Stockport's Liam Broady beats Casper Ruud in five-set thriller at Wimbledon

Liam Broady outlasted world number four Casper Ruud in five sets for a career-best win that made him the first British male through to the third round at Wimbledon.

The 29-year-old had to dig deep to fight back from two sets to one down but - carried by a buoyant Centre Court crowd - he clinched an excellent 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 6-0 victory in three hours and 27 minutes.

Ruud had made the finals of Roland Garros and the US Open during the past 12 months and yet had no answers to Broady's mixture of flamboyance and grit, with this win sending the world number 142 through to the third round for a second year in a row.

Grit and determination have been synonymous with Broady's career and Ruud had to come through a nine-minute game, where five sets point were saved, before he levelled on his own debut on Wimbledon's main stage.

World number 142 Broady was no stranger to a five-setter at Wimbledon, winning his two matches at the All England Club in 2022 after going the distance.

By contrast Ruud had only ever won twice here in four appearances and his radar remained off with Broady breaking to love in the opening game of the fifth set.

Reflecting in an on-court interview, Broady said: "I would have liked to have played him back home but Centre Court, Wimbledon would do.

"When I went to bed last night, I had a think about what I would say if I won and now I don't know what to say!

"It was a pretty terrifying, exhilarating experience coming out at Centre Court on Wimbledon, but it's been my dream since I was five years old."

"I said to my mum this morning, she doesn't like watching, I've already won £80,000 this week so she can chill out."

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