Wimbledon heavyweights braced for ‘Manic Monday’

LONDON, UK – For the first time since 2011, the top 4 men’s seeds have reached the Wimbledon last-16 with Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal taking center-stage on ‘Manic Monday’.

The 4 stars have shared the Wimbledon title since 2003 when Federer won the first of his 7 trophies at the All England Club.

Djokovic has claimed 3 with defending champion Murray and Nadal winning two apiece.

It’s the kind of domination that looks unlikely to end Monday, July 10 (Tuesday, July 11, Manila time) when the 4th round takes place.

Murray, who has battled hip pain, is the only one of the ‘Big 4’ to have dropped a set in the first week.

He faces unpredictable Frenchman Benoit Paire who is in the last-16 for the first time.

“He has very good hands, moves well, takes a lot of chances, goes for his shots,” said Murray who has a 1-0 career lead over Paire.

Murray has not lost at Wimbledon before the quarterfinals since 2006.

Djokovic takes a 1-0 career edge over unseeded Adrian Mannarino of France into his last-16 clash, with that win coming at Wimbledon in straight sets in the second round last year.

Former coach Boris Becker praised Djokovic for his first week performances after fears that the Serb had lost his love for the sport after losing all 4 Grand Slam titles he held last year.

“Boris knows me very well. So he’s right when he says that the passion is back,” said second seed Djokovic.

Federer faces ‘natural heir’

Federer bidding for a record 8th Wimbledon title, which would also make him the oldest champion at the All England Club, faces Grigor Dimitrov boasting a 5-0 record over the man once tipped as his natural heir.

“It’s a great day to play. I would be happy to be a fan,” said Federer of a day when all last-16 matches in the men’s and women’s events are played.

Federer is playing in the 4th round for the 15th time.

Nadal, fresh from a 10th French Open title, faces fellow left-hander Gilles Muller, who is looking to make the quarterfinals for the first time in 7 years.

Nadal has a 5-1 record over Muller although he will be wary that the Luxembourg grass court specialist beat him at Wimbledon in 2005.

“He’s one of the toughest opponents possible on this surface,” said Nadal.

The title as well as the world number one spot are up for grabs in the women’s tournament which remains wide open in the absence of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

Angelique Kerber, the runner-up to Williams last year, could lose the top spot to either Simona Halep or even Karolina Pliskova despite the Czech having been knocked out in the second round.

The German tackles 2015 runner-up Garbine Muguruza having survived a 3-set scare to see off Shelby Rogers in the 3rd round.

‘How the hell did I do that?’

In contrast, Muguruza has sailed into the last 16 without dropping a set, a run which has even surprised herself.

“I never feel that comfortable on grass. Every time I start the grass season, I’m like, How the hell I did that final?,” said the 2016 French Open champion.

Muguruza, the 15th seed, holds a 4-3 career lead over Kerber, having won all of the last 4 meetings including in the Wimbledon 4th round two years ago. 

Victoria Azarenka, bidding to become the first mother to win Wimbledon in 37 years, faces Romanian second seed Simona Halep.

Former world number one and two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka is playing in her first Grand Slam since giving birth to son Leo in December.

She made the semifinals in 2011 and 2012 while Halep was in the last-4 3 years ago.

In all, the women’s last-16 features 7 Grand Slam winners and 7 playing in the Wimbledon 4th round for the first time.

Two of those new faces are the bookmakers’ new favorite Johanna Konta, the British 6th seed, and France’s 21st seed Caroline Garcia who face each other.

Konta is looking to be the first British woman in the quarterfinals in 33 years.

French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and Elina Svitolina face off in another duel of first-timers while another battle of last-16 debutantes sees Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova facing Petra Martic of Croatia.

Martic is the last qualifier in the tournament but the 135-ranked player has already made the 4th round at the French Open this year after also coming through the qualifying event.

Old stagers Agnieszka Radwanska, the 2012 runner-up, tackles former French and US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Five-time champion Venus Williams, at 37 comfortably the sentimental favorite, faces 19-year-old Croatian Ana Konjuh who was born 6 months after the American made her debut at the All England Club in 1997. – Rappler.com