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London - Novak Djokovic fended off a brief challenge from Ernests Gulbis to reach the Wimbledon last 16 on Saturday as women's top seed Angelique Kerber scraped into the business end of the championships.
Djokovic was a break down in the first set and was taken to a tie break in the third but beat Gulbis 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) on Centre Court, before Roger Federer took on Mischa Zverev.
"I'm delighted with the performance. I thought I raised the level of tennis," said three-time champion Djokovic after making the second week without dropping a set.
He next faces Adrian Mannarino, who overturned French compatriot and 15th seed Gael Monfils in a five-setter.
Elsewhere in Saturday's third round ties, Kerber looked mightily relieved after saving her world number one status in a tense 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 win over US world number 70 Shelby Rogers.
The German star was a break down in the second set but did just enough to claw her way into Monday's fourth round where she will face Garbine Muguruza.
Agnieszka Radwanska also had to come from behind in her third round tie, while in the men's draw, last year's beaten finalist Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov made it through -- as did Sam Querrey, who took one game to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Their match was suspended Friday at 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 6-5 due to bad light, with the French 12th seed not wanting to field Querrey's returns of serve in the gloom.
They came back Saturday but it was all over in minutes as the US 24th seed broke serve.
"My opponent was good today. He did three, four good shots, and yeah, that's it," said Tsonga.
Querrey said: "It's really the most anti-climactic way to finish a match."
He faces South Africa's Kevin Anderson for a quarter-final spot.
Canadian sixth seed Raonic downed Spain's 25th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-5 to book a fouth round spot against Alexander Zverev.
The German 10th seed beat Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
Bulgarian 13th seed Dimitrov had an easy ride when Israeli Sela was forced to pull out at 6-1, 6-1 down after struggling with a right thigh injury that required treatment during the match.
The 2008 Wimbledon junior champion will next face meet either Federer or Mischa Zverev.
Tomas Berdych, the 2010 beaten finalist, beat David Ferrer in straight sets. The Czech 11th seed will play either Austrian eighth seed Dominic Thiem or Jared Donaldson of the United States on Monday.
Spain's world number 15 Muguruza, the 2015 runner-up, comfortably beat Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-2. The off-sorts Romanian had witnessed the horrific knee injury suffered Thursday by her last opponent, Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
The American wept as she relived the sickening injury which has left her facing surgery to repair a dislocated knee.
"I heard a pop in my leg and everything went slow after that," she said Saturday from her hospital room in Wimbledon.
"I have had lots of injuries in my career but this is definitely the worst.
"I will be out for a while but I will get through this."
Wozniacki dug herself out of trouble when pushed to the brink by Anett Kontaveit, but the Danish fifth seed eventually beat the world number 38 from Estonia 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.
She next plays 24th seed Coco Vandeweghe, considered by some as a dark horse for the title, who beat US compatriot Alison Riske 6-2, 6-4.
The deft Radwanska, the 2012 beaten finalist, came back from a set down to beat Swiss 19th seed Timea Bacsinszky 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 on Centre Court.
"I expected a lot of tricky shots from her and a lot of entertaining rallies," said the Polish ninth seed.
Radwanska next faces Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 US and 2009 French Open champion, who cruised through with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Slovenian qualifier Polona Hercog.
Croatia's Petra Martic, ranked 135, is the last qualifier still going at Wimbledon after beating Kazakh wild card Zarina Diyas 7-6 (8/6), 6-1.
Martic next faces Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova, who eased into the last 16 of a major for the first time with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.
Results:
Men
3rd rd
Sam Querrey (USA) bt Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 7-5
Milos Raonic (CAN x6) bt Albert Ramos (ESP x25) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-5
Alexander Zverev (GER x10) bt Sebastian Ofner (AUT) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x13) bt Dudi Sela (ISR) 6-1, 6-1 -- retired
Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Mischa Zverev (GER x27) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-4
Dominic Thiem (AUT x8) bt Jared Donaldson (USA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-2
Tomas Berdych (CZE x11) bt David Ferrer (ESP) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) bt Gael Monfils (FRA x15) 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2)
Women
3rd rd
Angelique Kerber (GER x1) bt Shelby Rogers (USA) 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
Garbie Muguruza (ESP x14) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 6-2, 6-2
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x9) bt Timea Bacsinszky (SUI x19) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x7) bt Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-4, 6-0
Magdalna Rybrikov (SVK) bt Lesya Tsurenko (UKR) 6-2, 6-1
Petra Martic (CRO) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 7-6 (8/6), 6-1
Coco Vandeweghe (USA) bt Alison Riske (USA) 6-2, 6-4
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x5) bt Anett Kontaveit (EST) 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2
