Jankovic blames defeat on dizzy spell

Jelena Jankovic during her hard fought match with Melanie Oudin. At the start of the 2009 season, Serbia's Jelena Jankovic stood at the summit of women's tennis. Never mind that Serena Williams, who she had replaced as world number one in October 2008, had pointed out rather tartly that Jankovic had still to win a Grand Slam title. Since then, the 24-year-old from Belgrade, who makes her home in Bradenton, Florida, has slipped from that summit to sixth in the rankings and at Wimbledon today that slip turned into a tumble when she was knocked out in the third round by a 17-year-old American qualifier, Melanie Oudin. Today's humiliation is the low point of a depressing season, but Jankovic, who received lengthy on-court treatment after winning the first set on the tiebreak, put it down to what she called "some woman problems", adding: "It's not easy being a woman sometimes." She explained that after the first set she started to feel dizzy. "I thought I was gonna end up in hospital," she said. “I started to shake, I was losing consciousness. I was like a ghost, white in the face, I didn't know where I was. It was a really strange feeling and I started to cry." Afterwards, she claimed, she lacked the energy to go after her opponent's shots. "No power. I wasn't the same player." Three years ago this very weekend at the 2006 Championships marked the turn-around point of Jankovic's career. Having lost 10 successive matches earlier in the year and contemplated giving up tennis, she defeated the reigning champion Venus Williams in the third round. She ended that year 12th best in the women's game and 12 months later was ranked third. Last August, Jankovic became the 18th player in the history of the women's tour to ascend to number one. She was displaced a week later by her compatriot, Ana Ivanovic, who then ceded the position to Serena Williams until the first week of October, when Jankovic took over for the rest of the year. Jankovic has not been in that form for much of this year. "My goal was to start 2009 even better than 2008, to be fitter, to be stronger, to bring my tennis game to the next level,” she said. “But I started the year in a very bad way, I felt so slow. "I added some muscle, maybe seven kilos more than I have now, and it didn't really give me results. I didn't feel comfortable on the court. When you don't move well you don't have the balance to hit the ball, it's difficult to stay in the game, which has become much, much stronger than before . "So then the confidence goes down a little bit as well. I also had some personal problems. When you add all these things together, it doesn't give good results. But I'm just trying to stay positive, trying to get back to the position where I can play good tennis and compete and have fun out there."

Venus steps up pace to reach last 16

Venus Williams stretches for a shot from her Spanish opponent Carla Suarez Navarro. As the opening week of the 2009 Championhips drew to a close, Venus Williams visibly upped the pace of her challenge for a sixth women's singles title here. Despite paying the penalty for taking her foot off the accelerator in the second set, the 29-year-old third seed motored past the tiny Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-4 in one hour 21 minutes and had a cheery, positive wave for her Centre Court admirers afterwards. When these two met on the only previous occasion, at the Australian Open six months ago, it was the 5ft 4in Suarez Navarro who inflicted a shock defeat on Williams in their second round match by proving the more durable in the rallies, especially when she was able to bring her potent single-handed backhand into play. Today the roles were emphatically reversed, with Venus assuming the control her reputation at Wimbledon merits, especially in the 33-minute first set. And a strange set it was too, with the Spaniard's failure to win a game by no means a fair reflection of her share of play. Williams was untouchable on serve, conceding just two points, while each of Suarez Navarro's service games was a long deuce affair, especially the opening game, which went on for five minutes. Clearly, Venus was tiring of all this when, at set point, she settled it with an ace. The fact that Venus had her left knee heavily bandaged was matched in the injury precaution stakes by the 20-year-old Suarez Navarro, born in the Canary Islands but now living in Barcelona, whose right knee was similarly swathed. It was the Venus the Bandaged Left Knee who was first to assert control in the second set as she had in the first. Venus opened with a service break (prolonged by the Spaniard once more to deuce) before moving briskly into a 2-0 lead with her second ace. Perhaps the fact that she had won eight straight games persuaded Venus that the match was as good as over, but errors and a little carelessness crept into her play and Suarez Navarro was not slow to spot the opportunity. To a huge cheer, she finally held serve with her first, and only, ace and the subsequent cheers were almost matched by gasps as she then broke the Williams serve, courtesy of three errors from Venus. At the conclusion of a bright spell that saw her capture four games out of five, Suarez Navarro led 4-3 and the prospect of a third set loomed. At this point Venus remembered who she was and where she was. Despite a double fault, she held serve and then capitalised on three woeful Spanish errors as Suarez Navarro faltered at a crucial stage. Required simply to serve out for the match, Venus delivered another double fault, her third, but was ushered home by another flurry of Spanish errors in response to heavy Williams hitting. Centre Court - Ladies' Singles - 3rd Round Venus Williams USA (3) 6 6 Carla Suarez Navarro ESP 0 4

Improving Ivanovic downs Stosur

Ana Ivanovic celebrates another winner against Samantha Stosur in their third round match. Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, the 13th seed, finished the first week at Wimbledon far more confidently than she started it. Her 7-5, 6-2 victory over Samantha Stosur of Australia in the mid-day heat on No.2 Court was ample proof that she is ready for the quarter-finals where Venus Williams will be her opponent. Stosur received the usual Australian support from group of yellow-shirted, noisy fans chanting her names but she did little to justify their backing Ivanovic dominated most of the important points in the sunshine. For Stosur to try to out rally Ivanovic was a lost cause in the fast conditions and the shorter ball that might have caused the Serbian a few mobility problems was rarely utilised. Ivanovic has been building her confidence through the first week after being match points down in her opening contest and this match was a further example of her improvement. She took the Australian’s serve in the first game and served three aces in the second to lead 2-0, although she was pulled back to 4-4 in a loose game. Ivanovic’s next break of serve was more significant . Stosur fell behind 6-5 after being beaten by the best backhand drive of the day and then served two double faults. After 37 minutes, the match was virtually over because Stosur’s resistance and confidence faltered as she fell behind 4-0 in the second set. Ivanovic missed a match point at 5-1 but seized her the chance to serve out for victory, hitting four winners in a row. It was a sound and solid display by the Serbian. Nowshe has to go up a gear or two. Court 2 - Ladies' Singles - 3rd Round Samantha Stosur AUS (18) 5 2 Ana Ivanovic SRB (13) 7 6

Solid Safina into second week

Safina backhand Top seed Dinara Safina overcame spirited early resistance from Belgian outsider Kirsten Flipkens to win 7-5, 6-1 and book her place in the fourth round for the first time at Wimbledon. While her serve was not always reliable, she dug deep to save four break points, and her returning by the end of the match was simply stunning. Flipkens ousted No.30 seed Agnes Szavay in the first round, and with Nicole Vaidisova also going out in her opener, it meant that world number one and top seed Safina has faced opponents of descending rank as the first week has worn on. The Belgian had only won seven tour-level singles matches in her career – two of them this week – and the match was seen more of a guide to Safina’s mental fortitude as opposed to a real test. Flipkens elected to serve and held the opener despite facing a raft of break points, and then the focus moved on to the Safina serve. The first double fault came as early as the second point, neither attempt threatening the net cord, let alone the service box, but after that she settled into a better rhythm for the first half of the set. Her left knee is troubling her and requiring regular doses of pain-killers, and she is unable to push off from it as she would like on service, but this has led to her sacrificing a little raw power – a quality she has in abundance – in favour of more subtlety. That, along with a dose of plain old confidence, is what has prevented her from securing her first major. The Belgian rode her punchy, serve and occasional volley-style throughout the first set and her deep, powerful returns even saw her carve out a break point in the eighth game, which Safina saved with a kicking second serve into the body, before serving out with an ace. She had a second bite of the cherry two games later as the Russian’s radar went badly awry on the first service, but again she was unable to capitalise and missed the chance to pocket the set. A tiebreak looked on the cards until Safina did what a top seed should, upping her game at the right time. Two wonderful backhands – one down the line, one cross-court – sandwiched a double fault and the Muscovite went from 30-40 to a break up at 6-5. The onus was then on her to serve out, and when Flipkens missed a volley with the court at her mercy that would have made it 0-30 in her favour, Dinara could even afford herself a rare wry smile. Safina was on a roll, and took four games in a row to seal the first set 7-5 and pull away 2-0 in the second, helped in no small part by two double faults from Flipkens. A sea-change was never too far away, however, and she again faced a break point at 2-1. Her first point kicked up chalk-dust but on the wrong line, and after a wait for the Hawkeye challenge, she showed incredible fortitude in then firing an ace at 105 mph straight down the middle. More deuces ensued. Dinara cursed, while her coach Zelkjo Krajan remained impassive. Flipkens ran around forehands and painted the corners with returns but Safina finally held to lead 3-1 with a volley at the net that seemed long but just clipped the baseline. Half-an-inch the other way and who knows how the set might have panned out, but now Dinara was brimming with confidence. She broke to love, held serve at a canter and then sealed the match with another break to give the score line a flattering look. She will now face Amelie Mauresmo in the fourth round – a woman who, like Safina, ascended to the top of the rankings before winning a Slam. It will be a battle between the old and the new guard, between Dinara’s booming forehands and Amelie’s sliced backhands. An intriguing tie awaits. Court 2 - Ladies' Singles - 3rd Round Dinara Safina RUS (1) 7 6 Kirsten Flipkens BEL 5 1

Wozniacki whizzes into week two

Caroline Wozniacki Caroline Wozniacki’s wonderful spell on grass continued as she swept aside Anabel Medina Garrigues in scorching conditions to ensure she will be part of the second-week shake-up in the ladies' singles. The Danish 9th seed, who came into the tournament fresh from winning the pre-Wimbledon tournament at Eastbourne, produced a sizzling display to claim a 6-2, 6-2 victory and earn a fourth round Wimbledon spot for the first time in her career. At the start of the match she gave herself and the camp a scare by looking decidedly rusty and lost her opening service game. However, it turned out to be a minor hiccup as she found her feet to break straight back. Much is said of the 18-year-old’s forehand – which is similar to Steffi Graf’s when she strikes the ball - but it was her backhand that did the talking, with Wozniacki whipping up winners all over the court. The Spaniard, who sported neon pink knee tape on both knees, darted about the turf to little avail. Soon the set belonged to the teenager who broke into the top 10 on May 18, becoming the first Danish woman to reach those heights. As the temperature began to soar, Medina Garrigues appared to melt and in the blink of an eye Wozniacki was in possession of a 3-0 lead. Out came the umbrellas and ice packs at the change of ends, in a bid to keep the players cool, but it did little to help the world number 20. The 2006 Wimbledon junior champion was on fire. Her powerful baseline strokes proved to be the undoing of Medina Garrigues, who managed to defend two match points on serve, but was not so fortunate on the third, netting a volley to hand Wozniacki the match. Court 4 - Ladies' Singles - 3rd Round Caroline Wozniacki DEN (9) 6 6 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP (20) 2 2

Lisicki spoils Kuznetsova's party

Lisicki joy Today may be Svetlana Kuznetsova’s 24th birthday but Sabine Lisicki was the only one celebrating after the highly rated teenager beat the French Open champion in straight sets on No.1 Court. Despite riding high on the back of her Grand Slam triumph this month, fifth seed Kuznetsova was slow out of the blocks and failed to recover in time to rescue the match, succumbing to her 19-year-old German opponent 6-2, 7-5. Lisicki said: "It's the first time I'm in the second week and I just kept telling myself, you have nothing to lose, just go for your shots. That's what I did in the end and it turned out to be good. "I just kept fighting. I missed some opportunities at 5-4 but I managed to serve well and just fought to finish up the match," she added. In a nervy opening passage of play both players looked more comfortable on the return with an immediate exchange of breaks. The German capitalised on the early shift of momentum to open up a 4-1 lead in a profitable spell that put her firmly in control of the set. Lisicki’s evident comfort in the dictating proceedings was well backed by a solid all-round game that signified maturity beyond her years.The teenager’s consistently high quality of return and ability to vary her shots unnerved Kuznetsova, who reeled off a series of uncharacteristic unforced errors. "I wasn't feeling my comfort at all. I was not moving much and I was not doing my thing," admitted Kuznetsova. "You have got to be quick and at maximum level all the time and I haven't done so today. That's why I lost." While Kuznetsova was struggling with the racket, she was able to demonstrate impressive football skills, returning a Lisicki let service with a well executed half volley. But her tennis continued to be a cause for concern and she grew increasingly frustrated. The Russian’s yelps of anguish were punctuated by a brief dispute with the umpire over a serve that Kuznetsova believed had clipped the top of the net on its way down but failed to trigger the sensor. With so much animation on the other side of the net Lisicki maintained her composure and continued to pile on the pressure. She was rewarded when she broke serve for a third time to clinch the set 6-2.With the benefit of an extended break between sets, Kuznetsova began to show glimpses of the quality that saw her go all the way at Roland Garros. But still Lisicki looked the more assured and her confidence was justified given her impressive level of consistency on the big stage. With the set seemingly heading to a tie break at 6-5, the 19-year-old raised her game to make the decisive break and spoiled Kuznetsova's birthday celebrations with the win. Court 1 - Ladies' Singles - 3rd Round Sabine Lisicki GER 6 7 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS (5) 2 5

Mauresmo survives tough test

Mauresmo Amelie Mauresmo of France, Wimbledon champion two years ago, beat Italy’s Flavia Penetta 7-5 6-3 to reach the fourth round after a fiercely contested match that reflected their close rivalry. Mauresmo was warned by the umpire after firing a ball into the crowd in the last game when the Italian was trying desperately to stay in the match. The warning came at 15-all after Mauresmo had double faulted but the French girl regained her composure to win the next two points to set up two match points. She double faulted on the first, her eighth. But a service winner saw her through to the last 16 in one hour and 30 minutes. On paper, Mauresmo, the 17th seed, and Pennetta, the 15th, were closely matched, each having won two of their previous matches. But they had never played on grass where Mauresmo was certain to feel more at home. Pennetta gave Mauresmo plenty to think about from the start. The French girl had to save five break points in her first service game, before winning what was a six-deuce game. Pennetta certainly looked up for the challenge, hitting back immediately afer losing her serve in the fourth game. But after the Italian failed to convert two break points against Mauresmo’s serve at 5-5 she disastrously lost her serve to love in the following game to lose the set 7-5 in 57 minutes. The hard hitting continued but Mauresmo began to look more in charge midway through the second set and the pressure began to swing on to the Italian. When Mauresmo saved a break point in the seventh game with a service winner, it was a crucial blow and she went on to close out the set 6-3. This was Pennetta’s seventh Wimbledon and the first time she has been in the third round. Mauresmo showed her it was a match too far. Court 3 - Ladies' Singles - 3rd Round Amelie Mauresmo FRA (17) 7 6 Flavia Pennetta ITA (15) 5 3

Superb Murray wastes no time in win

Viktor Troicki reaches for a volley during his third round defeat by Britain's Andy Murray. Andy Murray's Wimbledon bandwagon gathered massive momentum as he cruised into the last 16 by crushing Serbia's Viktor Troicki 6-2 6-3 6-4 in 96 minutes. Just as he did in his second round victory over Ernests Gulbis, Murray established immediate ascendancy over the 23-year-old Troicki and rapidly stepped that up to crushing superiority. Troicki, who had suffered two embarrassing defeats previously at the hands of Murray, made his Centre Court debut clearly with the intention of blasting the Scot off the court where he has so far been so comfortable. If the Serb's first serve failed, the second one was also an attempt at a blaster. It was a tactic which brought inevitable double faults, two of which led to a service break which put Murray 4-2 ahead in the first set. Murray cannily also refused to offer Troicki any pace off which he could feed, which further confused the Serb. This, combined with Murray's superior court craft, made for a one-sided match which was only extended by Murray's occasional, and understandable, inclination to indulge in a spot of showboating to offer the Centre Court their money's worth. The danger here was that the hovering clouds might unleash the contents before the job was complete, forcing the closing of the roof with its inevitable long delay. It was a close-run thing as Trocki fought back bravely in the third set but, as the ground staff gathered at courtside Murray finished the job in brilliantly professional style. Having gone one set up in 27 minutes, Murray cleaned up the second one in exactly half an hour. At times Troicki glanced towards the skies. Whether he was looking for heavenly assistance or the intervention of the weather was unclear - perhaps it was both. But on this evening there was nothing that could save him from a hammering. The harder he tried the more errors he made and when he attempted to match Murray for subtlety he was even more outclassed. Murray went 5-2 ahead in the second set by delivering three successive aces, followed by a delicate drop shot and closed out the set with his 12th ace. But he saved his greatest moments for the sixth game of the final set. Leading 3-2, Murray started with an inch-perfect drop shot, followed it with an ace, then executed an unbelievable cross-court winner with his back to the net and won perhaps the most glorious game he had ever played with a cross-court forehand. You could have forgiven Troicki if he had burst into tears at the frustration of opposing this sort of stuff. After that, the end was not long in coming as Murray wrapped it up with another brace of aces, 17 in all. Next up for Murray on Monday is Stanislas Wawrinka, the 19th seed. Between now and then, expect all the talk, hype and expectation about Britain gaining their first Wimbledon men's champion since Fred Perry 73 years ago to reach new levels. Centre Court - Gentlemen's Singles - 3rd Round Andy Murray GBR (3) 6 6 6 Viktor Troicki SRB (30) 2 3 4

Roddick too good for Melzer

American No. 1 Andy Roddick keeps his eye on the ball to drive a forehand past his third round opponent Jurgen Melzer. Jurgen Melzer must have felt somewhat glum when he realised he was facing Andy Roddick in the third round. Eight times before today they have met, and eight times the American has triumphed. Today was no exception to the rule, the number six seed securing his place in Monday’s last 16 with a 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-3 win over the Austrian. For the first two sets, this was the very definition of a tight match. Just as well (as Roddick posted on Twitter the night before this match) that he chose to go to bed early in order to be well rested, rather than do what he really wanted, which was go to a gig with the doubles-playing Bryan brothers. The first set offered no openings at all and Roddick – twice a finalist here – was frequently on the defensive. But come the tiebreak the American lifted his game and a couple of sloppy errors from 28-year-old Melzer tipped the balance. Roddick took it 7-2. If Melzer was to halt his losing record against 26-year-old Roddick, the likelihood of him doing it here always seemed remote – after all, the American is second only to Federer with the most grasscourt wins among current players. But in this match both players produced some high-class tennis in the second set, with Roddick applauding a beautifully judged lob from Melzer at 4-4. But he, too, was putting together some lovely rallies and in that same game had three separate chances to break. He just could not convert them. Again the set went to the tiebreak. Again Roddick raised his game when it mattered. Again Melzer did not play the important points as well as he might, and when he sent a forehand long it meant even the tiebreak score mirrored the first set – 7-2. Melzer, who had never in his career come back from two sets down in a five-set match, trudged to his chair looking resigned to his fate. Wouldn’t you know, that was just when he began to turn things around. At 2-2 in the third Roddick came to the net to volley – not his strong point in this match – and completely fluffed it to give Melzer the break. The Austrian’s confidence grew almost visibly and he closed out the set 6-4 with a backhand pass. Early in the fourth set Roddick seemed in charge, with break points here and there. At 2-1 Melzer sent an easy winner wide and Roddick led 3-1. Perhaps the American was distracted by the sight of gathering rainclouds overhead, because he lost concentration and Melzer got the set back on serve. But he could not make it stick and Roddick broke right back. This time his focus did not waver and he got the job done. He will face Tomas Berdych in the last 16. Centre Court - Gentlemen's Singles - 3rd Round Jurgen Melzer AUT (26) 62 62 6 3 Andy Roddick USA (6) 77 77 4 6

Simon keeps it simple

Gilles Simon The French challenge in the men’s singles now rests exclusively with 24-year-old Gilles Simon who is their lone survivor after his straight sets win over Victor Hanescu of Romania. Looking totally at ease on grass, Simon beat Hanescu 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in one hour and 27 minutes to reach the fourth round for the first time. It is the second time this year that Simon has reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam after being a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open where he lost to Rafael Nadal. The eighth seed prospered in all areas of the court and his ace count of 11 was one of the reasons why he could feel so comfortable. By getting to the third round, Hanescu matched his best performance at Wimbledon. But the wide range of Simon’s attack, which allowed him few opportunities, ensured that he would go no further. The only time Hanescu was able to dig in and challenge Simon was in the second set when the Romanian led 5-4 on serve. But the Frenchman ran off three games for the set helped by an inch-perfect forehand down the line to break serve. Simon has never won three matches in succession on grass but today demonstrated he is in good enough form to earn a place in the second week. Court 3 - Gentlemen's Singles - 3rd Round Victor Hanescu ROU (31) 2 5 2 Gilles Simon FRA (8) 6 7 6

Ferrero produces vintage display

Juan Carlos Ferrero Juan Carlos Ferrero, the former world number one, came through an extraordinary match to beat the number 10 seed Fernando Gonzalez on No.1 Court. Ferrero, playing as a wild card because his ranking was not high enough to justify automatic entry into the draw, emerged victorious from a see-saw encounter 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. He will play Gilles Simon in Monday’s last 16. This match had a curious feel to it. It was as if there should be a great gulf between the two players, partly because of their respective rankings (Ferrero was number 115 on May 11, the date of Wimbledon’s entry cut-off, although he is now number 70) but also because of their ages. It feels somehow that Gonzalez is a much newer face, and that Ferrero is definitely the veteran. But actually there is less than six months between them, with Gonzalez turning 29 at the end of July. Early in the first set the Chilean – playing with a heavily-strapped right knee – broke the Ferrero serve. Even then it felt as if this would be the blueprint for the match – that Ferrero had done well to make the third round, but that he could not make it into the second week. Gonzalez was to go on and capture that first set 6-4, but the next two sets unexpectedly upset what felt like the pattern. The second set felt much tighter. Gonzalez had an early break point but sent a wild forehand wide. Then just when a tiebreak looked inevitable, right at the death, with Ferrero 6-5 on serve, the Spaniard grabbed and converted break point. It was a bolt from the blue, and Ferrero greeted it with a Nadal-like cry of: “Vamos!” The third was every bit as tight, although quicker to wind up to its climax – and once again the outcome felt wholly unexpected. Ferrero was at 5-4 on serve when a half-volley forced a backhand error for double set point. Heroically, Gonzalez saved both. Ferrero would not yield, seizing a wonderful crosscourt return off a slow second serve for another set point. The Chilean’s face was bleak with regret as he watched the ball whistle past him, and when Ferrero sent a marvellous passing shot down the line to make it two sets to one, it was too much. Gonzalez smashed his racked twice into the turf, earning a code violation from umpire Fergus Murphy. As you might expect, Ferrero – who had won just one of his 10 previous encounters against top 10 players – selected this moment for a toilet break. Gonzalez’s foul temper receded as quickly as it had arrived, and he waited for his opponent sitting comically on his upended racket on the baseline, grinning and waving at the applauding crowd. But a long opening game proved that he still meant business. He out-thought Ferrero to take the break at once, and clenched his fist to show that the clowning was over. Then just as Ferrero was preparing to serve at 2-4, an announcement came unexpectedly over the public address system that the match might be completed on Centre Court later in the evening. It was all rather confusing – certainly to Gonzalez, who went over to the umpire to ask him to explain what had been said. Ferrero also seemed unsettled, but it did not affect the outcome of the set (although over on Centre Court the roof had closed, and many people were waiting patiently with no more matches scheduled there). Gonzalez closed it out 6-4. Far from tiring, the two players were going at it with renewed vigour, much to the delight of the crowd (with whom, understandably, the announcement that this match might switch to the Centre Court had not been terribly popular). Amid light drizzle, Ferrero saved break points. But the set stayed on serve until the Spaniard was at 5-4, when – typically of this encounter – the end came out of nowhere. Gonzalez put the ball in the net and suddenly it was match point, whereupon he double faulted. Ferrero fell to the ground before the players embraced at the net, and with supreme courtesy Gonzalez waited for his opponent so they could exit the court together. The crowd rose to them. Court 1 - Gentlemen's Singles - 3rd Round Fernando Gonzalez CHI (10) 6 5 4 6 4 Juan Carlos Ferrero ESP 4 7 6 4 6

Haas puts heat on Cilic to finish job

Tommy Haas in action on No.1 Court against Marin Cilic, the match went the distance but bad light halted play towards the end of the fifth set. Germany’s Tommy Haas needed just six games in the Saturday sunshine to secure victory over Croat Marin Cilic in a topsy-turvy match, which had been left on a knife-edge when it was suspended in the twilight on Friday night. Haas eventually emerged the victor 7-5, 7-5, 1-6, 6-7 (3-7) 10-8 in a total match time of four hours and 28 minutes. Both players looked very nervous as they stepped on No.1 Court with the score locked at 6-6 in the fifth set (Click here to read the full match report). However it was experienced Haas - who, at 31, is 11 years older than his opponent - who made the vital breakthrough in the 17th game of an epic set. After four games went with just a few points lost on serve, Haas forced a 15-40 advantage when the Croat could only clip a Haas backhand which whizzed down the line. He duly snapped up the game on his first opportunity when a Cilic forehand sailed long following a powerful Haas return. Haas then staved off two immediate break-back opportunities before holding his nerve to clinch the set 10-8 when Cilic forced a backhand long. Haas said afterwards: "It was a long match, a tough battle yesterday with so many ups and downs. Mentally it drains you for sure. You're always thinking about the next round in your head but you just want to finish the job. "I was very nervous. I don't know if my experience helped pull me through in the end as in all my years i've never had a match suspended at 6-6 in the fifth set. It was dramatic." Cilic echoed Haas' comments: "I was feeling well before the match. But when I stepped inside, when we started to play points, I was a little bit nervous. I think he dealt with it a little bit better and got an edge in the end. " Court 1 - Gentlemen's Singles - 3rd Round Tommy Haas GER (24) 7 7 1 63 10 Marin Cilic CRO (11) 5 5 6 77 8

Berdych crushes Russian seed

Tomas Berdych Czech Tomas Berdych finally broke his hoodoo against Nikolay Davydenko, taking just 107 minutes to crush the Russian No.12 seed for the first time in nine meetings. Of course, this was the perfect place for Berdych to reverse those fortunes. As a reliable performer at Wimbledon in recent years - he was a quarter-finalist in 2007 - he would have been confident that he could find the tactics to send the Russian packing in Wimbledon's first week for the seventh time in eight years. And so he did, with an impressive all-court game which had the Russian rattled. Of course, Davydenko’s error-strewn and lethargic display also had a lot to do with it. Berdych, the 20th seed, looked impressive from the outset and secured an early break to lead 3-1 after a baseline exchange ended with a forehand winner down the line. While cruising on his own serve, he was also asserting his dominance on his opponent and picked off returns at ease. The towering Czech player also showed a volleying competence which could be a force in the second week of The Championships. A cute angled backhand shot which he dug out from his feet brought up set point. Berdych duly took it after another thundering return at the feet of Davydenko forced another wild forehand. By now the difference between the two players' performances, and apparently their mindsets, was obvious. Berdych was excitedly waving his clenched fists at his faithful followers, while Davydenko looked like he wanted to be anywhere other than No.1 Court. Berdych was now beginning to stroll it and took an easy break early in the second set to lead 3-1. Davydenko was briefly stunned him into life following a confrontation with the referee which enabled him to close the gap to 3-2 after gaining his one and only break of the Berdych serve. However Berdych immediately regained the advantage when he capitalised on another dismal service game by the Russian. With the score standing at 5-3, Berdych then saved two break-points before sealing the second set with an ace. The third set followed a similar and uneventful pattern, with Berdych sealing breaks in the first and seventh games before serving out the set to love. Berdych admits the surface was a factor in helping him end Davydenko's winning streak. He said: "I think the grass suits me more than him, and it's better for my game. He was the favorite because he won all the matches before and he's higher in the rankings. But I think this was one of my best matches so far this year, and especially that the opponent was Nikolay Davydenko." And the Czech player says he's already looking forward to meeting Andy Roddick in the 4th round on Monday. Berdych added: “I can’t wait till next week. This was by my best match and performance this year. I played very well and believe I’m getting better and better with each match.” Court 1 - Gentlemen's Singles - 3rd Round Nikolay Davydenko RUS (12) 2 3 2 Tomas Berdych CZE (20) 6 6 6

Soderling shows his class

Robin Soderling moved into the fourth round at Wimbledon with a straight-sets win over Nicolas Almagro.

The Swede, who is seeded 13th, needed a lengthy tie-break to claim the opening set but then eased to a 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 6-4 victory in just under two hours on Court Three.

A French Open finalist earlier this month, Soderling converted two of six break points during the match and also hit 43 winners against the Spaniard Almagro, who is ranked 48th in the world.

Soderling will now face either Roger Federer or Philipp Kohlschreiber in the last 16.

That could mean a repeat of the Roland Garros final, where world number two Federer beat Soderling to lift his first title at the claycourt event.

Serena pays tribute after Jackson death

Serena thriller Serena Williams may have just completed with some ease her 200th Grand Slam match, making short shrift of Italy’s Roberta Vinca in the third round, but the post-match conversations inevitably focused on talk of Michael Jackson’s death. The American had been one of the first tennis stars to comment - in the early hours via her Twitter account - on the death and it was clear that she was happy to have a chance to pay a fuller tribute. “He was a great guy, a complete icon. Words can't express my shock and horror. [My] thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. It's just a terrible, terrible, terrible thing.” One of his biggest qualities, she said, was his “innovation. He did things that no one else did. Thriller is the best video ever made still to this day. He started a whole new trend with the videos that he did for his songs, no-one had ever even went that far. Dances, singing, beats, everything.” And, as she spoke about Michael Jackson, Serena revealed an inward smile of warmth and appreciation for the man and his work. Despite her own celebrity status, Serena was still star-struck by Michael Jackson. “Even though I met him, knew him, if I would have seen him on the streets, I still would have been like, AHHH” as she waved her hands in the air, and opened her eyes a little wider. “He is just iconic on all levels. “I think any celebrity who met Michael Jackson was completely in awe. I know I was. I kept thinking 'Oh, my God, oh, my God. It's him, it's him'. So for me he was the celebrity of all celebrities. "He's always been famous and he's always been a celebrity. And he's never really had a different life.” With genuine humility, Serena swiftly batted away a question inviting a comparison between Jackson and the iconic status she and sister Venus have in the tennis world. “I wouldn't even mention my name and his in the same sentence at all.” Then onto the tennis: the new, 4,000-seater, No. 2 Court caused Serena some issues, more accustomed as she is to playing on Centre Court and No. 1 Court, where players are accompanied to the courtside by an official from the club. Explaining her six-minute tardiness for her game she said: “Well, I thought someone was gonna come get me. Then I figured, well, maybe I just have to report. I didn't know what to do. So I was waiting, warming up. I was waiting and waiting. Finally I [thought] I'm just going to go out. I'm used to someone coming and saying, Okay, let's go.” But she enjoyed the experience of the new gladiatorial-style arena, saying “I really enjoyed the court, it worked for me. I actually really liked it”, adding, “the fans are more involved in the match, it seems, more verbal. And it's fun.” And Serena’s favourite Michael Jackson song? The 1987 duet I Just Can't Stop Loving You with Siedah Garrett.

Haas and Cilic locked in thriller

Tommy Haas gives 100% to try and win the point with a big serve against Marin Cilic. A four-hour marathon on No.1 Court was suspended in the gathering darkness at 9.33pm with Marin Cilic and Tommy Haas standing level at 5-7, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) 6-6 in the final set. By the time they were forced to give in to the failing light, both men had saved two match points in an encounter that swung unpredictably this way and that. Early on this match looked like being an unmitigated disaster for Haas, 31. The 11-year age gap between the players yawned as 20-year-old Cilic blasted away from the baseline. The German was obliged to save two break points to prevent a 0-4 scoreline. But he managed it, inching his way on to the scoreboard at 1-3. Openings were few for him, even on his own serve, and he also produced double faults at the most unwelcome moments. But he hung on and stayed in touch, although for what seemed a long time he could make no impression on the Cilic serve. Then Haas held to love for the first time for 5-3, and the one-time world number two seemed to take heart from it. Next game a netcord helped save a Cilic set point, and then suddenly a double fault from the Croatian handed his opponent a thoroughly unexpected break point. Crucially Haas got the first serve back, and in the subsequent rally Cilic put a potential winner wide. It was 5-5. Haas was gaining confidence visibly, typified by a beautifully judged lob. Meanwhile, errors were creeping into Cilic’s game at exactly the wrong time. Haas forced a break point for 6-5 with an unreturnable forehand, and not only converted it, but served out to love. Out of nowhere, it seemed, he had won the set. Haas managed to carry enough momentum with him into the second set that he avoided the disastrous opening period of the first. It was sufficiently hard work that that at 3-3 he uttered what sounded very much like an audible obscenity when fluffing a shot on Cilic’s serve, but he received no warning. A tiebreak looked inevitable until just as before, out of the blue the set turned. At 5-5 Haas found himself with a break point and controlled the rally superbly to convert it. Cilic saved three set points at 5-6 but a fourth was too much and Haas took the set. Perhaps it was finally beginning to show that Cilic – seeded for the first time this Wimbledon – came into the tournament with no grasscourt form, having lost in the first round at Queen’s. Haas, meanwhile, arrived in SW19 as the newly-crowned champion on the lawns of Halle, having overturned the odds there to defeat Novak Djokovic in the final. Yet still the pattern of this match this evening felt like a shock. But to vocal encouragement from the very visible Croatian support in the crowd, Cilic broke at the start of the third. He was five games up before Haas could stop the rot but it made no difference. Cilic sent down successive aces to capture the set 6-1. At the start of the fourth set Haas was moving stiffly, and seemed to be having discomfort in his left foot. But as far as the score was concerned he was back on track. At 5-4 on serve Haas had two separate match points, but could do nothing with either and the set went to the tiebreak. Cilic took command of it and the match moved into the fifth. By now Haas was tiring, and the 11-year age gap was beginning to show for real. Cilic broke at the first opportunity and got to 3-0 before the match turned again and Haas pegged him back to 3-3. Once again Cilic broke, and once again Haas levelled. At 5-6, in the last game of the night before play would have had to be suspended in any case, suddenly Cilic at last found a way through again to grab two separate match points, and this time Haas saved both to leave the match on a knife-edge at 6-6.