Murray, Federer Look To Advance During Wimbledon QFs

Will two of the remaining “Big Four” – Andy Murray and Roger Federer – continue their march to the Wimbledon final? Or maybe Wednesday’s quarter-final matches will guarantee a new pairing for Sunday’s final at The Championships.

Previewing the four quarter-final contests…

[12] JO-WILFRIED TSONGA (FRA) vs. [2] ANDY MURRAY (GBR)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Murray leads 12-2

For their 15^th meeting and third at The Championships (2010, 2012), Murray will try to stay perfect against Tsonga on grass (5-0). The Scot has played ruthlessly this fortnight. The second seed remains a perfect 12-0 in sets and has yet to even be pushed to a set tie-break. Murray reached the quarter-finals by sweeping 15^th seed Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round. The 2013 Wimbledon champion will look to reach his seventh Wimbledon semi-final and his second in a row when he and Tsonga play. They will be the second match on Centre Court.

Tsonga will try to play home spoiler against the British crowd and reach his third Wimbledon semi-final (also 2011, 2012). The Frenchman has spent about an hour longer on court than Murray. In the third round, the 31 year old rallied the No.2 Court crowd to overcome a match point and a marathon fifth set (19-17) to beat American John Isner. Tsonga’s fourth-round match lasted only 24 minutes, though, after compatriot Richard Gasquet had to retire because of a back injury.

[3] ROGER FEDERER (SUI) vs. [9] MARIN CILIC (CRO)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Federer leads 5-1

No one, including Federer, was quite sure how he’d perform at the 130^th edition of The Championships. The 34 year old had struggled with back and knee injuries this season and had lost in the semi-finals on the grass in Stuttgart and Halle. But nearly all Federer fans and the third seed himself must be pleased with his performance so far this fortnight. The Swiss star has yet to drop a set and turned in “by far my best match” of the tournament against American Steve Johnson in the fourth round. Match by match, Federer also has looked more and more comfortable on the All England Club grass.

He and Cilic will be the first contest on Centre Court on Wednesday. The Croat brings a 1-5 FedEx ATP Head2Head record into the quarter-final contest, which will be his third consecutive last eight match at Wimbledon. But the 6’6” right-hander won his most recent against Federer, a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 sweep at the 2014 US Open en route to his first Grand Slam championship. Cilic also has looked strong during the past week, dropping only one set thus far, to Sergei Stakhovsky in the second round.

[28] SAM QUERREY (USA) vs. [6] MILOS RAONIC (CAN)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Querrey leads 2-1

Can Querrey keep the best run of his life going, or will Raonic impose himself and his booming serve on the American? Their quarter-final match, the first on No.1 Court on Wednesday, will be a contest of big games and big players. Querrey stands at 6’6”; Raonic, 6’5”. Both also have earned career firsts to reach the last eight.

In the first round, Querrey came back from two sets down for the first time in his career to beat Czech Lukas Rosol 12-10 in the fifth. During the third round, Querrey completed what hadn’t been done in 13 months by beating Novak Djokovic at a Grand Slam championship. The 28 year old then backed up the biggest win of his career by sweeping Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in straight sets in the fourth round. Needless to state, the first-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist is swelling with confidence.

Raonic, though, also should have plenty of self-belief when he steps on the grass on Wednesday. The Canadian came back from two-sets down to win for the first time in his career earlier this tournament as well (David Goffin, fourth round). Raonic and Querrey have met at Wimbledon one prior time, with Querrey winning the 2012 second-round contest in four sets, three of which ended in tie-breaks. Expect similar endings on Wednesday. Both players rank in the top five of the ATP World Tour in tie-breaks won this season. Raonic is second with a 20-5 record; Querrey, fifth, 17-11.

[10] TOMAS BERDYCH (CZE) vs. [32] LUCAS POUILLE (FRA)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: 0-0

Berdych is the lone quarter-finalist who had to play on Tuesday, but the 30 year old said he didn’t mind winning the fifth set and finishing his fourth-round match against his Czech compatriot Jiri Vesely. Berdych’s quarter-final contest against Pouille will be experience vs. youth. Berdych reached the Wimbledon final in 2010 (l. to Nadal) and will be playing in his fourth Wimbledon quarter-final and 15^th at a Grand Slam championship. Before Pouille’s first-round match at Wimbledon last week, the 22 year old was 0-4 on grass. This year at Wimbledon, he’s 4-0.

Both players have had to extend themselves to reach the last eight. Berdych played his two-day, five-set match against Vesely; Pouille went the distance with Aussie Bernard Tomic 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 in the fourth round. Their quarter-final contest will be the first time they’ve met.