Rafael Nadal

The stage is set for another entry in Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's legendary rivalry after both stars won their quarterfinal matches at Wimbledon on Wednesday.

Federer dropped the opening set to Kei Nishikori before prevailing in four, while Nadal sent Sam Querrey packing in straight sets. As a result, they will meet Friday in the semifinals, with coverage on ESPN.

It's Federer vs Nadal. At #Wimbledon

Again. pic.twitter.com/lYHkirmoQO

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

This is the 40th match between Federer and Nadal, with Nadal owning a 24-15 advantage.

Federer has had the clear edge of late, with Nadal's victory in the French Open semifinal snapping a six-match winning streak for the Swiss. Granted, one of those was a walkover when Nadal withdrew from the BNP Paribas Open with a knee injury.

Federer has to be considered the slim favorite Friday.

The 37-year-old should probably have built a second home near the All England Club by now given how much time he spends at Wimbledon every summer. He has reached the semifinals in five of the last six years and his eight singles titles are the most in the event's history.

Roger Federer joined Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert as the only players with 100 wins at a single major in the Open Era.

Federer also won his 186th tour-level grass court match, breaking a tie with Jimmy Connors for most by a man in the Open Era. pic.twitter.com/oEFhZ3wAny

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 10, 2019

Getting to the semis hasn't been easy for Federer, though. Jay Clarke pushed him to a tiebreaker in the second set of their second-round matchup, and 27th-seeded Lucas Pouille pushed him hard in three sets in the third round.

Nadal, on the other hand, has dropped just one set all tournament, a stat that has to be taken in its proper context since Federer will be his first seeded opponent.

In general, making any sort of prediction in this match is a fool's errand.

Federer continues to play at an extremely high level despite reaching an age when most stars have declined significantly or fallen out of the sport entirely. When Nadal's history of knee injuries appeared certain to end his run near the top, he defied expectations and added four more Grand Slam titles to his resume.

The hope for Friday's semifinal is that the two can deliver a spectacle approaching their battle in the classic 2008 final. Nadal won a five-setter that included two tiebreakers and a fifth set that required 16 games. At nearly five hours, it remains the longest final ever at Wimbledon.

Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal all progressed to the semi-finals of Wimbledon on Wednesday with quarter-final victories.

Federer came from behind to beat Kei Nishikori in four sets, while Djokovic and Nadal eased past David Goffin and Sam Querrey, respectively, in three.

Roberto Bautista Agut will join them in the final four after he beat Guido Pella.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray and Serena Williams were knocked out of the third round of the mixed doubles by Nicole Melichar and Bruno Soares, who beat them 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

                    

Men's Singles Results

(23) Roberto Bautista Agut bt. (26) Guido Pella, 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

(1) Novak Djokovic bt. (21) David Goffin, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2

(2) Roger Federer bt. (8) Kei Nishikori, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4

(3) Rafael Nadal bt. Sam Querrey, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2

                              

Wednesday Recap

Nishikori won his last meeting with Federer at the ATP Finals last year, and he seemed to take some confidence from that as he grabbed the first set against the Swiss maestro, having broken him in the opening game.

Federer responded emphatically in the second, though, and the scores were quickly level.

The third and fourth sets were more even, but despite some wasteful play from the No. 2 seed—who finished the contest having converted just four of 14 break points—he managed to secure the win:

Record-setter. Again.@rogerfederer makes it a century at #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/a3vO7gy9zS

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

His victory was a significant milestone:

100 #Wimbledon wins.

The moment @rogerfederer became a centurion at The Championships… pic.twitter.com/RFszCCbMnl

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

Nadal also had to overcome a tough early battle against Querrey, who hit 24 winners and saved four set points in their first set before he eventually succumbed.

In the second and third sets, the Spaniard was just a cut above the American, though:

Nadal sending Querrey for a hotdog 🌭 (and not a tennis one)

LIVE @BBCRedButton
👉 https://t.co/SMKsJr2TEm #Wimbledon #bbctennis pic.twitter.com/JSMPyiO8Ro

— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) July 10, 2019

On Friday, he and Federer will face off at Wimbledon for the first time since their memorable five-set epic in the 2008 final.

In the recurring theme of the day, Djokovic—like Nadal and Federer—found the first set to be the most difficult.

The No. 1 seed was a break down at 4-3, but Djokovic responded by winning 15 of the next 17 games to secure a comfortable win.

Christopher Clarey of the New York Times found some encouragement for semi-final opponent Bautista Agut, though:

It will be Novak Djokovic vs Roberto Bautista Agut in the semifinals of #Wimbledon RBA has beaten Djokovic twice this season -- the only man to do so - but those were best of 3

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) July 10, 2019

The Spaniard will compete in his first Grand Slam semi-final, having reached the quarter-finals of a Slam for the first time at the Australian Open earlier this year.

Rafael Nadal will play Roger Federer in the semi-finals of Wimbledon 2019 after the Spaniard beat Sam Querrey 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Nadal and Federer have not met at Wimbledon since their epic 2008 final, which the former won in five sets in one of the great contests of all time.

The No. 3 seed needed only three sets and just over two hours to down the unseeded American. 

Nadal battled through a tough first set that lasted almost an hour before eventually running away with the final last-eight clash on No. 1 Court. 

Querrey, 31, was a big underdog for Wednesday's clash, as he had lost four of his five meetings against Nadal.

It already looked a long way back for the world No. 65 when he was broken early on in the opener, but he broke Nadal with some brilliant returning to tie up the set at 5-5. 

Unfortunately for Querrey, to combat Nadal he was having to go for the lines with every shot, and in the next game his accuracy deserted him and he was broken again.

At the second time of asking, Nadal duly served out the opening set, but only after saving three more break points:

Rafa Nadal takes the first set v Sam Querrey, but it was a bit of an epic.

7-5 in 58 minutes.

Watch it live on @BBCTwo
👉 https://t.co/evlum02qL0 #wimbledon #bbctennis pic.twitter.com/CDtj3KBJMk

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 10, 2019

Querrey was again put on the back foot early in the second when Nadal broke for a 2-1 lead after two stunning winners off either side and a phenomenal drop shot.

Nadal looked increasingly unstoppable as he got a racket to everything Querrey could throw at him, and the world No. 2's remarkable defence secured him a double break for 5-2.

A backhand smash in the next game gave him a 2-0 lead.

Querrey's race was all but run, and a stunning piece of misdirection at the net gave Nadal a break and 1-0 lead at the start of the third set.

Another break for 4-1 put Nadal on the brink of a seventh Wimbledon semi-final, and he completed the victory with a forehand winner to set up a mouthwatering matchup against Federer.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are still on a collision course for the semi-final at 2019 Wimbledon after winning their respective matches on Monday.

Nadal progressed after beating Joao Sousa in straight sets. He'll face Sam Querrey in the last eight, after the latter overcame fellow American Tennys Sandgren, despite being taken to a fourth set.

Federer is the quarter-final draw thanks to a swift straight-sets victory over Matteo Berrettini. A meeting with Kei Nishikori beckons after the latter proved too good for Mikhail Kukushkin.

Novak Djokovic is also still in the draw after the top seed thrashed Ugo Humbert in three sets. Djokovic is drawn against David Goffin thanks to the Belgian progressing from Round 4 by beating Fernando Verdasco.

Simona Halep, Serena Williams, Johanna Konta and Elina Svitolina all advanced in the WTA bracket. Halep ended the campaign of 15-year-old Coco Gauff and will meet Shuai Zhang next.

Williams was too good for Carla Suarez Navarro and will find Alison Riske waiting. The latter produced the shock of the day by sending top seed Ashleigh Barty packing.

Meanwhile, Konta is still battling, after coming back from a set down to eventually beat Petra Kvitova.

Monday Scores

ATP

• (3) Rafael Nadal bt. Joao Sousa: 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
• (2) Roger Federer bt. (17) Matteo Berrettini: 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
• (1) Novak Djokovic bt. Ugo Humbert: 6-3, 6-2, 6-3
• (8) Kei Nishikori bt. Mikhail Kukushkin: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
• (21) David Goffin bt. Fernando Verdasco: 7-6(9), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
• Sam Querrey bt. Tennys Sandgren: 6-4, 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 7-6(5)
• (23) Roberto Bautista Agut bt. Benoit Paire: 6-3, 7-5, 6-2
• (26) Guido Pella bt. (15) Milos Raonic: 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3), 8-6

WTA

• (19) Johanna Konta bt. (6) Petra Kvitova: 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
• (11) Serena Williams bt. (30) Carla Suarez Navarro: 6-2, 6-2
• (7) Simona Halep bt. Coco Gauff: 6-3, 6-3
• Alison Riske bt. (1) Ashleigh Barty: 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
• Karolina Muchova bt. (3) Karolina Pliskova: 4-6, 7-5, 13-11
• (8) Elina Svitolina bt. (24) Petra Martic: 6-4, 6-2
• Barbora Strycova bt. (21) Elise Mertens: 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
• Shuai Zhang bt. Dayana Yastremska: 6-4, 1-6, 6-2

Tuesday's Draw

• Alison Riske vs. (11) Serena Williams
• Barbora Strycova vs. (19) Johanna Konta
• (7) Simona Halep vs. Shuai Zhang
• (8) Elina Svitolina vs. Karolina Muchova

Wednesday's Draw

• (1) Novak Djokovic vs. (21) David Goffin
• (8) Kei Nishikori vs. (2) Roger Federer
• (26) Guido Pella vs. (23) Roberto Bautista Agut
• Sam Querrey vs. (3) Rafael Nadal

Nadal reached a 39th Grand Slam quarter-final after thrilling the crowds against Sousa:

"WOW!"

Entertainment of the highest order, courtesy of @RafaelNadal and @joaosousa30 👏#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/J7vds39L4X

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2019

The backbone of Nadal's win was formed by the impressive 30 winners he hit, per the tournament's official website. Of those 30, 16 came at the net, as Nadal easily made his way across court.

Djokovic couldn't quite match the quality of Nadal's performance, but the Serb still earned plaudits for the systematic way he wrecked Humbert's game. The latter smashed six aces but ultimately saw his powerful serve broken five times.

"He'll be a hard man to beat"@DjokerNole continues to impress, defeating Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to progress to his 11th #Wimbledon quarter-final pic.twitter.com/LNx4y1vuCt

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2019

While Djokovic is performing in the way expected of a world No. 1, Federer may still be many people's choice as the player to beat at SW19. The 37-year-old was in sensational form against Berrettini, never allowing the Italian to breathe during a rapid victory.

Berrettini hardly helped his case with 24 unforced errors. His flustered performance was a credit to the frenetic pace Federer set and the intense pressure he applied.

Roger Federer needed just 73 minutes to beat world No. 20 Matteo Berretini, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.

Federer and Rafa Nadal are just one win each away from meeting at Wimbledon for the first time since their iconic 2008 five-set final. pic.twitter.com/KLwFGg1LXp

— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) July 8, 2019

Federer's dominant display capped a comfortable day for the three standout names in the ATP bracket. This decorated trio looks set to continue its modern-day ownership of the Wimbledon title:

Big 3 @ Grand Slams@RogerFederer: 55 QF, 44 SF, 30 F, 20 Titles@DjokerNole: 45 QF, 35 SF, 24 F, 15 Titles@RafaelNadal: 39 QF, 31 SF, 26 F, 18 Titles

Big 3 @ #Wimbledon
Federer: 17 QF, 12 SF, 11 F, 8 Titles
Djokovic: 11 QF, 8 SF, 5 F, 4 Titles
Nadal: 7 QF, 6 SF, 5 F, 2 Titles

— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) July 8, 2019

A renewal of the Nadal and Federer rivalry is what spectators in London will want to see. However, the latter first has to get past Nishikori, who showed tremendous resolve to outlast Kukushkin.

Nishikori recovered from dropping the second set to make the key shots when it counted. None of his numbers stood out, but the eighth seed dictated the length of points by usually winning on his first serve, with Kukushkin only able to break three times.

Back in the quarter-finals…@keinishikori equals his best #Wimbledon run, defeating Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to set up last eight clash with Roger Federer pic.twitter.com/zln5GHLiMK

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2019

Gauff had captured the imagination of many at Wimbledon after beating some marquee names, including Venus Williams, but Halep proved too good. The Romanian broke serve five times and stayed strong on her own, winning 25 points on first serve.

Halep also attacked one of Gauff's favourite shots as she landed telling points early:

Simona Halep working hard to break down the Coco Gauff forehand, takes the 1st 63.

Halep: 12W, 10UFE (5 DFs)
Gauff: 8W, 13UFE (9 off FH)#Wimbledon

LIVE BLOG: https://t.co/dkIja53xYk pic.twitter.com/s1eE5gpwLz

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) July 8, 2019

While Halep eventually cruised through, Barty was expected to do the same. Instead, Riske flipped the script with some superb tennis.

The American resisted Barty's powerful service game and converted all four of her break points. Those breaks proved crucial in achieving a rarity:

Alison Riske upsets top-seeded Ashleigh Barty at Wimbledon to reach the quarterfinals.

Riske is the 1st unseeded American to beat the No. 1 seed at Wimbledon since 1994. pic.twitter.com/gxYGWrspki

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 8, 2019

Routine wins at Wimbledon are common for Williams, and the 37-year-old didn't disappoint as she hit 21 winners to overwhelm Suarez Navarro.

Serena Williams doing @serenawilliams things 👌#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/kOBtAHpfjY

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2019

On this form, Williams should have too much for Riske, even if the latter's victory over Barty sends a warning to the six-time winner not to take her last eight tie for granted.

Rafael Nadal eased past Joao Sousa in straight sets to reach the 2019 Wimbledon quarter-finals on Monday.

The Spaniard beat the Portuguese 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in one hour, 45 minutes and did not face a single break point in that time. 

Sousa needed five sets to get past Dan Evans on Saturday, and that effort perhaps took a toll on him against Nadal on Monday, but overall he was simply outclassed throughout their contest.

Nadal raced to 4-0 lead in just 14 minutes, dominating proceedings as he dictated their rallies and forced Sousa around the court with powerful shot-making.

Tennis writer Jake Davies observed the two-time Wimbledon winner's control of the opening period:

Rafa is just one of the very best at finding a weakness then beating it down with no remorse whatsoever. Isn't going to allow Sousa to hit simple, central backhands this match and its shown in the first three games already. #Wimbledon

— Jake Davies (@jakedavi5) July 8, 2019

The first set was wrapped up in less than half an hour, and Nadal started the second in much the same vein as he broke Sousa in the opening game.

Sousa offered more resilience than in the first, though, and he saved two break points in a close game to take the score to 3-2.

Record's Jose Morgado noted the 30-year-old's improvement:

Better set of tennis from Sousa to make it more competitive.

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 8, 2019

However, a long backhand from Sousa handed Nadal a second break soon after, and the second set went the same way as the first.

Unlike the first two sets, Sousa avoided being broken at the start of the third, but he soon found himself behind when Nadal broke him in his second service game.

On the way, the 18-time Grand Slam winner won an epic rally when he successfully chased down a drop shot and cushioned a backhand past Sousa:

"WOW!"

THIS RALLY! 🤯

And that Nadal winner 🤩

LIVE @BBCOne
👉 https://t.co/dkr5346z64 #Wimbledon #bbctennis pic.twitter.com/1518csfxcW

— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) July 8, 2019

Another backhand winner earned him his second break of the set, his sixth of the match, as he saw out the final set comfortably.

Nadal will play either Sam Querrey or Tennys Sandgren in the quarter-final.

Wimbledon 2019 has followed a predictable formula, with many of the big names making comfortable progress so far. It means the men's bracket is still front-loaded with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Two of those three will contest the final, while the women's bracket is so far being dominated by Ashleigh Barty. The top seed has been impressive, but Barty will be wary about the presence of Serena Williams and Simona Halep still in the draw.

If there is a chance for something different, it will come in the WTA side of the draw, where Johanna Konta has already produced an upset, notably beating Sloane Stephens in straight sets on Saturday.

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Coco Gauff has captured the imagination following wins over Venus Williams, Magdalena Rybarikova and Polona Hercog.

Nadal on Course to Meet Djokovic in Final

Nadal is already easing through the gears in London. The Spaniard has been irrepressible during wins over Yuichi Sugita, Nick Kyrgios and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Granted Kyrgios gave Nadal a few more problems, but the 33-year-old combined nerve with his familiar ability to boss the pace and manufacture a range of shots.

An underarm ace from Nick Kyrgios against Rafael Nadal 😳

And just listen to the reaction from the crowd! #Wimbledon #bbctennis pic.twitter.com/qENMukqNrI

— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) July 4, 2019

Of those shots, the Nadal forehand is still a weapon opponents should fear:

It never gets old. 😍

Another signature @RafaelNadal forehand passing shot to add to the collection. ↩️

🎥: @Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/6wEj2eu1G3

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 6, 2019

Nadal's second week at Wimbledon will see him face off against Joao Sousa in the fourth round, before a potential match with Sam Querrey and Tennys Sandgrey. It's not the toughest draw for a player who seems to get better the more years pass.

Things might get tricky if Nadal reaches the semi-final, where he may find Federer waiting.

If there is one player who can stifle Nadal at SW19 it's Djokovic. The Serb hasn't always been comfortable through three rounds, but he is still in the draw and knows what it takes to dictate play at the business end of this tournament.

"How dare he do that!" 😂

It's fair to say that @DjokerNole and @deniskudla entertained the crowds on Centre Court#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/St6SVtbUW6

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2019

Djokovic's four wins at Wimbledon should give him confidence about being able to overcome Nadal, the way he did for his first London title back in 2011.

Barty and Halep Set for Final

Assuming she gets past Alison Riske, Barty will likely need to overcome Williams and maybe even Konta to reach the final. Fortunately, the Australian is in the form to overcome any challenge.

Said form includes Barty making quick work of her matches, the way she did against Harriet Dart on Saturday:

⌚️ 25 Minutes
🎾 6-1

🇦🇺 Ashleigh Barty is in control on Centre Court.#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Th9wsklECK

— William Hill (@WilliamHill) July 6, 2019

Barty repeated the 6-1 score in her second set against Dart, and the 23-year-old is yet to drop a set at this year's tournament. A powerful service game and some relentless move skills are helping Barty overpower opponents early.

She's also become more comfortable with tennis at this level:

Tennis🎾 - Ashleigh Barty is the only woman to have reached the last 16 in each of the last 4 Grand Slams. #Wimbledon #SW19

— Gracenote Olympic (@GracenoteGold) July 6, 2019

Barty's growing confidence at Grand Slam level is well timed considering Williams is no longer quite the force she once was. There won't be many better chances for Barty to negotiate a tough draw.

A difficult path to the final isn't necessarily ahead of Halep. The seventh seed needs to get past Gauff first, and faces a potential semi-final against Karolina Pliskova or Elina Svitolina.

It's a run Halep is talented enough to manage. She's feeling bullish about her performances after emphatically swatting Victoria Azarenka aside in the third round, telling the WTA official website: "I'm very satisfied. I think it was my best match this year. I played really well. I felt actually very confident."

Halep hasn't always coped well on the Wimbledon grass, failing to reach the last four since 2014. Yet this looks like the year the Romanian can finally go one better.

Many of the favourites remain in the draw at Wimbledon 2019, with the second week of action approaching.

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all feature on Monday. Women's top seed Ashleigh Barty and Karolina Pliskova will also be in action.

Coco Gauff will get the chance to continue her magnificent efforts, with the 15-year-old facing No. 7 seed Simona Halep.

Johanna Konta holds the opportunity of earning a quarter-final berth. The British star faces No. 6 seed Petra Kvitova on Centre Court.

                     

Monday's Schedule

Men's Draw and Predictions

Joao Sousa vs. (3) Rafael Nadal [Nadal win]

(17) Matteo Berrettini vs. (2) Roger Federer [Federer win]

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. Ugo Humbert [Djokovic win]

(8) Kei Nishikori vs. Mikhail Kukushkin [Nishikori win]

(21) David Goffin vs. Fernando Verdasco [Goffin win]

                

Women's Draw and Predictions

(19) Johanna Konta vs. (6) Petra Kvitova [Konta win]

(11) Serena Williams vs. (30) Carla Suarez Navarro [Williams win]

(7) Simona Halep vs. (Q) Coco Gauff [Halep win]

(1) Ashleigh Barty vs. Alison Riske [Barty win]

Karolina Muchova vs (3) Karolina Pliskova [Pliskova win]

                  

The full schedule and order of play can be found at Wimbledon's official website.

                

Preview

There appears to be no weakness in the armour of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, and the legendary trio should skip through Monday's action.

The middle Sunday rest should help maintain the lofty standards of the top seeds.

Djokovic must deal with 21-year-old Ugo Humbert, with the French player approaching new territory at a Grand Slam.

Humbert has never gone further than the fourth round, and the Serb could represent a bridge too far.

Nadal should also advance against Sousa, but Federer faces an intriguing tussle with Berrettini.

The No. 17 seed has displayed great energy and resolve on the grass courts, but he appears to lack the finesse needed to beat his next opponent.

Gauff will be the centre of attention once again, with the teenager set to face one of the best in the game. Halep is a former world No. 1 and French Open champion, but she's not fulfilled her talent at Wimbledon.

The Romanian has previously reached the last four, and she will be aware of the danger posed by a rising superstar.

Gauff has exceeded all expectations after eliminating Venus Williams in the opening round.

Konta has had home fans on their feet with her displays, and the Brit will believe she can progress deep into the competition. The No. 19 seed faces a step up in class against Kvitova, with the two-time Wimbledon champion a regular on Centre Court.

However, with the crowd on her side and the wind in her sails, Konta has the talent and motivation to make it to the last eight.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both progressed from the third round of 2019 Wimbledon on Saturday. Nadal saw off Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets before Federer did the same to Lucas Pouille.

The women's bracket saw Great Britain's Johanna Konta send ninth seed Sloane Stephens crashing out, while top seed Ashleigh Barty also made it through after proving too much for Harriet Dart.

Typically, though, the spotlight belonged to Serena Williams, who delivered a gritty performance during a straight-sets victory over Julia Goerges.

                      

Saturday Results

Men's Singles

• (3) Rafael Nadal bt. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
• (2) Roger Federer bt. (27) Lucas Pouille: 7-5, 6-2, 7-6(4)
• (8) Kei Nishikori bt. Steve Johnson: 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
• Tennys Sandgren bt. (12) Fabio Fognini: 6-3, 7-6(12), 6-3
• (17) Matteo Berrettini bt. (24) Diego Schwartzman: 6-7(5), 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3
• Sam Querrey bt. John Millman: 7-6(3), 7-6(8), 6-3
• Mikhail Kukushkin bt. (33) Jan-Lennard Struff: 6-3, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-5

                    

Women's Singles

• (1) Ashleigh Barty bt. Harriet Dart: 6-1, 6-1
• (11) Serena Williams bt. (18) Julia Goerges: 6-3, 6-4
• (19) Johanna Konta bt. (9) Sloane Stephens: 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
• (6) Petra Kvitova bt. Magda Linette: 6-3, 6-2
• Barbora Strycova bt. (4) Kiki Bertens: 7-5, 6-1
• Alison Riske bt. (13) Belinda Bencic: 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
• (21) Elise Mertens bt. (15) Qiang Wang: 6-2, 6-7(9), 6-4
• (30) Carla Suarez Navarro bt. Lauren Davis: 6-3, 6-3

                    

Nadal was in imperious form from the off, sauntering through the opening set against an overwhelmed Tsonga. Things didn't get much better in the second as the world No. 2 exerted more control.

How does he do it? @RafaelNadal brought all the tricks to the party on Centre Court ✨#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/9aXskWpCgn

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2019

Nadal had a stranglehold on the tie after wrapping up another set, and he was then close to flawless in the third to comfortably book a place in the fourth round.

It was just reward after the Spaniard hit 35 winners and converted five break points, per the tournament's official website. Nadal set a pace Tsonga couldn't cope with, and the Frenchman was guilty of 22 unforced errors.

Federer was made to work harder by Tsonga's countryman Pouille. A 7-5 win put the Swiss in front and inspired him to make quicker work of the second.

The eight-time Wimbledon champion still needed to survive a tiebreak to salt away the third, though. While he's played better, Federer still looks like a player with the knack for winning on the grass at SW19.

It’s hard to stop @rogerfederer in this kind of form…

The Swiss defeats Lucas Pouille 7-5, 6-2, 7-6(4) to notch his 350th match win at Grand Slams - the first player in history to reach the milestone#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/A1sBL0HS5L

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2019

Finding a credible challenger for Federer and Nadal's established dominance isn't easy, but Kei Nishikori has the talent to upset the natural order. The 29-year-old was efficient in key moments against Steve Johnson, and if he continues keeping his errors down, Nishikori could be primed for an upset or two.

There were also wins for Sam Querrey and Matteo Berrettini, with the latter overcoming Diego Schwartzman in a five-set epic. Bigger upsets were in store for Fabio Fognini and Jan-Lennard Struff, who were beaten by Tennys Sandgren and Mikhail Kukushkin, respectively.

Williams reasserted herself in the women's bracket by powering Goerges off the court. Hitting seven aces and holding serve throughout the match let Williams keep the German on her heels.

Rather than leaning too heavily on her service game, Williams also showcased her movement skills by winning 12 of 13 points at the net.

Different year, same result...

In a repeat of last year's #Wimbledon semi-final, @serenawilliams beats Julia Goerges in straight sets to advance to the second week pic.twitter.com/k2dpQRSpZi

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2019

It's no surprise to see Williams go through to the next round, but Konta has upped her game considerably. She broke serve three times and excelled at the net to earn a place in the tournament's second week.

As much as her range of shots caught the eye, Konta deserved praise for her resilience after Stephens forged into a one-set lead, an advantage she doesn't usually relinquish:

Putting the super in Super Saturday...

This is how @JohannaKonta turned it around to make it to the second week at #Wimbledon with @IBM pic.twitter.com/jT29SWNisY

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2019

Konta was good, but Barty was close to awesome as she hammered Dart while losing just two games in the process. Barty had too much strength as she smashed 11 aces and converted all five break points she forced.

On this form, Barty remains the player to beat in the women's bracket.

There will be no shortage of competition after Petra Kvitova, Elise Mertens and Carla Suarez Navarro also made it through. They will be joined by Alison Riske and Barbora Strycova, with the latter earning the upset of the day after shocking fourth seed Kiki Bertens in straight sets.

Roger Federer progressed in straight sets from the third round at Wimbledon 2019 on Saturday after beating Lucas Pouille on Centre Court.

The tournament's eight-time champion advanced with a 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (4) win over his French opponent.

Men's third seed and Federer's great rival Rafael Nadal also advanced, comfortably defeating two-time semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.

On the women's side, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams beat Julia Goerges, while No. 1 seed Ashleigh Barty conceded only two games in her victory over Great Britain's Harriet Dart.

It wasn't all bad news for the home crowd, however, as Johanna Konta received one of the day's biggest ovations after a comeback win over No. 9 seed Sloane Stephens.

                                     

Selected Results

Men's Draw

(2) Roger Federer bt. (27) Lucas Pouille: 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (4)

(3) Rafael Nadal bt. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: 6-2, 6-3, 6-2

(8) Kei Nishikori bt. Steve Johnson: 6-4, 6-3, 6-2

                             

Women's Draw

(11) Serena Williams bt. (18) Julia Goerges: 6-3, 6-4

(1) Ashleigh Barty bt. Harriet Dart: 6-1, 6-1

(6) Petra Kvitova bt. Magda Linette: 6-3, 6-2

(19) Johanna Konta bt. (9) Sloane Stephens: 3-6, 6-4, 6-1

Barbora Strycova bt. (4) Kiki Bertens: 7-5, 6-1

                   

Full results can be found at Wimbledon's official website.

                                   

Saturday Recap

Federer always stayed in control against Pouille but was made to work for the first and third sets. The Swiss won the opener 7-5, and his opponent appeared to lose momentum whilst losing the second 6-2.

Another tough set followed, but the 37-year-old closed it out via a 7-4 tiebreak.

Nadal was in fine form against Tsonga and defeated the Frenchman in under two hours. The 34-year-old was unable to break Nadal's serve during the encounter and even failed to create a break point. Nadal, on the other hand, broke his opponent's serve five times en route to victory.

Goerges' serve posed an issue for Williams on occasion, but her 53 percent first-serve accuracy allowed the seven-time Wimbledon champion enough openings to break twice in the match.

The German also failed to create a break point against Williams, who hit seven aces.

Barty is experiencing a phenomenal run of form, and the other top players will want to avoid her during the next rounds.

The Australian was ruthless against Dart, with the 22-year-old Brit totally outclassed against a world-class opponent.

Barty hit 11 aces and 56 winners in a display of confidence, accuracy and power.

Konta struggled in the opener against Stephens, but the 2017 semi-finalist showed her class in winning the final two sets.

The contest was close, with both players dropping just one service game each in the first two sets, but Konta found an extra gear in the third to break the American's serve twice and provide home fans with a special moment in the third round.

                                        

All statistics via Wimbledon.

Nick Kyrgios believes 18-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal's success and money are reason enough for him not to apologize for hitting a ball directly at the Spanish star during their second-round match at Wimbledon. 

Per ESPN UK's Rob Bartlett, Kyrgios admitted the shot in Thursday's game was intentional and doesn't believe he has anything to be sorry for. 

"Why would I apologize? I mean, the dude has got how many Slams, how much money in the bank account?" Kyrgios said. "I think he can take a ball to the chest, bro. I'm not going to apologize to him at all."

The play occurred during the third set when Kyrgios hit a forehand directly into Nadal after the two-time Wimbledon champion moved up to the net. Nadal was able to get his racket up to the ball but wasn't able to return it, and he fired an angry look back at his opponent following the point. 

Nadal told reporters after the match Kyrgios' actions could lead to someone getting hurt.

"I don't say Nick does this stuff to bother the opponent, but [it] is true that sometimes he's dangerous. When he hit the ball like this, [it] is dangerous," he said. "[It] is not dangerous for me, [it] is dangerous for a line referee, dangerous for a crowd. When you hit the ball like this, you don't know where the ball goes."

That was just one of many notable incidents during the match. Kyrgios also hit an underhand ace in the first set, which is permitted by the rules but seen by some as unsportsmanlike. He also argued with the umpire about how much time Nadal was taking between serves and received a conduct warning. 

Nadal, the tournament's third seed, won the match 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) 7-6(3) to reach the third round of Wimbledon.