IMAGES from Day 5 at Wimbledon on Friday.
Ruthless Federer marches on with another straight-sets win
Top seed and defending champion Roger Federer advanced to the Wimbledon last 16 without dropping a set after a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win over German Jan-Lennard Struff on Friday.
Federer, seeking a record ninth Wimbledon title, eased through the first set before the big-serving Struff put up more of a fight in the second.
But Federer clinched it with a superb service game that included a wonderful volley at the end of a long rally followed by a winning drive down the line.
The 36-year-old Swiss proceeded to win his 29th consecutive set at the All England Club and wrap up victory on Centre Court with an ace on his first match point in just over one and a half hours.
"Against big servers who go for a lot it's always difficult to find rhythm and be sure that you are in driver's seat until the match is over," Federer said after his 175th grasscourt win.
"I was happy to stay calm and finish off the job. I thought I did very well today. I created more chances in the second set and was always able to stay pretty clean on my own service game.
"It's a wonderful feeling walking out there, I take every match one at a time, I try to put on a good match, try hard every time, and will never underestimate anybody - that keeps me in check."
Federer next faces French 22nd seed Adrian Mannarino.
"In the next round it will be a lefty. It will be much more of a strategic match, I believe, the way Mannarino plays," Federer said.
"I'm happy I found a way today. Some moments where it can be frustrating because you're not finding any rhythm, at times you're more reacting than playing active tennis."
"I'm just very pleased that I found a way in that first set, then also stayed calm in the second set, regardless that I had maybe missed opportunities. He was always going to be a tough third-round opponent."
Bertens ends Venus' days of living dangerously
There was no great escape for Venus Williams on Friday as the five-times champion became the latest top-10 seed to perish at Wimbledon after she was beaten 6-2, 6-7(5), 8-6 in a pulsating third-round match by Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens.
The American, at 38 the oldest woman in the draw, had to recover from a set down in her first two matches but her days of living dangerously were ended by a opponent who simply would not give up.
The precision serve that had gone AWOL during the first set - with the ninth seed holding serve only once - was back on target for Williams as she produced some exquisite volley winners to snap up the second set when Bertens smacked a forehand long.
But all the effort she put into forcing a decider despite being two points from defeat in the second set came to nothing as Bertens played the match of her life to reach the second week at the All England Club for the first time in her career.
Bertens had come agonisingly close to toppling Williams in Miami this year, when she had held three match points, and she seemed to have learned from that near miss as she dropped to her knees in triumph after watching the American net a backhand to end the two hour, 40 minute thriller.
Williams' defeat continued the horror show for women's seeds at Wimbledon as only two of the top 10 - world number one Simona Halep and number seven Karolina Pliskova - are still in the tournament. It is the worst showing by the women's seeds in the professional era.
Zverev wraps up suspended match in five sets
Fourth seed Alexander Zverev reached the third round at Wimbledon for the third year in succession when he came from 2-1 down to complete a 6-4, 5-7, 6-7(0), 6-1, 6-2 victory over Taylor Fritz in their suspended match on Friday.
The second-round clash, which lasted three hours 12 minutes, was suspended on Thursday evening in fading light with the 20-year-old American Fritz leading 2-1 after taking a marathon third set when he dominated the tiebreak, winning it 7-0.
"Stopping at 2-1 down was not a nice feeling but I played better than yesterday," said Zverev, like Fritz a former world junior number one. "I think (today) showed I am playing my best tennis."
It was the fourth time in six Grand Slam matches that the 21-year-old German has come back from 2-1 down to win five-setters, after three at the French Open.
Keys falls to Russian qualifier Rodina
Madison Keys became the latest title-contender to fall at Wimbledon when the American 10th seed lost 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 to Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina in the third round on Friday.
The 23-year-old looked like salvaging a place in the last 16 when she clawed her way back from a set and 4-0 down to take the match into a decider on a hot and humid Court Three.
But world number 120 Rodina, who needed treatment early in the decider, refused to crack and broke the Keys serve at 4-4.
She slipped 15-30 behind as she tried to serve it out but Keys netted an easy volley.
Rodina got to match point with a stunning forehand pass played almost on her knees. Keys then netted a forehand, her 48th unforced error of the match, to hand the Russian victory.
The defeat of the US Open runner-up means only three of the top 10 seeds are left in the women's draw.
Only two of the top eight survived to the third round -- the lowest at Wimbledon in the professional era.
Anderson keeps African Wimbledon hopes alive
South African eighth seed Kevin Anderson reached the Wimbledon last 16 for the fourth time with a straight-sets win over experienced German Philipp Kohlschreiber on Friday.
The way he played in his 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 victory suggested Anderson could go further than ever before at the All England Club.
Anderson, 32, pressured Kohlschreiber from the start and was gifted an early and decisive break as the German double-faulted and he netted a forehand in the second game.
The South African also broke at the start of the second set but Kohlschreiber hit back immediately.
Anderson bided his time and broke at 5-5 with a forehand winner and held for a two-set lead.
He got a huge slice of luck at 5-5 in the third set when his backhand return flopped off the net tape and over to earn him the break and he served out to love, clenching his first and roaring his delight as Kohlschreiber's return flew long.
Anderson, the only African left in the singles draws, will face either American Sam Querrey or Frenchman Gael Monfils for a place in the last eight.
