Five facts on the ninth day of Wimbledon at the All England Club on Wednesday:
– Novak Djokovic takes on US Open champion Marin Cilic for a place in his 27th Grand Slam semi-final. Cilic is looking for a place in only his third Grand Slam semi-final and first at Wimbledon. Should he upset the two-time champion, Cilic would become just the third Croatian man in the Open Era to reach the last four.
– First-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist Vasek Pospisil continues his habit of facing British players at 2015 Wimbledon with a clash against Andy Murray. Pospisil defeated Britain’s James Ward in the third round and is looking to become the first man since Feliciano Lopez at 2007 Wimbledon to defeat two British players at a Grand Slam. The Canadian will hope to avoid losing to both Murray brothers this year, after Jamie Murray (and John Peers) ended the defence of his Wimbledon doubles title on Monday.
– Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet are both through to the quarter-finals — the first time two Frenchmen have featured in the last eight at Wimbledon since 1991. Simon, who faces seven-time champion Roger Federer, and Gasquet, who plays Stan Wawrinka, are bidding to do a French double over Swiss players. The last time two French players defeated two Swiss players at the same Grand Slam event was at 1986 Roland Garros.
– Federer is bidding to reach his 37th Grand Slam semi-final and 10th at Wimbledon. Jimmy Connors holds the record of 11 last-four spots at Wimbledon.
– Murray is looking to reach his 17th Grand Slam semi-final and extend his record for the most Grand Slam semi-final appearances by a British man ahead of Fred Perry (13 semi-finals).
