Murray Rolls Into Quarterfinals While Isner Falls to Lopez

While there has been a number of upsets in the women’s draw at this year’s Wimbledon, the top-seeds and typical favorites on the men’s side have fared well thus far. Defending champion Andy Murray continued that trend Monday, coasting past 20th-seeded South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(8-6) to reach the quarterfinals for the seventh straight year.

Once again, rain caused a major delay in some matches Monday, including the one between Murray and Anderson. With the Scot up 3-0 in the second set, a 27-minute delay ensued due to the weather, forcing the roof to be closed in order for them to finish the match.

"When it was outdoors, I played well and was in a good position," said Murray after the match. "When we came back indoors, he started to strike the ball better, he was serving better and I was dropping the ball shorter than I had done. I had more running to do at the end and I got a bit tentative. It was a good win for me; he made it tough."

Anderson did come out of the delay a bit more energetic and was able to battle with Murray throughout the third set. The defending champion was too much to handle though, and outlasted Anderson in the third set to capture the straight set victory.

Murray has yet to lose a set in his first four matches of the tournament, and despite his third seed looks like the player to beat in the third Grand Slam of the season. He will take on the winner of Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, who had their match delayed as well due to the weather.

The last American on either side of the singles’ draw was sent home on Monday, as ninth-seeded John Isner fell to Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 6-7(8), 7-6(6), 7-6(3), 7-5. Isner smashed a remarkable 52 aces throughout the match, but was unable to pull through in the tiebreakers which cost him two sets.

Lopez countered with 34 aces of his own and also capitalized on the two break point opportunities he faced. Lopez will next face Stan Wawrinka for a spot in the quarterfinals, a place that Lopez has reached three times in his career.

As for Isner, his loss only adds to the struggles that American players have had recently. It is the first time since 1911 that no American men or women are in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, something Isner seemed disinterested in when asked about it after his loss.

“Didn’t know that,” said a stern Isner. “Don’t really care either.”

Croatia’s Marin Cilic also pushed his way into the quarterfinals on Monday, defeating France’s Jeremy Chardy in straight sets, 7-6(10-8), 6-4, 6-4.