London (AFP) - Rafael Nadal has shrugged off new concerns over his fitness as he targets a place in an eighth Wimbledon semi-final on Wednesday while Nick Kyrgios plays in the shadow of fresh controversy.
In Nadal's last-16 clash against Botic van de Zandschulp, the 36-year-old had strapping across his abdomen.
Only last month, he won a 14th French Open with his troublesome left foot anaesthetised.
"I'm a little bit tired to talk about my body, all the issues that I am having," said 22-time Grand Slam title winner Nadal, who has never lost a Wimbledon quarter-final.
"I prefer to not talk about that now.For the moment I am healthy enough to keep going and fight for the things that I want."
As Nadal prepared to tackle Taylor Fritz in his quarter-final, 2019 champion Simona Halep and Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina set up a clash for a place in the women's final.
Halep, the 2019 champion, said she was playing her "best tennis" after comfortably reaching her third semi-final at the All England Club with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Amanda Anisimova of the United States.
"Definitely this is my best tennis," said the Romanian, who missed last year's Wimbledon with a calf injury.
"I am trying to build my confidence back, and it's good."
Halep has yet to drop a set at this year's tournament as she targets a third major title, having also won the 2018 French Open.
Russian-born Rybakina became the first player representing Kazakhstan to reach a Grand Slam semi-final when she defeated Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
"It is amazing.I am really happy to be into the semi-final.It was a really tough match," said the 23-year-old Moscow-born player.
Rybakina switched nationality in 2018.This year Russian and Belarusian players are banned from Wimbledon following the invasion of Ukraine.
Nadal Slam dream
Nadal is halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam by a man since Rod Laver in 1969.
In-form Fritz is in the last eight of a Slam for the first time and has yet to drop a set.He warmed up for Wimbledon by claiming the grasscourt title at Eastbourne.
The 24-year-old defeated Nadal in the Indian Wells Masters final earlier this year when the Spaniard was suffering from a cracked rib.
That defeat ended his 20-match win streak and forced him to take a six-week rest before the clay court season.
Waiting in the semi-final will be either Australian Nick Kyrgios or Chile's Cristian Garin.
Despite the presence of Nadal and six-time champion Novak Djokovic in the draw, Kyrgios has arguably been the headline act.
He is back in the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time since 2014, when he made a mockery of his 144 world ranking to stun Nadal.
The 27-year-old has taken his aces count past the 100 mark and hit a total of 257 winners over four rounds.
He has also been involved in plenty of controversy.Kyrgios was described as a "bully" with an "evil side" by third-round rival Stefanos Tsitsipas.
"I sit here now in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon again, and I just know there's so many people that are so upset," Kyrgios said.
The 40th-ranked player will go into Wednesday's match just a day after reports emerged in Australia that he faces a court appearance next month on an allegation of assault.
Garin, ranked 43, saved two match points to beat Australia's Alex de Minaur in a gruelling last-16 tie, which lasted four hours and 34 minutes.
Defending champion Djokovic and Britain's Cameron Norrie will meet in the other men's semi-final.
Women's world number two Ons Jabeur and unseeded Tatjana Maria made sure of their semi-final places on Tuesday.
