Rafa Nadal v Sam Querrey: Preview of the Wimbledon 2019 men’s quarter final
Continuing his attempt to win a first Wimbledon title since 2010, Rafa Nadal will take on grass court specialist Sam Querrey in the Wimbledon quarter final.
The two veterans have met five times in their careers, with world number two Nadal holding a 4-1 lead over the American. Their only Grand Slam meeting came nine years ago in the 2008 US Open fourth round which eventual semi finalist Nadal won in four sets. Querrey did win their last meeting however 6-3 7-6 at Acapulco in 2017.
In terms of win percentage, Wimbledon is Rafa Nadal’s weakest Grand Slam. The Mallorca man came into the tournament with an 81% match win percentage at SW19, behind the Australian on 82%, US on 84% and French on a staggering 98%. He has won the Wimbledon title twice, in 2008 and 2010. Since 2010 however the 33 year old has only made the semi final twice, having suffered surprised defeats including to Lukas Rosol, Steve Darcis, Gilles Muller and Dustin Brown.
On route to the quarter Rafa Nadal has only lost one set, in a tough four sets victory over Aussie Nick Kyrgios in the second round. He then recorded routine straight sets victories against Yuichi Sugita, Jo Wilfried Tsonga and most recently a 6-2 6-2 6-2 against Joao Sousa.
Sam Querrey is bidding to reach his second ever Grand Slam semi final, which would make him the only active male American player to do this multiple times. 31 year old Querrey made the 2017 semi final after defeating Andy Murray in the quarter. A four set loss to Marin Cilic denied him the chance to win a be the first male American Slam winner since Andy Roddick won the US Open 16 years ago. A win against Nadal would mean it is the third time he would have defeated two seeded players at SW19.
Unseeded at Wimbledon for the first time since 2015, Querrey beat world number four and twice French Open runner up seed Dominic Thiem in the first round, coming from a set behind. Two comfortable straight sets victories against Andrey Rublev and John Millman followed, before another victory in four from a set down against compatriot Tennys Sandgren.
The winner of this match will face either number two seed Roger Federer or world number seven Kei Nishikori for a place in the final.
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