CLEVELAND -- On this night, baseball's future stayed undecided.

Texas catching prospect Sam Huff's two-run homer in the seventh inning rallied the American League to a 2-2 tie with the National League on Sunday -- and provided the first glimpse of an All-Star tiebreaker -- in a Futures Game that promised to be different and delivered.

This year's format was changed with the game shortened from nine to seven innings, and Huff's homer off Colorado's Ben Bowden forced the game into the eighth -- this time, extras -- and earned him MVP honors.

Both teams began their at-bats in the eighth with a runner at second, the same tiebreaking system already being used in the minor leagues. But after neither could push a run across, the 21st game featuring baseball's up-and-coming stars ended with a thud.

The same tiebreaker could come into play in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Major League Baseball plans to implement it after the past two games went 10 innings.

"It was definitely unique, but in a situation like this, it was necessary," Nationals shortstop Carter Kieboom said. "Guys need their [All-Star] break, so you can't play forever and you only have so many pitchers here.

"It definitely speeds up the game in the minor leagues. I can't really predict the future. I don't know if the game of Major League Baseball will allow it because of its history, and it would be a drastic change. Maybe teams would try harder to score in the ninth inning if it happened."

Beyond the other adjustments, the biggest difference in this year's game was a lack of scoring. Last year, the U.S. won 10-6 as Reds prospect Taylor Trammell homered and tripled.

Down to its final two outs, and blanked over six innings, the AL tied it in the seventh on Huff's shot onto the pedestrian patio in left.

The 21-year-old connected on a 1-0 pitch from Bowden, who is 20-for-20 in save opportunities in Double-A and Triple-A this season.

After rounding the bases, Huff was greeted at the dugout by the entire AL squad, which spilled out along with Hall of Fame slugger Jim Thome, who managed the youngsters.

"I didn't think I was going to look at them and smile, but I had a little smirk on my face," Huff said. "I had to keep it serious when I was rounding third, but when I touched home I started to smile."

Trammell hit an RBI single -- and probably should have been credited for stealing home -- and was likely in line to win his second straight MVP honors before the AL rallied.

Held without a hit for three innings, the NL finally broke through in the fourth.

Trammell dropped a bloop RBI single off Matt Manning, a Detroit prospect, and Dylan Carlson had a two-out, run-scoring hit off Kris Bubic, a lefty in Kansas City's system.

A former high school football star, Trammell nearly made it 3-0 with a straight steal of home. Bubic didn't see him barreling down the line until the last moment, but threw in time to nip Trammell, who dived headfirst and was called out by umpire Jose Navas.

TV replays appeared to show Trammell slipped his hand under catcher Jake Rogers' tag, and under normal circumstances the play would have likely been reviewed and overturned.

"I can say I'm safe all day and he missed the call, but what matters is what's on the scoresheet," Trammell said. "It said I was caught stealing."

For many of the minor leaguers, the Futures Game provided their first experience at being inside a major league clubhouse. Some seemed awed at sharing the same cubicles and spaces as players they've grown up admiring.

"I think you're always going to be a little bit nervous for something like this," said Indians infield prospect Nolan Jones, hoping to one day work his way up from the Class A Lynchburg Hillcats to Cleveland. "I mean, this is what you dream about."

ON THE RADAR

Toronto minor leaguer Nate Pearson brought the heat on a cool evening.

He threw four pitches over 101 mph during a perfect fifth, topping out at 101.7 against Dodgers Double-A shortstop Gavin Lux.

NOT ONCE, TWICE

Pirates Triple-A first baseman Will Craig was hit by pitches in both plate appearances. He did not react after being plunked by Mariners right-hander Justin Dunn in the second, but he angrily flung his bat after being struck in the fourth by Manning.

"Of course they were accidental, but the second one got me on the left hand, so it stung a little bit," Craig said. "It's OK. I'm a little bit sore, but everything is fine."

SCARY MOMENT

Baltimore pitching prospect DL Hall was hit in the lower left leg by Miguel Amaya's shattered bat in the third inning. Hall couldn't avoid being struck, but after being checked by a trainer, the right-hander stayed in and finished the inning.

SHOWING OFF

Indians prospect Daniel Johnson looked like he was on the way to the gym for a workout, choosing to display his muscular arms by not wearing a shirt under his sleeveless jersey.

TEEN SENSATION

Tampa Bay teenage sensation Wander Franco went 1-for-2 and was caught stealing. The 18-year-old shortstop was the game's youngest player.

DEIVI'S DAY

Yankees right-hander Deivi Garcia started with a scoreless inning shortly after New York announced he would be promoted from Double-A to Triple-A. Garcia pitched in a combined no-hitter and had a 15-strikeout game in the past month.

CELEBRITY SOFTBALL

Former Indians slugger Travis Hafner cleared the portable outfield fence -- and the permanent one -- with a homer during the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.

SHIRTLESS SMITH

Cavaliers forward J.R. Smith stripped off his jersey for his first at-bat in the softball game, triggering memories of his bare-chested appearance during the NBA championship parade in 2016.

Los Angeles Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy told ESPN in a text message that he suffered a concussion and a broken nose in a collision at home plate with the Houston Astros' Jake Marisnick on Sunday.

Lucroy said he is otherwise doing well and expects to be released from the hospital sometime Monday.

The bases were loaded with the game tied at 10 when Marisnick attempted to score on a sacrifice fly by George Springer.

Marisnick crashed into Lucroy as the catcher attempted to field the throw, and Lucroy immediately fell on his back. He didn't move for a few seconds before struggling to sit up. Marisnick tagged home and then leaned over Lucroy to see if he was OK. Lucroy lifted his head off the ground a few seconds later as blood dripped from his nose.

Marisnick was called out for colliding with Lucroy, and the call was upheld after a crew-chief review to end the inning. Marisnick veered out of the baseline and lowered his shoulder to make contact with Lucroy. Marisnick and Lucroy banged heads on the play, and the back of Lucroy's head also struck the infield dirt.

Angels manager Brad Ausmus called on Major League Baseball to consider a suspension for Marisnick.

"It certainly didn't look like a clean play,'' Ausmus said after his team fell to the Astros 11-10 in 10 innings. "I don't know what actually happened, but it looked like Marisnick took a step to the left and bowled into him with his arm up. The call was right. Really, I think Major League Baseball should probably take a look at it. Consider some type of suspension, quite frankly.''

Marisnick said after the game that he planned to reach out to Lucroy to check on him.

"I watched the play again and it looks -- he just drops right in front of me and once I kind of made a decision, it was too late,'' Marisnick said. "It was a bad play and I hope he's OK.''

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander will get the start for the American League All-Stars on Tuesday, facing the Los Angeles Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu, manager Alex Cora announced Monday.

Verlander, an eight-time All-Star, is 10-4 this season, with a 2.98 ERA and 153 strikeouts in 126⅔ innings. It's his second All-Star start.

Ryu, a left-hander from South Korea, leads the majors with a 1.73 ERA and is tied for the National League lead in wins with 10. His manager, Dave Roberts, had named Ryu to start when the teams were announced last week. He is the second Asian All-Star starter after Dodgers rookie Hideo Nomo of Japan in 1995.

Milwaukee Brewers slugger Christian Yelich, who bowed out of the Home Run Derby with a back issue, will play in the game, leading off for the NL. Yelich leads the majors with 31 home runs.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez hits second, followed by Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, Dodgers right fielder Cody Bellinger, Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado, Pittsburgh's Josh Bell at designated hitter, Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte and Atlanta center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr.

The National League has the youngest starting lineup in All-Star Game history, with an average age of 25.75. The previous record was 26.4 by the 2017 AL starters.

Houston's George Springer leads off and plays right field for the AL and is followed in the batting order by New York Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu, Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana, Boston designated hitter J.D. Martinez, Houston third baseman Alex Bregman, Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, Astros left fielder Michael Brantley and Minnesota shortstop Jorge Polanco.

Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw and New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom will follow Ryu, Roberts said.

New York Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, a late addition to the squad, is up second for the AL. Cora, who has no closer on his Boston Red Sox team, said he will use Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

As the Year of the Home Run collides with an annual All-Star home run tradition with $1 million on the line for the first time, we dive into the numbers behind the home run spike and the sluggers you'll be watching swing for the fences in Cleveland on Monday night.

Here's what you need to know about how home runs are taking over baseball and how the Home Run Derby proves it.

All-Star coverage: All-Star Week guide | ESPN+: How sluggers are preparing | Rosters, how to watch

The new sultans of swat

Baseballs are leaving the yard more frequently than ever, and the game's top sluggers are taking advantage of the rise. We could see the game's first 60-plus home run season since Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa eclipsed the mark in 2001. And even if Christian Yelich can't break 60, you can expect to see several 50- and 40-homer campaigns come October.

It all adds up to a lot

Remember that record-setting year of long balls way back in 2017? Well, that number isn't looking so big these days. With 14 teams projected to set their franchise record, MLB is on a pace not just to best that total -- but to smash the mark.

The big payoff comes tonight

The stakes will be higher than ever during tonight's Home Run Derby, as one powerful slugger will be rewarded with a $1 million prize for one night of long-ball work. For some of the contestants competing in Cleveland, that means they could make more money in a few hours than they'll be paid for the entire 2019 season.

And we'll be watching

Remember the days when the Home Run Derby was a clear warm-up act for the main event of the Midsummer Classic? That's not how it works anymore. While the game itself is still baseball's marquee of attraction of the summer, more and more fans are watching their favorite stars go deep as a part of how they celebrate the festivities.

British trials champion claims individual senior gold and leads GB team win, while Joseph Dugdale claims U20 title in Zermatt

Jacob Adkin made history for Great Britain at the European Mountain Running Championships in Zermatt, Switzerland, on Sunday as he won the nation’s first ever senior men’s gold medal at the event.

Clocking 53:21.5 for the 10.1km uphill course (1020m of ascent), the 23-year-old British trials champion won by 24 seconds ahead of Norway’s Stian Øvergaard Aarvik, with Italy’s Xavier Chevrier finishing third.

"I knew I was running well but I didn't come in with any anticipation of any medal."

On his senior debut, @jacob_adkin won the European Mountain Running Championships title and he also led the Brits to the team title in Zermatt. ?? pic.twitter.com/Hzs6MJm2KK

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 8, 2019

Adkin also led his team to the title, as he was joined in the top 20 by his coach and Commonwealth marathon bronze medallist Robbie Simpson who placed seventh, plus Andrew Douglas, who has won the opening two stages of the World Mountain Running Cup this year, in ninth and Sebastian Batchelor in 18th.

Well that was a bit of a ? race, but today belongs to @jacob_adkin , European Champion and lead us to @BritAthletics first ever Senior Mens Team Gold! Will be a proud moment for the Scots representing GB @scotathletics European Mountain Running Champions 2019 pic.twitter.com/Zfb9zr8E3M

— Andrew Douglas (@andoug_run) July 7, 2019

Italy claimed team silver and Norway team bronze.

There was also cause for double celebration for Britain in the under-20 men’s event as Joseph Dugdale won the individual title and his team-mates Matthew Mackay and Euan Brennan finished fourth and fifth respectively, with Ben Bergstrand 15th to secure the team gold.

Dugdale, Mackay and Brennan were all part of the silver medal-winning team from the world (uphill) championships last year and clocked respective times of 28:48.4, 29:30.7 and 29:38.0 for the 5.9km race with 448m of ascent, while Bergstrand ran 30:53.6.

In the senior women’s race, Switzerland’s Maude Mathys won her third consecutive European mountain running title, as Britain’s Sarah Tunstall placed fourth.

Mathys ran 60:18.1 on home soil to finish a minute ahead of Austria’s three-time winner Andrea Mayr, who has also won the world title six times.

France’s Christel Dewalle was third in 62:48.2, while British trials winner Tunstall, who won individual silver last time this event was staged in its uphill format two years ago, ran 63:33.6 in fourth.

Italy won the team title from France and Switzerland as Britain were fifth, with Tunstall joined by last year’s bronze winner Emma Gould (24th), 2017 team gold medallist Rebecca Hilland (27th) and former UK steeplechase record-holder Hatti Archer (29th).

Barbora Havlícková of Czech Republic won the under-20 women’s title as Eve Pannone led the GB team home in sixth.

Italy won the team title ahead of Turkey and Romania, while GB finished fifth as Pannone was joined by Lauren Dickson (12th), Florence Duff (23rd) and Pippa Carcas (26th).

Full results can be found here.

Heptathlete leads GB to overall bronze at European Combined Events Team Championships Super League, while Holly Bradshaw is among weekend’s winners

Coverage of the Night of the 10,000m PBs in London can be found by clicking the links below, while a European Mountain Running Championships report is here.

REPORT: Steph Twell victorious at Night of the 10,000m PBs

REPORT: Crippa and Connor take Highgate honours

Other recent highlights are below.

European Combined Events Team Championships Super League, Lutsk, Ukraine, July 6-7

Daryna Sloboda won the heptathlon on home soil with a PB of 6165 points, while Vitali Zhuk of Belarus claimed the decathlon title with 8237 points as Estonia took the team win in the last ever edition of this event.

Katie Stainton (pictured) secured silver in the heptathlon with a PB performance which helped the GB team to bronze overall.

Stainton broke 6000 points for the first time, scoring 6029 after personal bests in the high jump (1.78m) and shot put (12.30m) on day one before leaping 6.29m in the long jump and throwing a 38.95m season’s best in the javelin on day two.

She ran the fastest time of the field in the 800m, her 2:09.31 a PB by almost four seconds.

Estonia’s Maicel Ubo was second in the decathlon with 8181 points, while top Brit was John Lane who scored 7726, including a 59.89m javelin PB, to place seventh.

Andrew Murphy improved his PB to 7594 points to place 11th, setting lifetime bests in six of the events and season’s bests in two.

Lewis Church was 13th in the decathlon with a PB of 7422 points, while Jo Rowland was 14th in the heptathlon with 5399 points.

Ben Gregory and Ellen Barber both placed 18th.

International Stabhochsprung Meeting, Rottach-Egern, Germany, July 7

British pole vault record-holder Holly Bradshaw cleared 4.71m to win ahead of Alysha Newman and Angelica Bengtsson, both with 4.66m.

The men’s competition was won by Kostas Filippidis with 5.72m.

?? 4.71 ? ??

What other competition do you get a massive beer & a German outfit as a prize for winning ??

Another great year here in Rottach ?? pic.twitter.com/Sc3BJPDi6E

— Holly Bradshaw (@HollyBradshawPV) July 7, 2019

UK Women’s League Premier Match, Eton, July 6

Reigning title-holders Thames Valley Harriers consolidated their position at the top of the league with another strong performance.

Rachel Miller won the 100m A race in 11.65 and 200m B in 24.11.

Marcia Sey achieved a European U20 Championships qualifying standard with a PB of 13.65 in the 100m hurdles.

Kirsten McAslan won the 400m hurdles in 57.45, as Nicole Kendall and Jessica Tappin both set PBs with 57.46 and 57.48 respectively.

British Athletics League Premiership, Sheffield, July 6

League champions Birchfield Harriers won the match.

Samuel Gordon won the 100m in 10.50 and Elliott Powell the 200m in 21.19.

Sadam Koumi won the 400m in 46.47 ahead of Rabah Yousif.

Zane Duquemin won the discus with a 58.36m throw.

Making his comeback after injury, Paralympic and world high jump medallist Jonathan Broom-Edwards cleared 1.95m, with David Smith the winner with 2.10m.

NACAC U18 Championships, Querétaro, Mexico, July 5-7

Jamaica’s world U20 champion Briana Williams won the 100m in 11.11, while the boys’ title was won by Conroy Jones with a wind-assisted time of 10.32.

Ralford Mullings threw a Jamaican U18 best of 20.96m to win the shot put.

NACAC U23 Championships, Querétaro, Mexico, July 5-7

USA’s Tonea Marshall impressed to win the 100m hurdles in a PB of 12.57.

Samson Colebrooke of The Bahamas won three medals with gold in the 200m in 20.58, silver in the 4x100m behind USA, 40.03 to 40.33, and 100m silver as the top three all ran 10.01 – Waseem Williams of Jamaica got the win while Mario Burke of Barbados finished third.

USA claimed a 1-2 in the women’s 100m as Teahna Daniels ran 11.03 and Twanisha Terry 11.08.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Andwuelle Wright leapt a national record of 8.25m to win the long jump.

Gold Coast Marathon and Half-Marathon, Australia, July 7

Japan’s Yuta Shitara took almost a minute off the Australian all-comers’ record with his winning marathon time of 2:07:50, while Kenya’s Rodah Chepkorir Tanui won the women’s race ahead of Australia’s Milly Clark, 2:27:56 to 2:28:08.

There was an Australian double in the half-marathon as Jack Rayner won the men’s race in 62:30 and Sinead Diver the women’s in 69:45.

AJC Peachtree Road Race, USA, July 4

Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei and Rhonex Kipruto both broke course records at the 10km event.

Kosgei clocked 30:22 (14:57/15:25) as Agnes Tirop recorded the same time and Fancy Chemutai completed a Kenyan clean sweep in third in 30:32.

Britain’s Tish Jones clocked 33:32 in 14th.

Kipruto won the men’s race in 27:01 (13:12/13:49) from his brother Bravin Kiptoo (27:29) with Kennedy Kimutai third in 27:54 to complete another Kenyan clean sweep.

Simplyhealth Great North 10K, Gateshead, July 7

Tonbridge’s Ashley Gibson (35:40) and James McKenzie of Heaton (33:11) claimed titles at the 10km event in Gateshead.

Top 3 Women @SimplyhealthUK #GreatNorth10k ?

? Ashley Gibson 35:40
? Hannah Wood 38:06
? Laura Havis 42:30

Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/I5BmZg12t9

— Great Run (@Great_Run) July 7, 2019

Healthspan Porthcawl 10K, Wales, July 7

World Championships marathoner Josh Griffiths won the men’s race in 29:54 from Welsh cross-country champion James Hunt (29:58) and Phil Wylie (30:41), while Natasha Cockram won the women’s title in 34:51 ahead of Jenny Spink (35:20) and Ruby Orchard (37:31).

Cross country will return to the Scottish city in January despite the end of the Great Stirling XCountry

A Stirling fixture has been added to the British Athletics Cross Challenge circuit for the 2019/20 season.

This means cross country action will return to the Scottish city in January despite the popular Great Stirling XCountry having come to an end earlier this year.

In May it was confirmed that the Great Stirling XCountry and Great Stirling Run events would not be staged from 2020.

The televised international event had moved to Stirling for this year’s edition after 14 years in Edinburgh.

“We are thrilled that the Cross Challenge series is able to add the Stirling Cross Country to its list of fixtures, incorporating the Scottish Inter-District championships,” said interim CEO of UK Athletics, Nigel Holl.

“The Cross Challenge series has such a strong and prestigious reputation of attracting the best distance runners in the country to our shores and it is fantastic that we will have the chance to see some of the best runners on the cross country circuit in action in Stirling.”

The Cross Challenge fixture at Kings Park on January 11 will also incorporate the Home Country and Celtic Internationals, alongside maintaining the Scottish Inter-District Championships.

The series will once again kick off at Cardiff’s Llandaff Fields on October 12, before heading to Milton Keynes’ Teardrop Lakes on November 9.

Liverpool’s Sefton Park will again host the GB trials for the European Cross Country Championships on December 8 and the series will culminate with the Inter-Counties race at Loughborough’s Prestwold Hall on March 7.

The Northern Ireland International Cross Country event in Dundonald has this year been cancelled due to fixture congestion at the start of 2020, but the meet is expected to return for the 2020/21 series.

“Cross country is etched into the very heart of endurance runners’ training and preparations for the indoor and outdoor season,” added Holl.

“Furthermore, with Scotland leading the way in terms of running all cross country races at equal distances, the Cross Challenge event in Stirling will be yet another example of how this approach is the way forward – a model we are striving to achieve in all Cross Challenge events.

“On a personal level I am particularly pleased that a Cross Challenge event is now heading back to Scotland. With my background in the sport in Scotland, I know the passion for cross country that exists in clubs and among athletes the length and breadth of Scotland – including the Islands! A British Cross Challenge is what athletics in Scotland deserves, and I know it will be a #muddybrilliant day.”

Coach and mum Liz McColgan says Night of the 10,000m PBs, where her daughter placed third, was a learning experience ahead of the Olympics

Saturday’s Night of the 10,000m PBs had been viewed as a chance for Eilish McColgan to gain experience of the 25-lap event ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games and she made the most of the opportunity by placing third in an impressive time of 31:16.76.

The Scottish European 5000m silver medallist is coached by her mum Liz McColgan and, speaking with AW ahead of her daughter’s race at Parliament Hill, the 1991 world 10,000m champion stressed the importance of the Highgate Harriers-organised event in her charge’s journey to the Olympics in Japan.

“For Eilish to be here (at the Night of the 10,000m PBs), it’s all about learning what to do for Tokyo because at the Tokyo Olympics we want to do the 10,000m,” said the 1988 Olympic silver medallist. “She has got to start learning.

“It’s important for her to get a feel of what it’s like to run 25 laps and I think in this atmosphere it will probably be a better environment to do it.

“Eilish has had lots of ups and downs,” added Liz, with Eilish having struggled with some injury and illness setbacks in the past, including a foot problem which forced her to switch from the steeplechase, her specialism up to 2014.

“She’s running really well, she’s taken advantage of running well, she’s trained really hard.

“If Eilish is healthy, she will run well. My problem is keeping Eilish healthy. That’s the difficulty for any coach, keeping their athlete healthy. The training is the easy part!”

Before Saturday’s race, which saw Eilish claim individual silver and team gold in the incorporated European Cup, the 28-year-old had previously only completed one other 10,000m race on the track, at the Stanford Invitational in California in 2017 when she ran 32:10.59.

Her 31:16.76 at Highgate, which is inside the qualification standard for Tokyo 2020 (31:25.00), ranks her seventh on a UK all-time list which sees her mother sit fourth with 30:57.07 and means Eilish now ranks inside the top 10 on the national lists at 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m and the steeplechase.

“I think it was all about finishing, for one, because last month I dropped out in a 10km and I was so gutted, it’s such a horrible feeling, not finishing a race,” said Eilish after her race. “I thought, you know what, no matter what happens, finish it.

“My first one (10,000m) was two years ago and I had food poisoning and I spent the whole race thinking ‘don’t throw up everywhere!’ It was a bit of a mental barrier.

“I wanted to challenge myself and I think it was just to get away the gremlins from the last 10km. I wanted to have a good experience and the fact I’ve ticked off qualifying for next year’s Olympics is a huge relief to be honest. It’s nice to know that’s in the bag.”

Her focus remains on the 5000m this year and she added with a laugh: “The thought of doing another 10km is definitely not appealing!”

Liz is now based in Doha, host city for this year’s IAAF World Championships in September and October, and in her interview with AW she also shared her thoughts on the global event and the Highgate 10,000m festival.

Watch the videos above for more from the interview.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who has won 27 singles titles on the WTA Tour, is writing a column for the BBC Sport website during the championships at the All England Club.

The 29-year-old Czech, who before this week had not played since pulling out of the French Open in May with an arm injury, beat Poland's Magda Linette 6-3 6-2 in the third round on Saturday to set up a last-16 match against Britain's Johanna Konta.

It is a great feeling to have not dropped a set after three difficult rounds.

I think I played my best tennis of the tournament against Magda Linette in the third round, serving well, moving well and playing aggressively.

I even managed to smile on the first match point, which I didn't convert, because she struck the ball with the frame of her racquet and still managed to hit a winner on the line.

I didn't move at all as I thought it was going two metres out but suddenly it was on the line! This made me smile. Sometimes you have these things that you can be more relaxed about - this was a nice one so we smiled at each other.

Being back in the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time since 2014 is amazing. I won the title that year but winning it again is just not something I am even thinking about at the moment - I'm worrying about my forearm injury, which could still flare up any time.

It will be great if I can continue the stats, though, of never having lost in the fourth round in the five times I have been there!

'Special to play Britain's Konta at Wimbledon'

Facing Johanna Konta in the fourth round will be special. I played her at Birmingham last year and also Heather Watson one year at Eastbourne, so I know what it is like to play a Briton at home.

It is always special because the crowd is cheering for the British player. British people are very polite and they are great at supporting other players, so I don't think it will be that crazy on Monday.

Jo likes to play on grass and she is having a good grass season. It goes well for her when she plays kind of flat shots from both sides, especially from the backhand.

It is great that we are playing on Centre Court. Being there will bring back some nice memories of winning my two titles and I am glad to get that experience again.

I don't think anything changes in the second week of a Grand Slam. You're just deeper in the tournament, which means you are playing really good tennis - and that is always good for your confidence. It does mean, though, that every opponent will be very, very difficult.

Advice for Coco & dealing with distractions

It is great to see 15-year-old Coco Gauff doing so well. She has a big future in front of her.

When I was 15, I didn't even know I was going to play professional tennis.

I was in my home town of Fulnek in the Czech Republic and practising with my dad and I was just enjoying time on the court. I never thought that I would play at Wimbledon at that time.

If I was to give her any advice, it would be to be patient.

Everybody has ups and downs and that will come to her for sure. She just needs those experiences where she has to handle pressure and to keep up the hard work.

One of the other things you sometimes have to deal with is distractions in the crowd, like the sprinkler spraying or the corks popping that we have had this week. For me, it's been screaming from the crowd - it is not a positive distraction but you just have to keep focused.

Petra Kvitova was speaking to BBC Sport's Sonia Oxley at Wimbledon.