Serena Williams, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic Ease into Wimbledon Quarterfinals
(July 9, 2018) It was an easy day for former champions Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on what is called “Manic Monday” at Wimbledon- the day that all the round of 16 men and women play.
In the all-mom contest, Serena Williams beat 6-2, 6-2 win against 120th-ranked qualifier from Russia Evgeniya Rodina 6-2, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals.
”It didn’t feel quick because I feel like the score line, it looked easy, but it wasn’t,” said the seven-time champion. “It was a lot of good points. She’s a really good player. It was good.”
“There’s a lot to improve on. This is only my fourth tournament back. I would hope there’s a lot to continue to improve on. There is. I feel like I’m getting to where I want to be. For me, there’s so much farther I want to go to get back where I was, and hopefully go beyond that.”
Williams, seeded 25th will take on unseeded Camila Girogi in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
“I played her a couple times, “ noted Williams. “She has a very powerful game. To be so small, you know, she brings so much power and energy on the court. She’s very aggressive. She does well on grass.
“I do follow women’s tennis. Of course I support women’s tennis. I support women’s sports. I follow so much of it. I think it’s super exciting. I watch her play a lot.
“Yeah, so it’s good to kind of know someone. A lot of the players I’ve played this tournament, I don’t think I’ve played them before. I don’t think so. But, yeah, it will be good. I kind of know her game. Look forward to it.”
The rest of the women’s quarterfinals matches are former finalist Angelique Kerber vs. No. 14 Daria Kasatkina, 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko vs. former Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova, and No. 13 Julia Goerges vs. No. 20 Kiki Bertens.
Roger Federer moved into his 16th Wimbledon elite eighth beating France’s Adrian Mannarino, the 22nd seed 6-0, 7-5, 6-4. The Swiss, who is the top seed has now won 32 straight set at the All-England Club dating back to 2017.
“I was thinking that, you know, if things would have matched up maybe a little bit better, I could have had the lead earlier in the second, and maybe in the third, “ Federer said. “But, you know, he did well to fight back into the match. Maybe had almost a little bit momentum even though he was down in the score.
“But because I was holding my serve still somewhat comfortable, I had different options how to return him. I decided to still stick with the slice, play with variation rather than try to go too big, too soon.
“I think for me really important was to find a way in the second set to find the break at the end and get two-sets-to-love lead. Then the third, things loosened up a little bit, points got shorter, and it became maybe more, how do you say, a bit more athletic again in the third, whereas the second became more endurance, which I think he likes that kind of a pattern.
“But, yeah, I mean, look, he also was able to raise his level of play, then I had to do the same again because the first was almost too easy. Even though I played very well, it was not just going to be able to — I was not going to be able to just sustain it like this. I had to adjust my game because he also played at a higher level.
“I was just very happy how I played, to be honest, at the end of the day, that I was able to protect my serve, find a way to break, create opportunities. I think I can be very pleased.”
Federer will be taking on No. 8 Kevin Anderson of South Africa. Anderson, reached his first Wimbledon final eight by beating Gael Monfils 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 5-7, 7-6 (4).
“It feels great,” Anderson said about reaching his first Wimbledon quarterfinal. “Coming in one of my many goals was to try to get a personal best achievement here. Lost in the round of 16 a few times.
“So I said at the end of last week step one was putting myself in that position. Gave myself the opportunity to do it today. Definitely feels good.
“But, you know, as I’ve said, definitely still a lot of tennis to be played. So, you know, you can definitely feel good about making it through to the last eight here for the first time. Pretty soon my mind is going to have to be pretty set on getting ready to playing Federer.”
Two-time Wimbledon winner, No. 1 in the world Rafael Nadal defeated Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic, No. 93 in the world, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. He’ll play the winner of the Juan del Potro- Gilles Simon contest that was called due to darkness on Monday with Del Potro up two sets to one.
Nadal talked about making the quarterfinals for the first time in seven years:
“No, of course is an important result for me, no? Yes, that’s all. Of course, is important for me to be in these quarterfinals. Is true has been a while since I have been in that position.
“At the same time I have been in that position a couple of times in my career, no? We are not talking about already that I played a final or I won the tournament. We are talking about I am in quarterfinals. That, of course, is a positive result.
“But when I come here, I come here thinking that I can do a good result, no? If not, probably I will not be here. When I arrive here, my goal is to do the things the right way, to try to give me chances to compete well. Sometimes the things works better, sometimes worst.
“My feeling last year I was not in this round, but I was playing enough well to be where I am this year. So happy for that.”
Three-time winner Novak Djokovic beat Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 on No. 1 Court. The Serb complained about not getting as many matches on Centre Court as Nadal and Federer.
Djokovic will take on Kei Nishikori for a place in the semifinals.
“On the grass courts, yeah. I think it’s the first time for him in quarterfinals here in Wimbledon,” the 12-time major champion said about his match coming up against Nishikori. “I watched his match today with Gulbis. It was a pretty strange match, to be honest.
“But he showed mental toughness. That’s something that is very characteristic for him. He’s established, top player. Struggled with injuries a little bit. But whenever he’s fit, he can really beat anybody on any tournament. He has proven that in the past.
“He’s a big-match player. He doesn’t get affected too much by the big occasions. In contrary, he actually delivers his best. So that’s what I expect him to do. Hopefully we can have a good match.”
The other men’s quarterfinal match-up will pit No. 9 John Isner against No. 13 Milos Raonic.
