Ons Jabeur continues bid for maiden Grand Slam as Wimbledon hosts first middle Sunday

Ons Jabeur continues her bid for a maiden Grand Slam title when she takes on Elise Mertens in the fourth round at Wimbledon's new middle Sunday, and expectations are rising following recent results in the women's draw.

Third seed Jabeur started the tournament as one of the title favourites having climbed to No 2 in the world rankings and after winning a warm-up event in Berlin. That status has only increased in recent days after the shock exit of world No 1 Iga Switaek, whose 37-match winning run was ended by Alize Cornet on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Jabeur - the only top 10 player remaining in the draw - has been in irrepressible form, dropping only 13 games in three rounds and spending just three hours and six minutes on court.

The Tunisian faces in the last match on Court One Belgian 24th seed Mertens who knocked out 2018 champion Angelique Kerber in the last 32 having saved two match points to beat Panna Udvardy in the second round.

Mertens needed three hours and 15 minutes just to see off Udvardy in the tournament's longest women's match so far.

Should Jabeur make the quarter-finals for a second successive year, she will play either France's Caroline Garcia or Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.

Mother of two Tatjana Maria takes on former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko while Britain's Heather Watson faces Germany's Jule Niemeier.

In the men's draw, world No 1 Novak Djokovic said he is a convert to Wimbledon's new middle Sunday play rule as the three-time defending champion aims at reaching the quarter-finals for the 13th time.

Top seed Djokovic, seeking to move level with Pete Sampras as a seven-time champion at the All England Club, faces Dutch wild card Tim van Rijthoven, the world No 104, in the last match