The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nadal moves into semis after outlasting American Fritz
Normally so relentless from point to point, Rafael Nadal occasionally would watch as a ball off the racket of Taylor Fritz landed in during the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Wincing from an abdominal issue for which he took a medical timeout, Nadal couldn’t move the way he usually does. His trademark grunts of “Uhhhh!” were rare. He didn’t generate the usual zip on his serves, which dipped from a high of 120 mph to barely above 100 mph. He sought to end exchanges with a quick-strike forehand or a drop shot — sometimes with success, often not.
With much of the Centre Court crowd loudly supporting the 22-time major champion, roaring and standing after his best strokes, Nadal hung in there and twice erased one-set deficits against the 11th-seeded Fritz, emerging with 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4) victory to reach his eighth semifinal at the All England Club.
On Friday, Nadal will meet Nick Kyrgios, an Australian who will be making his Grand Slam semifinal debut after a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory over Cristian Garin of Chile.
Nadal said it’s not a sure thing that he’ll be healthy enough to play in the semifinals.
Nadal had abdominal pain and needed a medical timeout in the second set against Fritz.
Nadal said he would have “some more tests” today.
The other men’s semifinal will be No. 1 Novak Djokovic against No. 9 Cam Norrie.
The women’s semifinals today will be 2019 champion Simona Halep against No. 17 Elena Rybakina, and No. 3 Ons Jabeur against unseeded Tatjana Maria.
Halep advanced by eliminating No. 20 Amanda Anisimova of the United States 6-2, 6-4, and Rybakina came back to defeat Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Nadal leads Kyrgios 6-3 in their head-to-head series, but they are even at 1-all at Wimbledon: Kyrgios, just 19 and ranked 144th, announced himself to the world by stunning Nadal in 2014; Nadal won the rematch in 2019.
After his first-round victory at Wimbledon last week, Kyrgios was fined $10,000 for spitting in the direction of a heckling spectator. His third-round victory over No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was as contentious as can be, and Kyrgios was fined another $4,000 for an audible obscenity; afterward, Tsitsipas called him a “bully” and “evil.”
Worth noting, too, is how well Kyrgios has been playing. His serve, in particular, is among the best in the game, regularly topping 130 mph, and he pounded 17 aces against Garin while getting broken just once.
Coco Gauff and Jack Sock have been eliminated from the mixed doubles tournament.
The American pair lost to Australian duo Sam Stosur and Matthew Ebden in the semifinals 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 on No. 3 Court.
Both Gauff, a former Atlanta resident, and Sock reached the third round in the singles tournaments.
Stosur and Ebden will face Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski, who beat Sania Mirza and Mate Pavic, in the final.