Andy Murray versus Sam Querrey

The hopes of the home nation are still alive as Andy Murray has moved through to yet another Wimbledon quarterfinal.  It has been a solid effort by the Brit thus far, who came into this tournament having suffered an early loss at Queen's and nursing an injury.  His quarterfinal opponent, Sam Querrey, has also put in a respectable effort in managing to back up his quarterfinal showing from a year ago.  He is going to have to come up with something extra special though if he hopes to go one better.  He definitely has the tools to garner the upset. 

He has easy power from the ground, especially on his forehand wing, owns a booming serve, and he is not too shabby at the net.  With his win over Novak Djokovic last year and a victory over Rafael Nadal earlier this season, he also enters this match knowing he can pull off a shocker.  Unfortunately, for Querrey, that scenario is not likely.  Murray is one of the best returners in the game, which will blunt the effectiveness of Querrey's serve.  He is far more consistent from the back of the court and exhibits superior defense.  Additionally, the Scot is great at absorbing power and plenty comfortable being the one to dictate play.  He has a commanding 7-1 lead in his rivalry with Querrey and is vastly more experienced than the American at this juncture of a major.  All told, unless Murray has a bad day at the office, he is advancing.

Marin Cilic versus Gilles Muller

The grass may be playing slower than it did a decade or so ago, but this quarterfinal is sure to recall memories of the fast-paced matches of yore.  Gilles Muller and, to a greater extent, Marin Cilic are two men who have proven that they can hold their own from the back when necessary, but they prefer to play first-strike tennis and move forward whenever possible.  Not surprisingly, the serve is going to be a key factor in this one, and it's the stroke that Muller is more known for.  Muller is arguably more comfortable at the net, as he looks to get there with greater frequency.  But Cilic is no slouch in either of those departments and at 6'6”, he cuts an even more imposing figure at the net.

In addition to that, the Croat is more solid from the back of the court, particularly on the backhand wing, and he can play some exceptional defense for a man his size.  Speaking strictly in terms of their respective games, the edge lies with Cilic.  Cilic should also enjoy a mental edge as well.  Although they were tight, he has won both of his prior meetings against the Luxembourger, including this year on the grass in Queen's.  There is also no telling how much Muller has left in the tank after coming off the emotional high of his phenomenal five-set victory over Rafael Nadal in the last round. If Cilic does not let his guard down in facing Muller rather than Nadal and plays within himself, he should keep his perfect record against Muller intact and move through to the semifinals.

Roger Federer versus Milos Raonic

Fans of grass-court tennis are undoubtedly delighted to see this matchup unfold because Roger Federer and Milos Raonic are two men who are at their best on this surface.  Raonic has a game that can be dangerous on most any surface, but it is most effective here on the grass due to the regularity with which he charges the net.  It also rewards his slice backhand, which in turn allows him to hide his flatter backhand, one of the weakest parts of his game.  His monster serve earns him free points, and he makes ample inroads with his forehand.  Wimbledon is the site of his lone major final appearance as well, so between that and having won his last two matches against Federer – the most recent being their semifinal showdown at this venue last season – he should be feeling reasonably confident.  The problem for the Canadian is that few, if any, are more confident than Federer right now. 

Thanks to superb play at the start of the season, he came in and remains the clear favorite for the title here.  Like Raonic, he looks to play first-strike tennis, but he can do that from the forecourt or the baseline with equal ease.  His defense is superior to Raonic's, as is his backhand, and he owns far more variety in his game.  And though he has lost his last two matches to Raonic, he still enjoys a 9-3 lead in their rivalry.  Most importantly, he comes into this match knowing his best is better than the Canadian's.  As the Swiss has been in better form all season, there is no reason to believe he will not be the better man on Wednesday.  If that be the case, then he will continue his march towards an eighth Wimbledon crown.

Novak Djokovic versus Tomas Berdych

It would be an understatement to say that it has been a disappointing season for Novak Djokovic.  His struggles have been well documented, and after a lackluster quarterfinal exit that resulted in his sliding to Number 4 in the rankings, he left Paris with more questions than answers.  In a move that some classified as desperate, the Serb opted to play the tune-up at Eastbourne.  In hindsight, it looks to have been a smart move, as this is the most confident he has looked all season in making his way to the last eight.  He knows that there is still work be done, however, and will be fully aware of the challenge that Tomas Berdych presents.  The Czech has been dealing with his own sub-par results this season, but he is still a dangerous opponent able to turn things around at any given moment.  He possesses easy power from the ground and on serve, and his ability to finish the job at the net is an underrated part of his game. 

He is also a former finalist here and defeated the second seed en route to that final.  Of course, while that result makes Djokovic respect the threat the Czech represents, he is unlikely to be too troubled.  He has been overwhelmingly successful against Berdych, as evidenced by his 25-2 lead in their rivalry.  He has defeated the eleventh seed the last twelve times they have met and three out of the four occasions where they clashed at a major.  Furthermore, Djokovic has typically been the one to come through when the chips are down on the big points.  In short, Berdych may have the tools to trouble Djokovic, especially if the Serb plays like what we have seen throughout this season, but Djokovic presently looks like the stronger of the pair.  If he is back to feeling his confident self, then he is going to continue to build that momentum by advancing to the semifinals.