Lleyton Hewitt survived a scare in the shape of a giant Belgian on Thursday before narrowly keeping alive his hopes of a record fourth successive Stella Artois title.
The Australian world No. 1 and Wimbledon champion withstood a barrage of swinging left-handed serves and powerfully-clubbed groundstrokes from Dick Norman before advancing 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 in a shade over two hours.
Hewitt's reward is a place in the quarter-finals of the 800,000-euro grasscourt event, where he will play France's Sebastien Grosjean, a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Todd Reid.
PHOTO: AP
"He [Norman] serves so well ... it helps when you are coming down from 6ft 8ins [2.032 metres] I guess," Hewitt said. "I don't think anyone at Wimbledon is going to serve any better than that.
"That was a different kind of match out there ... he made it very hard to find a rhythm," he said.
Hewitt was joined in the last eight by second seed Andre Agassi, No. 3 Andy Roddick and Britain's three-times runner-up Tim Henman.
Agassi, looking unamused at being put on a dewy grasscourt in the early evening, destroyed fellow former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek in just 48 minutes.
Lashing winners all over the court, Agassi crushed the Dutchman 6-1, 6-2 and next faces Xavier Malisse.
By contrast, Roddick and Henman were made to toil hard for their wins.
Roddick tussled with Briton Greg Rusedski on Centre Court before prevailing 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, threatening Rusedski's service speed record with a 236.6km per hour delivery.
That serve was officially clocked as the second fastest ever, just a touch slower than Rusedski's world record 239.8km serve hit in Indian Wells five years ago.
Roddick will face fellow American Taylor Dent in the last eight.
"This is the most comfortable I have felt on grass thus far in my career," Roddick said. "I thought I played pretty well all the way through. I got here a little early and I think that has been beneficial."
Henman again made life difficult for himself, dropping the first set against little-known Frenchman Cyril Saulnier before winning 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.
He next plays another Frenchman, Anthony Dupuis.
"Perhaps I've been a little unsure on serve at times ... but you only have to look at what is happening out there now to see how well the guys are returning now," Henman said.
"But it is the sign of a good player that you can win when things aren't going so well. I am coming through some difficult situations," he said.
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