Andy Murray is through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals after a late-night, five-set victory over Stanislas Wawrinka.
Murray prevailed 2-6 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-3 under the Centre Court roof in what was the latest-ever finish at the Championships.
Play finished at 2238 BST as Murray set up a last-eight meeting with former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero on Wednesday.
In a match played entirely under the new Centre Court roof due to the threat, rather than the presence, of rain, Murray was pushed to the limit by the gallant Swiss.
Perhaps surprised by the different indoor conditions, Murray was slow out of the blocks as Wawrinka's greater power held sway.
Using his impressive backhand to full effect, he silenced the crowd by racing into a 4-0 lead and claimed the first set.
Murray improved dring the second set and at 3-4, Wawrinka called for the trainer, recieving treatment for a thigh strain.
The Briton took full advantage, urging the crowd to raise the noise level and breaking in the very next game to lift the mood. He duly served out to level the match.
Murray had to fend off three break points at 3-3 in the third, but fend them off he did and he made the Swiss pay for missing his chance.
With errors now coming from the Wawrinka forehand, Murray moved to 0-40. Wawrinka saved one break point but on the second he missed an easy forehand volley to leave Murray in control of the set.
Despite a first-serve percentage of just 42, Murray managed to serve out for a two-sets-to-one lead and at that stage few would have predicted the late-night drama which lay in store.
However, there were worrying signs in the fourth set as the British star put his fans through the wringer in a style which evoked memories of Tim Henman's epic Centre Court battles.
Murray saved a break point at 3-3 but could not repeat the trick at 5-5 as he dumped a backhand into the net.
Suddenly the duo were into a final set - and it was already well past the previous latest finish of 2135 which occurred back in 1981.
Murray, who was also involved in a memorable epic on fourth-round day against Richard Gasquet 12 months ago, seemed to have wrested back the initiative when he raced into a 3-0 lead in the decider, Wawrinka losing his serve with more forehand problems as he lost five straight points from 40-0 up.
However, a superb cross-court pass allowed him to hit back and level at 3-3 to get the crowd wondering if they would ever be able to go home.
They did not have to wait much longer.
A crunching forehand winner gave Murray the crucial break to lead 5-3 and he served out for his place in the last eight after three hours and 57 minutes on court.
Roger Federer repeated his French Open final victory over Robin Soderling to book his place in the quarter-finals.
Just as at Roland Garros, where Federer recently claimed the first French Open title of his illustrious carrer, the Swiss won in straight sets and never looked in any danger as he played the big points the better.
Soderling crumbled at the key moments, in particular in both tie-breaks, as he went down 6-4 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/5) on Centre Court at the All England Club.
Asked aftewards what he has been pleased with about his game so far, Federer said: "Just being relaxed out on court, no signs of panic that I maybe had six months ago when I played.
"I would just feel uneasy. I wouldn't be exactly sure what the right plays were. Now 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."
Federer took the first set courtesy of a break of serve in the ninth game.
The second went with serve and in the resultant tie-break Soderling managed to get to 5-5 before producing two errors to hand Federer a two-set lead.
Federer fended off break point for the first time at 4-4 in the third and another tie-break resulted.
Again Soderling got into a good position - he led 5-4 at which stage he needed two service holds to force a fourth set.
Instead he lost both - a superb winner from the top seed being followed a double fault.
Federer duly finished things off, winning in a miniute short of two hours, and now faces a quarter-final meeting with ace king Ivo Karlovic.
The 6ft 10in Croat blasted down 35 aces - taking his tournament tally to 137 from four matches - and did not have to face a break point as he knocked out seventh seed Fernando Verdasco with a 7-6 (7/5) 6-7 (4/7) 6-3 7-6 (11/9) win.
Serving like this, Karlovic may fancy his chances of toppling even Federer - a shock which would eclipse even his victory over the defending champion Lleyton Hewitt back in 2003.
However, Federer holds a 8-1 career record against Karlovic - one which includes a straight-sets win in SW19 back in 2004.
Lleyton Hewitt produced another of his trademark comebacks to keep his hopes of a second Wimbledon title alive.
The Australian, winner in SW19 in 2002, showed all his renowned fighting spirit to beat Radek Stepanek 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-2.
It was the sixth time in Hewitt's career that he had come from two sets down but on this occasion it was almost a case of last man standing.
Both men needed treatment during the see-saw contest on Court Two.
Having dropped the opening set - the first he had lost at this year's tournament - and fallen a double break down in the second, Hewitt needed the trainer to treat what appeared to be a thigh strain.
The massaging of his leg muscles appeared to do the trick as although Stepanek took the second set, Hewitt made a storming start to the third.
He led it 4-0 when rain forced the players from the court, but when they returned the former world number one dominated.
Stepanek had struggled with a leg injury during his third-round win on Satuday and the problem returned to haunt him as the match wore on.
Despite treatment, he was powerless to stop the Hewitt bandwagon rolling on and the Aussie raced through the final two sets for the loss of just four games - much to the delight of his yellow-shirted 'Fanatics' in the crowd.
Hewitt now meets Andy Roddick for a place in the semi-finals.
Sixth seed Roddick blasted his way to a straight-sets win over Tomas Berdych.
The American star, twice a runner-up at the All England Club, slammed down 24 aces during his impressive 7-6 (7/4) 6-4 6-3 victory.
Novak Djokovic avoided the curse of the Champions' Graveyard as he eased his way into the last eight.
Playing on Court Three, an arena famous for the shocks which have occurred on it over the years, the 2008 Australian Open champion never looked in any danger as he crushed Dudi Sela 6-2 6-4 6-1.
Next up for him will be the in-form Tommy Haas, who continued his superb grasscourt run with a straight-sets victory over Igor Andreev.
The 31-year-old, who won the recent warm-up tournament in Halle, produced a dominant serving display as he saw off Igor Andreev 7-6 (10/8) 6-4 6-4.
The German did not face a single break point on his own delivery and won a majestic 95 per cent of points when his first serve found the mark.
Haas beat Djokovic in the final in Halle, so the Serb will get his chance for revenge on Wednesday.
Former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero continued his impressive run by taking out another seed in the form of Gilles Simon.
The Spaniard, best known for his claycourt exploits, ended the hopes of eighth seed with a 7-6 (7/4) 6-3 6-2 win.
In the women's draw, Dinara Safina made history as she became the first player to win under the new Centre Court roof on Monday.
The top seed produced a rousing comeback to fend off the impressive challenge of Amelie Mauresmo in one of the most competitive matches of the tournament so far.
Safina recovered from 0-3 in the final set to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 and book her place in the quarter-finals.
However, of almost equal drama was the sight of the new roof being closed and used for the first time after rain began to fall during the second set - a fact that drew a cheer from the crowd, which certainly was a first in SW19.
Mauresmo, the 2006 champion, took the first set but found herself a break down in the second when the rain arrived.
At that stage the 'concertina' of 5,200 square metres of waterproof fabric, was put across the famous arena, much to the fans' delight.
After a delay of 44 minutes as the covers were first pulled across, then removed and the air conditioning system switched on, play resumed and Safina duly served out the second set.
She looked to be back in trouble when Mauresmo started the decider like a train, breaking in the second game with a fine smash.
However, Safina hit back with a break to love as the tension rose under the roof.
The key game came at 3-4 when Safina fell 15-40 down but then produced two fine winners to come up with a crucial hold.
Mauresmo must have sensed her chance had gone and duly lost her own serve in the very next game, leaving Safina to serve out for an historic victory.
Afterwards Safina gave the thumbs-up to Wimbledon's new addition.
"It was really nice atmosphere to play under the roof because somehow you feel a little bit more the crowd,'' she said.
"Even the crowd also wanted the roof so it was an unbelievable atmosphere on the court.
"I didn't had any problems adjusting. I felt pretty comfortable.''
Mauresmo also had no complaints, although she did notice a change in conditions.
"It makes the conditions a little bit different,'' said the former world number one. "I would say the ball is flying a little bit more.
"It's really bright, it's good. It's definitely a plus for the tournament.
"You have to adjust quickly, that's for sure. I was expecting a little different conditions. It's not a big deal.''
Elsewhere, Venus Williams vowed to play through the pain barrier in order to defend her title after reaching the quarter-finals.
The five-time winner progressed to the last eight when opponent Ana Ivanovic quit their fourth-round clash on Monday due to a groin injury, but once again Williams appeared with strapping around her knee.
It was the third straight match Williams had appeared with the strapping but she insists there is not chance her pulling out.
"I'm doing everything I can for my knee," she said. "And this is Wimbledon, so it doesn't matter how much pain I'm in, I'm going to keep playing."
Williams had looked every inch the title holder as she swept through the first set 6-1, her only moments of concern coming in the first game in which she had to save three break points.
However, Ivanovic suffered an injury to her groin while serving in the opening game of the second set.
The 13th seed had her left thigh taped up but was clearly hampered and, although she went on to win the game, she retired in tears at the change of ends.
Afterwards she explained: "Just when I was serving 30-40 down in that first game, and after my first serve, when I landed I just felt a sharp pain on my inner thigh and I couldn't step on my leg."
Williams goes through to meet Polish 11th seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the last eight.
Radwanska ended Melanie Oudin's dream run.
The 17-year-old had won three matches in qualifying before adding three more victories in the main draw, including one over sixth seed JelenaJankovic.
However, Radwanska proved a hurdle too high to climb and Oudin went down 6-4 7-5 on Court 18.
Serena Williams cruised into the quarter-finals for the eighth time in her career as she thrashed Daniela Hantuchova.
Ths second seed, twice a champion at the All England Club, was once again in dominant form as he sauntered to a 6-3 6-1 win in just 56 minutes.
Afterwards, Williams declared herself happy with her form but, as always, suggested improvements could be made.
"I've definitely been solid and playing consistently,'' she said. "But obviously there's always room for improvement in my game.
"I definitely felt like I could have served a little better today.
"I feel like I definitely need to step it up, play better, really start playing some great tennis, or go home. And I don't want to go home, so I'm just getting more serious."
Next up for the Amercian will be a meeting with eighth seed Victoria Azarenka, who edged out Nadia Petrova in a much tighter encounter.
Azarenka, who beat Williams in the final in Miami earlier this season and also led her at the Australian Open before quitting with heat exhaustion, won 7-6 (7/5) 2-6 6-3 in two hours and 25 minutes.
German teenager Sabine Lisicki claimed another seeded scalp as she reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time.
The 19-year-old shocked ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki with a 6-4 6-4 triumph. She will now meet Safina.
Earlier Elena Dementieva was the first player to reach the quarter-finals as she crushed fellow Russian Elena Vesnina.
The fourth seed eased to a comprehensive 6-1 6-3 victory on Court Two at the All England Club and will now meet Francesca Schiavone.
Dementieva is a player who has struggled in the heat in the past so she will have been happy to wrap up a quickfire win as temperatures rose to around 30 degrees Celsius.
She will now return on Tuesday for her quarter-final for which she will start favourite to reach the last four for the second year running.
The match will be against Italy's Schiavone, who beat Virginie Razzano 6-2 7-6 (7/1).
Briton Laura Robson got the defence of her Junior Wimbledon title under way with a comfortable win.
Robson, who won the tournament as a 14-year-old 12 months ago, beat Canada's Katarena Paliivets 6-3 6-2 in her first-round match
Britain's last remaining men's doubles pair bowed out in the third round on Monday.
Jamie Delgado and Jonny Marray were beaten 7-5 6-4 6-4 by the reigning champions Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic.
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook
