LONDON, 29 June 2004 — Top seeds Roger Federer and Andy Roddick eased through to the Wimbledon quarterfinals yesterday while the push for the women’s title was lit up by blonde teenagers Maria Sharapova and Tatiana Golovin.
Reigning champion Federer toppled Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5) to set up a titanic last eight clash with 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia who won a thrilling Centre Court tussle against Spain’s Carlos Moya 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3).
Roddick, the second seed, reached the last eight, and a clash against Dutchman Sjeng Schalken, with a 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 win against Germany’s Alexander Popp.
Six foot 10in (2.08m) Karlovic, who knocked Hewitt out in the first round last year, was outplayed by the Swiss star’s silky skills as the top seed took the opening set 6-3 in just 26 minutes.
Hewitt, the seventh seed and 2002 champion, was too powerful from all parts of the court as fifth-seeded Moya, never the most comfortable on grass courts, struggled to make an impression before mounting a powerful, late rally which the Australian battled to subdue.
Also making the last eight was Germany’s Wimbledon debutant Florian Mayer who beat Joachim Johansson of Sweden 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
Mayer, who had only played one career match on grass before coming here, now faces French 10th seed Sebastien Grosjean who put out Robbie Ginepri of the United States 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4). Also going through was unseeded Croatian Mario Ancic who was 7-5, 3-1 ahead in his fourth round clash with Xavier Malisse when the Belgian was forced to retire with a back injury.
Ancic now faces either Tim Henman or Mark Philippoussis for a place in the semifinals.
Schalken, the 12th seed, meanwhile, saw off America’s Vince Spadea 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.
The day ended with Tim Henman holding off Mark Philippoussis — last year’s runner-up — 6-2, 7-5, 6-7, 7-6 in a 3 hour, 7-minute match.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin set up a dream Wimbledon fourth round clash with defending champion Serena Williams and admitted that the thought of facing the great American had almost shattered her campaign.
Golovin, making her Wimbledon debut, clinched a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 win over Switzerland’s Emmanuelle Gagliardi in a third round match held off from Sunday with the tie level at 3-3 in the decider.
Maria Sharapova, the 13th seeded Russian, who clinched the grasscourt title in Birmingham two weeks ago, saw off American veteran Amy Frazier 6-4, 7-5 and meets Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, who beat Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-3, 7-5.
The 1997 champion Lindsay Davenport of the United States, seeded five, beat Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-4, 6-4 and now faces Croatia’s Karolina Sprem who continued her giantkilling exploits with a 6-4, 6-4 win against veteran Bulgarian Magdalena Maleeva.
