Wimbledon day 6 highlights: Roger Federer's cold endurance and Angelique Kerber's gritty fightback

The top-billed names made their way through to the second week after winning their respective matches on Saturday, day six at the Championships. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer defeated Ernests Gulbis and Mischa Zverev respectively, in straight sets, to reach the fourth round. Among the women, world No 1 Angelique Kerber came back from being a set and break down to reach the round-of-16.

Djokovic and Federer’s onward march

The Serbian looked to be in all sorts of trouble at the start of his third round match against his Latvian rival, as the latter went up an early break. However, the three-time former champion tilted the ship right as he first broke back to level the set, and then secured a second service break to win the set. Djokovic never looked back again and went on finish the match 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(2).

Federer, who has had been battling with a head cold for the last few days, also came up with an equally impressive win against the German. The first set proved to be tricky for Federer, who closed it out in the tie-break, but service breaks and prompt consolidations in the latter two sets meant that he, too, reached the second week 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4.

Kerber soldiers on

Needing to reach at least the Championships’ final in order to retain her hold as the world No 1, Kerber found herself in a huge spot of trouble against unseeded American Shelby Rogers. The top-seed was down a set and a break, before she overcame her nerves to take the win in three gruelling sets, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2.

On the sidelines

• Everyone with a royal box invite dons their smartest threads but when you’re defending champion Andy Murray, there’s no need to make the effort.Murray looked comically out of place in a white track suit with his hair still wet. He was between practice sessions but was joining fellow British Olympic gold medallists for lunch. 
• Garbine Muguruza set the smoke alarms wailing for a good 20 minutes at her rented house after burning some steaks – and feared the fire brigade would turn up to tell her off.”I love red meat,” she said. “I did a lot of steaks. It was so much smoke”, she said.”I felt scared. I’m like, ‘Are they going to come just because of steak?’”  
•   Andre Agassi was seen struggling with a different kind of heat. Watching from Novak Djokovic’s sun-drenched box on Centre Court, the former champion was seen smearing white suncream all over his bald head, before later taking refuge under a towel.  
• Grigor Dimitrov longs for a bit of peace and quiet on a Sunday, calling it his favourite day of the tournament.”Tomorrow is going to be the best day, that Sunday just when everything is so calm. It’s just us, the players. All you can hear is the hitting of the ball. You can just hear how the ball sits on the strings. It’s a pretty special feeling. It puts a huge smile on my face,” he said.  
•   Winning 11-9 in the fifth set to get through his doubles match took some superhuman effort – perhaps explaining why Poland’s doubles machine Lukasz Kubot was introduced to the press as Lukasz Robot.  
•   Going into week two, Roger Federer is the bookmaker’s favourite to win the men’s title, while Britain’s Johanna Konta is the women’s 5/1 favourite.

Quotable quotes:

“My knee felt really tight and I knew it was either dislocated or broken. I freaked out. It’s the most painful injury I have ever had.”

– Bethanie Mattek-Sands, speaking from hospital, reveals she ruptured the patella in her right knee in Thursday’s sickening accident.

“I’m frustrated because I lost and I stayed two minutes on court.”

– Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on returning Saturday to finish his match with Sam Querrey and losing after barely breaking sweat.

“When you throw the ball up, I wish you had to hit it. Some guys catch the ball toss 10 times during a match. That can irk me.”

– Querrey on what rule he would change in tennis.

“I would think so. I would think I’m a great baby-sitter. I’m not sure she agrees.”

– Caroline Wozniacki on whether the pregnant Serena Williams will make her an honorary aunt.

At that point it’s nothing really special. You just see the green wall because it’s the back of the court.”

– Tomas Berdych on the magic of stepping out on Centre Court.

Number crunching

683 – Victoria Azarenka’s ranking, the lowest of any player reaching the second week. The former number one, returning after her first baby, is playing on a protected ranking.

11 – On-court retirements so far this year: nine of them in the men’s draw.

One – Number of games played between Querrey and Tsonga to conclude their match suspended Friday due to darkness.