Sweet sixteen for classy Federer
RECORD: TOP EIGHT WOMEN’S SEEDS ALL SENT PACKING
Roger Federer needed just 16 minutes to win the opening set in a 6-0, 7-5, 6-4 defeat of France’s Adrian Mannarino to reach his 16th Wimbledon quarterfinal yesterday, while a record exodus of seeds was completed in the women’s draw.
Eight-time champion Federer will be playing in his 53rd Grand Slam last-eight when he tackles either Gael Monfils of France or Kevin Anderson, the eighth-seeded South African, who faced off later yesterday.
Top seed Federer, 36, has now won 32 consecutive sets at Wimbledon, just two behind his record set from the third round in 2005 to his title triumph in 2006.
“It was crucial for him to stay in the match at the beginning of the second set and then it got tougher,” said Federer after his sixth win in six meetings against French left-hander Mannarino.
“You always tend to play better against better players and I am happy to be back in the second week of Wimbledon.”
Earlier Kiki Bertens ensured a record exodus of seeds when she added Czech Karolina Pliskova to the list of big names to perish before the quarterfinals.
The Dutchwoman’s 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) win means that for the first time since seedings were introduced at Wimbledon in 1927 none of the top eight in the women’s draw made the quarterfinals.
Bertens, the first Dutchwoman to reach the last 16 since Michaella Krajicek, sister of former men’s champion Richard, did so in 2007, followed up her win over Venus Williams in the third round with a display of power and poise.
Pliskova, at seven, was the highest seed to reach the fourth round after an extraordinary first week of upsets but her hopes of further progress evaporated on a stiflingly hot Court Two.
She bridled at suggestions that she had wasted an opportunity to have a real tilt at the title.
“It’s not that there is a free (run) until the final,” the 26-yearold said. “You still have to beat the players.
“I don’t think the draw is open.” – AFP