Star netters, humarurot sa Wimby

LONDON (AP) — Binigyan ng standing ovation ng crowd si Roger Federer bilang pagpapakita nang respeto sa kagitingan ng Grand Slam champion matapos ang 6-0, 7-5, 6-4 panalo kontra 22nd-seeded Adrian Mannarino ng France sa fourth round ng Wimbledon nitong Lunes (Martes sa Manila).

Tulad niya, umusad din sa susunod na round si Serena Williams na nagwagi kay 120th-ranked qualifier Evgeniya Rodina ng Russia, 6-2, 6-2.

Hindi rin nagpahuli sa center court si Rafael Nadal laban kay 93rd-ranked Jiri Vesely ng Czech Republic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Nanatili rin buhay ang kampanya nag isa pang Wimby champion na Novak Djokovic, nangibabaw kontra 40th-ranked Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

“The fact that it is the Centre Court, and the fact that it is a lot of people in the stands — it’s not changing anything, actually. The only different thing is that it’s Federer in front of me, and he’s a really good opponent. It makes the job harder,” pahayag ni Mannarino.

Sa Martes (Miyerkules sa Manila) nakatakda ang paghaharap sa women’s quarterfinals nina Williams at Camila Giorgi; two-time major champion Angelique Kerber vs. No. 14 Daria Kasatkina; 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko vs. Dominika Cibulkova; at No. 13 Julia Goerges vs. No. 20 Kiki Bertens.

Mapapalaban naman si Federer kay No. 8 Kevin Anderson, ang South African runner-up sa 2017 U.S. Open, na umabante matapos gapiin si Gael Monfils, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 5-7, 7-6 (4).

Magtutuos naman sina No. 9 John Isner at No. 13 Milos Raonic, tumalo kay Federer sa 2016 semifinals.

Sa iba pang laro, magtutuos sina 12-time major champion Djokovic kontra 2014 U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori, habang makakaharap ni No. 2 seed Nadal ang mananalo sa duwelo nina 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro at Gilles Simon.