Serena powers into quarters, Nishikori ends long Japanese wait

LONDON: Serena Williams underlined her status as the Wimbledon title favourite with a 62-minute demolition of Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina, while Karolina Pliskova became the last top 10 seed to crash out on Monday.

Williams raced into her 13th Wimbledon quarter-final as the seven-time champion thrashed Rodina 6-2, 6-2 in a Centre Court masterclass.Having missed Wimbledon last year while she prepared to have her first child in September, Serena is in pole position to win her first Grand Slam crown since becoming a mother.

On Tuesday, the 36-year-old faces Italian world number 52 Camila Giorgi, who beat Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-4 to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

Asked if it was a flawless display, Serena admitted she is never satisfied.“I’m a perfectionist. I always find something wrong,” she said.“It was a good win but it was tougher than the scoreline to be honest.”

Williams had made a tentative return to action following complications during daughter Olympia’s birth, struggling in her few appearances before pulling out midway through the recent French Open with a pectoral injury.

But the 23-time major winner’s blistering form and a series of shock results have paved the way for another Williams coronation at Wimbledon.Garbine Muguruza, Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep, Petra Kvitova, Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Sloane Stephens have all been eliminated already.

Kiki Bertens took care of the last of the top 10 with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) victory over Czech seventh seed Pliskova.It is the first time in Wimbledon history not one of the top 10 women’s seeds have reached the quarter-finals.

Bertens, who was contemplating retirement last year after losing her enthusiasm for the sport, is the first Dutch woman to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals since Michaella Krajicek in 2007.The 26-year-old faces German 13th seed Julia Goerges, who beat Croatian world number 55 Donna Vekic 6-3, 6-2 to seal her first Grand Slam quarter-final berth at the 42nd attempt.

Elsewhere in fourth round action, Dominika Cibulkova launched a scathing attack on Wimbledon’s officials after a line call controversy marred her 6-4, 6-1 win against Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei.

Cibulkova was furious when Hsieh successfully persuaded the umpire to replay a point that was initially called in the Slovakian’s favour and would have given her three set points in the opening set.

Hsieh’s protests to the umpire prompted the match referee to come on court to intervene as the argument lasted over seven minutes before the point was finally replayed, much to Cibulkova’s disgust.

In her third Wimbledon quarter-final, Cibulkova faces former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.Latvian 12th seed Ostapenko enjoyed a 7-6 (7/4), 6-0 win against Belarusian world number 50 Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Former Wimbledon finalist Angelique Kerber stepped up her bid to return to the title match with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic.Meanwhile, Japan’s Kei Nishikori overcame an arm injury to reach his first Wimbledon quarter-final with a gritty 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (12/10), 6-1 win over Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis.

The 28-year-old Nishikori is the first Japanese man to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon since Shuzo Matsuoka in 1995.Nishikori needed lengthy treatment and a medical timeout on a right arm injury in the first set and had to save set points in the third.American ninth seed John Isner also reached his first quarter-final at the 10th attempt with a 6-4, 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/4) win over Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas was bidding to become the first ever Greek player — man or woman — to reach the last-eight at a Grand Slam.