Three-time finalist Roddick knocked out by taiwan's lu in five-set thriller

Three-time finalist Roddick knocked out by Lu in a five-set thriller

Three-time finalist Roddick knocked out by Taiwan's Lu in five-set thriller

Gods are smiling: Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan celebrates his win over Andy Roddick at Wimbledon yesterday. pic/AFP

The world number 82 held his nerve in a five-set thriller on Court Two to win 4-6 7-6 (7/3) 7-6 (7/4) 6-7 (5/7) 9-7 in four hours and 36 minutes.

Roddick lost a classic final to Roger Federer last year but could not shake off Lu, who will face Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals having never previously gone past the second round at Wimbledon. Lu has never been higher than 55 in the world rankings.

He had played Roddick three times before, losing all three including defeats in consecutive tournaments at Indian Wells and Memphis earlier this year. He shocked even himself with the win.

"Even now I'm thinking it's a dream," Lu said. "I couldn't imagine this moment. I probably need time to clear my mind and calm down to see what's happened.

"From the beginning I just told myself to fight. When I lost the fourth set I thought it was a better chance for him so I told myself to stay in the match, and finally I got the chance."

Nadal, Federer cruise
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray were all in imperious form as they surged into the quarter-finals,.
Swiss top seed Federer, gunning for a seventh Wimbledon title, blasted away the doubts after a pair of disappointing displays in the first week cruising to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win over Jurgen Melzer.

Joining Federer in the last eight was second seed Nadal, the 2008 Wimbledon champion, who shrugged off concerns over his fitness after thrashing France's Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

Bopanna in quarters
Rohan Bopanna partnering Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in the Men's doubles draw with a 6 (7-4), 6-2 win. The South Asian pair eased to a straight-set win over Lucas Lacko of Slovakia and Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine in the round of 16.

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