A person was killed and another wounded in a shooting Friday in Lawndale on the West Side.

The men, both 20, were in a vehicle that was stopped at a red light about 6:30 p.m. in the 3900 block of West 16th Street when a person approached them on foot and fired shots, Chicago police said.

The driver suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the back and torso and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He hasn’t been identified.

The other, a passenger in the vehicle, was struck in the leg and was transported to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stable, police said.

No one was in custody as Area Four detectives investigate.

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A 22-year-old man was fatally shot Friday in Hermosa on the Northwest Side.

The man was standing on the sidewalk about 5:30 p.m. when a person stepped out of a light-colored vehicle and fired shots in the 2700 block of North Kilbourn Avenue, Chicago police said.

He suffered gunshot wounds to the head and body and was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

He hasn’t been identified.

Area Five detectives are investigating.

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CINCINNATI — It’s no secret the next four weeks might mean a lot in terms of the Cubs’ future — in the short term and long term.

Coming off a humbling sweep at the hands of the Brewers that pushed them six games back in the National League Central, the Cubs find themselves in a precarious position.

After a tough June in which they went 12-16 and finished the month on a six-game losing streak, the Cubs limp into what might be their most important month of the next couple of seasons, considering the implications it might have on their long-term future.

The Cubs’ front office must decide what to do with the team’s core after the recent stretch put them in such a hole and when it might be time to pull the trigger on a trade or two.

”The honest answer to that is July 30,” president Jed Hoyer said Friday in Cincinnati. ”I think we have to prepare. We have to have a lot of internal discussions. But it doesn’t mean you make a decision on either side of the ledger before that. We do have all that time, in some ways.

”But in terms of preparation, obviously internally, we have to make sure that we’re prepared to do both and prepare to make the best decisions as an organization.”

The Cubs didn’t play their best baseball in June, and there are clear areas of concern on a team with hopes of winning a division. But the number of injuries they endured and the brutal schedule they played in the month make evaluating their recent stretch a little more challenging for Hoyer and the front office.

Still, it will be a balancing act for management to determine what was a product of a difficult month and what are legitimate deficiencies.

”We’ve witnessed some deep slumps [on offense] like this in the past, and that’s sort of the frustration,” Hoyer said. ”It brings us back to some struggles in other years when we haven’t been able to score without a home run. I think we did a better job at the end of that Milwaukee series, but we have got to get on base more.

”Of all the things I’ve been frustrated with over the course of the month is the lack of walks. That is probably guys who are trying to swing their way out of slumps a little bit, and I think that has gotten us into some trouble.”

If the Cubs are going to get back into the division race before the All-Star break, they have to start immediately. Their next 19 games are against opponents with a combined record of 140-183 entering play Friday. If there was a time for the Cubs to make something happen, it would be right now.

”I think there’s a sense of urgency,” Hoyer said. ”These guys are aware of the importance of this month and the importance of digging into that lead. You can’t make that up with a snap of the fingers, but you have to gradually claw back in some games and start playing well.

”I think you have to see the big picture and look at it that way. You can’t go up and down or buy and sell with every game or every two games. It’s not the way to make good decisions. . . . But you take a step back and try to assess things as it relates to the larger picture.”

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The Grant Park Music Festival returned with outdoor, live classical music concerts — at full seating capacity without social distancing — Friday night in Millennium Park. Droves of concertgoers entered the festival for the “Independence Day Salute” program, with artistic director and principal conductor Carlos Kalmar returning to lead the Grant Park Orchestra at the Pritzker Pavilion.

“I feel free. I’ve been in the house way too long, so I’m pretty excited for what’s to come,” first-time attendee Cierra Turner, 25, said, looking forward to one of her favorite Tchaikovsky pieces being played, the “1812 Overture.”

Ironically, the festival was established in 1935 to lift people’s spirits and bring people together through cultural arts during the Great Depression. Eighty-six years later, that same feeling of hope and togetherness reemerged as music fans returned to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all large-scale gatherings, indoors or out, more than a year ago.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

“On many levels, this is a really symbolic moment, both for the city and for the performing arts here in Chicago,” Paul Winberg, president and CEO of the Grant Park Music Festival, said. “And we’re really proud to be the first group out there, at least here in Millennium Park on the Pritzker stage.”

Ethan Valentin and Grisel Medina, both 25, returned to the festival Friday excited to find a getaway in a familiar setting, as they went on their first date at the park seven years ago.

Elsewhere in the expansive lawn seating area, charcuterie boards, picnic tables and bottles of wine spread out across the area as patrons prepared for an evening of classical music under the stars.

“When the festival was canceled last year it was such a disappointment — understandably they had to, because of COVID — but we were wondering if it was ever going to reopen,” Chicago resident Michael Pylypczha said. “It’s just a great feeling that we’re finally going to be able to attend this concert. It doesn’t make any difference who’s out on stage or what’s playing. It’s always an enjoyable experience in the evening.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and first lady Amy Eshleman also were on hand for the opening night concert. The mayor took to the stage, offering some welcoming remarks to the assembled crowd.

The festival runs for eight weeks, featuring free concerts on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 6:30 p.m. The park opening at 5 p.m. Concerts last 90 minutes, without intermission. Seating is first-come, first-serve. Visit grantparkmusicfestival.com.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

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Who’s to say Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Shohei Ohtani won’t someday be remembered as legends along the lines of Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Stan Musial?

But before we put the trio of young superstars in another sentence with the only three players in major league history to be All-Stars 20 or more times, we should probably at least let them make their All-Star Game debuts. That will happen July 13 at Coors Field, where the thin Denver air will be extra-thick with a sense of newness.

A hard-to-believe eight starting position players — based on fan voting that ended Thursday — will be All-Stars for the first time. Joining the Padres’ Tatis and the Blue Jays’ Guerrero: Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and second baseman Marcus Semien, Reds outfielders Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker, Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers and Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier.

Go ahead and raise that number to nine if you want to include Ohtani, the American League’s starting DH. And nine is a ton. In 2019, there were only four first-timers among starting position players (and DHs). In 2018, there were three, two of them being Cubs shortstop Javy Baez and catcher Willson Contreras. Those numbers were a lot more typical. Then again, there was no All-Star Game in 2020, postponing some debuts by a year.

How many other first-time All-Stars will there be? We’ll find out Sunday afternoon, when the results of player voting and final picks from the commissioner’s office are announced.

One newbie should be Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber. Wait, did we say Cubs? We meant Nationals, but you probably knew that already. After a sensational June in which he hit 16 home runs — 12 of them in a dizzying 10-day span — Schwarber is a Ruthian folk hero again, at least until the power spigot shuts off.

And what about the Cubs? What about the White Sox? Something else that’s kind of new: For the first time since 2017, neither team will have a starter in the game. Unless, that is, Rays manager Kevin Cash tabs the Sox’ Carlos Rodon or Lance Lynn — both of them are locks to make the team — to be first to the mound for the AL side. One supposes that’s a possibility.

Any other locks in town? Sure. Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel is one. Sox closer Liam Hendriks is another. Kimbrel’s numbers are right there with the Brewers’ Josh Hader’s — these are the two best closers in baseball this season, hands down — and Hendriks leads the AL in saves.

Beyond that? Let’s look at it.

Keep in mind that fan voting settled starting position players (and Ohtani) only. All those other top-three finalists — from Kris Bryant and Baez to Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal — aren’t guaranteed a thing. That means eight spots are spoken for in the NL and nine in the AL on what will be 32-man rosters.

The player vote will account for eight position players, five starting pitchers and three relievers on each roster, plus another DH for the AL side. (The NL team will use the DH, too, but at the discretion of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.) Finally, the commissioner’s office will add four pitchers to each roster as well as four position players to the NL side and two to the AL side.

CUBS

Bryant: Phase 2 of fan voting was unkind to Bryant, who dropped from first to third — behind the Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado and the Dodgers’ Justin Turner, which certainly was fair — at third base. But Bryant’s extraordinary versatility warrants real respect, and his offensive numbers are nothing to sneeze at. Expect him to nab a spot.

Baez: He was second in the voting to Tatis at short, but this is a tough call. The Giants’ Brandon Crawford, who finished third, probably has been better and definitely plays for a better team. The Nationals’ Trae Turner — who would add to the first-timers list — probably has been better than both of them. Not digging Baez’s chances.

Contreras: It’s not his best season by the numbers, but he has been the workhorse of workhorses. Many a lesser catcher has been the No. 3 on an All-Star roster. Leaning toward yes.

Anthony Rizzo: He finished third in fan voting behind the Braves’ Freddie Freeman and the Dodgers’ Max Muncy, but this is not one of his better campaigns. Doesn’t look good.

Kyle Hendricks: His 10 wins led the NL entering Friday, and he sure has been an All-Star if you only look at his numbers from the end of April on. There’s a case that can be made for the Professor, but it’s not being made here.

Andrew Chafin: This dude is a lot of fun and crushing it on the mound. But it takes an even rarer bird to make the Midsummer Classic as a reliever who isn’t a closer. Not seeing it.

SOX

Grandal: After the Royals’ Salvador Perez, where else do you go at catcher? The Astros’ Martin Maldonado finished second in voting — a spot ahead of Grandal — but his offensive numbers are laughable. The Yankees’ Gary Sanchez? Maybe. Grandal? Should be.

Abreu: He finished third in the voting at first base and is the reigning MVP, but let’s get real — there are more-deserving options. The Astros’ Yuli Gurriel, A’s Matt Olson and Angels’ Jared Walsh all belong. Sorry, Pito.

Yoan Moncada: Another who finished third — at third — but this requires a real leap of the imagination. Maybe next year.

Tim Anderson: It’s just not going to happen for the South Side’s favorite shortstop, but is it possible Anderson is — wait for it — the best player in baseball who has yet to make an All-Star team? Chew on that one awhile.

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DETROIT — Nothing has materialized from the Eduardo Escobar trade rumor — one report had the second baseman already on his way to the White Sox five days ago — and general manager Rick Hahn was typically coy on trade talk in general on a Zoom call Friday.

“It’s really impossible for me to predict when any deals will happen,” Hahn said. “More things tend to happen with the [July 31] deadline in everyone’s face. That said, we’re putting forth a strong and consistent effort and we’ll see what happens here.”

The Sox are feeling less pressure to add offense to the outfield, what with Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert possibly returning from injuries in August, and a cast of fill-ins patching things up. Escobar would be a substantial upgrade at second base, with Nick Madrigal out fo the season, but the Sox aren’t the only team with interest.

An arm or two to shore up the bullpen is also being sought.

“Nothing’s done until it’s absolutely done, so I’m very hesitant to project out or predict when anything’s going to to come to fruition,” Hahn said. “A lot of work is being put in, we’ll see what happens.”

Jimenez and Robert

The Sox are hopeful that Robert and Jimenez, who have resumed baseball activities in Arizona, could return from their injuries by August.

Hahn said the next updates on the pair will ideally be given when they’re assigned to minor league affiliates for rehab assignments.

“At that point, a 20-day clock begins,” Hahn said. “If everything goes smoothly in that time period, you’ll see them back in Chicago.”

Hahn said the front office visualizes different scenarios of how the team will look in the final two months of the season, “both with internal options and potentially anything from outside.”

With myriad injuries, the Sox entered the day with a 48-32 record, their best start since 2006, and a five-game lead over the Indians in the AL Central.

“It’s hard not to look at the standings and look at the guys who contributed to the team this year and not be really proud and impressed with what players and coaches in that clubhouse have been able to do under challenging circumstances,” Hahn said.

Eaton returns

Outfielder Adam Eaton, who hadn’t played since June 14 because of a strained right hamstring, was reinstated and and played right field. Eaton is batting .195 with five homers, 27 RBI and 30 runs scored over 54 games.

Eaton, 32, signed to a $7 million deal in the offseason, said more than the hamstring has been ailing him.

“A little bit of everything,” he said. “When one thing goes a little haywire … you break a little bit of the chain and some of the links of the chain don’t want to operate quite as well. So, just try to get everything working and back in order. We are in a good place.”

Engel slapped a single to left his first time up.

Moncada’s hand

Moncada’s bruised right hand, the result of an awkward head-first slide Thursday, was not bad enough to warrant going on the injured list.

“The first 24 hours after the injury, the indications are he doesn’t need that much time to come back and contribute to us,” Hahn said. “We want to win every one of these nine ballgames [on the road trip] and if Moncada is able to contribute to five or six of those ballgames, then that makes us better.”

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Chicago’s newly-appointed fire commissioner is fleshing out her plan to reduce response times to medical emergencies that now make up two-thirds of all calls for fire service.

Instead of increasing the Chicago Fire Department’s existing fleet of 80 advanced-life-support ambulances, Annette Nance-Holt plans to purchase smaller vehicles, each staffed by two paramedics, to respond to less serious medical calls that do not require transport to a hospital.

The new level of care that Nance-Holt calls “mobile integrated health” would not only reduce the avalanche of calls to Chicago’s 911 emergency system, but also take the pressure off hospital emergency rooms and free up those 80 ambulances — backed by advanced life-support (ALS) engines and trucks — for more serious emergencies.

“I have been a captain on an ALS engine. I have worked on many ALS companies as a lieutenant. What you find out is, sometimes people just want somebody to come [and] take your blood sugar. Take your blood pressure. Give you an asthma treatment. Whatever it is. They don’t want to go to the hospital,” Nance-Holt told the Sun-Times on Thursday.

“It’s gonna keep the emergency rooms less clogged. And not tie up the transport of an ALS ambulance that actually needs to get to a person. Maybe a gunshot [victim]. Maybe a stabbing [victim]. Or maybe somebody having a heart attack, which is more critical at this point.”

The new medical model sounds a lot like the two-tiered system of ambulance service — for advanced life support and basic life support — that Chicago abandoned years ago.

It was tested during the pandemic, when paramedics visited the homes of Chicagoans who had contracted the coronavirus, but did not require hospitalization or had been released from the hospital.

It was also used to do well-being checks “when we had a lot of police and fire on lay-up due to COVID, because COVID hit us as well,” Nance-Holt said.

Most of the patients will be referred by their doctors or clinics.

“Someone who may be a diabetic. Somebody with congestive heart failure who just needs to be checked to see if they have fluid. Things like that. But anything that’s life threatening, 911 will be that number that you call to get transported,” the commissioner said.

“We have an aging population … During COVID, we could see more than ever that people didn’t want to leave their homes. They couldn’t get to the hospitals … This will take the strain off of insurance companies, emergency rooms, health care systems and divert our ambulances to more critical people.”

The alternative response will start with five vehicles and 10 paramedics.

“This is gonna expand to something else — like mental health components and, probably, the opioid crisis,” the commissioner said.

“Right now, we’re gonna tell you five [vehicles]. But I’m anticipating it’s gonna be greater than that.”

Nance-Holt is the first woman to serve as fire commissioner in the 162-year history of the department.

She has vowed to diversify a department with a long, documented history of discrimination through “vigorous recruitment in communities of color,” outreach to high school students in “under-represented communities” and by scheduling Chicago’s first firefighters entrance exam since 2014 by the end of this year or the first quarter of next year.

On Thursday, she took the first step toward that goal.

She promoted Mary Sheridan, the head of EMS, to be her first deputy and rounded out her leadership team with five men: two black, two white and one Hispanic.

They are Marc Ferman to serve as deputy fire commissioner for operations; Juan Hernandez as assistant deputy fire commissioner, EMS operations; Greg Stinnett to be district chief of EMS operations; Scott Ronstadt, assistant deputy chief paramedic of EMS logistics; and Mark Kiley as deputy district chief of the mobile reporting unit.

At the same time, Nance-Holt acknowledged the department has a long way to go when it comes to being a welcoming place for women.

When she first arrived at the predominantly white and male Bridgeport firehouse 30 years ago, she was unceremoniously welcomed by a male co-worker who put dog food in the Coca-Cola she was drinking.

“I was like, `OK.’ I put it back. I put it in somebody else’s Coke. Good. That’s the way I reacted to it,” Nance-Holt said.

“We can’t be part of the game. We’ve got to stand up and be different from that. I didn’t tolerate it [then]. I’m not gonna tolerate it now.”

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City Council members on Friday spent six hours grilling police Supt. David Brown over his plans to tamp down the latest surge in summertime gun violence.

But Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s top cop said he could’ve used that time preparing for the perennially bloody Fourth of July Holiday weekend instead.

“This briefing before you today comes at a cost of critical scheduled time for our leadership team to discuss deployment decisions that we are all forgoing to ensure you have this information once again,” Brown said before outlining some of the patrol strategies that he and the mayor say are regularly provided to aldermen.

Initially, there were questions whether there’d even be a quorum to hold the special meeting that Lightfoot dismissed as political theater orchestrated by her nemesis Ald. Edward Burke (14th). Instead, 47 members showed up — most of them with pointed questions.

When it was all over, Lightfoot called it a “very productive” session that generated “a number of interesting ideas,” but maintained “there were some shenanigans involved with the setting of this meeting.”

“There’s a time and a place for everything. It’s not that the conversation shouldn’t happen. … But the timing of that, we could have done this last week. We could have done it the week before,” she said after the meeting.

The long-winded testimony came a day after 32 more people were shot across the city, including an infant. Brown suggested he should have been back at CPD headquarters “chiming in on where we need to send resources. … We’re here to inform you of our plan, but our time is impacting public safety, costing lives.”

Ald. Ray Lopez (15th), who was the driving force behind the hastily called meeting, bristled at the suggestion.

“How dare you try to use that on us? You are here because there is a crisis in our neighborhoods that has not been answered to the liking of our residents,” Lopez said. “We know the violence that’s in our streets. We know what happens, and to say that the entire department cannot function because the three of you [Brown and two of his top deputies] are here, is outrageous. It’s insulting.”

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Lightfoot later suggested “they could and should have been out, making sure deployments are set.”

Lopez still thanked Brown for showing up for the marathon questioning, which brought the second-year superintendent to many of his usual talking points.

He noted that shootings and homicides are down over the past two months compared to the same period last year — which is true, although a Sun-Times analysis has shown violent crime in 2021 is up overall compared to last year.

He outlined the extended hours and canceled days off for officers to bolster efforts during the “most critical weekend of the year,” without getting into the specifics of July 4th deployments.

He said additional mental health support would be available to a force that’s being stretched to the limits.

And he pointed the finger at Cook County judges and prosecutors for the ongoing spate of shootings.

“This is happening because there’s too much advocacy for violent offenders, and too little consequences for the behavior in the courts. There is an explosion of violent offenders being released back into our communities” on electronic monitoring,” Brown said. “This is madness. Our courts are out of control.”

He repeatedly pointed to several specific cases of shootings tied to people who had been released on other charges, but Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) pointed to a Loyola University study that suggests bail reform measures haven’t resulted in significant upticks in defendants re-offending before trial.

“I’m really concerned about some real fundamental issues of the narrative, especially around the electronic monitoring on the low bond amounts. It is creating a false narrative,” SIgcho-Lopez said. “I just want to be very clear that when we continue to point at these as a fundamental factor, and not following the research, we are going on the wrong track.”

Brown said, “I haven’t seen that study but I disagree with it.”

“I would ask those researchers to move over to the South and West sides of Chicago … [for] just one night,” he said. “If one person is killed by someone on electronic monitoring, you need to rethink electronic monitoring.”

Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) read from a letter he said he received from an officer complaining of a lack of mental health supports for overextended officers.

“You need to demonstrate that we care about our officers. We need to offer more services and support to them. Suicidal thoughts and despair are very real,” O’Shea said. Brown said licensed clinicians would be available for officers throughout the long weekend.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) asked Brown what the city can do for the police department.

“We have a significant need to recruit people to apply for the job. What affects that is not only the mood of this body, regarding officers and the work they do, but also to retain officers. We have attrition issues like every other department in the country,” Brown said.

The superintendent pushed back against council members who said he hasn’t met with them regularly to discuss strategies. “Call me anytime,” he said.

And to Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), who said the new superintendent has been “a little aloof” in keeping out of the public eye early in his tenure, Brown said that’s mostly because he was hired in the middle of a pandemic when large gatherings were restricted.

“I plan to meet you and all of your colleagues as many times as you’d like in your community. I plan to now be anywhere you need me to be,” he said.

Lightfoot, who was mostly silent during the meeting except to cut a few aldermen short in their questions, chided some of those who called for the meeting.

“You’ll find that some of the very signatories … haven’t participated in other opportunities that are readily available to them as members of the City Council,” she said. “I do think we had a productive conversation, and I hope we have productivity moving forward.”

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WIMBLEDON, England — When Sebastian Korda struck his last competitive shot as a 20-year-old — an overhead winner that closed out a third-round victory over Wimbledon’s No. 22 seed on Friday — the American raised both arms, then doubled over and rested his hands on his knees.

Up in a Centre Court guest box, the body language of his father, 1998 Australian Open champion Petr, was strikingly similar. Arms in the air, then leaning forward, reaching for the railing in front of his seat.

The younger Korda’s family bloodlines are serving him rather well at the moment. He is the son of two former professional tennis players — he credits his mother, Regina Rajchrtova, with teaching him to be calm on court — and the brother of two current stars in women’s golf — one of whom, Nelly, is ranked No. 1 and just won her first major — and is looking as if he very well could be the men’s tennis star his country has been awaiting for quite some time.

With an aggressive style that’s built for grass courts, Korda got past Britain’s Dan Evans 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to become the youngest U.S. man to reach the round of 16 at the All England Club since Andy Roddick got to the semifinals in 2003.

“Just felt incredibly comfortable,” Korda said. “And, yeah, it was perfect today.”

His father’s take? Essentially: Not so fast.

“It’s not over,” Dad said. “Let’s not celebrate until this is done.”

Wearing a black baseball hat and occasionally draping a white towel over his shoulders on the warmest day of the tournament so far, with the temperature rising toward the mid-70s Fahrenheit (20s Celsius), Petr was in a state of perpetual motion Friday. Any parent whose kids play sports at any level could relate, really, as he squirmed in his spot in the stands.

“It was nerve-wracking. I tell you, honestly, it’s easier to be on the golf course, because I can walk always,” he said, referring to watching his two daughters compete. “But with Sebi, I had to be sitting still, you know? That’s not easy.”

One, tiny measure of how quickly his son is developing: He is only the eighth man since 2001 to reach the fourth round at both the All England Club and Roland Garros before turning 21.

Of the other seven, four went on to be ranked No. 1 and win multiple Grand Slam titles: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Lleyton Hewitt. Another won one major (Marin Cilic), and the other two were Slam runners-up (Stefanos Tsitsipas, still only 22 himself, and Tomas Berdych).

Roddick’s triumph at the 2003 U.S. Open remains the most recent Grand Slam singles title for an American man, the longest drought in history for a nation that produced Bill Tilden, Arthur Ashe, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

Eight-time major champ Agassi just so happens to be a mentor of sorts for Korda; they spent two weeks working together in Las Vegas late last year and speak on the phone frequently.

“The most important thing he told me yesterday was just to enjoy it,” Korda said. “It’s your first time on Centre Court at Wimbledon, just enjoy it, embrace it, have a lot of fun.”

Check. Check. And check.

On Monday, Korda’s 21st birthday, he’ll face No. 25 seed Karen Khachanov, a Russian who eliminated Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. in straight sets.

“I played a little tight. I knew it was a good opportunity,” said Tiafoe, who beat No. 3 seed Tsitsipas in the first round but now has lost to Khachanov at Wimbledon twice since 2018. “I just wanted to win too bad.”

Other men’s fourth-rounders: No. 1 Novak Djokovic against No. 17 Cristian Garin, No. 5 Andrey Rublev against Marton Fucsovics and No. 8 Roberto Bautista Agut against No. 10 Denis Shapovalov, who ended Andy Murray’s first Wimbledon singles appearance since 2017 by defeating the two-time champion 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

“I can’t say that I’m too pleased with the way I performed. I felt like today I was a bit off, especially with serving,” said Djokovic, who was broken twice in a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7) victory over American qualifier Denis Kudla that made him 17-0 in Slam matches this season.

Women’s matchups on Monday: No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 18 Elena Rybakina, No. 7 Iga Swiatek vs. No. 21 Ons Jabeur, No. 8 Karolina Pliskova vs. Liudmila Samsonova and No. 23 Madison Keys vs. Viktorija Golubic.

Korda is making his Wimbledon debut and participating in any Grand Slam tournament for only the third time. He made a splash at the French Open last year by getting to the fourth round before losing to his idol, Nadal (Korda’s cat is named after the 20-time major champion).

He’d never been to Centre Court until Friday, as a player, fan or otherwise, and resisted the temptation to pull out his cellphone to shoot some video.

“They always show how the players are walking through all the rooms, then walking down the stairs,” he said. “I just thought to myself: ‘This is nuts. What’s about to happen is going to be something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.'”

Korda showed off a useful serve he varies well, groundstrokes that are strong off both sides and a willingness — well, desire — to go to the net, where he won the point on 30 of 43 trips.

“All credit to him. He played some strong tennis,” said Evans, Britain’s top player at the moment, who was backed by a partisan crowd but found himself muttering toward his coach and cursing enough to earn an official warning. “He’s obviously going to be a very good player.”

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“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

Against the raging tide, against the forces of evil — as the golden evening sunlight on the first Friday of summer yields to darkness and shadows in Auburn Gresham, where the streetlights illuminate this faithful trail of prayer warriors — they march.

Led by a young Black man, hoisting a giant cross, emblazoned with “Demand Justice” on one side and “Stop Shooting” on the other, they march. West on 79^th Street and beyond, through this South Side business thoroughfare and turning down tree-lined streets, they walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

“I will fear no evil; for thou art with me…”

They march, the Faith Community of St. Sabina — an invasion of Christian believers, having accepted this divine mission to be violence interrupters. Their fight is a supernatural one, using earthly tools, including the microphone through which Father Michael L. Pfleger invokes a call for peace.

Marchers — young and old, even a man on crutches — respond in unison as music spills from a green SUV. Songs of fight, encouragement and freedom:

Public Enemies’ “Fight The Power.” Bob Marley’s “War.” Kendrick Lamar’s “We Gon Be Alright.” Tupac’s “Changes” and John Legend and Common’s “Glory.”

Provided by Samantha Latson

They march — flashing the peace sign as motorists honk, and people along the route spill from local businesses and houses in support, smiling, waving, crying.

They march in St. Sabina’s annual “Friday Night Peace Walks,” held Fridays from the start of summer until the end, and beginning at 7 p.m., at the church, except on July 2, when St. Sabina hosted its “Block Party.”

Some carry signs: “Honk 4 Peace” and “Pray for Peace.” Others lift portraits of murdered sons and daughters.

Their appeal is to a higher power to intervene in the invisible realm, where public policy, policing strategies and economic revitalization plans — all vital and necessary — have no power. They march to invoke a spiritual shift. To spark reverberations of hope and peace in the intangible atmosphere that might invariably alter evil’s manifestations in this world. That might transform hearts, minds, their community.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world…”

So they march — against the gates of hell, calling upon the name of the Lord. Spiritually intervening for a community, for a people, for a city besieged by mass shootings and murder. The killing of our babies. The slaying of old ladies.

Against chaos. Gunfire by day, at evening and into the night. Headlines chronicle the foreboding battle between darkness and light.

“At least 77 people shot in weekend violence in Chicago, including 17 in two mass shootings.”

“Infant among 5 shot in Englewood”

So they pray. And they march, stepping intently, pounding through these humidity-thick streets, where tears, blood and violence flow. In a brutal city, where the winds of murder blow cold here, especially in summer, and where bullets tear bodies asunder. They chant:

“Peace up… Guns down…”

“We want peace… We want peace… We want peace!”

“Save our babies… Save our babies… Save our babies!”

They march, emboldened by the Holy Spirit and compelled by the agony of a city where hearse wheels carrying the bodies of murdered children never cease. Out here, in these streets, where neighborhoods on the other side of the tracks know no peace.

As I stand here in the midst of them, I can hear the naysayers’ and unbelievers’ jagged whispers in the wind: “What’s all that marching and praying going to do?”

With nearly 11 people shot every day in Chicago so far this year, my response is: “What in hell are you going to do?”

Against the gates of hell, they march.

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