Share

Federer coasts into last 8

London - Seven-time champion Roger Federer will take on close friend Stanislas Wawrinka in the Wimbledon quarter-finals after both men hurried to victory just in time to watch their native Switzerland tackle mighty Argentina in the World Cup.

Federer eased into his 12th Wimbledon quarter-final with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win over Tommy Robredo, a victory headlined by a perfect second set.

Australian Open champion Wawrinka, the fifth seed, made his first last-eight date at the All England Club at the 10th attempt by seeing off Spain's Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (9/7), 6-3.

Federer will start as overwhelming favourite having a 13-2 record over his 2008 Olympic Games gold medal partner.

But Wawrinka won their last encounter on clay at the Monte Carlo Masters final in April and the two have never met on grass.

Federer allowed fellow 32-year-old Robredo just three points off his serve in the first set and then none at all in the second with the 17-time Grand Slam title winner claiming 20 out of 20 points on service.

In all, Robredo won just 14 points on the Federer serve as the Swiss star went level with Boris Becker in joint second place for most match wins at the tournament on 71.

It was Federer's 11th win in 12 meetings with 23rd seed Robredo and avenged his loss to the Spaniard in the fourth round of the US Open last year.

Federer finished with 11 aces and 41 winners and has still to drop a set in the tournament in marked contrast to 12 months ago when he was knocked out in the second round.

"I am very happy with the way I played today. Tommy got better as the match went on," said Federer.

"I had a great first week and now I have started the second week well. I'm in another quarter-final and you feel as if you are closer to the finish line. I am serving well, returning well and my movement is good.

"I feel OK on court. I don't worry about what the press or the experts might say. My game is right there as long as I don't have any hiccups or letdowns."

Federer then turned his attentions to Switzerland's World Cup second round clash against Lionel Messi's Argentina later Monday.

"I might watch it while I am having treatment as I will be so tense," said Federer.

"I am very excited to see it. I missed it when Switzerland played Ecuador in the opening match because I was playing doubles in Halle.

"I want to see Messi play. We have nothing to lose and I'm sure we will it give it a go and see what happens. You never know, that's why we all watch sport."

The first set of the Wawrinka/Lopez clash saw the 100th tiebreak of the men's tournament at this year's Wimbledon -- the first time in history that the number of tiebreaks at a Grand Slam has reached triple figures in either the men's or the women's event.

The two men were then locked in a heated discussion at the net at the end of the tie although Wawrinka attempted to play down any bad feeling.

"The crowd was still talking next to me. I stopped before he was serving, then he asked the umpire what, and then I got involved," explained Wawrinka.

"It's nothing important. There was a lot of tension, especially with the first two tie-breaks. We both wanted to win, trying everything to win it, and that's it."

Eighth-seeded Milos Raonic celebrated his national day in style by becoming the first Canadian man in more than a century to reach the quarter-finals as he knocked out Kei Nishikori.

Raonic beat the 10th-seeded Japanese 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in two hours and 27 minutes on Court Three, firing 35 aces and 66 winners.

He faces either world number one Rafael Nadal or Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios for a place in the semi-finals.

Kyrgios, the world number 144, is bidding to become the first player ranked outside the top 100 to defeat a world number one since Andrei Olhovskiy, ranked at 193, defeated Jim Courier in the third round at Wimbledon in 1992.

Wimbledon results on Tuesday, the eighth day of the 2014 championships at the All England Club (x denotes seeded player):

Men

Fourth round
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI x5) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP x19) 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (9/7), 6-3
Roger Federer (SUI x4) bt Tommy Robredo (ESP x23) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
Milos Raonic (CAN x8) bt Kei Nishikori (JPN x10) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3

Women

Quarter-finals
Lucie Safarova (CZE x23) bt Ekaterina Makarova (RUS x22) 6-3, 6-1

Fourth round
Angelique Kerber (GER x9) bt Maria Sharapova (RUS x5) 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-4
Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-3, 6-0
Sabine Lisicki (GER x19) bt Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE