Match of the day
While world No.68 Karolina Muchova’s thrilling victory over No.3 seed and fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova, 13-11 in the third set, was the standout match during the early stages of Manic Monday, the very last singles to finish provided arguably even more drama.
It was looking like former runner-up Milos Raonic was cruising into the quarter-finals when he led Argentine Guido Pella by two sets to love on No.3 Court.
But the world No.26 from Buenos Aries refused to panic and slowly worked his way back into the match. Even when the big Canadian served for it in the fourth set Pella kept fighting, broke back and then nicked the tie-break to take the contest into an unlikely deciding set.
The South American had the advantage of serving first in the fifth and had Raonic playing catch-up throughout.
The No.15 seed saved a match point at 4-5, another two on serve from 15-40 at 5-6 but couldn’t survive a fourth as Pella completed a remarkable 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3), 8-6 victory.
The win earns Pella his first Grand Slam quarter-final and a shot at Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut on Wednesday.
Few would have chosen either player as a potential Wimbledon semi-finalist when the tennis got under way a week ago
Tweet(s) of the day
Special mention
Anyone following Alison Riske’s early grass court form would have been sitting up and taking notice when she notched up 10 wins on the bounce and back-to-back grass court trophies in Surbiton and ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Even so, the world No.55 still went into Monday’s meeting with world No.1 Ashleigh Barty as underdog – especially since the Australian was riding high on a 15-match win streak.
But the 29-year-old American has always been comfortable on the green stuff and she held her nerve impressively over the closing stages to score her second career win over Barty on No.2 Court.
The 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 success puts Riske into her first Grand Slam quarter-final on Tuesday and afterwards her opponent gave her full credit. “You just have to look at her stats on a grass court to show just how dangerous she is,” Barty said. "She deserves to be in the quarter-finals. She played a great match today.”
Freeze frame
Stat of the day
Quote of the day
I wish I could get married more often. Maybe we'll have to renew our vows because it's worked out well having that on the horizon
Shot of the day
Under the radar
The Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova is another who doesn’t mind the grass but it was her fighting spirit that served her well on Monday.
The world No.54 trailed Belgian Elise Mertens by a set and 5-2 before finishing off a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory to move into the last eight here for the second time. “It feels great. I was nearly out,” she admitted. “I managed to pull it through.”
We can’t sign off without a shout out to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut who, incredibly, is the only player in the men’s last eight who is yet to drop a set. The 31-year-old was too solid for Frenchman Benoit Paire en route to his second Grand Slam quarter-final of the season and next plays Guido Pella with a first major semi-final within touching distance.