9 Jul 2017

Seeds advance at Wimbledon

8:34 am on 9 July 2017

Former champions Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic were in impressive form as they reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in straight sets.

Third seed Federer played superbly in a 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 6-4 win over German 27th seed Mischa Zverev on Centre Court.

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic.

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Djokovic, seeded second, had earlier looked fired up as he beat Latvia's Ernests Gulbis 6-4 6-1 7-6 (7-2).

Federer will play Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov and Djokovic faces Adrian Mannarino in the last 16.

There were also wins for sicth seed Milos Raonic and eighth seed Dominic Thiem.

In the women's draw top seed Angelique Kerber survived a scare against American world number 70 Shelby Rogers to reach the last 16.

Germany's Kerber, 29, lost a tight first set before fighting back to win 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 in a thrilling battle on court two.

She will face Spain's 14th seed Garbine Muguruza in the fourth round.

Kerber will lose her world number one ranking if she does not reach the final.

Germany's Angelique Gerber

Germany's Angelique Gerber Photo: Photosport

Muguruza, a Wimbledon finalist in 2015, powered to a straightforward 6-2 6-2 victory over Romania's Sorana Cirstea.

Second seed Simona Halep could take top spot from Kerber by reaching the semi-finals, while Karolina Pliskova - despite her second-round exit - still has a chance of taking it.

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska overcame a shaky first set to beat Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 3-6 6-4 6-1.

She will next face two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, after the Russian's powerful 6-4 6-0 win over Slovenia's Polona Hercog.

American Coco Vandeweghe has yet to drop a set at Wimbledon after beating compatriot Alison Riske 6-2 6-4 on court three.

Her next opponent, Caroline Wozniacki, secured a remarkable 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 victory over Anett Kontaveit.

Wozniacki was a set down and Kontaveit served for the match in the second, but the Dane managed to turn around her performance and throw her opponent's big-serving game off balance.