Two-time champion Rafael Nadal advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon on Friday by beating Karen Khachanov 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(3) in two hours and 14 minutes on Centre Court.
Rafa now won 28 consecutive completed sets in Grand Slam play, having won the title in Paris without dropping a set for the third time in his career and won all three of his matches in London in straight sets.
He has matched his own personal record of 28 – a run that stretched from the quarterfinals at 2010 Wimbledon through to the final at the 2010 US Open.
After the match, Rafa said:
I played fantastic for a set and a half but it got tougher after that. He started to hit stronger so I was happy to get through in three sets.
I think I played some good shots from the forehand and backhand. I’m happy about almost everything.
Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Karen Khachanov (RUS) on Centre Court in the third round of the Gentlemen’s Singles. The Championships 2017 at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Day 5 Friday 07/07/2017. Credit: AELTC/Joel Marklund
July 7th 2017, All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, England; The Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Day 5; The Nike tennis shoes of Rafael Nadal (ESP) as he walks to his seat during his match against Karen Khachanov (RUS) (Photo by Roland Harrison/Action Plus via Getty Images)
Tennis – Wimbledon – London, Britain – July 7, 2017 Spain’s Rafael Nadal during his third round match against Russia’s Karen Khachanov REUTERS/Toby Melville
Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Karen Khachanov (RUS) on Centre Court in the third round of the Gentlemen’s Singles. The Championships 2017 at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Day 5 Friday 07/07/2017. Credit: AELTC/Joel Marklund
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 07: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during the Gentlemen’s Singles third round match between Karen Khachanov of Russia on day five of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 7, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
The Championships 2017 at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Credit: AELTC/Tim Clayton.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates winning a point against Russia’s Karen Khachanov during their men’s singles third round match on the fifth day of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 07: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates during the Gentlemen’s Singles third round match between Karen Khachanov of Russia on day five of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 7, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
July 7th 2017, All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, England; The Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Day 5; Rafael Nadal (ESP) wipes his head with a Wimbledon towel and shirt removed during a break in his match against Karen Khachanov (RUS) (Photo by Roland Harrison/Action Plus via Getty Images)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal changes his shirt between games against Russia’s Karen Khachanov during their men’s singles third round match on the fifth day of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal changes his headband between games against Russia’s Karen Khachanov during their men’s singles third round match on the fifth day of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning against Russia’s Karen Khachanov in their Men’s Singles Match on day five at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London Friday, July 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates beating Russia’s Karen Khachanov during their men’s singles third round match on the fifth day of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia’s Karen Khachanov (R) shakes hands with Spain’s Rafael Nadal (L) after Nadal won their men’s singles third round match on the fifth day of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Karen Khachanov (RUS) on Centre Court in the third round of the Gentlemen’s Singles. The Championships 2017 at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Day 5 Friday 07/07/2017. Credit: AELTC/Joel Marklund
Tennis – Wimbledon – London, Britain – July 7, 2017 Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates winning the third round match against Russia’s Karen Khachanov REUTERS/Toby Melville
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates beating Russia’s Karen Khachanov during their men’s singles third round match on the fifth day of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
Rafa fired 7 aces to Karen’s 13. He hit 41 winners compared to Karen’s 33, and made 19 unforced errors to his opponent’s 35. Our champ won a total of 112 points to the Russian’s 85.
Rafa capitalised on 4 of his 15 chances for break, while Karen converted 1 of his 5 break points.
The 15-time Grand Slam champion will next face Gilles Muller on Monday in the fourth round.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
I’m SO VERY HAPPY that Rafa is playing so well. I wish to especially thank a contemporary of mine, Beverly Budnichenko, for having written such a disarming comment!!!! (She’s 83, while I’m 89 years of age.)There is not much more to say about our champion….HOWEVER, I, and his millions of other fans, would LOVE to see him win a THIRD WIMBLEDON!!!! VAMOS, RAFA!!!!!!
Hello. Arline. I’m sure that being a Rafa fan in our 80’s keeps us young. My family teases me about my ” Rafa obsession” as they call it but I tell them it is better on their ears to hear me rave about Rafa than complain about being old.
Here’s hoping for a Wimbledon win. We can both dance with joy. !!