Two-time champion Rafael Nadal reached the last 16 of Wimbledon for the eighth time and made sure he will keep the world number one ranking. The second seed comfortably defeated Australian teenager Alex De Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday.
The big upset of the day in the men’s draw came when German fourth seed Alexander Zverev was knocked out in the third round by Ernests Gulbis.
It looked for a little while like England would have a big win to celebrate not just at the World Cup but Novak Djokovic came back from a set down to defeat Kyle Edmund 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and enter the second week.
Zverev and women’s world number one Simona Halep wilted in 33-degree heat and crashed out of the year’s third Grand Slam.
Zverev, playing for the third day in succession, was shocked by Latvian qualifier Gulbis, ranked 138, in a gruelling five sets, 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.
Despite being widely-tipped to be a Grand Slam threat, it was another letdown for the beanpole German whose run to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last month remains his best performance at the majors.
Gulbis, a former world number 10 who famously defeated Roger Federer on his way to the French Open semi-finals in 2014, will be playing in the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time at the 11th attempt.
The 29-year-old will take on either Australian Nick Kyrgios or Japan’s Kei Nishikori for a place in the quarter-finals.
His win on Saturday was his third successive five-setter having also played three matches in qualifying.
“It’s a great day, it’s been a great match for me,” said Gulbis who before Wimbledon had won just one match on tour in 2018.
“I didn’t think I could win after losing the third set, but he got tired and I played smarter.”
Nadal, the 11-time French Open champion and bidding for an 18th career major, will face either Italy’s Fabio Fognini or Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic for a place in the quarter-finals.
“It was a positive match against a player with a lot of energy,” said Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion. “I am just happy to be in the fourth round again.”
Nadal, with Spain out of the World Cup, was heading to watch England play Sweden. He had obviously captured the national mood.
“I’ll go and watch some football – England, it’s coming home or not?” he said in reference to a football song which is currently being sung, hummed and whistled on almost every street and in every pub.
Juan Martin del Potro made the last 16 for the first time in five years when the Argentine fifth seed defeated France’s Benoît Paire 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Canadian 13th seed Milos Raonic beat Dennis Novak 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in a continuation of his rain-affected match.
Results
3rd rd
Milos Raonic (CAN x13) bt Dennis Novak (AUT) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Karen Khachanov (RUS) bt Frances Tiafoe (USA) 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-1
Novak Djokovic (SRB x12) bt Kyle Edmund (GBR x21) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
Ernests Gulbis (LAT) bt Alexander Zverev (GER x4) 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0
Juan Martín Del Potro (ARG x5) bt Benoît Paire (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3
Gilles Simon (FRA) bt Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/2)
Jiri Vesely (CZE) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x19) 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Alex De Minaur (AUS) 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
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