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Taiwan's Lu stuns Roddick at Wimbledon

June 29, 2010 00:49 IST

Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun sprang the biggest shock of the tournament on Monday when he stunned last year's runner-up and fifth seed Andy Roddick 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-7, 9-7 in the fourth round at Wimbledon on Monday.

- Images from Monday's action

Roddick, beaten 12 months ago by Roger Federer following an epic final set 16-14, looked poised for a regulation win when he took the opening set against the world number 82 with a single break in 39 minutes.

But Lu kept his focus and won tiebreaks 7-3, 7-4 to put Roddick under pressure and though the American took it to a decider the Taiwanese won through when he fired a forehand winner past the three-times finalist after four hours and 36 minutes.

Lu kissed his fists and raised his arms in triumph after the gripping tussle on Court Two.

"I thought it was a dream, I could not imagine this moment happening," Lu said in an interview just after his dramatic win which saw him become the first Asian man to reach the quarter-finals of a slam since Japan's Shuzo Matsuoka in 1995.

He will play Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic for a place in the semi-finals. Djokovic fended off a typically gritty charge from Lleyton Hewitt to win their fourth-round contest 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Meanwhile, six-times champion Roger Federer showed a ruthless streak against one of his best friends on tour when he destroyed Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 for a place in the quarter-finals.

Defending champion Serena Williams ensured there was no repeat result from the 2004 final as she beat Maria Sharapova 7-6, 6-4.

Her sister and five-times champion Venus Williams had to fight long and hard in blazing sunshine before taking her place in the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Australia's Jarmila Groth.

Kim Clijsters also had to fight before overcoming fellow-Belgian Justine Henin 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Source: REUTERS
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