By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, July 7, 2017
The sight of six-foot-six Karen Khachanov closing net can present an ominous obstacle.
Unless you’re Rafael Nadal in which case it’s a vision of opportunity.
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Nadal cracked a crosscourt forehand pass he punctuated with a fist pump for match point.
In a match of glittering strikes, Nadal defused the explosive Russian, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (3) to set up a Wimbledon round of 16 clash against left-hander Gilles Muller.
"It's obvious that it's a tough opponent, no?" Nadal said. "He came here playing good matches on grass, semifinals in Halle one week and a half ago, playing good match in semifinals.
"Yeah, I think was a tough one. For a set and a half I was playing fantastic, then little bit worst. But in general terms very well, very happy."
The 16th-seeded Muller pumped 19 aces in a 7-6 (4), 7-5, 6-4 triumph over Briton Aljaz Bedene to reach the fourth round for the first time in 10 SW19 appearances.
Serving with aggression, Nadal connected on 69 percent of his first serves and blasted 41 winners against 19 unforced errors raising his record to 46-6 on the season.
The fourth-seeded Nadal stretched his winning streak to 10 matches as he continues to roll through sets. Nadal has won 28 consecutive completed sets at Grand Slams, which equals Bjorn Borg (1980) and his own 2010 mark for third place in most consecutive sets won a major.
The 15-time Grand Slam champion also won 28 straight sets from the 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinals through to the 2010 US Open final.
With Masters golf champion and good buddy Sergio Garcia watching from the Royal Box, the 31-year-old Spaniard stormed into the Wimbledon round of 16 for just the second time since 2011 when he was runner-up to Novak Djokovic.
Striking with precision and purpose, the two-time champion raced out to a 4-love lead against Khachanov, who was understandably a little skittish for his Centre Court debut. Nadal breezed to a one-set lead after only 22 minutes of play.
Attacking serve with vigor, Nadal stamped love holds in five of his first 10 service games.
Calming his nerve in the second set, Khachanov began playing with greater purpose.
The Russian baseliner pushed Nadal to deuce in the eighth game, but sprayed a careless backhand wide. Back-pedaling quickly, Nadal lacerated a tremendous bounce-smash winner holding for 5-3.
Deploying a surprise serve-and-volley, Nadal soared to snap off a high-flying backhand volley serving out the second set at love.
The lanky Russian has an elaborate backswing on his long forehand, which created timing issues on occasion. Bungling a mid-court forehand, Khachanov faced a break point in the fifth game but saved it for 3-2.
The Khachanov backhand is a smoother shot and shorter swing. Khachanov blasted a backhand winner for a break point in the eighth game. On a second serve, Nadal twisted a 103 mph delivery that skipped over the Russian’s racquet to deny it.
Nadal nullified a second break point with a stinging serve down the middle then saved a third break point with a twisting wide serve to set up a crunching forehand winner.
The 34th-ranked Russian singed the sideline with his 10th ace holding for 5-4.
Working through a deuce hold to force the tie break, Nadal rifled a resounding backhand winner crosscourt for a 4-2 tie break lead.
Driving a brilliant running forehand pass crosscourt, Nadal earned match point throwing a fist pump.
Bolting a big serve down the middle, Nadal closed in two hours, 14 minutes.
Reaching the second week for the first time in three years, Nadal is playing for his first quarterfinal since 2011.
"For me, at the end of the day, the only thing is the motivation that you have to do it," Nadal said. "I always had the passion to try to be better player. Wimbledon is an event that is one of the most important events of the season, of course. Is a very special event.
"My dream always was to play well here. I worked hard. I really respect a lot this event. I really wanted to play well here. That's why I worked the right way to play well here in the past."