LONDON: Rafael Nadal’s bittersweet relationship with Wimbledon endured another twist on Monday when he was knocked out in a five-set, fourth round epic by Luxembourg journeyman Gilles Muller.
Nadal’s stunning 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 15-13 defeat came after defending champion Andy Murray and seven-time winner Roger Federer had cruised into the last-eight in straight sets. The four hour and 48-minute stunner on Court One had the knock-on effect of pushing Novak Djokovic’s last-16 clash against France’s Adrian Mannarino back to Tuesday.
Djokovic had been the last match scheduled on the court but officials chose to postpone the tie instead of shifting it to Centre Court where it could, if necessary, have been completed under lights.
Just weeks after winning his 10th French Open title, Nadal was condemned to his fifth exit before the quarterfinals in his last five visits to Wimbledon. “It was not my best match against a very uncomfortable opponent,” said world number two Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion. “Well done to him. He played great, especially in the fifth set but I fought to the last ball.”
Muller tired but thrilled
Nadal converted just two of 16 break points, while Muller fired 30 aces and 95 winners.
Muller, seeded 16th, will make his first Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance against former US Open champion Marin Cilic on Wednesday.
“Tired! It was a long match. I did really well in the first two sets then Rafa stepped it up and in the end it was just a big battle,” said Muller, who won on a fifth match point, more than an hour and a half after his first.
In a pulsating final set, which stretched to 95 minutes, Nadal saved two match points in the 10th game and two more in the 20th.
In between, Muller had to fight off a break point in the 13th game and four more in the 19th.
Nadal was always chasing the score and he finally cracked in the 28th game of the decider when he went long with a return.
“I said, ‘just give it a shot, go 100 per cent’, and it’s a great feeling to be winning that match,” added Muller whose only other win over the great Spaniard also came at Wimbledon, 12 years ago.
Murray through
Defending champion Murray reached a 10th successive Wimbledon quarterfinal with a 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 6-4 win over France’s Benoit Paire.
World number one Murray will face Sam Querrey for a place in the semifinals.
“I thought I played well. Maybe a couple of sloppy service games in the first set but that was by far the best I’d hit the ball so far in the tournament. So I’m really pleased with that,” said Murray.
Federer reached his 50th Grand Slam quarterfinal and 15th at Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Grigor Dimitrov.
The Swiss star will now face Milos Raonic, the 2016 runner-up, after the sixth-seeded Canadian clinched a 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 win over Alexander Zverev of Germany, the 10th seed.
Querrey, the US 24th seed who knocked out Djokovic in 2016, made the quarterfinals for a second successive year with a 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-7 (13/11), 6-3 over unseeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa.
Seventh seeded Cilic downed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.
Cilic will look to reach his first semifinal at the All England Club when he faces Muller.
Czech 11th seed Tomas Berdych downed eighth-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. — AFP
WIMBLEDON RESULTS
Men (fourth round)
Andy Murray (GBR x1) bt Benoît Paire (FRA) 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 6-4; Sam Querrey (USA x24) bt Kevin Anderson (RSA) 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-7 (11/13), 6-3; Gilles Muller (LUX x16) bt Rafael Nadal (ESP x4) 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 15-13; Marin Cilic (CRO x7) bt Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x18) 6-2, 6-2, 6-2; Milos Raonic (CAN x6) bt Alexander Zverev (GER x10) 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1; Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x13) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4; Tomas Berdych (CZE x11) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT x8) 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
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