Federer surge into quarters

Wimbledon

Roger Federer was in imperious form as he surged into the Wimbledon quarter finals on Monday as Rafael Nadal hoped to overcome his knee pain to join him in the last eight. Both defending champion Federer and world number one Nadal entered the fourth round looking to put behind them the problems in their games which saw both of them stretched to five sets in the opening rounds.

And Swiss top seed Federer, who is gunning for a seventh Wimbledon title, blasted away the doubts with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win over Austrian 16th seed Jurgen Melzer on Centre Court.

“I found my range and I was playing well and very happy with the way I played. This is a very good win for me. “I think my form’s good now and that’s what I really care about. “I know how to win here’s and that’s a great advantage for me.” Spanish 2008 Wimbledon champion Nadal is up against France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu on Court One.

Nadal has been troubled by a right knee injury and is set to have treatment on it once the tournament ends.

He has to blank out the pain once again when he faces the unseeded Mathieu.

Clijsters downs Henin in all-Belgian clash

Kim Clijsters is through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals after coming from behind to win the battle of the Belgians in a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Justine Henin on Monday.

Clijsters fought back from a set down, breaking her compatriot in fourth and eighth games of the second set to level the match and again in the eighth game of the third set for a crucial advantage. The 27-year-old will now play Russian 21st seed Vera Zvonereva who went through to the last eight after Jelena Jankovic retired in the second set of their fourth round contest.

The all-Belgian match was billed as a clash of the comeback queens with both former world number ones returning to Wimbledon after lengthy absences.

Clijsters had two years out of the game before sensationally winning the US Open in her third tournament back on the circuit last September and Henin had 18 months out of the game before returning in January.

Venus overcomes gritty Groth

Five-time champion Venus Williams battled into the quarter-finals at Wimbledon with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over Australia’s Jarmila Groth on Monday.

Williams, who last won Wimbledon in 2008, was pushed all the way by world number 92 Groth, but the American was able to do enough on the big points to ensure she remains on course to add a sixth All England Club singles title to her collection.

Venus, seeded second, has reached eight of the last 10 finals here and she had been in typically vibrant form in the the first week — winning her three matches without dropping a set and losing just 15 games in the process.

LONDON, AFP