Expert picks are back for the second week at Wimbledon, where quarterfinal action takes place on Wednesday. Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Roberto Bautista Agut have respective matchups against Sam Querrey and Guido Pella. The Grandstand’s Ricky Dimon and Cheryl Murray along with Mert Ertunga of Mertov’s Tennis Desk make their picks.
Sam Querrey vs. (3) Rafael Nadal
Ricky: I was wrong about Nadal vs. Nick Kyrgios, in that an absolute beatdown was forecasted. It turned out to be what is still the best match of the tournament. But Querrey isn’t Kyrgios; at least he’s not an Against-Nadal-Kyrgios. The 6’6” American will be somewhat competitive, for sure, as he has been broken only once through four rounds and is making his third quarterfinal appearance in the last four Wimbledons. But other than in round two, Nadal has been destroying people. Querrey, on the other hand, is coming off a tough fourth-rounder against Tennys Sandgren–a grass-court result that is less than encouraging, it has to be said. Nadal in 3: 6-4, 7-6(5), 7-5.
Cheryl: Ordinarily, I would surmise Querrey’s chances against Nadal as “slim.” But the American is playing some really good grass-court tennis this fortnight and Wimbledon is where Querrey is at his most dangerous, so a routine victory for Nadal is not a foregone conclusion. That’s not to say that a Nadal win isn’t highly likely. The Spaniard is playing magnificent tennis, seemingly buoyed by his second-round revenge win over Kyrgios. If Querrey serves well he could snag a set (or even two), but it’s hard to imagine him playing well enough to dispatch the world No. 2. Nadal in 4: 7-5, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4.
Mert: This is a solid test for Nadal, one that should provide for a close match but one that he should slip by at the end of the day. Querrey has won all of his service games but one (71 out of 72). He will probably only lose his serve once against Nadal, too (ok, maybe twice), but that shall be too many because he is unlikely to break Nadal’s serve. Nadal is quite successful, too, in this category (56 out of 59 service games held). On the other hand, Querrey is at the bottom of the pack out of the eight quarterfinalists in terms of return games won with an alarming 18 percent (13 out of 72). The Spaniard needs to keep a high first-serve percentage to avoid Querrey blasting returns for winners (whether he will make them consistently or not, that is another story). I believe there will be one or more tiebreakers, and if the underdog can steal one (or two) this could go to five sets, but a four-setter sounds more realistic to me. Nadal in 4: 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6.
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(26) Guido Pella vs. (23) Roberto Bautista Agut
Ricky: Bautista Agut has benefited from a favorable draw, but who cares? He has been awesome the whole, and he at least destroyed No. 10 seed Karen Khachanov during the first week. The Spaniard is 12-0 in total sets and only Khachanov managed to even force a single tiebreaker. Pella is making a quick turnaround after coming back from two sets down to stun Milos Raonic in a thrilling five-setter. It has been an incredible run for the Argentine, but it likely ends here. RBA is on fire, and outside of the Big 3 there may be no one on tour better at completely taking out an opponent’s legs. Bautista Agut in 3: 7-6(6), 7-5, 6-1.
Cheryl: Pella may have had the most impressive first four rounds in the entire men’s draw. He not only stunned 2018 finalist Kevin Anderson in the third round, but he also came back in the round of 16 to take out the 15th-seeded Raonic. The Argentine isn’t exactly a Wimbledon specialist, either. He’s played three other times, with a pair of first-round exits and a third-round result to show for his efforts. RBA’s first-week run wasn’t quite as impressive as Pella’s, but was close. He ousted Khachanov and then clobbered Benoit Paire on Monday. RBA has a 2-0 record over Pella and the Spaniard’s matches have been far more routine. Pella will fight hard, but RBA should come through his quarterfinal. Bautista Agut in 4: 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Mert: Can Pella pull another one again? More importantly, does he have enough stamina left to take out a player who will surely not go down without a battle? You don’t win easy matches, nor do you get to win points short-cut points against Bautista Agut. You win, but you will suffer. Or he outlasts you, out-rallies you, and exhausts you. Pella has his hands full. RBA is the only player in the quarterfinals not to have lost a set. He will continue that streak today after a close first set. Bautista Agut in 3: 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.
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What are they waiting for with Rafa’s match?!! Choops! Hurry up already!!!
I really detest servebot tennis.
Break point!
Rafa freaking breaks!!☺☺
Now hold Rafa !!
I was not able to make any posts the last few days. WIll share my thoughts later but for this match I’ll say Rafa will win in 3 sets most prob. He is too sharp at the moment to let Sam take adv. Rafa’s first AND second (perhaps bigger than it’s ever been) are giving him extra comfort on return games
3-1 Rafa!!☺
No Amy, I want straights!! Lol!
My nerves really can’t freaking take it, lol!!
3-1 in games Mona!!
4-2 Rafa n ow!
A m giving updates for others!
Oh, sorry, lol!!!
I just got home. I was checking the score on my iPhone. Rafa up a break and now in a tight service game.
Hold Rafa!
Get a grip.Rafa! DF and an error! Break point against him.
Another Df!
No excuse for dfs against Sam who couldn’t return a toasted sandwich! Rafa holds!
Ooh Rafa! DF! Please hold your serve!
I am eating chocolate chip cookies and it’s barely lunch time!
Okay Rafa! Keep holding!
Double break and set points!☺
Saved by Querrey.
Rafa has to serve it out.
Querrey is blasting those serves. Rafa must get it done here to get that first set and make Querrey play from behind.
0-30! Come on rafa!
That’s y I hate these matches. arrggghhhhh!!
Rafa, c’mon!!
Rafa was serving so well, damn it!! They all are having hiccups in first set!!!
30 all! Set point! Deuce. Rafa isn’t serving well atm.
Time violation warning break ooint.😢
Shit Rafa gets broken having had multiple set points😢😢
This is me.
Rafa’s serve deserted him when he needed it. He sho uld have won that set already.
Break.points gone. Another one! Gone. Another one. Come on rafa! Break yes!☺ Now serve it out!
Why is Rafa so nervous and serving so poorly to lose serve? He’s always so nervous serving for set I really can’t stand it! Come on Rafa, do the job!!
How did rafa lose so many points on serve? Is querrey redlining or rafa making errors.? Unable to watch
Rafa not serving well
Rafa as usual is getting nervous at end of set especially when he’s serving for it, more so against a big server!
The set could have been done 6-4 by Rafa yet he served so poorly to lose serve and then almost needs to go to TB!
I mentioned before, Rafa’s newly acquired good serve is just newly acquired, its not a natural part of his game, unlike say a Querrey whose big serve is very much a natural part of his game. So, that’s why Rafa has so much problems with his serve once he gets tight especially at crucial moments.
It’ll be a long day at the office judging by how long it takes to complete one set of tennis.
It’s True. Another true, it is that any serve its ot a natural part ofhis game. I red a few years ago, that Nadal’s condition (its not lefty) affected him more in the serve.
0-30 again!😢
Rafa is having a bad serving day!!!! Wow!!! Terrible!!
What on earth is going on with Rafa! Please get a grip! He cannot get this done serving like crap.
30 all. Layhani partly responsible. Rafa can’t get a first serve in! 30-40😢 finally! Deuce! Ad Querrey😢 deuce. Ad Querrey😢 this is stressful. Set point! Set Rafa!!
@ Amy 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Rafa serving so terrible. He should have got that set ages ago. Sigh!!