RAFAEL NADAL is taking on Botic van de Zandschulp on Centre Court RIGHT NOW.
The No 2 seed is eyeing a sensational calendar slam.
Earlier on, Nick Kyrgios defeated Brandon Nakashima in five thrilling sets to reach the quarter-finals.
But the Aussie ace had to call out the physio as he struggled with a shoulder problem early on in his victory.
- TV/ live stream: BBC/ BBC iPlayer
Wimbledon FREE BETS with Djokovic into quarter-finals
BET BOOST for Rafael Nadal to WIN in straight sets
Stay up to date with all the latest from the All England Club…
- Joshua Jones
Time for Rafa
A quick turn around and we are just about ready for Rafael Nadal.
The No2 seed takes on 21st seed Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands.
Apologies now if there are any typos as I frantically keep you updated with events here on Centre Court!
- Kostas Lianos
Game, set and match
Simona Halep wins and wraps her match against Paula Badosa in an hour.
An incredible performance by Halep who wins 1-6 2-6
- Kostas Lianos
Badosa fights back
Paula Badosa fights back to save two earlier break points.
However, Halep is in top form at Wimbledon today
- Joshua Jones
Halep not messing around
Simona Halep, back on Centre Court for the first time since winning the title in 2019, is wasting no time.
She takes the first set 6-1 against Paula Badosa.
Impressive stuff from the Romanian.
- Joshua Jones
Fritz flies through
Taylor Fritz wasted no time in booking his place in the quartets.
He blitzed past Jason Kubler 6-3 6-1 6-4 in exactly two hours.
And he could face Rafael Nadal next…
The American is yet to drop a set in SW19 so far.
- Joshua Jones
How the bookies see it
So, Kyrgios' win means he is now the third favourite to win Wimbledon this year.
BoyleSports have the current chances as follows:
- Novak Djokovic – 2/5
- Rafael Nadal – 7/2
- Nick Kyrgios – 8/1
- Taylor Fritz – 16/1
- Jannik Sinner – 20/1
- Cameron Norrie – 25/1
- Christian Garin – 80/1
- David Goffin – 80/1
- Botic van de Zandschulp – 100/1
'I need wine'
If you're out in Wimbledon Village tonight, you may well bump into Nick Kyrgios.
Here's what he had to say on court…
"First I want to say hell of an effort from Brandon, he's 20 years old and he's going to do some special things that's for sure.
"[It was] nowhere near my best performance, but I fought through, the crowd were amazing."
On the shoulder, he added: "I have played a lot of tennis in the last month and a half. His level didn't drop.
"My five-set record is pretty good and I've been here before, done it before and that is what I was thinking about."
On playing Cristian Garin next: "I was really excited to play De Minaur to be honest, he's been flying the Aussie flag for so long and he was two sets up when I came on court. I need a large glass of wine tonight for sure.
"I stepped out here amongst the greatest of all time and I beat Nadal [in 2014]. All these experiences that I've had got me over the line today."
Kyrgios wins in five
Is Nakashima still in this match?
He gets himself to 0-30…
But then Kyrgios produces a stunning drop shot and cross-court forehand pass combo and the American nets a backhand after a baseline battle.
30-30…
Huge T-serve sets up match point…
He just needs the one, serving and volleying to close it out and that is the Australian through to the last eight.
One more game?
Boom – what a forehand!
A whopping 110mph hit finds the line and zips past Nakashima.
Not bad for a man with a bad shoulder.
A double fault puts the American down 15-30 but he does well to get back on level terms before putting back-to-back forehands away to hold.
Kyrgios will have a drink then will come out and serve for it.
- Joshua Jones
Kyrgios one game away
A comfortable hold for Nick.
He keeps it pretty simple as he moves within a game.
- Joshua Jones
And another one
He has one foot in the last eight.
Kyrgios ups his consistency and refuses to miss.
But a tiring Nakashima is just beginning to drop in a few extra unforced errors.
Then on break point Kyrgios works the gap and lands a punishing backhand into the space to secure the double break.
He leads 4-1 and will serve.
- Joshua Jones
Kyrgios gets the break
Kyrgios has put his head back on and wants to knuckle down in this final set.
He gets to break point and Nakashima bangs down a good serve into the corner.
For some reason Kyrgios challenges – it didn't even touch the line – and that is a real waste, then blames the umpire.
He has just one challenge left at 1-1 deuce!
Nakashima nets a slice, though, and Kyrgios has the break and the fire in his belly.
- Joshua Jones
Kyrgios throws away fourth set
Nick is all over the shop, here.
He suddenly is down 3-5 0-40 and facing three set points.
On the first, he does an underarm serve but wins the point.
He saves the second but then smashes a mid-court forehand way out and that is utterly mindless from Kyrgios.
He berates his box as he takes his seat.
We are going the distance…
And Nakashima will serve first in the fifth. He is keeping his mouth shut and getting on with his own game.
- Joshua Jones
Right on cue
And just like that, we have angry Nick back.
He has wasted all his challenges in this fourth set already – at 3-3 – and drops his serve out of nowhere.
Nakashima is two holds from forcing a fifth-set decider.
Fritz is flying against injured Kubler and leads 6-3 6-1 in 71 minutes.
Credit: Richard Pelham / The Sun - Joshua Jones
Penny for Cash's thoughts
Australian legend Pat Cash has had his say on tennis' Mr Controversial Nick Kyrgios – and he let rip at the Canberra star.
The 27-year-old was up to all his usual antics with trick shots, angry shouting and pulsating tennis as he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas on Saturday night.
But at times it crossed the line and his compatriot was not afraid to call it out.
Cash, who won Wimbledon in 1987, said: “It was absolute mayhem, he was lucky to even get through the first set. He should have been defaulted in the first set. Something's got to be done about it. It's just an absolute circus.
“He's brought tennis to the lowest level I can see as far as gamesmanship, cheating, manipulation, abuse, aggressive behaviour to umpires, to linesmen.
“Is it entertaining? Yeah, possibly. It's gone to the absolute limit now. [It's] the gamesmanship, the abuse he was giving.
"Tsitsipas got sucked right into it, so it was entertaining and fascinating but for me, it's gone too far now.
“I have no problems with a bit of gamesmanship but, when it gets to that level, I think it's just out of control.”
- Joshua Jones
Scores update
Nick Kyrgios leads 4-6 6-4 7-6 3-2 over Brandon Nakashima.
Taylor Fritz leads 6-3 3-0 (with a double break) over Jason Kubler.
Alize Cornet and Ajla Tomljanovic are warming up on Court No2.
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares trail 6-7 4-6 4-4 against John Peers and Filipp Polasek on No3.
Brit Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands – seeded third in the men's doubles – trail 5-7 4-6 6-3 5-4 (with a break) against Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell on 18.
Elsewhere it is mainly juniors and other doubles action at the All England Club on this fine Monday afternoon.
- Joshua Jones
Nick starting to fire
Bit more like it from Kyrgios.
An explosive point in the second game of the fourth set includes a few of those vintage supercharged forehands and a smash to get to 30-30.
But Nakashima refuses to go away and gets back in front before his seventh double fault of the match.
The American recovers, though, and puts away a tidy volley to level it up at 1-1.
- Joshua Jones
Heartbreak for Boulter
More disappointment for Katie Boulter.
Her man Alex De Minaur is out of Wimbledon after a fifth-set tie-break defeat to Cristian Garin.
He apparently tried to snap a tennis racket over his knee in anger… and couldn't do it.
The Aussie was two sets up but the Chilean mounted a staggering comeback to win in five after four hours and 34 minutes.
Unseeded Garin was supposed to play Matteo Berrettini in round one – before the Italian pulled out with Covid.
- Joshua Jones
Norrie pushed to No1
The intended order of play for the two show courts has been revealed by Wimbledon…
And British No1 Cam Norrie is not on Centre Court.
He will be the second match on Court No1 when he faces David Goffin.
Before that, it will be Tatjana Maria against Jule Niemeier in the all-German contest.
That means over on Centre is Novak Djokovic vs Jannik Sinner and Ons Jabeur vs Marie Bouzkova.
Credit: PA - Joshua Jones
Kyrgios gets in front
Wow, that was a pretty impressive tie-break from Nick Kyrgios.
He flies through it finding the lines and hitting his best form.
He takes it 7-2 and is a set away from the quarter-finals.
- Joshua Jones
Love hold
Easy hold for Nick.
Into a crucial third-set tie-break we go…
- Joshua Jones
Nakashima holds his nerve
Brandon is under pressure on his second serve at 30-30 – Kyrgios pops the return on the baseline but wastes a backhand into the tramlines.
Nakashima shows good touch at the net to hold.
Over to you again, Nick.
Fritz leads 4-2 on No1 while De Minaur leads 6-5 in the fifth on No2.
- Joshua Jones
Kyrgios holds
Oooh is this a chance?
Nakashima flashes a cross-court forehand clean winner past Kyrgios to lead 15-30…
Two big serves and a smash get the Aussie through.
5-5.
- Joshua Jones
Kyrgios serving to stay in third set
Nakashima is keeping his composure and belying his tender age of just 20.
He holds at 4-4 so now Mr Quiet Kyrgios will come out and serve to keep this third set alive.
A crunch game…
- Joshua Jones
Novak having fun with the kids
Novak Djokovic avoided having to play again today by wrapping up his four-set win over Tim van Rijthoven with about 20 minutes to go last night.
And the tournament favourite is clearly feeling pretty relaxed…
He was pictured on the practice courts earlier on playing around with his son Stefan, seven, as daughter Tara, four, and wife Jelena watched on.
Credit: PA 
Credit: PA 
Credit: PA 
Credit: Getty 
Credit: PA 
Credit: PA
Source: Read Full Article
