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LONDON - It was billed as a showdown between Roger Federer and Marat Safin but the in the end Wimbledon's fifth day was all about two Serbs.
The main event proved something of a damp squib as top seed Federer, gunning for a fifth consecutive title here, dismantled hulking Russian Safin 6-1 6-4 7-6 on Centre Court.
The Swiss lost his last grand slam clash against Safin in a memorable semi-final at the Australian Open in 2005 but he dished out ruthless vengeance here with a masterly display.
"I don't know if I played phenomenal, I just think I played the right way against Marat today," Federer said after his 51st consecutive grasscourt victory.
"I get very nervous before a match like this. We've had some incredible battles down the years. He's a hell of a player."
Federer's next victim, barring a huge shock, will be Germany's Tommy Haas, who beat Russian Dmitry Tursunov.
Earlier, women's third seed Jelena Jankovic prevailed in a ferocious battle with Czech Lucie Safarova, winning 5-7 7-6 6-2, while fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic repelled everything Chilean fifth seed Fernando Gonzalez could throw at him to reach the last 16 of a grand slam for the first time.
Serbian success has been a theme of the year and with Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic, French Open semi-finalist and runner-up respectively, in action on Saturday, the Balkan country has plenty to be happy about.
Jankovic covered every blade of grass on Court One before breaking the resistance of Safarova, a dangerous left-hander who had beaten Amelie Mauresmo at the Australian and French Opens.
A match full of lung-burning rallies, often from way outside the sidelines, numerous Hawkeye challenges, rain showers and injury time-outs was encapsulated in a 20-minute game midway through the second set.
Safarova had won the first set from 3-1 behind and when she held serve at 3-3 after a series of rallies that had both players gasping for breath it seemed she was favourite.
However Jankovic hung on for grim life, won the second set tiebreak and, after a rain break and treatment on a tight thigh muscle, raced away to victory.
"It was a big battle and at some point I was thinking 'My God is there any way out?'", the 22-year-old Jankovic said.
World number 64 Tipsarevic has a Dostoyevsky quotation tattooed on to his arm, wears an eyebrow stud and plays with red strings in his racket but it was his tennis everybody was talking about after a 6-3 3-6 6-4 4-6 8-6 defeat of Gonzalez.
The frustrated Chilean squandered a match point at 6-5 in the deciding set but "Tipsy" as he was nicknamed by the enthralled Wimbledon crowd deserved his victory for sheer fortitude.
While it was all perspiration and straining sinews early on the main show courts, women's top seed Justine Henin made light work of Russian Elena Vesnina, winning 6-1 6-3 on Court Two.
Twice-champion Serena Williams, Henin's projected quarter-final opponent was even more emphatic, crushing Venezuela's Milagros Sequera 6-1 6-0.
Both are yet to drop a set.
It was the end of the road for former champion Martina Hingis, however, after the below-par Swiss was beaten 6-4 6-2 by American Laura Granville.
While the Williams sisters and Granville fly the American flag in the women's draw, third seed Andy Roddick is the sole nephew of Uncle Sam in the men's after beating Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-3 6-4 7-6.
He was left alone after ninth seed James Blake was beaten by resurgent Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero 3-6 6-3 6-3 7-6.
It was another good day for the French.
Paul-Henri Mathieu upset 15th seed Ivan Ljubicic, wildcard Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Feliciano Lopez and 12th seed Richard Gasquet continued his smooth progress against compatriot Edouard Roger-Vasselin. In the women's draw Marion Bartoli also beat Israeli Shahar Peer.
- REUTERS
