Safin stuns Djokovic as Ivanovic escapes at Wimbledon
LONDON (AFP) — Former world number one Marat Safin sent third seed Novak Djokovic crashing out of Wimbledon on Wednesday while Serbian compatriot Ana Ivanovic narrowly escaped the same All England Club black hole.
Safin, a US Open and Australian Open champion during his glory days before a slump sent his career into freefall, stunned the 21-year-old world number three 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 with a magical Centre Court display.
On Court One, women's top seed Ivanovic, buoyed by her French Open triumph, had to save two match points in extraordinary circumstances to see off France's experienced Nathalie Dechy 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/3), 10-8.
There were no such dramas for five-time men's champion Roger Federer who eased into the last 32 with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) win over Robin Soderling.
It was the world number one's seventh win in seven meetings with the 23-year-old Swede and the comfortable manner of his victory would have been aided by having seen dangerman Djokovic removed from his side of the draw.
"I'm very happy with the win," said Federer who was watched from the players' box by American pop star Gwen Stefani and will next meet France's Marc Gicquel for a place in the fourth round.
"The conditions were difficult, the sun was low so it was hard to see the ball in the last few points. So I was pleased to get through without playing a fourth set."
Reigning Australian Open Djokovic, who had reached the third round at least in his last nine Grand Slam appearances, and was runner-up to Rafael Nadal at Queen's two weeks ago, sent down 10 double faults and 28 unforced errors.
"It was a very bad day. I didn't do anything I was supposed to do. I made too many mistakes and had no momentum," said the 21-year-old Djokovic, a semi-finalist last year.
"Marat was one of my idols when I was a junior. I have a lot of respect for him and maybe that played a role today."
Safin, struggling at 75 in the world, said the win came at the right time for him.
"I've been lacking confidence but to beat Djokovic on Centre Court is a great victory," said Safin who has endured a miserable 2008, only twice winning back-to-back matches before Wimbledon.
Safin goes on to face Italian 29th seed Andreas Seppi for a place in the last 16.
Djokovic was almost joined on the scrapheap by world number one Ivanovic who saw off 29-year-old Dechy in a three-and-a-half-hour thriller and will now face China's Zheng Jie for a place in the fourth round.
Ivanovic admitted that she was fortunate to escape after a lucky netcord on the second match point in the 10th game of the second set saw the ball flop onto Dechy's side of the net.
Describing that excruciating moment, the glamorous 20-year-old Serb said: "I felt like time stopped for a moment... Then the ball hit the net and it was in the air for a couple of seconds. It was moving away, so I thought maybe even it will go out.
"My heart missed a beat when it went on the other side."
Dechy, playing in her 13th successive Wimbledon, admitted that she wept for an hour after the match.
"Maybe she can play the lottery today, it will be her lucky day," said the 29-year-old Frenchwoman.
Zheng said she wants Wimbledon officials to give her a Centre Court showdown with Ivanovic.
Zheng, 24, earned a third round clash against the top seed by beating British wildcard Elena Baltacha 6-2, 7-5 and then admitted she would love to face the Serbian world number one in the most famous arena in tennis.
The Chinese wildcard didn't enjoy her one other singles appearance on Centre Court, when she was thrashed by defending champion Serena Williams in the 2004 first round.
The world 133 is desperate to make up for that disappointment and has asked the All England Club's match schedulers to let her have another crack at playing on the show court.
"It's such a good court with a great atmosphere. I would love to play there again," Zheng told AFP.
Zheng lost her only previous meeting with Ivanovic in Montreal two years ago and, after watching the Serb save two match points against Nathalie Dechy in the second round, she know she will be facing an even better player now.
"Before when I played Ana she wasn't the number one, now she's number one and French Open champion. It's the first time I will have played her on grass.
"Of course I want to win the match but I know it will be very tough. She had two match points against her in the last round but her heart is very strong.
"It's tough to be two match points down and comeback. That shows what a good player she is.
"She has a big serve and a big forehand. I just want to try my best and enjoy the match."
Former double champion Serena Williams moved on with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Polish teenager Urszula Radwanska and will next face 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo of France.
Australia's 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt saw off Spain's Albert Montanes 7-6 (7/4), 6-0, 6-2 and will face Italy's Simone Bolelli who put out Chilean 15th seed Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 7-6 (7/4).
Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer, the winner of the grasscourt warm-up in 's-Hertogenbosch last weekend, defeated Russia's Igor Andreev 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
He goes on to face Croatia's Mario Ancic, the last man to beat Federer at Wimbledon in 2002.
