Wimbledon 2019 Highlights, Roger Federer vs Kei Nishikori, Men's Quarters: Federer to face Nadal, Djokovic up against Agut in semis

Rafael Nadal speaks after his win:

I am very happy to be in the semi-finals again. It was a good match against a very difficult opponent and I saved myself from a couple of dangerous situations.

I am very happy for Roberto Bautista Agut. If there’s any player who deserves it, it’s him. He’s amazing, how strong he is and how passionate he is about the game. Very good day for Spanish tennis, but I am happy for him especially.

It’s difficult to imagine being in a match against Roger Federer, but I’m so excited to play him again here in Wimbledon after such a long time.

The Wimbledon men’s singles semi-finals are set!

(1) Novak Djokovic vs (23) Roberto Bautista Agut

(3) Rafael Nadal vs (2) Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal beats Sam Querrey 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals!

In the end, it was like a walk in the park for Nadal. Sam Querrey was supposed to give Nadal a run for his money with his booming serves but fell way short in the end. Nadal cruises into his seventh Wimbledon semi-final where he’ll face-off against his greatest rival in Roger Federer.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-6, 2-5*

Querrey fires in his 22nd ace of the match to notch a comfortable hold to love. Nadal will now serve for the match.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-6, *1-5

Nadal stumbles through his service game to get within a game of setting a semi-final clash against Roger Federer.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-6, 1-4*

Querrey begins the game with an ace and goes 30-0 up with a crisp backhand winner. Nadal claws his way back to 30-30 and brings up a break point on the next point. Querrey saves it but gifts another break point with a double fault and Nadal thanks him for it by clinching the break with a forehand winner.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-6, *1-3

Nadal wraps a comfortable hold to love.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-6, 1-2*

Nadal brings up break point but Querrey saves it with a good volleyed winner. Nadal consistently puts pressure on Querrey’s second serve but he manages to hold the Spaniard away and gets the hold with a fiery ace.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-6, *0-2

Nadal races to a 40-0 lead in quick time and clinches the hold with a crisp forehand winner.

Roger Federer speaks after his win:

It was a difficult match. The beginning was brutal, Kei came out and was smashing return winners. I had to make some adjustments and stay with him and try to overturn the first set. I had some chances in that set, but Kei was the better player. It was important for me to get the lead in the second set and protect it. I thought I would do better once there was some sort of rhythm to the match, but you never know because he’s also a good rhythm player. It was a good performance against a great returning player.

It’s not like you’re always thinking about winning your 100th Wimbledon match. You just focus on every point and try to win it. And when you win, you don’t think about it either, but a fan told me that it was my 100th win here, and I was like ‘Ah, yeah, it is, isn’t it?’ The crowd here is great and I loved it.

Well, my team has a lot of information on Nadal, and he does on me. You can either dive into the tactics and everything, or you can say, ‘you know what, it’s grasscourt tennis, I’m going to come out and play attacking tennis, and if he can’t defend it, it’s good for me.’ I know people always hype it up like they did in Paris, when we played on his court, and they’ll probably do it here in Wimbledon.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-6, 0-1*

The news of Federer beating Nishikori to move into the semi-finals has spurred Nadal on it seems as he breaks Querrey on the first game itself!

Rafael Nadal wins the second set 6-2 against Sam Querrey!

Nadal begins the eighth game with a service winner and goes on to bring up triple set points. Querrey saves one but Nadal moves along comfortably to clinch the second set at a canter.

Roger Federer beats Kei Nishikori 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals!

Federer starts off with a good serve down the T and follows it up with his 11th ace. He brings up three match points with another good serve out wide and seals his spot in the semi-final with an ace. What a comeback from the Swiss maestro after losing the first set. Nishikori started so well but once Federer found his rhythm, Nishikori lost his confidence and game. Federer two wins away from a ninth title at SW19!

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 4-5*

Federer finally manages to find a way past the Nishikori serve to break him and get within a game of reaching the semi-final.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-5*

Nadal brings up double break point with a low backhand winner and converts at the first time of asking! He’ll now serve for the second set.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, *2-4

Nadal falters and Querrey punishes him to bring up two break points. Nadal serves his way out of trouble. Nadal brings up game point with an ace down the T but squanders it. A crisp forehand winner brings up another game point but Querrey hits a monster of a return to get to deuce. Nadal motors on to get the hold.

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, *4-4

Federer begins the eighth game with an ace. At 30-15, Nishikori hits a sumptuous forehand winner but follows it up with a poor backhand and Federer gets the hold.

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 4-3*

Nishikori grabs another hold but it seems just a matter of time before Federer manages to break him.

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, *3-3

Federer seals another easy hold with a powerful ace.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 2-3*

At 30-0, Nadal whips out a ferocious return to win the point. Querrey responds by firing in his 16th ace of the match and grabs an easy hold.

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 3-2*

Federer brings up double break point with arguably the shot of the match! Pinged to the baseline, he hits a ridiculous running backhand which rockets past Nishikori at the net. The two duel at the net and Federer ends up hitting the net. Nishikori gets to deuce and hangs on to hold.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, *1-3

Nadal consolidates his break with a comfortable hold to 15.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 1-2*

Nadal blasts three winners — two off the forehand and one off the backhand — to bring up double break point. And he gets the early break with a delicate drop shot!

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, *2-2

Federer races to a 40-0 lead but loses a point with a very soft drop shot which lands at the net. He follows that up with an ace out wide to get the hold.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, *1-1

Nadal shows that he is capable of hitting aces as he fires two back to back to race to a 40-0 lead and he grabs an easy hold after Querrey nets his return.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-7, 1-0*

Sam Querrey begins the second set with a comfortable hold to 15.

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 2-1*

Federer brings up a break point. However, with Nishikori at the net, he fires his backhand into the crowd to lose it. Nishikori dishes out a service winner and Federer responds with a brilliant return to win the next point. The Japanese hangs on to get the hold.

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, *1-1

Federer grabs a relatively easy hold to win the second game.

Rafael Nadal wins the first set 7-5 against Sam Querrey!

Nadal goes down 0-30 on the back of a couple of backhand errors. But he gets back to parity with a couple of good wide serves. Querrey hits some powerful shots to force an error of the Nadal forehand to bring up a break point. Nadal saves it with an ace down the T. A wild Nadal backhand brings up another break point but Nadal saves it a crisp forehand winner. Another break point is saved with an ace and he brings up set point and converts to clinch the first set 7-5!

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 1-0*

Nishikori was staring at going a break down early in the fourth set but clings on to get the hold.

Roger Federer wins the third set 6-4 against Kei Nishikori!

Federer uses up his challenges and then sees Nishikori bring up a break point with a brilliant forehand winner off the return. But he misses the chance to break by netting his backhand. Federer doesn’t err at the second time of asking and clinches the third set with a smashing winner at the net.

Querrey vs Nadal 5-6*

Twice Nadal had break points in the game and twice Querrey used his serve to devastating effect to save them. Nadal brings up a third break point with a smash winner and Querrey saves it with a rocket of a forehand winner. Nadal brings up a fourth break point and finally converts it at the net.

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 4-5*

Nishikori holds to 15. Federer will now serve for th third set of the match.

Querrey vs Nadal *5-5

Querrey attacks Nadal’s second serve and it pays dividends as he takes a 0-30 lead. Nadal comes to the net and plays a brilliant volleyed drop shot and follows it up with a crushing backhand winner. He brings up set point with a volleyed winner but Querrey saves it. Nadal gets a warning as the shot clock winds down. Querrey brings up a break point with a blistering forehand winner and clinches the break by attacking Nadal’s second serve!

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, *3-5

Federer gets another comfortable love-hold.

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, 3-4*

Federer loses the first point but wins the next four to bring up two break points. Nishikori saves both. Federer brings up another break point and Nishikori saves it with another good save. At game point, he tries to serve and volley but Federer guides an elegant forehand down the line. Federer brings up another break point with another gorgeous forehand winner and finally gets the break!

Querrey vs Nadal 4-5*

Nadal brings up two set points. Querrey saves one with an ace and the second with a delicate drop shot. Nadal brings up another set point but Querrey saves it with an ace and brings up game point with another ace and wins the game with another ace. 13 aces so far from the American!

Nishikori vs Federer 6-4, 1-6, *3-3

Federer commits his fourth double fault of the match which is the only point he loses on his serve in another easy hold.

Querrey vs Nadal *3-5

After winning 14 points in a row on his serve, Nadal drops his first point with a double fault and follows it up with an error off the forehand. He gets to 40-30 with an ace out wide which clipped the line. Querrey gets to deuce with amazing attacking tennis. Nadal draws him to the net in a long rally but the American finds the angle and fires in a blistering forehand winner. Querrey comes to the net on Nadal’s second serve and brings up his first break point. Nadal saves it with a good serve out wide. He brings up game point with an overhead smash but then commits his second double fault. He brings up another game point and grabs the hold with a deep backhand.