Rafael Nadal through to Wimbledon fourth round
Saturday 8 July 2017 10:56, UK
Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic marched into the last 16 at Wimbledon but world No 9 Kei Nishikori crashed out after losing to Roberto Bautista Agut.
Nadal's brilliant 2017, which has featured a 10th French Open title, continued at the All England Club with a three-set win over Russia's rising star Karen Khachanov, who rallied in the third set but was no match for the two-time champion.
Nadal has not gone beyond the fourth round since losing to Novak Djokovic in the final of 2011 but he is yet to drop a set after his latest three-set triumph saw him through to the second week in fine style.
Nadal, seeded fourth and in Murray's half of the draw, will face Gilles Muller in the fourth round after the 16th seed eased past Britain's Aljaz Bedene 7-6 7-5 6-4 and the 16th seed's big serve will give Nadal his first real test of the tournament.
Having raced through the first two sets for the loss of just five games, Nadal was forced into a tie-break in the decider by Khachanov but the Spaniard but his foot down to claim the match and a place in the last 16 in 2hrs 15mins.
Earlier in the day, ninth seed Kei Nishikori became the second of the men's top 10 seeds to exit before the second week of the Championships - joining fifth seed and world No 3 Stan Wawrinka, who crashed out on the opening day.
Nishikori has never been beyond the fourth round and his challenge this year was halted by the consistent Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut who ran out a 6-4 7-6 3-6 6-3 winner on Court No 3.
Next up for the 18th seed is Marin Cilic who saw off an emotional Steve Johnson in straight sets.
Cilic, yet to drop a set after a comfortable opening week, has reached the Wimbledon quarter-final in each of the last three years but has gone no further despite his big serve and powerful game ideally suited to the lawns of SW19 and his win over Johnson saw his took his aces count to 63
But the 2014 US Open champion, who lost to Feliciano Lopez in the final of Queen's, is a considerable threat this year and has won two of his previous three meetings with Bautista Agut who has matched his best ever run at the tournament.
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