It’s Gentlemen’s singles quarterfinal day at the 2016 edition of the Wimbledon Championships, with eight players still holding hope of lifting the famous trophy on Sunday. In the opening last eight clash to take place on Court One, Sam Querrey takes on Milos Raonic after successfully backing up his huge upset over Novak Djokovic by seeing-off Nicolas Mahut in straight sets. The pair meet for the fourth time, with the American holding a 2-1 lead.
Querrey in the form of his life
Querrey has been in stunning form during Wimbledon thus far, progressing to his first ever Grand Slam quarterfinal which has included a superb victory over Djokovic on middle Saturday in the third round. The American has only dropped three sets in his journey to the last eight, and has been dominant on serve as he secured his four wins.
The 28th seed looked to be heading out of Wimbledon in the opening round, as he lost the opening two sets in tie-breaks to find himself only a set away from defeat to Lukas Rosol. He created 22 break points throughout the match, and the pressure eventually paid off as he came from a two-set deficit to win 12-10 in the fifth-set decider. His clash with Thomaz Bellucci was far more straightforward in the next round, as the Brazilian was comfortably dispatched in straight sets, with Querrey only needing just over 90 minutes to set-up a third round meeting with Djokovic.
He was expected to challenge the world number one, but ultimately exit in a match which could possibly see him win a set. The American number four had other ideas however, clinching a tight first set tie-breaker, before dominating the second set to stun the Serb and take a two-sets to love lead as darkness began to take effect. Djokovic stormed out of the blocks in the following day, looking likely to take them to a fifth as he served to level the match up. He failed to do so, going on to lose his first Grand Slam match since the 2015 French Open final as Querrey secured a famous victory in just under three hours.
The 28 year-old completed his run to the last eight by defeating Mahut 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in straightforward fashion, continuing arguably the best form of his professional career.
Raonic achieves a career-first to defeat David Goffin
Dark-horse for the title, Raonic, has reached the quarterfinals after completing his first victory from two sets down in his career, after an-inspired David Goffin had raced to the brink of a potential surprise win. Up to then, it had been plain-sailing for the Canadian, as none of his opening three opponents had managed to win a set over him, with each match including at least one tie-breaker.
The 25 year-old opened against Pablo Carreno Busta, with the Spaniard putting up early resistance in the opening set, before going on to lose in a little under two hours play. The dangerous Andreas Seppi was next up on Court Three, with the Italian putting in a similar display to Carreno Busta by losing a close opening set tie-break before tailing off to lose in straight sets. In the third round, Raonic met Jack Sock in an intriguing late-evening battle on Centre Court. The pair had nothing between them in the opening set, with the Canadian taking the opening set in a tie-breaker for the third match in a row. The next two sets were equally as tight, but Sock just couldn’t convert any of his three break points, as he departed in three sets. The 27th seed had matched his higher-ranked opponent throughout, but struggled to cope with a bombardment of big serves consistently coming his way.
The sixth-seed reached the last eight at Wimbledon for the second time in his career, by overcoming Goffin in five sets from trailing by two sets. The 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win was his first from two sets down, giving him the chance to continue his quest for his first-ever Grand Slam title.
Head-to-head record
The pair have met four times previously, but have not clashed since 2013, with Querrey receiving a walkover in Miami last that year.
Their first meeting was ironically at SW19, with the American winning a close four-set battle back in 2012. On that occasion, three tie-breakers were required to settle the opening three sets, with Querrey needing another to clinch victory over Raonic in Paris a few months later. The Canadian secured his first win over the tall American a year later, as he emphatically reached the final in San Jose with a 6-4, 6-2 win.
They have not met since Raonic’s emergence to the top level of men’s tennis, but their encounters have been tight at times in all three of their meetings.
Prediction
A lack of rallies is expected in the last eight match, but there will be no shortage of power with both players holding huge serves and powerful groundstrokes. The key for the match will be their serves, with the winner likely to have been more dominant on their delivery, whilst taking more of their limited chances when they appear.
Both hold strong second serves, so a lack of break points would be unsurprising, alongside at least one tie-break. A weakness from both is on the backhand side, as both possess devastating forehands which can blow any player off the court. Plenty of the play will be directed away from the other’s dominant side, in an attempt to gain supremacy in rallies and threaten to secure a breakthrough on return.
The two North Americans have looked impressive in the opening four rounds, and the meeting is tough to call with each in good form. Raonic’s forehand is arguably less erractic than Querrey’s, and his slight added experience at this stage of a Grand Slam could prove effective in this heavyweight battle. His serve is tougher to read, whilst he has John McEnroe in his corner, who is likely to give him a huge boost both mentally and psychologically. Expect aces, quick rallies, and plenty of tie-breaks in a five-set battle.
Prediction: Raonic in five sets.
