On a busy Monday, hours after defending champion Novak Djokovic made his 12th Wimbledon quarter-finals, Roger Federer rolled back the years to enter his last eight for the 18th time. The Swiss great beat world number no 27 Lorenzo Sonego of Italy in straight sets (7-5, 6-4, 6-2) in front of a capacity Centre Court crowd at SW19. (More Tennis News)
Federer, who turns 40 next month, showed Sonego his old charm at the All England Club with a vintage performance. Chasing a record-extending 21st Grand Slam and ninth Wimbledon title after knee surgeries and lengthy rehabilitation, Federer looked a bit rusty in the first set, allowing his 26-year-old opponent to match his game by game, including a loss of serve in the 10th game after a break in the seventh until wrapping up it 7-5 in one hour and three minutes. A brief rain stoppage in the 11th game sure allowed Federer to reaccess the situation.
It was followed by two easy sets, winning the second in 40 minutes with a break of serve in the fifth game, and the third in 31 minutes, with a double break in the first and third game.
Federer produced 32 winners, while Sonego got 23. Both the players committed 26 unforced errors, and also had equal numbers of aces -- four each, relatively low for a grass court match.
In the process, Federer became the oldest man to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, The record held by previously held by Australian Ken Rosewall in 1974.
Federer will meet either second seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia or the Polish 14th seed Hubert Hurkacz, whose match in Court 2 was interrupted due to rain. Medvedev was trailing 4-3 in the fourth set after taking a 2-1 lead 6-2, 6(2)-7, 6-3.
In another Round of 16 match, 20-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated fourth seed Alexander Zverev in five sets (6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4) to end German's Wimbledon campaign.
