19-year-old Nick Kyrgios shocks World No 1 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in maiden Wimbledon while Kerber beats Sharapova 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-4 to enter quarter-finals
Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova
London: Australia’s world number 144 Nick Kyrgios caused one of the greatest Wimbledon sensations yesterday when he sent world number one and 14-time Grand Slam title winner Rafael Nadal crashing to a shock defeat.
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Maria Sharapova reacts after her Round Four defeat to Angelique Kerber yesterday. Pic/Getty Images.
The 19-year-old Kyrgios, making his Wimbledon debut, clinched a fearless 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 victory to become the first wildcard in 10 years to make the quarter-finals at the All England Club.
A dejected Nadal walks off after his loss. Pic/Getty Images.
He is also the first player ranked outside the top 100 to defeat a world number one since Andrei Olhovskiy stunned Jim Courier in the Wimbledon third round in 1992. In women’s singles, Maria Sharapova suffered more Wimbledon heartache as the French Open champion crashed to a shock 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-4 defeat against Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the fourth round.
Nick Kyrgios
Sharapova famously won Wimbledon aged 17 in 2004, but she has struggled to emulate that feat for much of the last decade and this was another dispiriting experience for the Russian as the ninth seed sealed a stunning Centre Court triumph on her seventh match point.
Kerber
“Every single set was so close so I’m just happy that I won against Maria. She’s a great player,” said Kerber after her second win in six matches against the Russian.
Halep takes on Lisicki
Simona Halep booked her first Wimbledon quarter-final appearance as the Romanian third seed eased to a 6-3, 6-0 victory against Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas.
Her quarter-final opponent will be Sabine Lisicki after the German 19th seed shrugged off a shoulder injury to defeat Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Bopanna-Qureshi out
Meanwhile, Rohan Bopanna and his Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi lost to Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 3-6, 6-4, 5-7.