Rafael Nadal overcame an early blip to defeat Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin and reach the Wimbledon last 16, shining beneath the Centre Court roof on Saturday as heavy rain swept away the action outside.
The 2008 and 2010 champion dropped the opening set for the third time in three matches before turning things around in a 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 victory.
The second-seeded Spaniard blitzed world number 63 Kukushkin, who had never won a match at Wimbledon before this year.
Nadal, the 28-year-old winner of 14 Grand Slam titles, won 17 of the last 19 games and goes on to face either Australia’s rising star Nick Kyrgios or Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic for a place in the quarterfinals.
They had played just 15 minutes of their third-round match out on Court 17 before rain halted all action on the uncovered courts and forced All England Club organisers to cancel 24 doubles and junior matches by mid-afternoon.
Meanwhile, Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday took some time off to enjoy an afternoon at the Wimbledon watching Rafael Nadal in action.
Tendulkar was seated in the Royal Box of the Centre Court where he watched the match between Nadal and Kukushkin.
Looking dapper in an ink blue suit with sky blue tie, Tendulkar sat alongside former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss while former football captain David Beckham sat just a row in-front.
Tendulkar was seen engaged in conversation between the points with Strauss as Beckham was sitting with another England soccer legend Sir Bobby Charlton.
At this time of the month every year, Tendulkar normally spends some time in London. He always makes it a point to drop in at the SW19 to watch the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal live in action.
Sharapova cruisesMeanwhile, Maria Sharapova hit top gear under a closed Centre Court roof, comfortably winning 11 games on the trot to keep her bid for a second title on track, 10 years after she won her first.
The 27-year-old Russian, whose notorious shriek drowned out the patter of the rain on the court's sail-like roof, said she was pleased with her performance after defeating American Alison Riske 6-3, 6-0 to advance to the fourth round.
“I’m quite happy with the way I’ve gone about things so far,” she said after her match.
“I’m happy I’ve gone further than last year, erasing those memories and trying to form new ones,” she added, referring to her shock second-round exit last year.
