The Just Stop Oil protests and the protesters have taken over the English capital, London, not just the streets but sporting arenas too. It seems sporting venues have become a new favourite spot for the protesters. After invading the Lord's Ashes Test last week, the Just Stop Oil protesters made their presence felt at Wimbledon 2023 with disruptions becoming a new normal on Wednesday, July 5.
The scenes got really ugly in the women's singles match between England's Katie Boulter and Australia's Daria Saville. A middle-aged man wearing the Just Stop Oil t-shirt invaded Court No. 18 with orange confetti and a jigsaw puzzle. As soon as he sprayed all of it over the court, the security was up to its task. The two security men chased him over. They first got his coat before they got hold of him and dragged him out.
The protester tried resisting a couple of times before he gave up as the security personnel's hold was too strong as both of them dragged him out from the court. The video of the incident has gone viral as the match was disrupted and moved from Court No. 18.
Watch the video here:
The match did get completed and Boulter prevailed over her Australian opponent 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 overcoming all the distraction and disruption caused by the protests. Boulter has now moved to the second round while Saville suffered a first-round exit.
Djokovic, Tsitsipas, Iga Swiatek advance
Novak Djokovic continued his magnificent form on grass as he beat Australia's Jordan Thompson 6-3, 7-6, 7-5 to make it to the third round. Stephanos Tsitsipas beat Dominic Thiem in the first round 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-7, 7-6 to set up a second-round date with Andy Murray. Russia's Daniil Medvedev beat Arthur Fery 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 while Iga Swiatek won her first-round match without much sweat against Sara Sorribes Torbo 6-2, 6-0.