Wimbledon - Women:Dinara Safina made history as she became the first player to win under the new Centre Court roof at Wimbledon this evening. The top seed produced a rousing comeback to fend off the impressive challenge of Amelie Mauresmo in one of the most competitive matches of the tournament so far.
Safina recovered from 0-3 in the final set to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 and book her place in the quarter-finals.
However, of almost equal drama was the sight of the new roof being closed and used for the first time after rain began to fall during the second set - a fact that drew a cheer from the crowd, which certainly was a first in SW19.
Mauresmo, the 2006 champion, took the first set but found herself a break down in the second when the rain arrived.
At that stage the 'concertina' of 5,200 square metres of waterproof fabric, was put across the famous arena, much to the fans' delight.
After a delay of 44 minutes as the covers were first pulled across, then removed and the air conditioning system switched on, play resumed and Safina duly served out the second set.
She looked to be back in trouble when Mauresmo started the decider like a train, breaking in the second game with a fine smash.
However, Safina hit back with a break to love as the tension rose under the roof.
The key game came at 3-4 when Safina fell 15-40 down but then produced two fine winners to come up with a crucial hold.
Mauresmo must have sensed her chance had gone and duly lost her own serve in the very next game, leaving Safina to serve out for an historic victory.
Venus Williams
vowed to play through the pain barrier in order to defend her Wimbledon title after progressing to the last eight when opponent
Ana Ivanovic
quit their fourth-round clash with a groin injury.
It was the third straight match in which Williams was also carrying an injury but she insisted there is not chance her pulling out.
"I'm doing everything I can for my knee," she said. "And this is Wimbledon, so it doesn't matter how much pain I'm in, I'm going to keep playing."
Williams had looked every inch the title holder as she swept through the first set 6-1, her only moments of concern coming in the first game in which she had to save three break points.
However, Ivanovic suffered an injury to her groin while serving in the opening game of the second set.
The 13th seed had her left thigh taped up but was clearly hampered and, although she went on to win the game, she retired in tears at the change of ends.
Afterwards she explained: "Just when I was serving 30-40 down in that first game, and after my first serve, when I landed I just felt a sharp pain on my inner thigh and I couldn't step on my leg."
Williams goes through to meet Polish 11th seed
Agnieszka Radwanska
in the last eight.
Radwanska ended
Melanie Oudin
's dream run.
The 17-year-old Oudin won three matches in qualifying before adding three more victories in the main draw, including one over sixth seed Jelena Jankovic.
However, Radwanska proved a hurdle too high to climb and Oudin went down 6-4 7-5 on Court 18.
The top seed produced a rousing comeback to fend off the impressive challenge of Amelie Mauresmo in one of the most competitive matches of the tournament so far.
Safina recovered from 0-3 in the final set to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 and book her place in the quarter-finals.
Serena Williams
cruised into the quarter-finals for the eighth time in her career as she thrashed
Daniela Hantuchova
.
Ths second seed, twice a champion at the All England Club, was once again in dominant form as he sauntered to a 6-3 6-1 win in just 56 minutes.
Next up for the Amercian will be a meeting with eighth seed
Victoria Azarenka
, who edged out
Nadia Petrova
in a much tighter encounter.
Azarenka, who beat Williams in the final in Miami earlier this season and also led her at the Australian Open before quitting with heat exhaustion, won 7-6 (7/5) 2-6 6-3 in two hours and 25 minutes.
German teenager
Sabine Lisicki
claimed another seeded scalp as she reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time.
The 19-year-old shocked ninth seed
Caroline Wozniacki
with a 6-4 6-4 triumph.
Earlier,
Elena Dementieva
was the first player to reach the quarter-finals as she crushed fellow Russian
Elena Vesnina
.
The fourth seed eased to a comprehensive 6-1 6-3 victory on Court Two at the All England Club and will now meet
Francesca Schiavone
, who beat
Virginie Razzano
6-2 7-6 (7/1).
Dementieva is a player who has struggled in the heat in the past so she will have been happy to wrap up a quickfire win as temperatures rose to around 30 degrees Celsius.
She will now return on Tuesday for her quarter-final for which she will start favourite to reach the last four for the second year running.