Brace for a Manic Monday as Big Four take centrestage
For the first time since 2011, the top four men’s seeds have reached the Wimbledon last-16 with Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal taking centrestage on ‘Manic Monday’.
The four stars have shared the Wimbledon title since 2003 when Federer won the first of his seven trophies at the All England Club.
Djokovic has claimed three with defending champion Murray and Nadal winning two apiece. It’s the kind of domination that looks unlikely to end Monday when the fourth round takes place.
Murray, who has battled hip pain, is the only one of the ‘Big Four’ to have dropped a set in the first week.
He faces unpredictable Frenchman Benoit Paire who is in the last-16 for the first time.
“He has very good hands, moves well, takes a lot of chances, goes for his shots,” said Murray who has a 1-0 career lead over Paire.
Murray has not lost at Wimbledon before the quarter-finals since 2006.
Djokovic takes a 1-0 career edge over unseeded Adrian Mannarino of France into his last-16 clash, with that win coming at Wimbledon in straight sets in the second round last year.
Former coach Boris Becker praised Djokovic for his first week performances after fears that the Serb had lost his love for the sport after losing all four Grand Slam titles he held last year.
“Boris knows me very well. So he’s right when he says that the passion is back,” said second seed Djokovic. Federer bidding for a record eighth Wimbledon title, which would also make him the oldest champion at the All England Club, faces Grigor Dimitrov boasting a 5-0 record over the man once tipped as his natural heir.
“It’s a great day to play. I would be happy to be a fan,” said Federer of a day when all last-16
WIMBLEDON Action packed day in the reckoning as for the first time since 2011 have the top four seeds reached the last16 stage
matches in the men’s and women’s events are played.
Federer is playing in the fourth round for the 15th time.
Nadal, fresh from a 10th French Open title, faces fellow left-hander Gilles Muller, who is looking to make the quarter-finals for the first time in seven years.
Nadal has a 5-1 record over Muller although he will be wary that the Luxembourg grass court specialist beat him at Wimbledon in 2005.
“He’s one of the toughest opponents possible on this surface,” said Nadal.
The title as well as the world number one spot are up for grabs in the women’s tournament which remains wide open in the absence of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
Angelique Kerber, the runner-up to Williams last year, could lose the top spot to either Simona Halep or even Karolina Pliskova despite the Czech having been knocked out in the second round.
The German tackles 2015 runner-up Garbine Muguruza having survived a three-set scare to see off Shelby Rogers in the third round. In contrast, Muguruza has sailed into the last 16 without dropping a set, a run which has even surprised herself.
“I never feel that comfortable on grass. Every time I start the grass season, I’m like, How the hell I did that final?,” said the 2016 French Open champion.
Muguruza, the 15th seed, holds a 4-3 career lead over Kerber, having won all of the last four meetings including in the Wimbledon fourth round two years ago.
Victoria Azarenka, bidding to become the first mother to win Wimbledon in 37 years, faces Romanian second seed Simona Halep.
Former world number one and two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka is playing in her first Grand Slam since giving birth to son Leo in December.
She made the semi-finals in 2011 and
2012
Britain’s Wimbledon title hope Johanna Konta is often parodied for her mantra of “sticking to the process” but, far from being a tennis robot, coach Wim Fissette says when his player goes out on court she can think on her feet.
Konta is four wins away from becoming the first British player to win the Wimbledon women’s title since Virginia Wade in 1977. Just to ramp up the pressure she will also enter the second week wearing the favourites’ tag.
Belgian Fissette, however, says Konta’s ability to play with intuition and not hit the panic button when things go wrong gives her a great chance of winning a first major.
“I give her lots of messages the day before a match and she goes over them with me again before she goes on court, just to make sure it’s all clear,” Fissette, who has worked with Kim Clijsters, Simona Halep and Victoria Azarenka, told Reuters.
“But I don’t give her too much information. I’ve had players who are extremely rational and open for statistics.
“Johanna goes more on the feeling. I provide tactics and key points about the match but she follows her intuition a lot and plays freely, which is good because it’s only her on court.
“I remember Kim (Clijsters) was very much a player like that. She
A KERBER V G MUGURUZA