Juan Martin del Potro sets up a Wimbledon quarter-final with Rafa Nadal
"I beat him couple of times few years ago, but never on grass. So will be a big challenge to me" Del Potro on meeting Nadal in the last eight
Tuesday 10 July 2018 16:20, UK
Juan Martin del Potro set up a blockbuster Wimbledon quarter-final showdown against world No 1 Rafa Nadal after defeating Gilles Simon on Tuesday.
The last-16 tie between Del Potro and Frenchman Simon was suspended overnight due to darkness on Monday with the Argentine fifth seed two sets to one ahead.
When they came back out on Tuesday, Del Potro completed a 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 7-6 (7-5) victory on Court Two, but only after sealing the win with his fifth match point.
Victory helped Del Potro advance to the last eight at the All England Club for the first time since 2013 and it is the first time since in 2012 that he has qualified for the last eight at consecutive Grand Slams.
Nadal, chasing an 18th major, made the quarter-finals for the first time since finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic in 2011 beating unseeded Jiri Vesely 6-3 6-3 6-4 on Centre Court.
The Spaniard leads former US Open champion Del Potro 10-5 in head-to-head meetings with Nadal having thumped the 29-year-old in the French Open semi-finals last month.
"Well, it will be a different match that we played in Paris few weeks ago," Del Potro told a press conference. "I will try to hold my service games most of the time and if I want to beat him, I will have to come to the net often and play hard with my forehands, with my backhands, and try to take all the chances.
"I beat him couple of times few years ago, but never on grass. So will be a big challenge to me."
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