The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Nadal ends long wait for last-eight berth
World No 1 cruises into quarter-finals for first time in seven years as Federer marches on
Rafael Nadal ended a seven-year wait to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals again and remains on track for another battle for the trophy with Roger Federer.
Nadal’s knees have struggled with the move from clay to grass in recent years but he has breezed through the draw so far and secured another straight-sets win yesterday, beating Czech Jiri Vesely 6-3 6-3 6-4.
The world number one said: “Of course it’s an important result for me.
“It’s true that it has been a while since I have been in that position but at the same time I have been in that position a couple of times in my career.
“We are not talking about already that I played a final or I won the tournament. When I come here, I come here thinking I can do a good result.”
Federer has been equally emphatic and, after taking just 16 minutes to win the opening set against Adrian Mannari no, he at least found himself in a match before coming through 6-0 7-5 6-4.
Federer extended his run of consecutive sets won at Wimbledon to 32 and still has not had his serve broken all tournament, although he was forced to save his first break points.
The first set was so one-sided that, when Mannarino trailed 0-40 in the opening game of the second, the normally pro-Federer Centre Court crowd began to cheer for his opponent.
It had the potential to be embarrassing, particularly given Mannarino is a top-30 player, but the Frenchman composed himself well to make a match of it.
In the last eight tomorrow, Federer will face eighth seed Kevin Anderson after his 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) 5-7 7-6 (7-4) victory over Gael Monfils.
Novak Djokovic beat the light and Karen Khachanov to book his spot in the last eight.
It was after 7pm when his match against Khachanov began, and Djokovic looked like a man in a hurry as he raced to a 6-4 6-2 6-2 victory.
Khachanov, a big-hitting Russian, threw everything he had at Djokovic but the Serbian’s fabled defensive skills were in full working order and he moves through to a clash with Kei Nishikori.
Nishikori missed both the US Open and Australian Open with wrist problems but now appears close to his best again and, thanks to a 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (12-10) 6-1 win over Ernests Gulbis, becomes the first Japanese man to make the last eight at all four slams.
John Isner is also through to the last eight for the first time. Isner has only reached one previous grand slam quarter-final, at the US Open in 2011, and his serve proved too strong for 19-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas in a 6-4 7-6 (12-10) 7-6 (7-4) victory.
Isner is hoping he might have some presidential support should he reach the semi-finals, with Donald Trump due to visit the UK later this week.
“I’d love to have Trump come watch me,” said Isner, a supporter of the Republican Party. “That would be awesome. Maybe I’ll tweet at him if I win on Wednesday. I know a lot of people won’t like that, but I don’t care.”
Next up for the American will be a battle of the big servers against Milos Raonic, who overcame Isner’s countryman Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 to make the last eight for the fourth time in five years.
Juan Martin del Potro and Gilles Simon will resume battle today. Their match was suspended last night with Del Potro leading 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5) 5-7.
l Andy Murray will be back at Wimbledon today as the two-time champion makes his first appearance since withdrawing on the eve of the tournament.
Murray is set to appear on television during today’s action, and will be back tomorrow for men’s quarter-final day.
He wrote on Facebook: “Live in the BBC studio tomorrow with Tim Henman and trying my hand at commentary on Wednesday… what could possibly go wrong...”