Murray on course as Hewitt, Haas, Roddick lead old guard

Dave James

Andy Murray cruised into the Wimbledon last 16 on Saturday while veterans Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Tommy Haas led the charge of the old boys club.

Murray, bidding to end Britain's agonising 73-year wait for a home men's champion brushed past Serbia's Viktor Troicki 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 and will now face Switzerland's Stanilas Wawrinka for a place in the quarter-finals. The 22-year-old third seed served up 17 aces against the outclassed Serb who has now lost all three meetings against the Scotsman.

With rain threatening at the end of a day when temperatures had smashed through 30 degrees, Murray hurried through his match, wrapping up victory after just 96 minutes.

"It was a very good performance," said Murray. "I felt a little uncomfortable at the start and the conditions were difficult with the rain and clouds.

"I was more comfortable after the first set and I'm happy with my first week here. But I have to play better if I want to win the title." Hewitt, the 2002 champion, reached the fourth round for the sixth year in succession with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win over Germany's Philipp Petzschner and will tackle Czech Radek Stepanek for a place in the quarter-finals.

The 28-year-old Australian, steadily rebuilding his career after a lengthy lay-off following hip surgery, has yet to drop a set and showed why he is such a danger by putting out Argentine fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro in the second round.

"It's not easy to reach the fourth round for a sixth year in a row, but a Grand Slam isn't won in the first three rounds," said Hewitt.

"It's all about finding a way through the first week. The draw opens up and you never know what might happen."

Two-time runner-up Andy Roddick of the United States, the sixth seed, also made it through with a gritty 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-3 win over close friend, Jurgen Melzer.

It was Roddick's ninth win in nine matches against the Austrian and he will now tackle Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic for a place in the quarter-finals.

"Jurgen served really well. He's such a good player on grass, he comes forward, uses tricky slices so I'm lucky to be in the fourth round," said Roddick who sent down 33 aces.

German veteran Haas demanded Wimbledon install floodlights and introduce final set tiebreakers after winning a marathon five-set third round clash over Marin Cilic.

The 31-year-old German beat the 11th seeded Croatian 7-5, 7-5, 1-6, 6-7 (3/7), 10-8 in a four and a half hour tie which had started on Friday afternoon but had been held over for bad light.

"I don't know why they don't have lights here. I have never stopped a match a 6-6 before in the final set. It's tough to come back but I'm happy to get through," said Haas.

LONDON, Sunday, AFP