside Henry Searle and Naomi Osaka beat Anastasia Gasanova 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round. BBC Sport's day-three live coverage tied together farewell drama, a straight-sets comeback win, and live tension across the All England Club lawns.
Key Takeaways
- Dan Evans' career came to an end with a first-round men's doubles defeat alongside fellow Briton Henry Searle.
- Naomi Osaka defeated Anastasia Gasanova 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the women's singles third round.
- Aryna Sabalenka won the first set of her second-round match with McCartney Kessler on Court One.
- Jannik Sinner was in a first-set tie-break against Nuno Borges on Centre Court.
- Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, and Mirra Andreeva were scheduled to play later on day three.
Why did Dan Evans' career end at Wimbledon?
Evans' time as an active player ended on day three of the 2026 Championships. He and Searle lost their men's doubles first-round match, marking the close of his career at SW19.
BBC Sport's live page reported that Evans' career came to an end with the defeat alongside Searle. The result landed on the same day Osaka secured her place in the third round, giving day three a clear split between a British farewell and a headline women's win.
The doubles loss became the defining end point for Evans, whose final appearance at Wimbledon arrived through the team event rather than the singles draw.
How did Naomi Osaka reach the Wimbledon third round?
Osaka won 6-3, 6-2 against Anastasia Gasanova in the women's singles second round. The straight-sets victory sent her into the third round on day three of the tournament.
Sports Illustrated published a betting preview and prediction piece focused on the Gasanova matchup ahead of the second round. That coverage framed the meeting as a notable test before the deeper stages of the draw.
With the 6-3, 6-2 scoreline now in the books, Osaka moves on while Sabalenka's second-round match continued live on Court One and other stars remained on the day-three schedule.
Where does Aryna Sabalenka stand on day three?
Sabalenka faced McCartney Kessler in the second round on Court One from 13:00 BST. BBC Sport's live text reported that she won the first set as play carried on.
The update arrived on a stacked day-three card that also featured Jannik Sinner against Nuno Borges on Centre Court from 13:30 BST. BBC coverage placed Sinner in a first-set tie-break as that match developed.
Sabalenka's progress on Court One kept the women's headline slot active while Sinner's tie-break tightened the focus on Centre Court during the second round.
What else is on the Wimbledon day-three schedule?
Beyond the early results and live matches, Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, and Mirra Andreeva were among the big names set to play later on day three. The order of play reflected the breadth of the second round across both draws.
UK viewers could follow the action across BBC TV, radio, and live text, with all courts available to watch on BBC iPlayer. For more unusual sports stories from around the world, see our Bizarre World section.
Full rolling scores and updates remain on BBC Sport's Wimbledon live page, with pre-match context in Sports Illustrated's Osaka-Gasanova preview.