Big Four report: Federer, Murray cruise

Roger Federer and Andy Murray dispatched their respective opponents on ‘Manic Monday’ to advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Yet their fellow Big Four counterparts were not so lucky.

Rafael Nadal suffered a shock loss to serve-and-volleying sensation Gilles Muller while Novak Djokovic, scheduled to follow Nadal on No.1 Court, didn’t even play his fourth-round match.

RELATED: Muller stuns Rafa in five set epic

As Nadal’s match extended towards the five-hour mark, attention started to turn to what would happen with Djokovic’s last-16 encounter with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.

Would tournament organisers move the match to Centre Court, left vacant after Federer’s and Murray’s demolition jobs?

Apparently not.

Wimbledon issue statement on decision to cancel Novak Djokovic vs Adrian Mannarino. pic.twitter.com/ANYxv377pA

— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) July 10, 2017

A little earlier on Monday, Federer came through perhaps the most anticipated match-up of the championships against Grigor Dimitrov.

Playing whom many believe is his stylistic double, Federer was in a domineering mood, streaking through the encounter in just 98 minutes.

Trailing two sets to love and a break in the third, Dimitrov threatened to make it competitive when he broke serve in the eighth game to level at 4-4.

Yet Federer broke straight back and served his way through to a 15th career Wimbledon quarterfinal, improving his record over the Bulgarian to a perfect 6-0.

“I feel like I’m rested enough. I’ve had not the most toughest matches,” said Federer, who next faces Milos Raonic in a rematch of their 2016 Wimbledon semifinal.

“I can look at this quarterfinal (against Raonic) in a totally relaxed fashion. Physically I’m not fighting anything like last year with my knee. I’m ready to go this afternoon if I have to, which is great, but I don’t have to. I think that’s a great bonus.

“Then again, the best players are left in the draw. It’s going to be a tough one. I’m aware of that. That’s why I can’t think too far ahead. I think it’s going to be a tough finish to this tournament.”

Murray was forced to labour slightly more than Federer in a 7-6(1) 6-4 6-4 victory over unpredictable Frenchman Benoit Paire.

Paire led 4-2 in the opening set but lost his advantage when Murray broke back in the eighth game. When the Scot romped to a 6-0 lead in the first-set tiebreak and closed it out two points later, he always appeared to be in control.

“I’ve done a good job so far here. I mean, today was by far the best I hit the ball, the cleanest I hit the ball. I was happy about that,” Murray said.

“Last couple of days, practice has been really good, as well. I didn’t feel great during my last match. I didn’t feel like I played so well, not loads of rhythm in the first two matches.

“I definitely felt better today. You know, that’s positive moving into the last few days of the tournament.”

Murray, the world No.1 and defending Wimbledon champion, takes on 24th seed Sam Querrey in the quarterfinals.

Djokovic, meanwhile, will open the Tuesday schedule on Centre Court against Mannarino, a match preceding the women’s quarterfinals.