Safarova leads Czech assault
Lucie part of Czech trio to make last-eight stage; Federer, Wawrinka set up all-Swiss duel
LONDON: Lucie Safarova led the Czech charge into the Wimbledon semifinals on Tuesday, beating Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-3, 6-1 to become the first woman through to the last four.
The 27-year-old’s victory guaranteed a Czech woman would reach the final as she will meet the winner of the later quarter-final between former champion Petra Kvitova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in Thursday’s semi-final.
“I played really well and wanted to get through this match and I am so happy,” a beaming Safarova said.
It is the furthest the Monacobased player has advanced in 37 grand slam appearances.
“I was serving well and being aggressive and taking her time away and that was the key to the victory,” Safarova, seeded 23, said.
It is the first time since the start of the professional era in 1968 that three Czech women have advanced to the quarterfinals of a grand slam tournament. SHARAPOVA BEATEN BY KERBER IN THRILLER Maria Sharapova’s hopes of celebrating the 10th anniversary of her Wimbledon triumph with a sequel ended in a thrilling defeat by Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the fourth round.
T h e Ru s s i a n ’ s chances of recapturing her 2004 title rose at the weekend when world No.1 Serena Williams was surprisingly beaten in the third round, but she joined the list of big-name casualties after a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4 defeat on Centre Court.
“It’s unbelievable, it was such a tough match, playing on a high level and it was so close,” 26-year-old Kerber, seeded nine, said after catching her breath.
“I’m so happy, she’s a great player on grass, but I was just focusing on myself and I’m so happy to be in the quarters.” CLASH BETWEEN CLOSE FRIENDS Seven-time champion Roger Federer will take on close friend Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals after both men hurried to victory just in time to watch their native Switz erland t ackle mighty Argentina in the World Cup.
Federer eased into his 12th Wimbledon quarter-final with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win over Tommy Robredo, a victory headlined by a perfect second set.
Australian Open champion Wawrinka, the fifth seed, made his first last-eight date at the All England Club at the 10th attempt by seeing off Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (9/7), 6-3.
Federer will start as overwhelming favourite having a 13-2 record over his 2008 Olympic Games gold medal partner.
But Wawrinka won their last encounter on clay at the Monte Carlo Masters final in April and the two have never met on grass.
Federer allowed fellow 32-yearold Robredo just three points off his serve in the first set and then none at all in the second with the 17-time Grand Slam title winner claiming 20 out of 20 points on service.
In all, Robredo won just 14 points on the Federer serve as the Swiss star went level with Boris Becker in joint second place for most match wins at the tournament on 71.
Eighth-seeded Milos Raonic celebrated his national day in style by becoming the first Canadian man in more than a century to reach the quarterfinals as he knocked out Kei Nishikori. Raonic beat the 10th-seeded Japanese 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in two hours and 27 minutes on Court Three, firing 35 aces and 66 winners. He faces either world number one Rafael Nadal or Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios for a place in the semi-finals.