Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal aim for Wimbledon rematch on quarter-finals day

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Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will try to tee up their first Wimbledon meeting since the epic 2008 final when they headline the men’s quarter-finals.

 

Eight-time champion Federer plays Japan’s eighth seed Kei Nishikori second on Centre Court on Wednesday.

 

Top seed Novak Djokovic opens on the main show court against Belgium’s 21st seed David Goffin at 13:00 BST.

 

Nadal faces American Sam Querrey on Court One after fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut takes on Guido Pella.

 

In the mixed doubles, Andy Murray and Serena Williams will be third on Court Two for their last-16 match against top seeds Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar.

 

Federer, who turns 38 next month, is the oldest player in a last-eight line-up featuring five players aged over 30, while Nishikori and Goffin are the youngest men left in the draw at the age of 28.

 

The Swiss great is aiming to become the oldest men’s Grand Slam semi-finalist since American Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open.

 

How the men’s game will look when the power of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic eventually diminishes is something which has been discussed at length for a number of years now – and we are still no closer to knowing when that day will arrive.

 

The ‘big three’ have won the past 10 Grand Slams between them – Stan Wawrinka at the 2016 US Open was the last winner not from the trio – and few are looking past one of them lifting the Wimbledon trophy again on Sunday.

 

All three have sailed through the SW19 draw so far, dropping just one set apiece in reaching the quarter-finals.

 

Second seed Federer dropped just five games against young Italian Matteo Berretini, who was playing his first last-16 match at a Grand Slam.