French Open: Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori come through in the fourth round

There may be a new champion on the women’s side at the French Open come Saturday, but familiar faces and former finalists have continued to stake their claim on the terre batue, including winners today Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, and Kei Nishikori. All three are major contenders for the title.

Andy Murray, a finalist last year, is going for his first French Open grand slam. Last year he lost to Novak Djokovic, but managed to snag the No. 1 ranking from him later in the year. Both players are looking good at Roland Garros, despite turning in disappointing results all year long. Still ranked No. 1 and 2, Murray and Djokovic clearly still have a very good chance of walking away from the trophy. Murray was in fine form in his fourth round match against 21-year-old Karen Khachanov, winning in just three sets, in just over two hours, 6-3 6-4 6-4. Pulling a successful run here will provide a boost for the Scot who has turned in early defeats in major tournaments and injury withdrawals. But Murray has played his best at the French this year, taking out top players like Juan Martin del Potro.

Andy Murray followed up today’s strong performance with a moving tribute to the victims in Manchester and London, received with a standing ovation by the crowd.

“It was a terrible tragedy in London and also in Manchester only a few weeks ago,” he said after the match. “Paris has had some problems in the last few years and I’m sure everyone will join me in sharing the fact that our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this.”

If Murray wins at Roland Garros, he’ll be the first British man since Fred Perry did it in 1935.

The 30-year-old will play Kei Nishikori next, who beat Fernando Verdasco, despite being bageled in the first set, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-0. The Japanese player is into the quarters, where he has never progressed past at the tournament. Of the three, he’s got the longest odds of making it to the final. Although Murray owns their head-to-head stats and beat him the last time at the ATP World Tour finals, Nishikori actually won their last grand slam match, at the US Open, in a five-set thriller. But don’t ask the Japanese player because he can’t remember!

“I don’t even know if I win or lost,” he told reporters. “I won?” was his surprise response when they informed him. Hilarious!

“We have played so many times,” Nishikori said at the press conference. “He’s a great player, a very smart tennis player. It’s never easy, and I think this week he’s been playing well. He’s hitting great balls. So I’m sure it’s going be tough one, but I will try to enjoy it and try to win the match.”

The wild card in all this is of course the dark horse Stan Wawrinka, who also won his match today against the entertaining Gael Monfils, 7-5, 7-6(7), 6-2. “Stan the Man” employed his mental toughness to thwart Monfils’ powerful athleticism and shot-making with beautiful shots of his own, including the gorgeous backhand down-the-line that helped clinch the win. Wawrinka moves into his third consecutive French Open quarterfinal against Marin Cilic.

The French Open is one of three grand slam trophies the Swiss player has attained. He always floats under the radar and seems to get it together when it counts most, in a grand slam final. Of all three finals he’s been in, he’s won, including against Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic twice. And age doesn’t seem to be a factor since all his major wins have been achieved late in his career. Wawrinka may not have been the most consistent, but he’s a dangerous underdog.

Of the three, my bet is on Stan Wawrinka pulling off another surprise and progressing further in the tournament.