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Wimbledon: Federer eases through as British hope Raducanu retires with injury

EIGHT-TIME champion Roger Federer followed top seed Novak Djokovic into the Wimbledon quarter-finals as both eased through their last-16 matches on Monday.

Djokovic, 34, continued his bid for a record-equalling 20th men’s Grand Slam title with a 6-2 6-4 6-2 win against Chile’s Cristian Garin.

Federer, who holds the record alongside Rafael Nadal, later won 7-5 6-4 6-2 against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.

Sixth seed Federer turns 40 next month but his attitude towards success at the place where he built most of his legacy remains as sprightly as ever.

A lack of court time in the past 16 months, because of a knee injury which required two surgeries, left many wondering how the Swiss wouldd fare this fortnight.

This was another improved display from the former world number one as he reached the SW19 men’s quarter-finals for a record-extending 18th time.

The first set was delicately poised when a marathon 11th game was stopped – with Sonego about to try to fight off a fourth break point of the game – because of a rain downpour.

After a 20-minute pause for the Centre Court roof to be pulled over, the Italian 23rd seed restarted with a double fault to hand over the advantage – a cruel blow that left the fans gasping in sympathy.

Federer saved two break points before serving out the opener, then moved through the gears in the next two sets to seal victory.

Meanwhile, British wildcard Emma Raducanu retired from her Wimbledon fourth-round match for medical reasons as her dream debut came to a heart-breaking end.

The 18-year-old, ranked 338th in the world before
L the tournament, was trailing 4-6 0-3 to Ajla Tomljanovic when she called on her trainer.

She left the court to receive further treatment, but it was soon announced she would not be returning.

Tomljanovic will face fellow Australian Ashleigh Barty in the quarter-finals.

BBC Sport

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