London: Seven-time champion Roger Federer reached the Wimbledon fourth round for the 15th time yesterday with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-4 win over Germany’s Mischa Zverev.
Federer will face Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov tomorrow for a place in the quarter-finals.
“I thought it was a fun match to play against a serve-and-volley player. You’ll always see some lobs, passing shots and drop shots,” said Federer after a fifth win over Zverev, three of which have come this year.
The victory was the Swiss star’s 317th at a Grand Slam as he continues his bid to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion. Federer has never lost to Dimitrov in five meetings.
However, just like the Swiss, 13th seeded Dimitrov has yet to drop a set at this year’s Wimbledon and was a semi-finalist in 2014.
Earlier, Novak Djokovic fended off a brief challenge from Ernests Gulbis to reach the last 16.
Djokovic was a break down in the first set and was taken to a tie break in the third but beat Gulbis 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) on Centre Court, before Roger Federer took on Mischa Zverev.
“I’m delighted with the performance. I thought I raised the level of tennis,” said three-time champion Djokovic after making the second week without dropping a set.
He next faces Adrian Mannarino, who overturned French compatriot and 15th seed Gael Monfils in a five-setter.
Elsewhere in yesterday’s third round ties, last year’s beaten finalist Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov made it through – as did Sam Querrey, who took one game to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Their match was suspended on Friday at 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 6-5 due to bad light, with the French 12th seed not wanting to field Querrey’s returns of serve in the gloom. They came back yesterday but it was all over in minutes as the US 24th seed broke serve.
Querrey next faces South Africa’s Kevin Anderson for a quarter-final spot.
Canadian sixth seed Raonic downed Spain’s 25th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-5 to book a fouth round spot against Alexander Zverev.
The German 10th seed beat Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. Bulgarian 13th seed Dimitrov had an easy ride when Israeli Sela was forced to pull out at 6-1, 6-1 down after struggling with a right thigh injury that required treatment during the match.
Tomas Berdych, the 2010 beaten finalist, beat David Ferrer in straight sets 6-3 6-4 6-3. The Czech 11th seed will play Austrian eighth seed Dominic Thiem who defeated American Jared Donaldson 7-5 6-4 6-2.