day 4

Before play on Centre I get a nice seat on 16 for Querrey vs Rublev. Sam breaks first for 3-1 and continues holding for 6-3. 
The second set starts with a break and Sam rolls for 4-1. He’s just overpowering Rublev. He continues for 6-2 and two sets up in 51 minutes.   
Rublev goes down 2-4 in the third and Sam converts for 6-3. He gave Rublev a grass court lesson. 

Matches on Centre are getting ready and first up is Nishikori vs Norrie. Kei serves at 2-3 and Norrie gets a fortuitous break for 4-2.  Kei recovers to 4-4 and wins the first 6-4.
They trade breaks the first two games of the second but Kei breaks again and prevails 6-4
Norrie drops serve the opening game of the third and Kei cleans up 6-0.

Next on is Konta vs Siniakova. They hold until Jo goes up 4-2. She holds serve and plays well to take the first 6-3. The second is similar with Jo winning 6-4.
Meanwhile Roger has won over Clarke on One. 

Now we come to the feature match here. Nadal takes on Kyrgios and I’ve heard there might be bad blood between them. Nick did defeat him here a few years back. Some predict a severe beat down by Rafa but no one can really accurately predict how it will go.
Rafa comes out absolutely bashing the ball and Nick finds himself down 1-4. At 2-5 Nick serves a 143 mph second serve and then an underhand service winner to hold. Rafa holds for 6-3. He gives a celebratory fist pump.  All very entertaining stuff.

Nick breaks for 2-0 in the second, the last point on an 18-stroke rally. This match is heating up. Next game Nick is down 30-40 and makes a lucky guess to block Rafa’s passing shot. Amazing.  Rafa goes down 0-3.
At 3-1, 40-30. Nick plays an underhand service winner. Massive hitting gives a break back for Rafa but he loses his service giving Nick 5-3. Nick holds for 6-3 and we’re level. We get at least four sets. WOO HOO!!

The third is even to 4-4 with great shot making from both. Nick blasts a shot at Rafa, which he must dodge. Rafa next gives nick quite a glare. They proceed to a tiebreaker won by Rafa. Rafa goes up 5-2 and wins it 7-5.

Evenly matched in the fourth and they hold until 6-6. What fun. My favorite situation: a fourth set tiebreaker. Kyrgios fluffs a sitter volley and gets down 0-3. Rafa gets it 7-3. Good final match of the day. 
Cheers 
Richard

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