Andy Murray made light work of crowd-pleaser Dustin Brown to cap a brilliant day for British players at Wimbledon.
Two-time former champion Petra Kvitova has lost 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to American Madison Brengle in the second round at Wimbledon.
The world No 1's 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Brown meant success for all four home singles players on Wednesday, with Murray's win following those of Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Aljaz Bedene.
It is the first time in 20 years that Britain has four players into the third round of the singles, and Kyle Edmund could make that five when he takes on Gael Monfils on Thursday.
Murray has been used to providing Centre Court drama over the years but this time he followed it after Konta's three-hour epic against Donna Vekic.
As soon as Murray won the first set it was clear the joy in this contest would be from the shot-making rather than the competitiveness.
Brown, a German-Jamaican with dreadlocks reaching down to his waist, is one of tennis' born entertainers and the unorthodox nature of his game can cause problems for the best.
He famously beat Rafael Nadal at the same stage of Wimbledon two years ago, while Murray's defeat to Brown's serve-volleying compatriot Mischa Zverev at the Australian Open in January would have given him encouragement.
But Centre Court is Murray's stage and the world No 1 did not allow himself to be bullied.
Tennis players love rhythm and Brown provides none, mixing more than 150kph second serves - his fastest serve was a second serve - with languid volleys and drop shots before throwing in a thumping backhand or two.
But Murray has some of the best hands in the game and was rarely outmanoeuvred.
He continued to limp but it was clear there should not be too much concern about his right hip as he scurried all over the court.
Brown's serve was under pressure from the start and a double fault in the eighth game gave Murray the first break before he served out the set.
The Scot found some magic of his own in the fifth game of the second set, drawing a thumbs-up from Brown with a backhand pass threaded down the line and then applause for a lob onto the baseline.
In four of the best points seen at Wimbledon so far, Brown responded with a half-volley winner off his toes and a fine angled volley.
The problem for Brown, though, was he followed up by dumping a forehand into the net and missing a volley as Murray broke for 3-2.
The Scot was just far too consistent, and he broke again after somehow returning a Brown smash from point-blank range.
The belief had gone out of Brown's game and he was unable to put up any real resistance in the third set.
He at least forced Murray to serve it out but that proved no problem for the top seed, who finished with a rather generous tally of 31 winners and five unforced errors.
The victory maintains the 30-year-old's record of never having lost before the third round of Wimbledon, and he moves through to a meeting with flashy Italian Fabio Fognini on Friday.
Kvitova disappoints
Kvitova could not live up to her billing as one of the Wimbledon favourites as she crashed out in the second round to Madison Brengle. The Czech, who ended the match in distress having had her blood pressure taken, had poured scorn on suggestions she could win Wimbledon just six weeks after returning to action following a knife attack which left her career in doubt, and she was proven right as American Brengle won in straight sets.
Other key results from the day
Men's draw
Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Florian Mayer (GER) 7-6, 6-4, 7-5
Kei Nishikori (JPN) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-4, 6-7, 6-1, 7-6
Gilles Muller (LUX) bt Lukas Rosol (CZE) 7-5, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 9-7
Sam Querrey (USA) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GRA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) bt Simone Bolelli (ITA) 6-1, 7-5, 6-2
Roberto Bautista (ESP) bt Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
Women's draw
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-3, 6-3
Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 7-6, 4-6, 10-8
Venus Williams (USA) bt Qiang Wang (CHN) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
Elina Svitolina (UKR) bt Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 6-3, 6-0
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) bt Jennifer Brady (USA) 6-4, 6-4
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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