After all is said and done most of the men’s final 8 are la creme de la creme of Wimbledon’s strawberries and cream. Only two didn’t make that cut: Sam Querrey (No. 28) and Lucas Pouille (No. 32).
However anyone getting this far at a slam, let alone the pinnacle of slams — Wimbledon, is ready to rumble. The quarterfinals are the next-to-last act before the semifinals and final. If you’ve secured a berth in one of tomorrow’s matches, fire away.
The elite six are (by seeding): Andy Murray (No. 2); Roger Federer (No. 3); Milos Raonic (No. 6); Marin Cilic (No. 9); Tomas Berdych (No. 10); and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga (No. 12). These men have made a dent at this major.
Andy Murray — Facts and Stats
- Age: 29
- 11th appearance
- 9th consecutive quarterfinal
- 4 semifinals: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015
- Runner-up: 2012
- Champion: 2013
Roger Federer — Facts and Stats
- Age: 34
- 18th appearance
- 14th quarterfinals
- Runner-up: 2008, 2014, 2015
- Champion: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Milos Raonic
- Age: 25
- 6th appearance at Wimbledon
- 1 semifinal: 2014
Marin Cilic
- Age: 27
- 10th appearance at Wimbledon
- 2 quarterfinals: 2014, 2015
Tomas Berdych
- Age: 30
- 13th appearance at Wimbledon
- 3 quarterfinals: 2007, 2010, 2013
- Runner-up: 2010
Jo-Wilfred Tsonga
- Age: 31
- 9th appearance at Wimbledon
- 3 quarterfinals: 2010, 2011, 2012
Sam Querrey may forever be remembered as the Djokovic dragon slayer. The American destroyed the aspirations of Djokovic in the prime of his career, at a time when the unreachable was in focus on the horizon. But there’s more to Querrey.
Lucas Pouille is the singular member of what’s been hash-tagged, #NextGen … the next generation. He’s the youngster.
Sam Querrey
- Age: 28
- 9th appearance
- Singles ranking: 41
- Career high ranking: 17, January, 2011
- Best singles: 4th round, 2010
- Has never made any quarterfinal at any of the other majors
- 8 ATP Career Titles
- First serve points won: 78% (career)
- Second serve points won: 51% (career)
Lucas Pouille
- Age: 22
- 2nd appearance. Reached first round in 2015.
- Singles ranking: 30
- No career titles
- One career runner-up
- Admires Roger Federer
All the preparation these players have been through come down to these moments in the second week of a major. They work all year for these chances. They all know how to serve. Hit forehands, backhands, drop shots, volleys, overhead smashes, lobs, and swinging volleys. They know their strengths and weaknesses, strategies and tactics. They have teams of people around them for insight, guidance, and encouragement. Three things will separate the winners from losers: experience, some luck, and the ability to recover and move from point to point mentally.
Good luck, gentlemen.
