Five players who broke through on Manic Monday

Felix Auger-Aliassime was one of the five players who broke through on Manic Monday

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Felix Auger-Aliassime was one of the five players who broke through on Manic Monday

After hectic action on the last ‘Manic Monday’ at Wimbledon, five players were through to their first Grand Slam quarterfinals.

As Wimbledon is doing away with the tradition of the Middle Sunday from next year, Monday was the last time that all singles Round of 16 matches were played on the same day on the historic lawns.

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Only the match between Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurcakz had to be carried over to Tuesday because of rain.

No 2 seed Medvedev was leading the Pole 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 3-4 when the match had to be delayed to Tuesday. Neither of them have made it to the last eight at Wimbledon.

There were a host of players making the Wimbledon quarterfinals the very first time: Denis Shapovalov, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Matteo Berrettini, Marton Fucsovics and Karen Khachanov on the men’s side, Ash Barty, Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur, Karolina Pliskova , Viktorija Golubic and Ajla Tomljanovic on the women’s side.

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Five of them will be playing their first quarterfinal at a major. Here’s who:

Felix Auger-Aliassime

The Canadian scored five-set win over German fourth seed Alexander Zverev on Monday.

Auger-Aliassime, seeded 16, defeated Zverev 6-4, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 3-6, 6-4 and will face Italy’s seventh seed Matteo Berrettini for a place in the semi-finals.

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Zverev, bidding to make the Wimbledon last-eight for the first time, was undone by 20 double faults and 42 unforced errors.

Auger-Aliassime unleashed 17 aces and 54 winners. The 20-year-old started working Rafael Nadal’s former coach and uncle Toni Nadal this year.

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The Canadian will take on big-hitting Italian Matteo Berrettini in the last eight.

Marton Fucsovics

After Marton Fucsovics lost against Andrey Rublev for the second time this year in Dubai, the Hungarian told his opponent, “I hope I don’t play you anymore this year!”

It’s fitting that on Monday, the 29-year-old earned the biggest win of his career against the Russian.

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Fucsovics rallied past Rublev 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 after two hours and 41 minutes to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals. The unseeded righty is the first Hungarian to make the last eight at The Championships since Jozsef Asboth in 1948.

“From the beginning, I had a very good feeling on the court,” Fucsovics said. “I was serving well. I was moving very well. I hit the ball very well. I hit a lot of winners, so I was very confident.”

The Hungarian will need a dose of that confidence as he goes up against World No 1 Novak Djokovic on Wednesday.

Ajla Tomljanovic

World No. 75 Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia progressed to the quarterfinal after British teenager Emma Raducanu retired due to a breathing problem. Ajla was leading 6-4, 3-0 when the Emma retired.

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“I’m unbelievably proud of myself that I’m here,” Ajla said in her post-match press conference.

“I didn’t think I would be, in a way. I didn’t think these two weeks would be my breakthrough. Now that they are, it’s kind of surreal. It just puts everything back into perspective. No matter the outcome tomorrow, I’m probably never going to forget this.”

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Ajla will now take on compatriot and world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty for a place in the semifinal.

Aryna Sabalenka

Entering Wimbledon as the only player in the Top 20 to have not reached the last eight at a major, No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka checked off the long-awaited milestone by beating Elena Rybakina, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

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“Of course I’m really happy. But like I said before, this is not my final goal. I’m trying to be happy but at the same time be focused and be ready for the next one because it’s also not easy match.”

She added, with a smile: “But of course I’m really happy I finally broke this wall. I’m in the quarterfinals. Really looking forward for the next match. Hopefully I can keep going.”

The Belarusian, however, has a tricky task ahead as she faces Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur next.

Viktorija Golubic

Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland advanced into the last eight with a 7-6(3), 6-3 victory over No.23 seed Madison Keys of the United States.

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Golubic had never advanced past the third round of a major before this fortnight, but the World No.66 continues her excellent season by booking a spot in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal with her one-hour and 39-minute win over former World No.7 Keys.

“It’s very, very exciting to be through,” Golubic said, in her post-match press conference. “It’s so special now to be in the quarterfinals.”

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She will take on No 8 seed and former US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova in the last eight.

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