BIG THREE STILL RULE
NOVAK Djokovic is not forecasting a changing of the guard in men’s tennis any time soon after he, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all cruised into the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
The world’s top three players, with 53 grand slams between them, all had the easiest of afternoons on Monday, dropping just 19 games across their three matches.
Djokovic defeated French rookie Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, Federer posted the fastest fourth round win at Wimbledon, defeating Matteo Berrettini 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in 74 minutes, while Nadal trounced Joao Sousa 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.
The champion this year looks sure to be one of those three men as the next generation of players struggle.
Asked why that continued to be the case, Djokovic said: “I have no explanation for that. I leave it to you to understand why. I think we are working as hard as anybody really to be there. It’s great that I’m one of these three guys and still very successful.”
Even Federer was surprised at the ease of his 99th SW19 victory. “Obviously today was excellent. I was very happy. I was expecting a tough match and a close one with not many chances. It was actually quite the opposite,” he said.
Federer will meet Kei Nishikori after he defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
While Nadal was not troubled by Sousa, he was embroiled in a debate over scheduling, with questions over why he was on Centre Court when women’s top seed Ashleigh Barty was on Court Two.
“I am the world No.2 and I won 18 grand slams,” Nadal said. “My answer is not no or yes. My answer is they make a decision. You are putting Ashleigh Barty in front of me. For me, both decisions are good.”