The third Sunday action in Wimbledon history saw the two top men's seeds, Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, stay firmly on course for what would be a titanic final in one week's time.
Federer was imperious in dismissing Sweden's Thomas Johansson in straight sets on the Centre Court while Roddick outgunned Taylor Dent on No.1 Court in a battle of the American heavyweights.
Main threats to the big two, Tim Henman and Mark Philippoussis, also made it into the last 16, and they will go up against each other on Monday.
PHOTO: AFP
In the women's tournament, top seed and title-holder Serena Williams coasted past Spain's Magui Serna and there were comfortable wins also for her main challenger Amelie Mauresmo of France and for American Jennifer Capriati.
Top seed and defending champion Federer set up a last 16 meeting with Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic when he outclassed Johansson in a third round tie.
Karlovic, who ousted defending champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the first round last year, defeated Spain's Feliciano Lopez in four service-dominated sets.
PHOTO: AFP
A single break in each of the first two sets and two in the third were enough for Federer to win his 20th consecutive match on grass.
Opening activities on what was only the third time in Wimbledon history that the middle Sunday had been used for play, Federer never looked in any danger and in three rounds he has lost just 19 games and has yet to be broken on serve.
"I thought today was a tough match and a test. The other two games were too easy with washouts in the third sets, but this was really tough and I had to focus hard and not be broken," Federer said.
"I am feeling very good, better than last year because I know now I can win this tournament."
Roddick, losing semifinalist here last year to Federer and the No. 2 seed this time, maintained his supremacy over US contemporary Dent with a straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/1) win in a tie dominated by big serves.
The American let a match point slip away at 6-5 up in the fourth, but he dominated the decisive tie-break 7-1 ending it with another big serve.
Henman blew hot and cold against old rival Hicham Arazi of Morocco, going a break down in all four sets before winning 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
It was a performance that had a youthful and noisy Sunday afternoon crowd at times despairing and at times jubilant.
And it will have to be a much more consistent Henman who shows up on Monday if he is to stun "The Scud."
"It was difficult out there. It was very swirly and the quality of the tennis was not always great, but you just have to find a way through it," he said.
"I need to play a bit better [against Philippoussis] but I still fancy my chances."
A reborn Philippoussis came through against Chile's Fernando Gonzalez winning 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4.
There were third round wins also for German youngster Florian Mayer against South African veteran Wayne Ferriera and for 2002 semifinalist Xavier Malisse of Belgium in straight sets over Karol Beck of Slovakia.
Vincent Spadea ousted Rainer Schuettler of Germany 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 whilst rising Croatian Mario Ancic defeated 25th seed Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 7-5, 6-3, 7-5.
Serena Williams remained on course to become the first women to win three titles in a row since Steffi Graf (1991 to 1993) with a lop-sided 6-4, 6-0 win over the diminutive Serna.
Seventh seeded Capriati defeated Nathalie Dechy 7-5, 6-1 and she goes on to play Russian 10th seed Nadia Petrova who defeated in straight sets Tatiana Perebiynis of the Ukraine.
"It was a good win," she said. "The first set was a little bit tough but I stuck in there. it was a little bit of a test. Then I just really played well in the second set when I got going."
The conquerer of Venus Williams, 19-year-old Karolina Sprem of Croatia, kept a cool head on her to win two tie-breaks against veteran American Meghann Shaughnessy and she next plays Bulgarian veteran Magdalena Maleeva for a place in the quarterfinals.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care