Federer reaches Wimbledon quarterfinals

WIMBLEDON, England - Roger Federer found himself in a serving contest today at Wimbledon - and won.

The five-time champion hit 23 aces, never lost his serve and advanced to the quarterfinals by beating familiar foil Robin Soderling 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5).

Federer improved to 11-0 against Soderling, including a victory in the French Open final to complete a career Grand Slam three weeks ago.

This time the No. 2-seeded Federer came through on a handful of key points. He earned the only service break of the match in the ninth game of the opening set, when Soderling committed five unforced errors to fall behind for good, 5-4.

With all 16 fourth-round matches scheduled on a hot, hazy day, the Williams sisters remained on course to play an all-family final for the second year in a row.

Five-time champion Venus led 6-1, love-1 when Ana Ivanovic retired with a left thigh injury. Two-time champion Serena beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 6-1. Venus beat Serena in last year's final.

American 17-year-old Melanie Oudin's surprising run ended when she lost to No. 11-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 7-5.

Soderling had just two break-point chances against Federer - both at 4-all in the third set - and failed to put either return in play. Federer lost only eight points on his first serve and committed only eight unforced errors in the match.

Federer needs three more victories this week for his 15th major title, which would break the record he shares with Pete Sampras. Federer doesn't have to worry about defending champion Rafael Nadal, who missed the tournament with bad knees.

An injury ended Ivanovic's Wimbledon, too. She took a 10-minute break during the first game of the second set to have her left thigh taped by a trainer. She returned for two more points, but after hitting a service winner to take the game, she began crying as she walked to her chair and told the umpire she was retiring.

No. 3-seeded Venus dominated from the start, taking a 5-0 lead before Ivanovic finally won a game 27 minutes into the match. Venus came into the match having won 29 consecutive sets at Wimbledon, the longest such streak since Martina Navratilova won 40 in a row in 1982-85.

Former No. 1 Ivanovic still hasn't reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal since winning the 2008 French Open.

Missed chances hurt Oudin, a qualifier from Marietta, Ga. ranked 124th. She flubbed an easy volley to lose the first set, and she was up a break in the second set.

Oudin, making her Wimbledon debut this year, pulled the biggest upset in the first week by beating former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic. Oudin was the youngest American to reach the women's fourth round at Wimbledon since Jennifer Capriati was a quarterfinalist in 1993.

No. 4-seeded Elena Dementieva eliminated fellow Russian Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-3. No. 8 Victoria Azarenka beat No. 10 Nadia Petrova 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3.

In men's play, No. 24 Tommy Haas never faced a break point and beat No. 29 Igor Andreev 7-6 (8), 6-4, 6-4.

The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club

Wimbledon, England

Purse: $20.5 million (Grand Slam)

Surface: Grass-Outdoor

Men

Fourth Round

Tommy Haas (24), Germany, def. Igor Andreev (29), Russia, 7-6 (8), 6-4, 6-4.

Roger Federer (2), Switzerland, def. Robin Soderling (13), Sweden, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5).

Women

Fourth Round

Elena Dementieva (4), Russia, def. Elena Vesnina, Russia, 6-1, 6-3.

Victoria Azarenka (8), Belarus, def. Nadia Petrova (10), Russia, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3.

Agnieszka Radwanska (11), Poland, def. Melanie Oudin, United States, 6-4, 7-5.

Venus Williams (3), United States, def. Ana Ivanovic (13), Serbia, 6-1, 0-1, retired.

Serena Williams (2), United States, def. Daniela Hantuchova, Slovakia, 6-3, 6-1.