Murray wins epic battle

ANDY MURRAY set a new Wimbledon record in his epic fourth-round match with Stanislas Wawrinka – coming through in five sets 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the latest match ever on played Centre Court.

The match was carrying on under the new roof until 10.38pm, making it comfortably the latest that play had continued on Centre Court in championship history. The previous latest game ended at 9.35pm.

Murray lost the first set 6-2 before levelling by taking the second 6-3.

Murray took the third 6-3 and control of the match at two sets to one. In the fourth set, it was Murray whose nerve broke, along with a string in the 11th game, allowing Wawrinka to gain the vital service break.

The man from Lausanne promptly served out with a heavy ace to take the set 7-5 and take a fascinating encounter into a fifth set.

Murray took the first three games but Wawrinka battled back to 3-3.

He took the next and broke Wawinka to lead 5-3, before serving out to win 6-3, with the first of two match points.

Lleyton Hewitt thanked his fans for pulling him through a tough five-setter against Radek Stepanek – and told them to keep up the noise for his quarter-final with Andy Roddick.

The Australian was two sets down and struggling with a thigh problem but turned things around in the third set and did not look back, eventually winning 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-2.

The ‘Fanatics’ were out in force again supporting Hewitt, and were told to tone it down by stewards on a couple of occasions.

But the 2002 champion is grateful for their support and believes the atmosphere is good for the tournament. Hewitt said: “They’ve been great, they’ve been fantastic. I draw a lot of emotion and energy from those guys out there.”

Roddick powered his way past Tomas Berdych and is braced for a tricky clash with old adversary Hewitt in the quarter-finals.

Roddick blitzed his Czech opponent with a magnificent display of power serving to win 7-6 (7/5) 6-4 6-3.

Now the number six seed is hoping his recent run of success over the Australian will see him into the semi-finals. “I don’t think anybody in the locker room would ever, at any point, take Lleyton lightly, especially on this surface,” said Roddick.

“I have loads of respect for Lleyton, what he’s been able to accomplish, so it will be a tough one.”

Roger Federer yesterday warned his rivals he is back to feeling “perfect”.

Federer fired down 23 aces as he battled past Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the fourth round in a repeat of the recent French Open final, the five-time champion winning 6-4 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/5).

“I feel perfect. I think I’m moving well, serving well. My rhythm from the baseline is good so I’m just really, really pleased from this aspect.”

Spanish wild car Juan Carlos Ferrero reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 with an impressive victory over Gilles Simon.

Ferrero disposed of eighth seed Gilles Simon on Court Three, winning 7-6 6-3 6-2.

Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, the 22nd seed, won his fourth-round match 7-6 (7/5) 6-7 (7/4) 6-3 7-6 (11-9) against Fernando Verdasco of Spain.

Novak Djokovic claimed his place in the quarter-finals with a straight-sets victory over Dudi Sela 6-2 6-4 6-1.