LONDON — Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal eased into the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Monday as the sport's Grand Slam heavyweights continued to deliver blow after blow to their wilting lightweight rivals.
Defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic reached his 11th Wimbledon quarter-final and 45th at the majors with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win over France's Ugo Humbert. Third seed Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion, swept to an easy 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 win over outclassed Joao Sousa of Portugal to book his place in a seventh quarterfinal at the All England Club.
Roger Federer on Monday became the oldest man to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal in 28 years when he booked his place in the Wimbledon last-eight for the 17th time.
Eight-time champion Federer breezed past Italy's Matteo Berrettini 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in just 74 minutes to make sure of a spot in his 55th quarter-final at the Slams. It was also his 99th win at the All England Club.
At 37, he is the oldest man to reach the last eight at the majors since 39-year-old Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open. Federer, who hit 24 winners and just five unforced errors, will face Japan's Kei Nishikori.
Nishikori defeated Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last eight for the second successive year. The 29-year-old Japanese star trails Federer 3-7 in career meetings although he won their most recent meeting at the ATP Finals in London at the end of last season. Monday's win was Nishikori's ninth in nine meetings against world 58 Kukushkin
Four-time champion and top seed Djokovic will face Belgium's David Goffin for a place in the semifinals. Djokovic, 32, has a 5-1 career record over 21st seed Goffin who will be playing in his first Wimbledon quarterfinal.
Humbert, the world No. 66, had never played a match on grass before this season and was defeated in just one hour and 42 minutes. "My plan always is to reach the final stages at Grand Slams," said Djokovic who converted five of nine break points on Monday. "Wimbledon has been a special tournament that has motivated me throughout my life."
Nadal next plays Sam Querrey, against whom he holds a 4-1 record. The 33-year-old Spaniard is chasing his 19th title at the majors, which would put him just one behind the all-time record of 20 held by Federer — his potential opponent in the semifinals.
"A lot of positive things out there. To be back in the quarter-finals is great news for me," said Nadal who took just three minutes more than Djokovic to complete his day's work. "Happy to be where I am and the body is holding well, playing some good tennis — and straight sets helps."
Goffin matched his best-ever performance at the majors by reaching his first Wimbledon quarterfinal. The Belgian beat Spain's Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (11-9), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
In getting to the last eight of a Grand Slam for the third time, Goffin became the fifth Belgian man in history to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon — and, along with Xavier Malisse in 2002, the only one to do so since 1924.
"It's so tough to beat Novak in the best of five and especially here on grass," admitted 28-year-old Goffin. "Even for Roger, it will probably be the toughest challenge."
Also joining Nadal in the last-eight was his compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut who reached his first Wimbledon quarterfinal and second at the majors this year when he defeated France's Benoit Paire 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.
The 31-year-old world No. 22 will face either 2016 runner-up Milos Raonic of Canada or Argentina's Guido Pella for a place in the semifinals. Paire said he was seriously under-par.
"I have a tear in my abdominal, so I try to serve, like, 60%, 70%, but it's tough," said the Frenchman. Bautista Agut, who has now defeated Paire seven times in seven meetings, also made the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in January.
For the first time, Monday's last-16 line-up featured more players over 30 than under for the first time in the modern era. With Djokovic, Nadal, Querrey, Federer and Bautista Agut all winning, there are already five 30-somethings in the last-eight.
Federer raced into his 17th Wimbledon quarterfinal with a demolition of Berrettini on Monday but, contrary to what the scoreline suggests, this did not require a masterclass from the Swiss great.
In truth, a match that on paper looked as if it might provide his first big test of the tournament as he chases a ninth title was a no-contest as his 23-year-old Italian opponent self-destructed on Centre Court.
From the moment Federer broke in the fourth game with a silky smooth smash, any tactical plan a dazed Berrettini took on court with him unraveled in spectacular fashion. After losing the first set in 17 minutes and the second in not much longer he disappeared off court — presumably to try and locate a panic room somewhere in the All England Club.
When he returned Berrettini found even more unusual ways to gift points to eight-time champion Federer, notably when he dribbled a dreadful attempt at a drop-volley into the net with Federer out of position behind the baseline.
Even the 37-year-old Swiss, anxious to save energy and get off court quickly as dark clouds gathered, looked aghast, shaking his head at the ineptitude of his opponent's error.
It was a shame for Berrettini, who was hoping to become only the fifth Italian to reach the quarterfinals here, as he is clearly a much better player than this performance suggested. There was sympathetic applause from the crowd when he did connect properly but Federer was having none of it as a sweet volley put Berrettini out of his misery in one hour 14 minutes.
