Federer hands Berdych grasscourt masterclass

Triple champion Roger Federer's [Images] Wimbledon [Images] title charge gathered momentum on Monday after he dispatched Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals on Monday.

Berdych had inflicted one of the most painful defeats of his career on Federer, at the 2004 Athens Olympics [Images], but there would be no repeat performance on Monday.

Federer oozed class on a sweltering Centre Court and wrapped up his 45th consecutive victory on grass with an unreturnable serve after 83 minutes.

The Swiss world number will next take on big-serving Croat Mario Ancic, the last man to defeat Federer on green lawns in 2002, or talented Serb Novak Djokovic [Images].

British interest in the singles ended at Wimbledon on Monday when Andy Murray went down 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 to Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis.

Baghdatis, two years older than the 19-year-old Murray, is the first Cypriot to reach the quarter-finals of Wimbledon.

Murray was a pale imitation of the player who demolished former world number one Andy Roddick [Images] on Saturday.

After surrendering the first set he looked to have got back on track when he went 4-1 up in the second, only to lose the next five games.

In the third set tiebreak Baghdatis maintained his composure, cruising through it 7-2, grabbing victory with a straightforward forehand after a poor Murray dropshot.

Lleyton Hewitt [Images] edged closer to another crack at a Wimbledon final with an unconvincing 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 fourth round defeat of Spanish claycourt specialist David Ferrer.

The Australian sixth seed, who ended an 18-month title drought by winning the Stella Artois tournament last month, was far from his best on court one and very nearly allowed Ferrer to come back from a two-set deficit.

Playing in the opposite half of the draw from his nemesis Roger Federer, however, the 25-year-old Hewitt will fancy his chances of reaching his second Wimbledon final. He won here in 2002.

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