British dreams of historic Wimbledon double gather momentum
Andy Murray and Jo Konta are fuelling hopes of a golden tennis weekend ahead of their quarter-final matches at SW19.
Tuesday 11 July 2017 04:09, UK
It might be the heat, but Wimbledon fans are starting to talk seriously about an historic British double come the weekend.
The bandwagon rolls on from Manic Monday into Tense Tuesday.
And thanks to the extraordinary five-set epic which saw Rafael Nadal sent home to Majorca by Gilles Muller, the 16th seed from Luxembourg, the agonies are set to run into Tuesday evening.
Novak Djokovic, who waited and waited through those four hours and 48 minutes and never did get to play, will now start Tuesday's Centre Court programme against Adrian Mannarino.
That means Jo Konta's first Wimbledon quarter-final against Romanian second seed Simona Halep is moved back to the third match on the sport's most hallowed turf.
The first British woman in a quarter-final here since Jo Durie in 1984, Konta said: "It's very exciting. It's another step forward to being involved in the event for the full two weeks."
She beat French 21st seed Caroline Garcia in three sets.
Konta and Halep have history. The British number one was in tears at what she felt was intimidation from Romanian fans in Constanta during a Davis Cup match in April.
Romania coach Ilie Nastase was sent from the court after calling Konta and his British counterpart Anne Keothavong "bitches". He is banned from Wimbledon as a result.
Halep reiterated here after her fourth round victory that she believed the crowd in Constanta were fair. Konta retorted anyone who thought that "was not in my shoes".
As if any more spice were needed, Halep will become world number one if she wins on Tuesday.
Not since Roger Taylor and Virginia Wade in 1973 have Britain celebrated quarter-finalists in both the men's and women's singles at Wimbledon.
Taylor was in the Royal Box as Andy Murray saw off the bushy-bearded Frenchman Benoit Paire in straight sets on Monday.
Murray, who plays big-serving American Sam Querrey on Wednesday, has in theory an easier path to the final after Nadal's extraordinary exit.
He cannot face either Djokovic or Roger Federer before the final on Sunday.
British dreams are gathering momentum.