Rafael Nadal reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the seventh time on Monday as the evergreen 30-somethings of men’s tennis threatened to take a stranglehold at the All England Club.
Third seed Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion, swept to aneasy 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 win over outclassed Joao Sousa of Portugal.
He will next play either Sam Querrey or Tennys Sandgren inwhat will be his 39th appearance in a Grand Slam quarter-final.
The 33-year-old Spaniard is chasing his 19th title at themajors, which would put him just one behind the all-time record of 20 held byRoger Federer — his potential opponent in the semi-finals.
“It was a good, solid match. It’s true that the serveprobably didn’t work as good as two days ago,” said Nadal, who had beenequally ruthless in the third round against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga when he lostjust seven games.
“A lot of positive things out there. To be back in thequarter-finals is great news for me.
“Happy to be where I am and the body is holding well,playing some good tennis — and straight sets helps.” Also joining Nadalin the last-eight was his compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut who reached hisfirst Wimbledon quarter-final and second at the majors this year when hedefeated France’s Benoit Paire 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.
The 31-year-old world number 22 will face either 2016runner-up Milos Raonic of Canada or Argentina’s Guido Pella for a place in thesemi-finals.
– Federer in 17th fourth round –
Bautista Agut, who has now defeated Paire seven times inseven meetings, also made the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in January.
With Nadal and Bautista Agut safely through, the Wimbledonquarter-finals were turning into an old boys’ club.
Later Monday, eight-time winner Roger Federer, 37, and worldnumber one and defending champion Novak Djokovic, 33, can also make the lasteight.
Should Sam Querrey, Fernando Verdasco and Mikhail Kukushkinalso win, then seven of the eight quarter-finalists on Wednesday will all beaged over 30.
For the first time, Monday’s last-16 line-up featured moreplayers over 30 than under for the first time in the modern era.
Federer, the second seed, tackles Italy’s world number 20Matteo Berrettini in what will be the Swiss great’s record 17th fourth roundappearance at the All England Club.
Djokovic, meanwhile, insists he will not be complacent abouthis chances of reaching the final for the sixth time.The highest seed that the world number one canface before the final is number 15 Raonic.