Roger Federer continued to cut a swathe through the Wimbledon field on Friday, beating Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in straight sets to ease into the last 16 of the men's singles. Federer, who has yet to drop a set in this year's tournament, won 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 with another immaculate display of grass court tennis, extending his winning streak on the surface to 45 matches.
The only slight hiccup for the defending champion came when he failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the third set, but he made amends immediately by breaking Mahut in the next game to wrap up victory in two hours five minutes. "Mahut serves and volleys first and second serve but I'd rather hit constant winners from the baseline," said Federer.
"I knew I had wait for my chances and it was important not to get frustrated." Federer, a short odds favourite to win a fourth successive title here on July 9, next faces the winner of the third round tie between Germany's Tommy Haas and the Czech Tomas Berdych.
His path to the final was eased earlier in the day when David Nalbandian, the fourth seed and one of only four players to have beaten him in the last 18 months, went out of the tournament to Fernando Verdasco.
Also going out from his half of the draw was American eighth seed James Blake, beaten in five sets by Max Mirnyi, but Federer insists he still has a tough second week ahead of him.
"I think my draw is pretty tough," he said.
"It's been tough from the early stages on. The next match will be difficult against either Haas or Berdych. "I think that is for me a very tricky match already. I think if I would come through that, there's other good players lying ahead. I actually don't look that far down the draw."
FRIDAY'S RESULTS (x denotes seeded player):
MEN's SECOND ROUND: Lleyton Hewitt (AUS x6) bt Lee Hyung-Taik (KOR) 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (5/7), 6-4; Andy Murray (GBR) bt Julien Benneteau (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
THIRD ROUND: Roger Federer (SUI x1) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4; Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) bt Daniele Bracciali (ITA) 7-5, 6-2, 6-1; Novak Djokovic (SCG) bt Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3; Max Mirnyi (BLR) bt James Blake (USA x8) 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0; Fernando Verdasco (ESP x28) bt David Nalbandian (ARG x4) 7-6 (11/9), 7-6 (11/9), 6-2; Radek Stepanek (CZE x14) bt Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP x24) 5-7, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-2, 11-9.
WOMEN'S THIRD ROUND: Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL x3) bt Anna Chakvetadze (RUS x30) 6-2, 6-3; Li Na (CHN x27) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x5) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Daniela Hantuchova (SVK x15) bt Katarina Srebotnik (SLO x21) 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).
THURSDAY'S REMAINING RESULTS (x denotes seeded player):
MEN'S SECOND ROUND: Andre Agassi (USA x25) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4; Marcos Baghdatis (CYP x18) bt Andrei Pavel (ROM) 3-0 - retd; Tomas Berdych (CZE x13) bt Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4; Mardy Fish (USA) bt Melle Van Gemerden (NED) 6-2, 6-0, 6-1; Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Robert Kendrick (USA) 6-7 (4/7), 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-4; Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) bt Lukas Dlouhy (CZE) 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 1-6, 6-4; Irakli Labadze (GEO) bt Gaston Gaudio (ARG x16) 6-4, 6-2, 6-3; Daniele Bracciali (ITA) bt Stefano Galvani (ITA) 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-4; Sebastien Grosjean (FRA x15) bt Jamie Delgado (GBR) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Fernando Gonzalez (CHI x10) bt Marat Safin (RUS) 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Olivier Rochus (BEL x26) bt Tomas Zib (CZE) 6-1, 6-0, 6-0; Dmitry Tursunov (RUS x27) bt Alberto Martin (ESP) 6-1, 7-5, 6-4; Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x5) bt Justin Gimelstob (USA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/1), 7-5; Andy Roddick (USA x3) bt Florian Mayer (GER) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2; David Ferrer (ESP x23) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-3.
TO FINISH FRIDAY; MATCHES SUSPENDED DUE TO BAD LIGHT: Andy Murray (GBR) leads Julien Benneteau (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 4-6; Lleyton Hewitt (AUS x6) level with Lee Hyung-Taik (KOR) 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (5/7).
WOMEN'S SECOND ROUND: Katarina Srebotnik (SLO x21) bt Alicia Molik (AUS) 6-2, 6-1; Severine Bremond (FRA) bt Patty Schnyder (SUI x8) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; Amelie Mauresmo (FRA x1) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS) 6-4, 6-2; Venus Williams (USA x6) bt Lisa Raymond (USA) 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-2; Daniela Hantuchova (SVK x15) bt Jamea Jackson (USA) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5; Jelena Jankovic (SCG x26) bt Vania King (USA) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Shenay Perry (USA) bt Melanie South (GBR) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2; Elena Likhovtseva (RUS x25) bt Sun Tian-Tian (CHN) 6-3, 6-3; Nicole Pratt (AUS) bt Tatiana Golovin (FRA x29) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Elena Dementieva (RUS x7) bt Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5; Sybille Bammer (AUT) bt Anastassia Rodionova (RUS) 6-4, 6-4; Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP x23) bt Clarisa Fernandez (ARG) 6-7 (7/9), 7-5, 11-9; Dinara Safina (RUS x14) bt Mashona Washington (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; Ana Ivanovic (SCG x19) bt Sarah Borwell (GBR) 6-1, 6-2.
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