ANDY MURRAY and Jo Konta have ended a 44-year wait for Britain to have a player in both the men’s and ladies’ competition reach the quarter-finals at Wimledon.
Konta came through a tense battle with Spain’s Caroline Garcia to secure her place in the last eight in the tournament for the first time.
And Murray continued his quest for a third Wimbledon title as he saw off maverick Frenchman Benoit Paire in straight sets on Centre Court.
Their wins keep alive the hope Britain could be celebrating winning both titles at this year’s tournament – something never achieved in the modern era.
And it was way back in 1973 the last time the country had a representative in the last eight in the men’s and women’s, when Roger Taylor and Virginia Wade achieved the feat.
If anything, this year’s achievement is even better for 44 years ago the men’s competition was hit by a player revolt that saw 81 of the world’s best layers boycott the competition.
Taylor was one of only three members of the players’ union the ATP who defied the boycott, for which he was hit with a heavy fine after the tournament.
The Yorkshireman played a 17-year-old Bjorn Borg in the quarter-finals that year, in a match that was remembered for Taylor offering to replay match point over a dubious line call even though he had already been awarded the tie.
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Taylor eventually went down to eventual winner Jan Kodes from Czechoslovakia – the best Wimbledon performance of his career.
Wade was still desperately trying to make the breakthrough in her home tournament despite having already been crowned Australian Open and US Open by then.
At 28, there were high hopes 1973 would be her year, but she lost out in the last eight to the brilliant Evonne Goolagon.
The Australian went out in the next round at the hands of eventual winner Billie-Jean King.
Wade had long been tipped to win Wimbledon but many thought her defeat that year would be the end of her chances – only to finally win the title in 1977.
Konta’s opponent in the quarter-finals on Tuesday will be number two seed Simona Halep, who could finish the tournament as the world number one.
But the Brit is growing in confidence and has the kind of aggressive game that will cause the Romanian problems.
Murray, on paper, has an easier job in the last eight where he will face the winner of the clash between unseeded pair Sam Querry and Kevin Anderson.
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