LONDON, 26 June 2003 — US fifth seed Andy Roddick won a bad-tempered Centre Court showdown with Britain’s former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski to reach the third round of the men’s singles at Wimbledon yesterday.

What swung the match Roddick’s way in a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-1), 7-5 win in 2hr 4min was when Rusedski lost his cool in the ninth game of the third set when a spectator called a Roddick return out.

In fact the shot was good, the American won the point and Rusedski launched a foul-mouthed tirade in the direction of the umpire’s chair.

The 29-year-old Canadian-born Briton’s game collapsed thereafter and Roddick raced on to a meeting with Spain’s Tommy Robredo, the 25th seed.

Roddick said he sympathized with Rusedski’s predicament. “I think a fan made a call from the stands which is unfortunate for him. I immediately sensed a chance to move in for the kill.”

Both men have pulled out 149 mph (238 kph) serves on grass — Roddick doing so on the way to winning at Queen’s last week. Three-time champion John McEnroe, commentating for the BBC, said he believed the umpire should have replayed the point and said he expected Rusedski would be slapped with a fine of up to 20,000 pounds ($30,000). “But the good thing is the money will go to charity,” said the former champion who as Superbrat or Mac the Mouth regularly — and entertainingly — fell out with officialdom when he played here.

Earlier, Swiss fourth seed Roger Federer lived up to his status as one of the tournament favorites by scoring a 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 win over 71st-ranked Austrian Stefan Koubek.

The 21-year-old from Basel did justice to his nickname ‘The Federer Express’ by bludgeoning Koubek in 1hr 16min after first saving a set point in a tight opening set.

He next meets Mardy Fish, who blasted fellow American Jan-Michael Gambill off court 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.

“I feel like I’m returning well — but he (Fish) has got a bigger serve than the other two guys I’ve played so far. I’m the highest seed left in my half of the draw but I don’t look at myself like I’m already in the final,” said Federer.

The Swiss added that the desire of players to receive a larger share of profits at Grand Slams was being misrepresented amid claims many top stars might boycott the majors next year. Federer has been touted as a future champion since upsetting Pete Sampras, then the defending champion, in the fourth-round two years ago. But he then crashed to Tim Henman and last year exited in the opening round to Croatia’s Mario Ancic.

As Federer sped onward, two former women’s champions were also in a hurry to progress. Fourth seed Venus Williams, who won in 2000 and 2001, swamped Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 6-4, 6-1 in just 61min while 1999 champion Lindsay Davenport overpowered Italian Rita Grande 6-3, 6-1.

“I know that I have the ability to win,” said Venus, back on her game after a poor French Open campaign. Venus next meets Nadia Petrova of Russia, the 29th seed who ended the hopes of Angelique Widjaja of Indonesia 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. South African 17th seed Amanda Coetzer also fell by the wayside, at the hands of Francesca Schiavone of Italy, who advanced 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. Back among the men, Spanish teen star Rafael Nadal, who says his game is not as suited to grass as clay, did his best to disprove that theory by blitzing Britain’s 487th-ranked Lee Childs 6-2, 6-4, 6-3. Nadal, just turned 17, next meets 12th seed Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, who survived two match points to see off French former junior champion Olivier Mutis 4-6, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, 7-5 in a three-and-a-half hour battle.

Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten slumped out with US veteran Todd Martin blasting the Brazilian 17th seed 7-6 (7 4), 6-4, 6-4.

“I felt great. I’ve been serving pretty well,” said 32-year-old Martin, a semifinalist in 1994 and 1996 that next meets Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler.

The German ninth seed ousted unseeded Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.