Djokovics rip-roaring act

Novak Djokovic overcomes Hewitt in four sets while Federer and Serena get easy ticket to quarters.

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

Multiple champions Roger Federer and Venus Williams moved into the quarterfinals at Wimbledon with straight-set victories Monday while Kim Clijsters rallied to beat fellow Belgian Justine Henin in three sets for a spot in the final eight. Federer,chasing a record-tying seventh Wimbledon singles title,swept past 16th-seeded Jurgen Melzer 6-3 6-2 6-3.

Third seed Novak Djokovic fended off a typically gritty charge from Lleyton Hewitt to win their fourth-round contest 7-5 6-4 3-6 6-4. Djokovic claimed a tight opening set and seemed to have the measure of the 2002 champion when he took a two-set lead with barely 80 minutes on the clock. But he took on-court medication after complaining of feeling sick and Hewitt seized his chance in the third before Djokovic sealed a fist-pumping triumph with a ripping crosscourt forehand before stripping off and hurling his shirt into the crowd.

Meanwhile,Andy Murray kept British hopes of getting their first male Wimbledon champion since Fred Perry in 1936 alive with a straight sets 7-5 6-3 6-4 win over Sam Querry of the United States. Robin Soderling came through in a five-set battle against Spainish David Ferrer to reach the last eight. Soderling won 6-2 5-7 6-2 3-6 7-5 in just over three hours.

Sister act

Five-time champion Venus Williams overcame a tough challenge from the lowest-ranked player left in the draw. The second-seeded Williams broke back twice to stay in the second set,then escaped in the tiebreaker to complete a 6-4 7-6 5 victory on Court 2 over 92nd-ranked Jarmila Groth of Australia. There wasnt a lot of room for error for either one of us against each others serve, Williams said. She played really well today. I didnt think she made too many errors. Just really played some smart tennis and took advantage of opportunities. I played well at the end to close it out.

The victory sent Williams into her 31st Grand Slam quarterfinal and improved her record to 12-0 in fourth-round matches at Wimbledon. She is seeded to meet sister Serena,the defending champion and three-time winner,in Saturdays final. Serena cruised past 2004 champion Maria Sharapova 7-6 11 6-4 to keep the battle of sisters on track.

The Williams-Groth match got off to a bizarre start,with Venus showing up nearly 10 minutes late on court. As Groth and the chair umpire waited at the net,she didnt arrive until 12:09 local time. A stern-faced Williams didnt apologise or speak at all as she went to her chair. Williams put it all down to a simple mixup. I didnt know the procedure for Court 2,so I was waiting on someone to get me, she said. No one came. So eventually I just came out.

Belgian battle

Clijsters fought back from a set down to beat Henin 2-6 6-2 6-3 in a duel between two Belgians and former No. 1-ranked players making Wimbledon comebacks after returning from retirement. Henin received treatment on her right elbow on three changeovers after slipping and falling to the turf as she charged to the net at 2-1 in the first set.

Story continues below this ad

Henin seemed in complete command after easily winning the first set,but Clijsters lifted her game in the second to turn things around. She will play Russian Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals,who advanced when fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic retired with a back injury while trailing 6-1 3-0.

Third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki lost 6-2 6-0 to unseeded Czech Petra Kvitova while Li Na beat Polands Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3 6-2.