Nadal is growing in power, Murray suffered Wimbledon

Photo: Alastair Grant Associated Press
Rafael Nadal has made his way up to the fourth round of the International Wimbledon on Friday, and it is no more than three wins of a return to the top of the hierarchy of the tennis male.

Rafael Nadal has passed with flying colors a test, while Andy Murray has suffered to rally on Friday, the second week of Wimbledon, where was invited the neophyte Jelena Ostapenko, the winner of Roland-Garros, in the wake of the accustomed Victoria Azarenka.

The ten times winner of Roland-Garros is passed without transition from the clay to the grass of london in keeping the same pace. Untouchable in Paris, Nadal has signed a 10th win in a row without conceding the slightest set by spreading the hope of the Russian Karen Khachanov (6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3)) in the third round.

It has as well equaled his record of the sleeves of which were won consecutively — 28 — established in 2010, between the last of his two triumphs at Wimbledon and his first coronation at the U.S. Open.

“I played fantastic way for a set and a half. After that, it was more difficult. It has hit him harder and it was impossible to win easily against an opponent like that, ” said the Mallorcan, who has hit 41 hits and was very satisfied with the level of service (7 aces compared to 13 for Khachanov).

In London, he will find the second week for the first time since 2014 (knockout). Next goal : make his return in the quarter-finals six years after his last final (lost to Novak Djokovic). He will have to get rid of a server-volleyball player, Luxembourg’s Gilles Müller (26th), titrated to ‘ s-hertogenbosch (the netherlands) during the preparation.

The no. 1 in the world and taking the title, Andy Murray, has made a little bit of fear against the Italian Fabio Fognini, 29th world, before the take-out in four innings (6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5). The Scot has had to dismiss five balls set in the fourth round in the face of the fantastical home that poses regular problems. Fognini has won three of their six previous duels.

“I found that I was moving less well, but I now have two days of recovery,” said Murray, who reached for the tenth time in a row the second week of the tournament favorites. He will play against france’s Benoît Paire on Monday.

“Vika” for the title ?

The former no. 1 player, who had put his career in parentheses for more than a year, was invited in the second week for the fifth time in his career after dismissing the forceps Heather Watson (3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in 2 h 05 min) on the ” Centre court “, to the cause of the British. This is only his second tournament this year, after the one in Mallorca where his preparation on grass had turned short (beaten in the 2nd round).

The Belarusian fell to the 683e rank after having given birth to a little Leo in December, has been hampered by a faulty service (7 double faults). But Azarenka has had a lot of response and was able to rely on the unforced errors of his opponent (31).

“I was on the defensive throughout the match, but it started to go a bit better in the second set,” commented the double winner of the Australian Open (2012, 2013). If it crosses the pitfall Simona Halep, no. 2, world, Monday, “Vika” will once again become a contender as a serious title.

Like Nadal, the Latvian 20-year-old, winner of the surprise of Roland Garros, Jelena Ostapenko, has signed a tenth victory in a row. Above all, it has held firm in the face of a “frappeuse” as she, Camila Giorgi (7-5, 7-5). The former hope of the tennis Italian, 86th world at the age of 25, however, has served to win two sets (5-3). But the player baltic has been able to reverse the situation.

Champion of the Wimbledon junior in 2014, the 13th world had tilted from the second round in the “large” in the following year, and had been beaten the past year.

She will face on Monday the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (5th), who dismissed germany’s Carina Witthöft 6-1, 7-5.