Faultless Sampras storms into fourth round

LONDON, June 29: US Open champion Pat Rafter was ousted in the fourth round at Wimbledon by local favourite Tim Henman today while world No ...

LONDON, June 29: US Open champion Pat Rafter was ousted in the fourth round at Wimbledon by local favourite Tim Henman today while world No 1 Pete Sampras led by example as a posse of seeds advanced.

A packed Centre Court crowd rose in their seats as 12th seed Henman applied the killer blow to finish off sixth-seeded Rafter 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 to make the quarter-finals for the third consecutive year. Defending champion Sampras charged into the fourth round after a faultless display on Centre Court.

The top seed brushed aside 17th-ranked Swede Thomas Enqvist 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 in a match carried over from Friday. He now meets Sebastien Grosjean of France, who upset Spain8217;s Felix Mantilla in straight sets.

Fourteenth seed Goran Ivanisevic beat Daniel Vacek 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4. In the woman8217;s draw Serena Williams pulled out from the tournament due to injury. The 16-year-old American was trailing Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 7-5, 4-1 when she retired because of a calf injury suffered in the third game ofthe opening set.

How the seeds fared

Seedings in prefix:

Men8217;s singles 3rd round: 1-Pete Sampras US bt Thomas Enqvist Swe 6-3 7-6 7-4 7-6 7-3, 9-Richard Krajicek Neth bt Nicolas Kiefer Ger 6-4 7-6 7-2 7-6 7-4, 14-Goran Ivanisevic Cro bt Daniel Vacek Czech Rep 6-7 6-8 7-6 7-4 6-3 6-4, Sebastien Grosjean Fra bt 16-Felix Mantilla Spa 6-0 7-6 10-8 6-2

Women8217;s singles 3rd round: 3-Jana Novotna Czech Rep bt Corina Morariu US 6-3 6-1, 7-Venus Williams US bt Chanda Rubin US 6-3 6-4, 10-Irina Spirlea Rom bt Surina de Beer SA 6-4 6-4

Other results

Men8217;s singles 3rd round: Todd Martin US bt Todd Woodbridge Aust 6-4 4-6 7-6 7-1 6-4, Francisco Clavet Spa bt Thomas Johansson Swe 7-6 7-4 6-3 6-3, Davide Sanguinetti Ita bt Vladimir Voltchkov Bela 3-6 6-1 5-7 6-2 6-1
Women8217;s singles 3rd round: Virginia Ruano-Pascual Spa bt Serena Williams US 7-5 4-1 retired.