LONDON: Roger Federer moved into the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the 69th time on Saturday, overcoming a raucous home crowd and the last British man in the draw Cameron Norrie in an entertaining 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win at Wimbledon.
Federer kept his dream alive of a record-extending ninth singles title.
On the women's side, Australia's world number one Ashleigh Barty looked a bit more fluent after two inconsistent performances in moving into the Last 16.
The 25-year-old's 6-3, 7-5 win over Katerina Siniakova reassured her fans she can win the title on the 50th anniversary of fellow indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley's first Wimbledon crown.
Victory pitches her into a fourth round clash with French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Krejcikova has been under the radar but battled through to the Last 16 beating Anastasija Sevastova of Lativa 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-5.
Federer said this Wimbledon held special significance for him.
"I hope there is a little bit more left in me as this one is special for it is the last slam before I hit the big 40," said Federer, the third oldest man to reach the Last 16 in the Open era.
Norrie follows two-time champion Andy Murray and British number one Dan Evans in exiting in the third round.
Federer's half of the draw looks more treacherous than defending champion Novak Djokovic's with two of the younger generation Daniil Medvedev and Germany's Alexander Zverev potentially lurking further down the line.
Second seed Medvedev faces 2017 Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic seeking to join Zverev in the fourth round.
Zverev ended big-serving Taylor Fritz's impressive campaign -- 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) -- given he exited the French Open in a wheelchair due to a knee injury.
The match of the day on the men's side was a damp squib as fiery Aussie entertainer Nick Kyrgios retired with an abdominal injury tied at one set all with stylish Canadian 16th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The maverick that is Kyrgios did not have the best of starts as he left his shoes in the locker room.
"One minute I thought I was professional, got my racket, got my clothes, walked out here so confidently and then bang, I forget my shoes in the locker," said Kyrgios on court before the match.
Despite the disappointing end to his singles campaign -- his mixed doubles campaign with Venus Williams must be in doubt -- the 26-year-old said he had rediscovered his love of the sport.
"Coming out here (Court One) and having this support has given me a second wind," he said.
Barty is quite the opposite to her compatriot, rarely showing her emotions on court however she is playing.
Barty remained poker-faced even when she served for the match and once again her serve was found wanting as Siniakova broke her.
However, she made no mistake the second time she served for it and did a gentle fist pump to celebrate it.
"Another great challenge (Krejcikova) but looking forward to it," said Barty.
"She has been playing some great stuff and it will be a new challenge for me as I have never played her before."
Should Barty reach the quarter-finals for the first time she will face a tough rival in either Coco Gauff or 2018 champion Angelique Kerber.
Gauff and Kerber will meet in the last 16 after the American teenager breezed past Slovenian Kaja Juvan while the German had a tough three-setter against Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus.
Gauff is not the only teenager making her mark at Wimbledon this year.
Britain's Canada-born 18-year-old Emma Raducanu, who moved with her Romanian father and Chinese mother to England aged two, produced a brilliant display to beat the experienced Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-3, 7-5.
Raducanu -- the world number 338 at the start of the Championships -- only sat her school leaving exams in April.
She next faces Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic who accused her opponent Jelena Ostapenko of "lying" when she took a medical time-out at 0-4 down in the final set of their third round clash on Saturday.
"I think it's disgraceful behaviour from someone that is a Slam champion," said the Australian who completed a three-set win.
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Roger Federer glides into last 16 at Wimbledon
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Roger Federer glides into last 16 at Wimbledon
- Federer kept his dream alive of a record-extending ninth singles title
Sabalenka wants ‘Battle of the Sexes’ rematch and revenge
- World number one Aryna Sabalenka Thursday said she wants a rematch of her “Battle of the Sexes” showdown with Nick Kyrgios so she can get revenge
BRISBANE: World number one Aryna Sabalenka Thursday said she wants a rematch of her “Battle of the Sexes” showdown with Nick Kyrgios so she can get revenge.
Australia’s Kyrgios beat the Belarusian 6-3, 6-3 in a highly-publicized showdown in Dubai last Sunday, with modified rules that divided fans.
Sabalenka’s side of the court was reduced in size by nine percent in an attempt to restrict Kyrgios’ power and speed advantage, while each player only received one serve.
“I think I would definitely do it again,” she said ahead of the Brisbane International, her season-opening tournament as she prepares for the Australian Open on January 18.
“I love revenge and I don’t like to leave it the way it is.”
While keen to face-off with Kyrgios again, Sabalenka said she would want a full court and two serves.
“I think for the next match we will come up with a different format,” she said.
“Before the match I didn’t realize I would have to adjust and it was a bit tricky for me. I think I would keep the full court but I would take two serves. That would even our level a lot more.
“I always say that when you are losing, you are learning and I learned a lot about his game,” she added. “I would do it again. I need revenge.”
The contest bore little resemblance to the era-defining 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
Back then, there was more at stake with the nascent women’s professional tour, set up by King, fighting for legitimacy and prize money for female players far lower than for the men.
King, one of the all-time greats of the women’s game who was at the peak of her powers, saw off the 55-year-old Riggs, a top player in his day, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in Houston.
The Sabalenka-Kyrgios showdown faced backlash, with some calling it a “money grab” while others said it did little to advance the women’s game.
But Sabalenka said she felt exhibition tennis, like the Kyrgios contest, was important.
“I think it’s really important for tennis to keep it interesting, keep it fresh, keep it new, keep it fun,” she said.
She added that she was proud of her part in the “Battle of the Sexes,” despite Kyrgios barely playing in recent years and ranked a lowly 671.
“I am happy that I was able to challenge him, make him work and make him physically get tired and mentally get tired,” she said.
“I felt really excited to see a man getting tired and going for his full game. It was a really cool experience.”
The Brisbane International starts on Sunday with Sabalenka’s sights set on a third Australian Open title after winning in 2023 and 2024. She was beaten in the Melbourne Park final last year by Madison Keys.
Australia’s Kyrgios beat the Belarusian 6-3, 6-3 in a highly-publicized showdown in Dubai last Sunday, with modified rules that divided fans.
Sabalenka’s side of the court was reduced in size by nine percent in an attempt to restrict Kyrgios’ power and speed advantage, while each player only received one serve.
“I think I would definitely do it again,” she said ahead of the Brisbane International, her season-opening tournament as she prepares for the Australian Open on January 18.
“I love revenge and I don’t like to leave it the way it is.”
While keen to face-off with Kyrgios again, Sabalenka said she would want a full court and two serves.
“I think for the next match we will come up with a different format,” she said.
“Before the match I didn’t realize I would have to adjust and it was a bit tricky for me. I think I would keep the full court but I would take two serves. That would even our level a lot more.
“I always say that when you are losing, you are learning and I learned a lot about his game,” she added. “I would do it again. I need revenge.”
The contest bore little resemblance to the era-defining 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
Back then, there was more at stake with the nascent women’s professional tour, set up by King, fighting for legitimacy and prize money for female players far lower than for the men.
King, one of the all-time greats of the women’s game who was at the peak of her powers, saw off the 55-year-old Riggs, a top player in his day, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in Houston.
The Sabalenka-Kyrgios showdown faced backlash, with some calling it a “money grab” while others said it did little to advance the women’s game.
But Sabalenka said she felt exhibition tennis, like the Kyrgios contest, was important.
“I think it’s really important for tennis to keep it interesting, keep it fresh, keep it new, keep it fun,” she said.
She added that she was proud of her part in the “Battle of the Sexes,” despite Kyrgios barely playing in recent years and ranked a lowly 671.
“I am happy that I was able to challenge him, make him work and make him physically get tired and mentally get tired,” she said.
“I felt really excited to see a man getting tired and going for his full game. It was a really cool experience.”
The Brisbane International starts on Sunday with Sabalenka’s sights set on a third Australian Open title after winning in 2023 and 2024. She was beaten in the Melbourne Park final last year by Madison Keys.
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