2008 Wimbledon Championships.html |
| | | ca | | | de | | | en | | | es | | | fr | | | it | | | nl | | | no | | | pl | | | pt | | | ru | | | ro | | | fi | | | sv | | | tr | | | vo | | |
| |  |
The 2008 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on outdoor grass courts. It was the 122nd edition of the Wimbledon Championships, and the third Grand Slam event of the year. It took place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England, United Kingdom, from June 23 through July 6, 2008.
Spanish player Rafael Nadal won the first Wimbledon title of his career; the first Grand Slam tournament he had won other than the French Open. Nadal defeated five-time defending champion Roger Federer in the final in what some regard as one of the greatest matches of all time.[1][2][3] In the women's singles, Venus Williams claimed her fifth title, and first win over her sister Serena in a Wimbledon final (she had lost the previous two). The performances of Britons Andy Murray in the men's singles and Laura Robson in the girls' singles were able to arouse significant interest from the home crowd.
Following the completion of the 2007 Championships, the new fixed roof was put in place, in time for the 2008 Championships. The retractable section of the new roof is scheduled to be completed for the 2009 Championships.
Contents |
Notable stories
Betting scandal
There were allegations in a dossier that several matches, including eight at Wimbledon, were under suspicion of being fixed by professional gambling syndicates after bookmakers noted unexpected spikes in betting patterns.[4] The dossier, released on the Sunday prior to the first day of play, had been commissioned by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women's Tennis Association (WTA), International Tennis Federation (ITF), and four Grand Slams earlier in the year, and was compiled by bookmakers. An official said, "If you look at a tournament, you might see one match for £23,000 [in betting turnover], one for £27,000, one for £36,000 and one for £4.5m. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that something is going on in the last one."[5] Betting on Wimbledon matches was popular in 2007, with over £420m wagered on bets.
To help deal with any potential gambling problems, the All England Club restricted access to player's changing rooms this year, allowing only the player and their coach permission. It was hoped that this would make communication between gamblers and players more difficult.[5] Match fixing became a prominent issue in the media after the 2007 Orange Prokom Open, where the then World No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko came under suspicion of colluding with gamblers, and gambling company Betfair took the unprecedented step of voiding all bets on a match of his with Martin Vassallo Arguello.
Pigeon killing controversy
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the sport club that plays host to the Championships, came under fire from animal activists for using marksmen to shoot down dive-bombing pigeons. The marksmen were ordered to use hawks to scare them away, but when some failed to do so, the marksmen killed them, which led to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) group releasing a statement admonishing the practice and subsequently, referring to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, contacting the Metropolitan Police.[6]
Several players complained about the pigeons distracting them during play, and because of the inefficient nature of the hawks, rapid action was sought on the Sunday evening before the tournament began.[7] The marksmen were hired by the All England Club and, armed with rifles, shot several birds. When the media broke the story on Monday, a spokesman for the All England Club defended the club's approach, saying that, "The hawks are our first line of deterrent, and by and large they do the job. But unfortunately there were one or two areas where the hawks didn't deter the pigeons, so it was deemed necessary to take a harder approach."[8] By Tuesday however, the Metropolitan Police wildlife crime unit had been alerted to the practice by PETA, after allegedly infringing the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Bruce Friedrich, vice-president of PETA, wrote in a letter to the All England Club chairman Tim Phillips, that the birds did not represent "a demonstrable risk to public health and safety", and the activity was therefore in violation of the Act.[7] A Wimbledon spokesperson subsequently announced that they had reneged on their policy, and that the All England Club would no longer shoot pigeons.
A similar, but more inconspicuous, incident also occurred on the Sunday evening before the Championships. A swarm of bees descended upon the area surrounding the All England Club; this caused the clearing out of the players' lawn (where competitors gather after play) and a temporary cessation of some interviews.[9][10] Further disruption was caused because organizers had to alter the overnight queuing system, in order to protect people. This was the first time that bees had caused disruptions at the All England Club. Some media outlets reported that the bees deserted the grounds after around 90 minutes,[10][11] whilst others claimed that a similar resolution to the pigeon problem was sought, with the bees being professionally exterminated.[9]
British performance
The British public were left with some palpable success, as London-based Laura Robson became the first British girl to win the Girls' juniors competition since Annabel Croft in 1984. Robson, aged 14 and the youngest player in the Girls' juniors, had to beat players aged up to 18, the maximum age allowed for entry in to the juniors.[12][13] She garnered considerable media attention,[12][14][15] and, with a large crowd gathered to watch both her semi-final and final matches (the latter of which was on Court One), she called it an "overwhelming experience."[16] British based gambling company Ladbrokes slashed her odds of winning Wimbledon before 2020 from 50/1 to 20/1.[15] In the seniors, 2007 mixed doubles champion Jamie Murray could not replicate his triumph of the previous year with new partner Liezel Huber after his 2007 partner, Jelena Jankovic, opted not to play in order to concentrate on the singles competition.[17] Murray & Huber were able to reach the semifinals.
In the seniors singles competition Scot Andy Murray made the most significant impact, becoming the first Brit since Tim Henman in 2004 to reach the quarterfinals. Murray, often castigated in the British media for his surly manner, won the crowd's affections with his five-set victory over Richard Gasquet (for further details on this match, see the Day 7 summary).[18][19] In the UK, the Murray-Gasquet match was watched by over 10m people, and in his native Scotland more than 50% of the potential viewing public watched the match.[20] Chris Eaton from Surrey, the ATP No. 661, began his campaign in qualifying, succeeded in doing so, and then beat ATP No. 114 Boris Pashanski, causing a huge surprise.[21] No British women made it beyond the second round.
Day by day
Day 1
The first day of the competition saw World No. 1 and five-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer breeze by his opponent to reach the second round[22], alongside Marcos Baghdatis, Fernando Gonzalez, Feliciano Lopez, Andreas Seppi, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Novak Djokovic, Stanislas Wawrinka, Fernando Verdasco and David Ferrer. 2007 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Tomas Berdych was pushed in a five-setter by ATP No. 78 Evgeny Korolev, but eventually prevailed on the final score of 4–6, 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, after three hours of play, while former World No. 1 and 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt survived a close, three-hours-and-a-half-long five-setter against Robin Haase, winning 6–7(4), 6–3, 6–3, 6–7(1), 6–2. Recent French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils was forced to withdraw before his first match due to a shoulder injury contracted during his Nottingham Open semifinal against Ivo Karlovic.[23][24] Karlovic was himself upset later in the day by qualifier Simon Stadler, while thirty-second seed Michael Llodra retired against Mario Ancic due to a left arm injury. Canadian wild card Frank Dancevic produced the biggest upset of the day knocking out former finalist David Nalbandian in straight sets, and in a mere ninety-six minutes.[25][26][27]
In the women's singles, French Open champion and new World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic easily defeated her first round adversary, and was followed in the second round by Nicole Vaidisova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Agnes Szavay, Alona Bondarenko, Amelie Mauresmo and 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli, as well as two-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams, who was tested against Roland-Garros quarterfinalist Kaia Kanepi, before winning the match on the score of 7–5, 6–3, and sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze, who won her first round encounter 2–6, 6–1, 8–6, saving all four match points her opponent Stephanie Dubois held against her. Many women seeds fell on the first day, such as Virginie Razzano, who lost to Evgeniya Rodina despite winning the first set with a bagel, Dominika Cibulkova, who fell to Jie Zheng, Alize Cornet, who was defeated by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Maria Kirilenko, who lost to Vera Dushevina, and Patty Schnyder, who was upset by Casey Dellacqua.[25][28]
- Seeded players out: Gael Monfils (withdrawal), Ivo Karlovic, Michael Llodra (retirement), David Nalbandian; Dominika Cibulkova, Virginie Razzano, Alize Cornet, Maria Kirilenko, Patty Schnyder.
The men's doubles competition saw no seeds advancing but Australian Open runners-up and Wimbledon defending champions Arnaud Clement & Michael Llodra were forced to withdraw before their first match, because of Llodra's left arm injury, which had already caused his retirement in the singles earlier in the day.[25][29]
In the women's doubles competition, French Open mixed doubles champion Victoria Azarenka & partner Shahar Peer proceeded to the next round.[25][30][31]
- Seeded players out: Michael Llodra / Arnaud Clement (withdrawal).
(Pictures from Day 1)
Day 2
In the men's singles, Queen's Club champion, 2006 and 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Rafael Nadal scored his first win, securing a second round spot along with Jarkko Nieminen, Nicolas Kiefer, Tommy Robredo, Richard Gasquet, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Radek Stepanek, Gilles Simon, Nicolas Almagro, Mikhail Youzhny, James Blake, two-time finalist Andy Roddick, and twelfth seed Andy Murray, who overcame 'The Magician' Fabrice Santoro 6–3, 6–4, 7–6(5), in little more than two hours, while twenty-fifth seed Dmitry Tursunov battled during nearly four hours before claiming a 6–4, 6–7(8), 7–6(7), 3–6, 7–5 win over 2007 Queen's Club finalist Nicolas Mahut. ATP No. 116 Benjamin Becker provided the biggest upset of the tournament thus far with a 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 win over fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko, whose first round exit was the fifth in seven Wimbledon appearances, and Croatian Ivan Ljubicic was upset in a close five-setter by 72nd-ranked, Austrian Jurgen Melzer, on the final score of 6–4, 7–6(7), 4–6, 2–6, 6–3.[32][33][34][35]
On the women's side, defending champion Venus Williams proceeded to the next round past British hope Naomi Cavaday, alongside Flavia Pennetta, Caroline Wozniacki, Sania Mirza, Sybille Bammer, Maria Sharapova, Francesca Schiavone, Victoria Azarenka, Vera Zvonareva, Nadia Petrova, Shahar Peer, Daniela Hantuchova, Jelena Jankovic, Roland-Garros runner-up Dinara Safina and 1999 Wimbledon champion Lindsay Davenport, in her first appearance since 2005. Twenty-third seed Katarina Srebotnik was knocked out of the tournament at the end of an almost-four-hours-long thriller, in which she held four match points, before her opponent, WTA No. 102 Julia Goerges eventually won on the score of 4–6, 7–6(8), 16–14.[32][36]
- Seeded players out: Nikolay Davydenko, Ivan Ljubicic; Katarina Srebotnik.
In the men's doubles, South Africans Jeff Coetzee & Wesley Moodie won their first round match, as well as Australian Open champions Jonathan Erlich & Andy Ram, who completed their encounter after it was stopped by bad light on Day 1, on the final score of 5–7, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 11–9, and Lukas Dlouhy & Leander Paes, who after five sets of play eventually claimed a 4–6, 6–0, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 victory. Polish tenth seeds Mariusz Fyrstenberg & Marcin Matkowski were upset in straight sets by Rohan Bopanna & Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi.[32][37]
In the women's draw, eleventh-seeded 2000 and 2002 Wimbledon doubles champions Serena Williams & Venus Williams advanced past their first round adversaries in less than an hour.[32][30][31]
- Seeded players out: Mariusz Fyrstenberg / Marcin Matkowski.
(Pictures from Day 2)
Day 3
World No. 1 and defending champion Roger Federer, Stanislas Wawrinka, Lleyton Hewitt, Feliciano Lopez, Marcos Baghdatis, David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Tomas Berdych advanced to the next round of the men's top half of the draw, alongside twenty-ninth seed Andreas Seppi, who overcame Frenchman Florent Serra at the end of a close five-setter, on the final score of 6–3, 6–7(4), 6–2, 6–7(5), 6–4. The shock of the day came as former World No. 1, 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian Open champion, and now 75th-ranked Marat Safin took out ATP No. 3, 2007 Wimbledon semifinalist and reigning Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets, winning 6–4, 7–6(3), 6–2, after two hours of play. Twenty-first seed Juan Carlos Ferrero also left the tournament, retiring due to a neck injury in the third set of his second round against Halle doubles champion Mischa Zverev, and fifteenth seed and French Open quarterfinalist Fernando Gonzalez lost a close encounter to Italian Simone Bolelli, on the score of 7–6(8), 7–6(7), 3–6, 7–6(4).[38][39][40]
In the women's singles, Elena Dementieva won her first round, and Nicole Vaidisova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Serena Williams, Agnes Szavay, Anna Chakvetadze, Amelie Mauresmo, Agnieszka Radwanska and 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli won their second round matches. New World No. 1 and French Open winner Ana Ivanovic was pushed to the limit, as she saved two match points in the three-hours-and-twenty-minutes thriller that opposed her to WTA No. 97 Nathalie Dechy, and of which she came out the victor on the score of 6–7(2) 7–6(3), 10–8. Twenty-eighth seed and Australian Open doubles champion Alona Bondarenko retired against qualifier Barbora Zahlavova Strycova due to a right leg injury, and twentieth seed Francesca Schiavone lost in three sets to Anabel Medina Garrigues, despite holding three consecutive match points in the deciding set.[38][41]
- Seeded players out: Novak Djokovic, Juan Carlos Ferrero (retirement), Fernando Gonzalez; Alona Bondarenko (retirement), Francesca Schiavone
In the men's doubles, World No. 1 team Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan proceeded to the second round, along with Brazilian pair Marcelo Melo & Andre Sa, who won their first round encounter in five sets 6–3, 3–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–1, Jonas Bjorkman & Kevin Ullyett, Frantisek Cermak & Jordan Kerr and Julien Benneteau & Nicolas Mahut. 2007 US Open champions and fifth seeds Simon Aspelin & Julian Knowle were upset in four sets by Kevin Anderson & Robert Lindstedt.[38][42]
World No. 1 team and defending champions Cara Black & Liezel Huber, Iveta Benesova & Janette Husarova, Kveta Peschke & Rennae Stubbs, Ai Sugiyama & Katarina Srebotnik, Lisa Raymond & Samantha Stosur, Zi Yan & Jie Zheng and Dinara Safina & Agnes Szavay were among the teams advancing past the first round of the women's doubles event. Meanwhile, eighth seeds Shuai Peng & Tiantian Sun were upset in three sets by Catalina Castano & Kaia Kanepi, fourth seeds Yung-jan Chan & Chia-jung Chuang fell to Akgul Amanmuradova & Darya Kustova, and in the last match of the day, fourteenth seeds Alicia Molik & Mara Santangelo lost in three sets to Tatiana Perebiynis & Alicja Rosolska.[38][30][31]
- Seeded players out: Simon Aspelin / Julian Knowle; Shuai Peng / Tiantian Sun, Yung-jan Chan / Chia-jung Chuang, Alicia Molik / Mara Santangelo.
(Pictures from Day 3)
Day 4
Among the seeds advancing to the third round in the bottom half of the men's draw were Nicolas Kiefer, Andy Murray, Richard Gasquet, Dmitry Tursunov, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Gilles Simon, Mikhail Youzhny, who prevailed at the end of a three-hours-and-a-half-long five-setter against ATP No. 201, qualifier Stefano Galvani, on the score of 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, and Radek Stepanek, who came back from being down two-sets-to-love to defeat Serbian Viktor Troicki 6–7(1), 6–7(3), 6–3, 6–1, 6–2. Second seed, four-time French Open champion, two-time Wimbledon finalist Rafael Nadal had to battle during three hours against Roland-Garros quarterfinalist Ernests Gulbis, before claiming a 5–7, 6–2, 7–6(2), 6–3 victory, and also proceed to the next round. Meanwhile, twenty-third seed Tommy Robredo fell in straight sets to Tommy Haas, twenty-fourth seed Jarkko Nieminen lost in a close match to Marin Cilic on the score of 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(6), 7–5, French Open quarterfinalist Nicolas Almagro was upset 6–3, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 by Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, and 2003 Australian Open runner-up, and now 94th-ranked Rainer Schuettler eliminated ninth seed James Blake after a five-set-marathon, 6–3, 6–7(8), 4–6, 6–4, 6–4. Sixth seed Andy Roddick fell before the third round for the first time in eight appearances, as the two-time Wimbledon finalist was knocked out of the tournament by ATP No. 40 Janko Tipsarevic, 6–7(5), 7–5, 6–4, 7–6(4).[43][44][45]
In the women's singles, defending champion Venus Williams advanced to the third round, alongside Caroline Wozniacki, Dinara Safina, Shahar Peer, Jelena Jankovic, Victoria Azarenka, Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova. Thirty-second seed Sania Mirza was taken to three sets by WTA No. 101 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, and eventually lost 6–0, 4–6, 9–7, while thirteenth seed Vera Zvonareva fell to recent 's-Hertogenbosch winner Tamarine Tanasugarn, Austrian Sybille Bammer lost in three sets to Shuai Peng, tenth seed Daniela Hantuchova was upset by Alisa Kleybanova, and twenty-second seed Flavia Pennetta was knocked out by Ai Sugiyama. 1999 Wimbledon champion Lindsay Davenport decided to withdraw from the tournament before her match against Gisela Dulko, due to a knee injury. WTA No. 159, Russian Alla Kudryavtseva produced the biggest upset of the women's field thus far, as she upset compatriot, former World No. 1, 2004 Wimbledon winner, reigning Australian Open champion, and third seed Maria Sharapova in straight sets, on the score of 6–2, 6–4.[43][46]
- Seeded players out: Tommy Robredo, James Blake, Jarkko Nieminen, Andy Roddick, Nicolas Almagro; Lindsay Davenport (withdrawal), Sania Mirza, Vera Zvonareva, Maria Sharapova, Sybille Bammer, Daniela Hantuchova, Flavia Pennetta.
In the men's doubles, Christopher Kas & Rogier Wassen, Daniel Nestor & Nenad Zimonjic and Max Mirnyi & Jamie Murray advanced to the next round, whereas Czech pair Martin Damm & Pavel Vizner fell, after four sets, to Travis Parrott & Filip Polasek, and fourth seeds Mahesh Bhupathi & Mark Knowles lost to Philipp Petzschner & Alexander Peya. Ninth seeds Lukas Dlouhy & Leander Paes were among the first teams to reach the third round, along with Christopher Kas & Rogier Wassen, who advanced for the second time in the day, when they received a walkover.[43][47]
On the women's side, French Open champions Anabel Medina Garrigues & Virginia Ruano Pascual cruised to the second round, along with Bethanie Mattek & Sania Mirza, and Serena Williams & Venus Williams were the first pair to advance to the third round. Australian Open champions Alona Bondarenko & Kateryna Bondarenko withdrew from the competition, due to the right leg injury which had already forced Alona Bondarenko to retire in her singles match on the previous day, and twelfth seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova & Amelie Mauresmo also chose to withdraw.[43][30][31]
- Seeded players out: Martin Damm / Pavel Vizner, Mahesh Bhupathi / Mark Knowles; Alona Bondarenko / Kateryna Bondarenko (withdrawal), Svetlana Kuznetsova / Amelie Mauresmo (withdrawal).
(Pictures from Day 4)
Day 5
Rain interrupted play for about an hour and a half during the early afternoon in what was the first rain delay of the 2008 Championships.[48]
World No. 1 and five-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer cruised to the fourth round of the men's singles, along with Lleyton Hewitt, Feliciano Lopez, 2006 semifinalist and 2007 quarterfinalist Marcos Baghdatis, and thirteenth seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who was leading two-sets-to-love when his opponent Mischa Zverev retired. Twenty-second seed and Nottingham finalist Fernando Verdasco knocked out eleventh seed and 2007 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Tomas Berdych, crushing the Czech in the third set to win 6–4, 6–4, 6–0, in little more than an-hour-and-a-half, 2004 Wimbledon semifinalist Mario Ancic edged fifth seed and 's-Hertogenbosch titlist David Ferrer after more than three hours of play, on the final score of 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5), 7–6(3), and former World No. 1 and now ATP No. 75 Marat Safin continued his run in the tournament, taking out twenty-ninth seed Andreas Seppi in four sets 7–6(5), 3–6, 7–6(3), 6–4.[49][50][51]
In the women's singles, Nicole Vaidisova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anna Chakvetadze, Agnieszka Radwanska and Agnes Szavay advanced to the fourth round, alongside two-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams, who defeated 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo 7–6(5), 6–1. Meanwhile, unseeded American Bethanie Mattek upset defending finalist and eleventh seed Marion Bartoli in straight sets. The shock of the day was produced by 2006 Australian Open and 2006 Wimbledon doubles champion and wild card Jie Zheng, as the WTA No. 133 knocked out of the tournament World No. 1, French Open champion and 2007 Wimbledon semifinalist Ana Ivanovic in straight sets, on the score of 6–1, 6–4.[49][52]
- Seeded players out: Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer, Andreas Seppi; Marion Bartoli, Amelie Mauresmo, Ana Ivanovic.
Among the teams advancing to the men's doubles' third round were top ranked Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan, Frantisek Cermak & Jordan Kerr, Marcelo Melo & Andre Sa, Julien Benneteau & Nicolas Mahut, Jonas Bjorkman & Kevin Ullyett and Australian Open champions Jonathan Erlich & Andy Ram, who overcame Stephen Huss & Ross Hutchins after five sets 6–7(3), 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4.[49][53]
In the women's doubles competition, World No. 1 team and defending champions Cara Black & Liezel Huber, Kveta Peschke & Rennae Stubbs, Victoria Azarenka & Shahar Peer, Lisa Raymond & Samantha Stosur and Dinara Safina & Agnes Szavay proceeded to the third round, while fifteenth seeds Iveta Benesova & Janette Husarova were taken out in straight sets by Vania King & Alla Kudryavtseva, and second seeds Ai Sugiyama & Katarina Srebotnik lost on the score of 2–6, 6–3, 11–9 to Raquel Kops-Jones & Abigail Spears.[49][31]
- Seeded players out: Iveta Benesova / Janette Husarova, Ai Sugiyama / Katarina Srebotnik.
(Pictures from Day 5)
Day 6
In the men's singles, 2006 and 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Rafael Nadal advanced past German twenty-seventh seed Nicolas Kiefer in straight sets, 2007 Wimbledon semifinalist Richard Gasquet edged compatriot, twenty-eighth-seeded Gilles Simon after four sets and little more than two hours on the score of 6–3, 6–3, 6–7(3), 6–3, and unseeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic matched his 2007 Wimbledon performance, as he qualified for the fourth round in defeating twenty-fifth seed Dmitry Tursunov in straight sets 7–6(1), 7–6(3), 6–3. Twelfth seed Andy Murray lost one set to his opponent, former ATP No. 2 Tommy Haas, but eventually won the match after two-hours-and-a-half of play, on the final score of 6–4, 6–7(4), 6–3, 6–2, nineteen-year-old Croatian Marin Cilic defeated fourteenth seed Paul-Henri Mathieu, and Mikhail Youzhny prevailed at the end of a four-hours-and-fourteen-minutes-long five-setter against Radek Stepanek, on the score of 7–5, 6–7(5),6–4, 6–7(4), 6–3.[54][55][56]
On the women's side, Elena Dementieva and Venus Williams advanced to the fourth round, alongside second seed Jelena Jankovic who fought back from being led one-set-to-love, to defeat thirty-first seed Caroline Wozniacki 2–6, 6–4, 6–2, and twenty-first seed Nadia Petrova, who upset 2007 US Open and 2008 French Open mixed doubles champion and sixteenth seed Victoria Azarenka in straight sets and two tie-breaks 7–6(11), 7–6(4). Australian Open doubles runner-up Shahar Peer and French Open singles runner-up Dinara Safina battled during three-hours-and-twenty-five-minutes, with Peer dominating up to the midst of the second set, when the Russian came back, saving one match point, and Safina dominating up to the end of the third set, when Peer came back, breaking her adversary one final time to claim a 7–5, 6–7(4), 8–6 victory.[54][57]
- Seeded players out: Dmitry Tursunov, Gilles Simon, Nicolas Kiefer, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Radek Stepanek; Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka, Dinara Safina.
Top ranked Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan came back from a one set deficit to defeat thirteenth seeds Frantisek Cermak & Jordan Kerr, and reach the quarterfinals of the men's doubles. Daniel Nestor & Nenad Zimonjic, Max Mirnyi & Jamie Murray advanced to the third round, while South Africans eleventh seeds Jeff Coetzee & Wesley Moodie were upset in straight sets 7–6(2) ,6–2, 7–6(3), by unseeded Feliciano Lopez & Fernando Verdasco, and fifteenth seeds Christopher Kas & Rogier Wassen lost to Philipp Petzschner & Alexander Peya.[54][58]
2008 French Open champions and fifth seeds Anabel Medina Garrigues & Virginia Ruano Pascual, thirteenth seeds Bethanie Mattek & Sania Mirza, ninth seeds Zi Yan & Jie Zheng cruised to the third round of the women's doubles, while top ranked Cara Black & Liezel Huber advanced to the quarterfinals.[54][31]
Almost all seeds in the mixed doubles advanced to the third round, among which Pavel Vizner & Kveta Peschke, Simon Aspelin & Lisa Raymond, Mike Bryan & Katarina Srebotnik, Andy Ram & Nathalie Dechy, Daniel Nestor & Chia-jung Chuang, Julian Knowle & Yung-jan Chan and Kevin Ullyett & Ai Sugiyama. Nenad Zimonjic & Tiantian Sun lost in straight sets, however, to Lukas Dlouhy & Nicole Vaidisova, Mark Knowles & Zi Yan were upset by Scott Lipsky & Casey Dellacqua, Mahesh Bhupathi & Sania Mirza fell to Igor Andreev & Maria Kirilenko, and Leander Paes & Rennae Stubbs were knocked out by Jonas Bjorkman & Alicia Molik.[54]
- Seeded players out: Frantisek Cermak / Jordan Kerr, Jeff Coetzee / Wesley Moodie, Christopher Kas / Rogier Wassen; Nenad Zimonjic / Tiantian Sun, Mark Knowles / Zi Yan, Mahesh Bhupathi / Sania Mirza, Leander Paes / Rennae Stubbs.
(Pictures from Day 6)
Middle Sunday
Middle Sunday in Wimbledon is traditionally a rest day, without any play, and this was the case in 2008. The seventh day of the competition, consequently, was Monday, June 30.
Day 7
Five-time Wimbledon winner, defending champion and World No. 1 Roger Federer advanced to the tournament's quarterfinals for the seventh time in ten participations past former World No. 1 and 2002 Wimbledon titlist Lleyton Hewitt after less than two hours of play, on the score of 7–6(7), 6–2, 6–4, while second seed, 2006 and 2007 finalist Rafael Nadal left no hopes to seventeenth seed Mikhail Youzhny, as he defeated the Russian 6–3, 6–3, 6–1. 2004 Wimbledon semifinalist and ATP No. 43 Mario Ancic was led two-sets-to-love by Nottingham finalist and twenty-second seed Fernando Verdasco, when he started a comeback, winning the third set, and overcoming Verdasco's 4–1 lead to take the fourth, to ultimately win the match, after the two players repeatedly broke each other in the one-hour-and-half-long fifth set, on the final score of 3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 13–11, after nearly four hours of play, and set a rematch of the 2006 Wimbledon quarterfinal against Federer. Thirty-first-seeded Feliciano Lopez climbed back from being led two-sets-to-one, and saved three match points, the third one with an ace on his second service, to finally beat tenth seed, 2006 semifinalist and 2007 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Marcos Baghdatis after almost four hours of play, 5–7, 6–2, 3–6, 7–6(4), 8–6. In the first fourth round match involving two unseeded players, ATP No. 94 and 2003 Australian Open runner-up Rainer Schuettler dominated ATP No. 40, victor of Andy Roddick, Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(4), and in the second one, 2001 Australian Open runner-up and 2007 Wimbledon doubles champion, ATP No. 145 Arnaud Clement outplayed nineteen-year-old Croatian, ATP No. 55 Marin Cilic, in straight sets 6–3, 7–5, 6–2. Former World No. 1 Marat Safin eliminated a third consecutive seed in the tournament, as he beat Rome Masters finalist Stanislas Wawrinka for the first time in three encounters, on the score of 6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–1, to match his best result in Wimbledon, a 2001 quarterfinal. Eighth seed, 2007 Wimbledon semifinalist, Frenchman Richard Gasquet entirely dominated his adversary, twelfth seed, British Andy Murray during two sets, and up to the end of the third one, when he served to win the match, before Murray broke the Frenchman back and won the set's tie-break, eventually taking back the control of the encounter, racing through the fourth set and breaking early in the fifth to win, in almost complete darkness, at 21:30 (UTC+1), after four hours of play, on the score of 5–7, 3–6, 7–6(3), 6–2, 6–4, and, reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, complete the round of eight line up.[59][60][61]
The women's competition saw top seeds continue to fall, as WTA No. 60 and 's-Hertogenbosch titlist Tamarine Tanasugarn knocked out second seed Jelena Jankovic 6–3, 6–2, in a mere seventy-five minutes, to advance for the first time in her career to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event, and Eastbourne titlist and fourteenth seed Agnieszka Radwanska took back the control of her match, after scoring only one game in the second set, to defeat her opponent WTA No. 4 and 2007 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Svetlana Kuznetsova 6–4, 1–6, 7–5. Kuznetsova and Jankovic's losses, together with the defeats of Ivanovic and Sharapova earlier in the tournament, meant that none of the top four seeds reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in the Open Era. The 133rd-ranked Jie Zheng also continued her run in the tournament, defeating fifteenth seed Agnes Szavay 6–3, 6–4, and progressing to become the first women's wild card entry to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals.[62] Defending champion Venus Williams advanced to her ninth quarterfinals at Wimbledon in twelve appearances, past 42nd-ranked Russian Alisa Kleybanova, and her sister Serena Williams dispatched compatriot WTA No. 69 Bethanie Mattek in straight sets 6–3, 6–3. Eighteenth seed Nicole Vaidisova recovered from the loss of the first set to win the second in a tie-break, and eventually overcome her opponent eighth seed Anna Chakvetadze after two hours of play, on the score of 4–6, 7–6(0), 6–3, Russian twenty-first seed and recent Eastbourne runner-up Nadia Petrova easily defeated compatriot and victor of Maria Sharapova, 154th-ranked Alla Kudryavtseva 6–1, 6–4, in little more than an hour, and Elena Dementieva, the highest seed remaining in the draw, crushed Israeli twenty-fourth seed Shahar Peer 6–2, 6–1.[59][63][64]
- Seeded players out: Lleyton Hewitt, Fernando Verdasco, Marcos Baghdatis, Mikhail Youzhny, Stanislas Wawrinka, Richard Gasquet; Jelena Jankovic, Agnes Szavay, Anna Chakvetadze, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Shahar Peer.
In the men's doubles, ninth seeds Lukas Dlouhy & Leander Paes proceeded to the quarterfinals, alongside Australian Open champions Jonathan Erlich & Andy Ram, who defeated sixteenth-seeded Frenchmen Julien Benneteau & Nicolas Mahut 4–6, 6–7(4), 7–6(3), 6–3, 6–4, and second seeds Daniel Nestor & Nenad Zimonjic, who beat fourteenth-seeded Max Mirnyi & Jamie Murray in straight sets. Meanwhile, Brazilian twelfth seeds Marcelo Melo & Andre Sa decided to withdraw from the tournament, giving a walkover to unseeded Kevin Anderson & Robert Lindstedt, and Feliciano Lopez & Fernando Verdasco's withdrawal allowed eight-seeded team Jonas Bjorkman & Kevin Ullyett to complete the quarterfinals' line up.[59]<