Elina Svitolina says she will be extra motivated because of the war in Ukraine when she faces Belarusian Victoria Azarenka at Wimbledon on Sunday.

For Svitolina, matches against players from countries backing Russia's invasion of Ukraine are "different".

"I'm playing for my country every single match that I play and this one will be even more special," she said.

"A lot of Ukrainians will be watching, will be supporting me. I will go out there and put the fighting spirit on and just really fight for every single point.

"I just try to take it as a big motivation."

Like other Ukrainian players, Svitolina has not shaken hands with Belarusian or Russian opponents since Ukraine was invaded in 2022.

Last month, the 28-year-old was booed at the end of her French Open quarter-final defeat by Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and accused her opponent of encouraging fans to react that way by waiting at the net for a handshake.

"Definitely there was a lot of misunderstanding in Paris because in Strasbourg [at a previous tournament] everyone understood my position as well, so hopefully it will be the same understanding in a way from the British crowd," she said.

Azarenka, 33, has won all five of their past meetings. She, along with other Russian and Belarusian players, were banned from Wimbledon last year, but have been allowed back this year as long as they don't show support for or receive funding from their regimes.

Svitolina is appearing in her second Grand Slam since becoming a mother in October and a social media post she could not use tickets for a Harry Styles concert in Vienna on Sunday - because "Wimbledon changed my plans" - suggests she may have got further than she had been anticipating.

Wimbledon will be playing catch-up yet again with scheduling after rain disrupted play on the outside courts on Saturday, with two third-round singles matches still to be played.

American 10th seed Frances Tiafoe will finish his interrupted match against Grigor Dimitrov, and the all-Russian meeting between Mirra Andreeva and Anastasia Potapova is yet to be started.

One man who has managed to play all his matches on the right days this week is defending champion Novak Djokovic, who says his match against Polish 17th seed Hubert Hurkacz will be his "toughest challenge" of the tournament so far.

"He [Hurkacz] didn't drop a set so far in the tournament," said Djokovic, who has also won all his matches in three sets. "Also I saw how he was playing. He's very comfortable playing on grass. He beat [Roger] Federer here some years ago [in 2021].

"It's going to be a great battle. I know I have to be at my best to win."

Another player who has not dropped a set is women's top seed Iga Swiatek, who will face Swiss 14th seed Belinda Bencic on Centre Court.

The Pole, who is chasing a fifth Grand Slam title, says she is not dwelling on last year's Wimbledon, when she was knocked out in the third round as a 37-match unbeaten run came to an end.

"I do feel more relaxed [than last year]," Swiatek said, adding that winning the French Open last month meant she had already reached her goal for the season.

Fourth seed Jessica Pegula is also in action on Sunday, the day after the American withdrew from the mixed doubles with a back injury.

Wimbledon introduced scheduled play on the middle Sunday for the first time last year, with the day previously a rest day to allow the grass courts to recover. It had also been used four times in the past for play to catch-up if the week had been badly affected by rain delays.