Clijsters, Williams grind ahead
Roger Federer was the epitome of Swiss cool as the mercury soared at Wimbledon on ‘Manic Monday’, but women’s title dreamers Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki both made limp exits.
Later, defending women’s champion Serena Williams ensured there was no repeat result from the 2004 final when she beat Maria Sharapova 7-6, 6-4 in a tense fourth-round contest.
That was after Serena’s elder sister and five-times champion Venus Williams had to play like a “hell-cat” according to her father Richard to resist Australia’s Jarmila Groth while Kim Clijsters remained on course for a semifinal meeting with the American after beating Justine Henin in the 25th Battle of the Belgians.
Eighth seed Clijsters came from behind to beat her old friend Henin to keep alive her bid to win Wimbledon for the first time.
Both former world number ones have returned from retirement and put their friendship on hold during the Court One clash.
Henin won the first set 6-2, but Clijsters won the second 6-2 and the third 6-3 to go through.
“I was just very overwhelmed in the beginning by the speed of her game. She was definitely overpowering me on every aspect of the match,” Clijsters said.
Serena and Sharapova went toe-to-toe under the blazing sunshine on Centre Court, and Sharapova, the 16th seed, will rue the chances she missed leading 6-4 in the opening set tiebreak.
A quick break of serve at the start of the second gave the American top seed the momentum, and the three-times champion wrapped up the victory when Sharapova sprayed a running backhand wide after an hour and 36 minutes. She will play China’s ninth seed Li Na for a place in the semifinals.
Earlier, fourth seed Jankovic’s mediocre Wimbledon record continued as the Serb retired with a back injury when trailing 6-1, 3-0 against Russian Vera Zvonareva, who will face Clijsters in her first Wimbledon quarter-final.
Wozniacki, seeded three, was then humiliated 6-2 6-0 by Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, the world number 62, who will face Estonian qualifier Kaia Kanepi for a place in the semis.
Defending champion Federer, who a week ago came within three points of an astonishing first-round defeat by Colombia’s Alejandro Falla, produced a masterclass to thrash close friend Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, and move to within three victories of a record-equalling seventh title.
“This was a one shirt-change kind of match,” a serene Federer said after an 84-minute exhibition. The 16-times Grand Slam champion had never played Melzer before on Tour.
In the quarterfinals, Federer will meet Tomas Berdych, who defeated Daniel Brands 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-5, 6-3.
Bopanna-Qureshi in doubles quarters
Rohan Bopanna and his Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi stormed into the quarterfinals of the doubles competition with an impressive straight set victory over Lukas Lacko of Slovakia and Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine here. The duo won 7-5 7-6(7-4) 6-2.
— Agencies
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