World number one Roger Federer fought off a determined challenge from an inspired Robin Soderling to beat the Swede 7-6 7-6 and reach the quarter-finals of the Madrid Masters overnight (NZ time).
The Swiss, who is bidding to win his 10th title of the year, was pushed all the way
by the 22-year-old and needed two tie breaks and two challenges using the "hawk-eye" replay equipment to shake off his dogged opponent.
Neither player showed any sign of weakness on their serve and the first set duly went to a tie break. Soderling gained an early mini-break but Federer produced his customary push at the key moment to win 7-5.
It was level pegging again in the second, with Soderling saving seven break points and manufacturing two set points as it boiled down to another tie break.
Federer was 4-2 down once again and had to save three set points and challenge Soderling's final two shots using the replay equipment as he clinched a 10-8 victory.
"It turned out to be a crazy end and was kind of funny waiting for the result on the match point," said Federer. "But it wouldn't have made a difference to the end result."
He will meet Robby Ginepri in the quarter-finals after the unseeded American upset world number eight Tommy Robredo 6-3 7-6.
Sixth seed Andy Roddick also suffered a straight-sets defeat at the hand of Tomas Berdych but fourth-seeded Argentine David Nalbandian won a tight contest against Britain's Tim Henman 6-2 2-6 7-5.
The former British number one served for the match, but Nalbandian managed to stage a successful fightback after the two players exchanged words over each other's service calls.
"It's frustrating but there were a lot of tight points in those last few games," said Henman. "He questioned my sportsmanship, but if we go down that road there is only going to be one winner."
Czech Berdych toppled Roddick 7-6 6-3, with the American ending the match complaining of pain in his left ankle.
"It's the same ankle I hurt earlier this year during the clay-court season," said Roddick. "I just tweaked it again. Obviously I wanted to finish because I thought Tomas deserved the win regardless of what happened with my ankle."
In the quarter-finals, Berdych will play the winner of the match between defending champion Rafael Nadal, the only remaining Spaniard in the tournament, and 13th-seeded German Tommy Haas.
Marat Safin, winner in Madrid in 2004 but unable to defend his title last year because of a knee injury, had few problems seeing off Kristof Vliegen of Belgium 6-3 6-2 and now meets Nalbandian.
Tenth-seed Fernando Gonzalez was given a walkover into the quarter-finals after Swede Joachim Johansson withdrew because of a throat infection.
The Chilean will play the winner of the third-round match between British number one Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
- REUTERS
World number one Roger Federer fought off a determined challenge from an inspired Robin Soderling to beat the Swede 7-6 7-6 and reach the quarter-finals of the Madrid Masters overnight (NZ time).
The Swiss, who is bidding to win his 10th title of the year, was pushed all the way
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