Nadal, Federer, Sharapova star on super Saturday

FE Team | Published: June 29, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

LONDON, June 28 (AFP): Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams lend heavyweight star quality to super Saturday at Wimbledon with places in the fourth round to be decided.
Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion, has reached the last 32 for the first time since 2011 and will tackle Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin.
Two days after taking revenge on Lukas Rosol, the big-hitting Czech who knocked him out in the second round in 2012, Nadal will be fired up after finding himself on the receiving end of barbs over the time he takes between points.
Rosol pointed the finger directly at the Spaniard while Federer joined in with a more subtle appeal to have play in general speeded up to ward off fears that fans could desert the sport if it loses its attractiveness.
Nadal has beaten the world number 63 Kukushkin in both their previous encounters for the loss of just seven games.
Federer, the seven-time champion, tackles Colombian world number 35 Santiago Giraldo who he defeated in their one previous meeting in straight sets at the 2011 US Open.
Giraldo had never got beyond the second round at Wimbledon until this year.
Sharapova, who won the first of her five majors at Wimbledon as a 17-year- old in 2004, faces America's Alison Riske who she beat on grass in the semi- finals in Birmingham in their only other previous clash in 2010.