After a full day’s break for the players in Middle Sunday, all the remaining players fought out a place in the 2018 Wimbledon quarterfinals. Here are my top picks for Day 7:
Roger Federer v Adrian Mannarino
Playing on the hallowed Centre Court, Mannarino was clearly nervous. Mannarino slowly settled down towards the latter stages as he was going toe-to-toe with Federer in some rallies before eventually bowing out 6-0, 7-5, 6-4.
The Swiss was also clearly in a rush and finished the first set in just 16 minutes winning 6-0, and won the overall match in 1 hour and 45 minutes. Federer is yet to drop serve throughout the whole tournament and has now won 32 consecutive sets at Wimbledon- 2 short of his best. He will now face the world No. 8 Kevin Anderson in the quarterfinals, who Federer has a 4-0 head-to-head winning record.
Rafael Nadal v Jiri Vesely
The Spaniard comfortably beat Vesely 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour and 53 minutes to reach the quarter-finals here at Wimbledon for the first time in 6 years. Nadal looked comfortable and in total control in all three sets. He won 78% of his first serve points and blasted a total of 37 winners throughout the match and is yet to drop a set so far. He will either meet Gilles Simon or Juan Martin del Potro in the next round.
Kiki Bertens v Karolina Pliskova
Kiki Bertens knocked out the world No. 8 Karolina Pliskova, in straight set 6-3 7-6, who was the last remaining top ten seed in the ladies draw. Kiki Bertens, who beat Venus Williams in the third round, looked very sharp throughout the match and managed to out-ace Pliskova by 7 aces to 2, who has the second most amount of aces hit in the 2018 WTA tour.
This will be Bertens’ first Wimbledon quarterfinal and second Grand Slam quarter-final, as she reached the same stage at the French Open back in 2016.
Her next opponent will be the world No.13 Julia Gorges, who beat Donna Vekic in the last round.
