Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer all breeze into Wimbledon quarter-finals
'Big Three' into last eight at England Club with straight-sets victories in combined time of four and 40 minutes
Monday 8 July 2019 20:24, UK
Rafael Nadal again showcased his credentials for the Wimbledon title by breezing past Joao Sousa and into the quarter-finals.
The Spaniard has not won at the All England Club since 2010 but is looking every inch the contender this time around, dispatching the Portuguese 6-2 6-2 6-2 on Centre Court.
The 33-year-old is moving extremely well for a man whose knees have not always been grateful for the transition from clay to grass in the past, and a tantalising semi-final with Roger Federer is edging ever closer.
He was all smiles as he enjoyed his quickest workout at this year's tournament, ending Sousa's bid to become the first Portuguese to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam with a ruthless performance.
Nadal, into just his second quarter-final here since 2011, will play Sam Querrey in the last eight after the 2017 semi-finalist defeated fellow American Tennys Sandgren 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5).
Querrey, who reached the Eastbourne final on his return from an abdominal injury in the lead-up to Wimbledon, saved all four break points he faced and hit 74 winners.
Elsewhere in the men's singles, top seed Novak Djokovic eased into the last eight with a 6-3 6-2 6-3 win against French debutant Ugo Humbert as the defending champion continued his pursuit of a fifth Wimbledon title in efficient fashion.
The Serb lost his first set at this year's championships in the previous round but outclassed the world No 66 on Court One.
Djokovic never faced a break point against Humbert as he made 20 fewer unforced errors to book a meeting with David Goffin in his 11th Wimbledon quarter-final.
Goffin, seeded 21st, is through to the quarter-finals for the first time after beating Fernando Verdasco in four sets.
The Belgian won 7-6 (11-9) 2-6 6-3 6-4 could next meet world No 1 Novak Djokovic, who faces France's Ugo Humbert.
Roger Federer's 99th Wimbledon win was probably one of his easiest after he crushed 17th seed Matteo Berrettini.
The eight-time champion moved seamlessly into his record-extending 17th Wimbledon quarter-final with a 6-1 6-2 6-2 victory which took just an hour and 13 minutes.
Federer will face eighth-seeded Japanese Kei Nishikori for a place in the semi-finals after he defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4.
Roberto Bautista Agut reached his second Grand Slam quarter-final this season as the 23rd seed defeated Benoit Paire 6-3 7-5 6-2.
The Spaniard continued his dominance against as he defeated France's 28th seed for the seventh time in as many meetings to book a meeting with Guido Pella after the Argentine came from two sets down to defeat Milos Raonic 3-6 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-3) 8-6.
