Alexandra Eala breaks Iga Swiatek’s serve after a double fault from the third seed is followed by a forehand error. Eala catches the baseline, bringing up the chance to serve for the set.

Eala jumps to 30-0 and then gets to 40-30 and set point, but Swiatek hangs on to save with controlled aggression from the baseline.

Swiatek then breaks with two forehand winners in a row, extending this opening set.

Both players are looking to attack on the return and Swiatek must still get through her service game.

Elena Rybakina, the second seed and 2022 Wimbledon champion, is down a set to Elise Mertens on Court No 1. Mertens, the 25th seed, wins the tiebreak after a tight first set.

Eala and Swiatek have traded holds and it’s 3-3 on Centre Court, but Swiatek had to come back from 0-30 to prevent the break after Eala put pressure on the serve.

Swiatek’s footing gives way on the next game, with the defending champion landing into the splits. But she appears to be OK.

Arthur Fery is intent on blocking out the noise at Wimbledon and keeping things as “normal” as possible. Perhaps that explains why Fery has opted to return to Court 18 and a crowd of around 750 people for his third-round match against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, rather than close to 10,000 on Court No 1.

“Arthur likes Court 18 and had a great match out there last time and putting him back out there fitted in with overall scheduling considerations,” an All England Club spokesperson said.

In the early stages on Centre Court, Iga Swiatek has shown her power from the baseline but Alexandra Eala has already offered a glimpse of her ability to counter-punch. Swiatek’s serve has shown some vulnerability, too, and Eala’s snapped return leads to getting the break back.

Arthur Fery will be on Court 18 next to play Zizou Bergs for a place in the fourth round of Wimbledon. That’s after Ashlyn Krueger, the American qualifier, defeated Ukraine’s Daria Snigur 6-3 6-2 inside the hour.

“It was something that I wanted to do to keep moving forward in my career. I had obviously reached the second round of a slam twice before. It's a great hurdle to overcome today,” Fery said after reaching the third round.

“Putting two good performances together back to back, it's not easy. Obviously in a big tournament like this, there's a lot going on. Sometimes it's easy to get stuck into that once you win a match. That's what I'm focusing on. Going to try to keep going that direction.”

Alex de Minaur comes through in four sets, beating the American Zachary Svajda to advance to the fourth round of Wimbledon for the fourth time in five years.

The fifth seed wins 6-2 5-7 6-2 6-4, and will face either Flavio Cobolli or Karen Khachanov for a place in the quarter-finals.

Khachanov, the 19th seed, has won the opening set against French Open runner-up Cobolli, the ninth seed, 6-0 over on Court No 2.

Serena Williams was excused from her media obligations at Wimbledon after it was revealed she “tweaked her knee” during her first-round defeat to Maya Joint on Tuesday.

Williams emerged as an injury doubt for her doubles match with sister Venus Williams, but is doing “everything she can to be ready”, her agent Jill Smoller said.

The 23-time grand slam champion lost in three sets on Tuesday night in her first singles match in four years, despite a valiant effort from the 44-year-old under the roof on Centre Court.

Williams is yet to confirm if she will continue her comeback after Wimbledon, with a return to the US Open - where she memorably reached the third round in what appeared to be her final tournament before retirement four years ago - a possibility.

Alexandra Eala, 21, is the first player from the Philippines to reach the third round of Wimbledon. She will play Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, on Centre Court shortly.

“It's an amazing thing for me to be able to do that for my country, but I guess it's also very emotional every time I'm able to pass a new step or break new ground, just because it's also personal goals and personal achievements.

“It's things that I have been working really hard for. It's things that my team has been working really hard for.

“I really appreciate that I'm able to share this with the nation, but I think first and foremost it makes me super proud because of the work that I've put in.”

A big win for 12th seed Marta Kostyuk, who is through to the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time. She beats the in-form Emma Navarro, 6-2 4-6 6-1, racing to the finish line.

Last month’s French Open semi-finalist is carrying her form onto the grass, and the draw is opening up. She will face either qualifier Ashlyn Krueger or fellow Ukrainian Daria Snigur for a place in the quarter-finals.

“It felt so good to be back on the grass at Wimbledon,” Serena Williams posted on Instagram on Wednesday. “I’m incredibly thankful for the wildcard - and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it’s never too late to chase something you love.

“I tweaked my knee late in the first set, but I’ll be doing everything I can to be ready for doubles with Venus. Congratulations to Maya Joint on a great match, and thank you to everyone who showed up and showed me so much love. That feeling will never get old.”