Nadal, Federer race into last 16

The tantalising prospect of a fourth Wimbledon final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer moved a step closer yesterday as the two rivals cruised into the last 16.

World number one Nadal wrapped up a straight sets win over Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller in a match that had been halted on Friday because of rain, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5), 6-0.

The reigning champion, who will face Juan Martin Del Potro in the last 16, was in imperious form against Muller.

But Nadal is under no illusions about the scale of the task facing him in the second week of Wimbledon fortnight, saying the depth of talent in this year’s draw made it one of the most unpredictable men’s tournaments ever.

“You never know what’s going on,” Nadal said. “It seems like the best players are playing well. I don’t know if I’m going to win next round, so probably the rest of the players think the same.”

Federer, who is bidding to win a record seventh Wimbledon title, romped into the fourth round with a brisk straight sets dismissal of Argentinian 28th seed David Nalbandian, winning 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.

Third seed Federer has not won a Grand Slam title for 18 months but showed the sort of form which suggests a record 17th major title is well within his reach.

The Swiss former world number one, whose last triumph at Wimbledon came in 2009, advanced to a meeting with Russian 18th seed Mikhail Youzhny.

Federer insisted he remained as hungry as ever to reclaim his Wimbledon crown. “The day after my victory, the day after my final losses, I’ve been hungry,” Federer said. “It doesn’t come in phases, I’m always hungry.”

Second seed Novak Djokovic survived a scare in the final match of the day, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a thrilling four-set battle with 32nd seed Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.

Djokovic was given a warning after smashing a racquet in frustration during a pulsating Centre Court encounter with Baghdatis, a beaten semi-finalist in Wimbledon in 2006.

Djokovic faces France’s Michael Llodra in the last 16.

The shock of the day saw fifth seed Robin Soderling bundled out by Australian teenager Bernard Tomic. Tomic swept aside his Swedish opponent 6-1, 6-4, 7-5.

Tomic faces Xavier Malisse in the last 16 after the Belgian veteran accounted for Austrian 11th seed Jurgen Melzer 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-0.

Another seeded casualty was France’s Gael Monfils who tumbled out 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 against Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot.

Mardy Fish ensured the United States will be represented in the last 16 following the shock exit of Andy Roddick, when Dutch opponent Robin Haase retired as he trailed by two sets to one.

Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych, the 2010 runner-up, accounted for another American, waltzing past Alex Bogomolov Jr 6-2, 6-4, 6-3.

Serena advances

Defending champion Serena Williams and 2004 winner Maria Sharapova remained on a Wimbledon semi-final collision course yesterday as only six of the top 10 seeds made the fourth round.

Four-time winner Williams, who needs to make the semi-finals to avoid dropping out of the top 100, eased past Russia’s Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-2.

Williams will face France’s Marion Bartoli, the 2007 runner-up, who made the last 16 after beating Italy’s Flavia Pennetta in a tense affair where she kicked her own father off court.

Fifth seed Sharapova saw off Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-3 and will tackle China’s Peng Shuai for a place in the quarter-finals.

Peng, the only Chinese player left in the draw after the second round exits of French Open winner Li Na and Zheng Jie, reached the fourth round for the first time with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) win over unseeded Hungarian Melinda Czink.

Top seed Caroline Wozniacki reached the fourth round for the third successive year with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Australia’s Jarmila Gajdosova.

Wozniacki, still searching for a first Grand Slam title, will next face Slovakian 24th seed Dominika Cibulkova who booked her last 16 place with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 win against German 16th seed Julia Goerges.

Two former French Open champions made their exits from the tournament.

Ana Ivanovic, the Serb 18th seed and a former world number one, crashed out 6-2, 7-6 (7/0) at the hands of Czech world 81 Petra Cetkovska who hadn’t won a match on tour all year before Wimbledon.

Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open winner and Roland Garros runner-up just three weeks ago, lost 3-6, 6-4, 11-9 to Austrian world number 80 Tamira Paszek.