Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal have booked their eagerly-awaited generational clash at Wimbledon but only after the French Open champion Nadal survived an almighty scare on Centre Court on Thursday.
While Agassi, the elder statesman of the men's game, was cruising to a straight sets victory over Italian Andreas Seppi over on Court No 1, young gun Nadal had to dig very deep indeed to squeeze past American qualifier Robert Kendrick in five gruelling sets on Centre Court.
Agassi, taking his final bow at the All England Club, looked far less rusty than he had done in a laboured first round win over Boris Pashanski as he navigated past Italy's Andreas Seppi in straight sets. Seppi put up a valiant fight but the 1992 champion's clinical touch on the key points made the difference in a 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 victory.
"That was a considerable improvement," Agassi reported. "It felt like the game was a lot slower and it is always a good sign when you are seeing things unfold and playing at a tempo that you feel like you're dictating."
Nadal, in contrast, was uncharacteristically erratic on some of the big points he faced, allowing Kendrick to build up a two set lead before he rallied to claim a 6-7 (4/7), 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-4 win over an opponent ranked 237th in the world.
Kendrick belied his lowly status with some intelligent grass court tennis but he finally ran out of steam after getting within two points of a famous victory in the fourth set.
Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis had the easiest passage into the third round, his opponent Andrei Pavel having retired injured after only three games of their match.
Novak Djokovic, the talented Serbian teenager who is being courted by Britain's Lawn Tennis Association, did his credentials for a passport switch no harm by dumping Spanish 11th seed Tommy Robredo out of the tournament.
Leading by a set when their second round match was interrupted by nightfall on Wednesday, Djokovic completed a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-4 victory to set up a winnable third round meeting against Russian Mikhail Youzhny.
In the women's singles, Maria Sharapova was close to her intimidating best as she crushed Ashley Harkleroad, a fellow Florida resident who was not afforded the slightest bit of neighbourly compassion After a 6-2, 6-2 win in just over an hour, Sharapova declared herself happy with her form, although the 2004 champion appeared more concerned about the impact on her image of her recent relevation that she enjoys collecting stamps.
Philatelists around the world have been delighted to learn that they share their hobby with one of the sporting world's most glamorous figures but Sharapova is not quite so happy about the interest.
"Everyone's calling me a dork now," the 2004 champion admitted.
"My agent said not to talk about that because he's definitely gotten so many emails from people. "We're getting emails from, like, stamp collecting magazines asking if I can do an interview. It's just a hobby. I'm actually good telling stories, but that is one I should have never talked about."
It was another good day for the Chinese women as Peng Shuai join Li Na and Zheng Jie in the third round courtesy of an impressive straight sets win over the Israeli 20th seed Shahar Peer.
Experienced Thai campaigner Tamarine Tanasugarn meanwhile edged past Japan's Shinobu Asagoe 6-3, 7-5.
THURSDAY'S RESULTS (x denotes seeded player):
MEN'S Second Round: Jarkko Nieminen (FIN x22) bt Martin Lee (GBR) 6-4, 6-0, 6-3; Novak Djokovic (SCG) bt Tommy Robredo (ESP x11) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-4; Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Alejandro Falla (COL) 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/1).
WOMEN'S SECOND ROUND: Amy Frazier (USA) bt Melinda Czink (HUN) 6-2, 6-3; Flavia Pennetta (ITA x16) bt Laura Granville (USA) 6-2, 6-1; Maria Sharapova (RUS x4) bt Ashley Harkleroad (USA) 6-2, 6-2; Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) bt Tzvetana Pironkova (BUL) 7-5, 7-6 (7/5); Anastasia Myskina (RUS x9) bt Martina Muller (GER) 6-2, 6-1; Peng Shuai (CHN) bt Shahar Peer (ISR x20) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5); Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) bt Shinobu Asagoe (JPN) 6-3, 7-5.
WEDNESDAY'S REMAINING RESULTS:
WOMEN"S FIRST ROUND: Nicole Pratt (AUS) bt Jarmila Gajdosova (SVK) 6-2, 6-3; Tatiana Golovin (FRA x29) bt Mariana Diaz-Oliva (ARG) 3-6, 6-2, 9-7; Amy Frazier (USA) bt Mara Santangelo (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) bt Alyonko Bondarenko (UKR) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; Melinda Czink (HUN) bt Laura Pous Tio (ESP) 6-3, 6-1; Maria Sharapova (RUS x4) bt Anna Smashnova (ISR) 6-2, 6-0; Melanie South (GBR) bt Francesca Schiavone (ITA x11) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Vania King (USA) bt Julia Vakulenko (UKR) 5-4 rtd.;Jelena Jankovic (SCG x26) bt Lourdes Dominguez-Lino (ESP) 6-3, 6-4;Ashley Harkleroad (USA) bt Jelena Kostanic (CRO) 6-3, 6-2;Elena Likhovtseva (RUS x25) bt Stephanie Foretz (FRA) 6-0, 6-2;Sarah Borwell (GBR) bt Marta Domachowska (POL) 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4;Anastassia Rodionova (RUS) bt Emilie Loit (FRA) 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4;Samantha Stosur (AUS) bt Michaella Krajicek NED 7-5, 6-3;Ana Ivanovic (SCG x19) bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi (SUI) 7-5, 7-6 (7/4);Mashona Washington (USA) bt Julia Schruff (GER) 6-3, 6-4;Sun Tian-Tian (CHN) bt Nathalie Vierin (ITA) 6-3, 6-4;Clarisa Fernandez (ARG) by Conchita Martinez Granados (ESP) 6-2, 4-6, 4-3 rtd.;Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP x23) bt Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) 6-3, 6-2 Elena Dementieva (RUS x7) bt Sania Mirza (IND) 7-6 (7/5), 7-5;Shenay Perry (USA) bt Kristina Barrois (GER) 7-5, 5-7, 8-6;Sybille Bammer (AUT) bt Nathalie Dechy (FRA x22) 7-5, 7-5;Dinara Safina (RUS x14) bt Jill Craybas (USA) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.
WOMEN SECOND ROUND: Kim Clijsters (BEL x2) bt Viktoria Kutuzova (UKR) walkover;Zheng Jie (CHN) bt Eva Birnerova (CZE) 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 6-3;Nicole Vaidisova (CZE x10) bt Katerina Bondarenko 6-1, 6-1;Ai Sugiyama (JPN x18) bt Akiko Morigami (JPN) 6-2, 7-5;Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL x3) bt Ekaterina Bychkova (RUS) 6-1, 6-2;Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x5) bt Kveta Peschke (CZE) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; Anna Chekvetadze (RUS x30) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Karolina Sprem (CRO) bt Marion Bartoli (FRA x24) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Gisela Dulko (ARG x31) bt Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) 7-5, 6-4;Martina Hingis (SUI x12) bt Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 6-1, 6-2;Li Na (CHN x27) bt Meilen Tu (USA) 6-2, 6-4.
TO FINISH MATCHES SUSPENDED BECAUSE OF BAD LIGHT: Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) leads Tzvetana Pironkova (BUL) 7-5, 5-5;Patty Schnyder (SUI x8) leads Severine Bremond (FRA) 6-4, 1-6, 2-1;Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) leads Shinobu Asagoe (JPN) 6-3, 5-5.
MEN'S FIRST ROUND: Lleyton Hewitt (AUS x6 bt Filippo Volandri (ITA) 6-1, 6-1, 6-3; David Ferrer (ESP x23) bt Simon Stadler (GER) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; Julien Benneteau (FRA) bt Bjorn Phau (GER) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6); Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x5) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 11-9; Irakli Labadze (GEO) bt Alexander Peya (AUT) 6-4, 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1; Andy Roddick (USA x3) bt Janko Tipsarevic (SCG) 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), 6-2; Sebastian Grosjean (FRA x15) bt Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4; Marcos Baghdatis (CYP x18) bt Alan Mackin (GBR) 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5; Andrei Pavel (ROM) bt Marcel Granollers-Pujol (ESP) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-4; Lee Hyung-Taik (KOR) bt Flavio Saretta (BRA) 7-6 (12/10), 6-3, 7-5; Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) bt Ivo Minar (CZE) 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2;.
Men 2nd round David Nalbandian (ARG x4) bt Arnaud Clement (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-3; Roger Federer (SUI x1) bt Tim Henman (GBR) 6-4, 6-0, 6-2; Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP x24) bt Roko Karanusic (CRO) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3; Radek Stepanek (CZE x14) bt Xavier Malisse (BEL) 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-1; James Blake (USA x8) bt Yeu-Tzuoo Wang (TPE) 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Mario Ancic (CRO x7) bt Davide Sanguinetti (ITA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-1; Nicolas Mahut (FRA) bt Kristof Vliegen (BEL) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) bt Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) 6-3, 6-1, 3-0 - retd; Max Mirnyi (BLR) bt Mark Philippoussis (AUS) 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3; Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt Agustin Calleri (ARG) 7-6 (7/5), 7-5, 6-3 Tommy Haas (GER x19) bt Richard Bloomfield (GBR) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4); Fernando Verdasco (ESP x28) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 4-6, 6-3, 9-7.
TO FINISH MATCHES SUSPENDED BECAUSE OF BAD LIGHT: Novak Djokovic (SCG) leads Tommy Robredo (ESP x11) 7-6 (7/5); Fabrice Santoro (FRA) level with Tomas Berdych (CZE x13) 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-2, 6-7 (5/7.
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