Rafael Nadal is coasting right now, but he’ll have to be on his toes in the quarterfinals, where he’ll meet a dangerous Sam Querrey, who appears to have what it takes to take down the Spaniard based on his performance in his previous matches. Nadal is still the heavy favorite in this matchup, but Querrey’s game speaks for itself as to why the American is a popular sleeper pick. Read on for a preview of this American-Spaniard grass war.
TV Broadcast: ESPN, NBC Sports, TSN, Tennis Channel
Betting on Sam Querrey (+550)
Querrey had to get past countrymen Tennys Sandgren in the Round of 16 to book a precious spot in the quarterfinals. Querrey beat Sandgren, 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5), and in the process, managed to reach this point of the tournament for the third time in four years. Querrey is among the sexiest sleeper picks at Wimbledon. He’s been flirting with success in the tournament for the past few years, as mentioned. In 2017, he made the semifinals wherein he lost to Marin Cilic, but defeated the likes of ANdy Murray and Kevin Anderson in the same event. Querrey faces a stern test in Nadal, but he’ll draw confidence from the fact that he beat the Spaniard the last time the two met. Querrey subdued Nadal in Acapulco (hardcourt) two years ago, 6-3, 7-6 (3). Querrey entered the 2019 Wimbledon on the heels of an impressive performance on grass in Eastbourne, where he made it to the Finals, though, he failed to complete the mission, as he lost to Taylor Harry Fritz in two sets.
Betting on Rafael Nadal (-900)
Save for the testy matchup with Nick Kyrgios in the second round, Nadal has never been truly tested in this year’s Wimbledon thus far. In the fourth round, he eliminated Joao Sousa with relative ease, scoring a 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 win. Nadal’s service game gave Sousa headaches, as the 2019 French Open champion peppered his opponent with 30 winners to just 16 bu Sousa. Nadal also put 57 percent of his first serves in and won 86 percent of his first-serve points. He also broke Sousa six out of eight times and won 69 percent of his second-serve points. Nadal is clearly on a roll right now, and he can’t afford to have any drop in form against a dangerous opponent in Querrey, whose grass game should never be underestimated by anyone. Having said that, it’s safe to say that Nadal has Querrey’s number, as he has won five of their six career meetings, dating back to 2006.
