Swiss great Roger Federer has earned a record-breaking appearance in the last 16 at Wimbledon with a commanding 7-5 6-2 7-6 (7-4) victory over Frenchman Lucas Pouille.
The 37-year-old Swiss has reached the second week of the grass-court grand slam for a 17th time, moving him ahead of Jimmy Connors for the most fourth round entries after his 98th Wimbledon win.
His long-term rival Rafael Nadal also eased through to the last 16 with a ruthless 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory over Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to remain on course for a potential semi-final clash with Federer.
Federer broke serve in the twelfth game to take the first set and raced through the second set with three breaks to double his advantage.
“I’m happy that I’m able to raise my level of play,” said Federer, who has only dropped one set so far in his opening match against South African Lloyd Harris.
“There was a great run of games midway through the second, also after winning the first. I like seeing moments like that in a match for me.”
The eight-time champion needed to endure a third set tiebreak en route to his 350th grand slam match win, which is also more than any other player in the Open era.
“The records mean something to me but not everything,” added Federer, who is vying for a ninth title at the All England Club.
Federer will meet Matteo Berrettini on Monday after the Italian 17th seed beat Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.
Nadal will face Portugal’s Joao Sousa, who beat Britain’s Dan Evans 4-6 6-4 7-5 4-6 6-4, as the 18-time major winner looks to add a third Wimbledon trophy.
“I played good quality of tennis. Honestly I felt very comfortable,” said Nadal after his third-round win.
“It’s important that after the tough draw I was able to find a way to be in the second week. That gives me some positive feelings.”
Japanese eighth seed Kei Nishikori also advanced after he surpassed American Steve Johnson with a 6-4 6-3 6-2 victory to line up a clash with Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin, who brushed aside German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-5.
American Sam Querrey defeated Australia’s John Millman 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 to enter the second week of the tournament for the fourth time in his 12th appearance at SW19.
Querrey will face off against compatriot Tennys Sandgren, who beat Fabio Fognini 6-3 7-6 (14-12) 6-3.
During his loss to Sandgren at tiny Court 14, the 10th-ranked Fognini referred in Italian to the “damned English” and said he wished “a bomb would explode at the club.”
The Italian ace later apologised, saying his comments had come in the heat of the moment.
