Coup Droit wrote:

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It's a real power house of quarter-finalists this year. The list just looks SO impressive.

Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic - the top three of the last ten years

Stan the Man, one of the main nearly-as-great players, with three Grand Slams.

Two exciting young stars - Sacha and Karen.

Thiem - a young-ish, possible/probable 'star'

And Kei, grand slam finalist.

All European except Kei.

Six of the top eight seeds there. Plus 10th and 24th seed.

Only one of the eight under 6 ft. in height. Two are 6 ft. 6.

Average age is 29.4.

Four are over 30. Two under 25. Zero 21 or under.

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There's a fascinating analysis by Matthew Syed in today's Times of how Andy "competed on virtually equal terms [with] Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic [who] respected him.  They even feared him.  They responded to his threat in myriad ways, Federer, in particular, taking his backhand earlier to deny Murray time, testing his legs, unsettling his rhythm" & of why the "Big Four" still stand hand & shoulders above the youngsters.  (N.B.  Behind a paywall, so subscription required or you can sign up for two free articles a week)

The heading of the print version is "Murray's desire a lesson to the next crop".  Towards the end, Syed quotes Freddie Rosengren as making the same point as Boris Becker last Sunday:  "They [the younger players] don't practise nearly as hard as the older players," he said a few months ago.  "For example, the day before the competition in Paris [the Masters], Carlos Moyá [Nadal's coach] came to me and asked, 'Can Kyle play from 11 till 1 with Rafa?'  This was two hours of practice and then more in the afternoon.  There is no one else doing that among the younger players."