TENNIS WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONSHIPS:NOW THE seeds start colliding. The fourth round also holds the promise of revenge after a certain anomalous World Cup result involving Australia sent the Serbian soccer team home and several crushed tennis players in the All England Club locker room.

Serb Novak Djokovic admitted to having a sleepless night after that but his chance to at least put it right on court was handed to him yesterday as he and Australian Lleyton Hewitt won their third-round matches for a scheduled meeting on Monday.

Hewitt took three sets to put down the rebellious spirit of Frenchman Gael Montfils, while Djokovic, after a tricky few opening matches, finally found some rhythm for a tidy 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win over Albert Montanes.

Hewitt’s stepping onto the bigger stage again at 29 years old comes after operations finally solved the problems with his hips. The father of three has since bounced back impressively and after beating Roger Federer in the Halle final prior to Wimbledon, he has arrived into the second week as a durable and credible challenger to the third seed Djokovic.

“It’s about surviving the first week,” said Hewitt after his 6-3, 7-6 (9), 6-4 win. “Gets tougher now. Step up in class again against a top-four opponent.”

What Hewitt has on his side is the title he collected here in 2002 before Federer seized control. Yesterday was his 101st win on grass and it hold no fear for him. He may also have the crowd on his side as his fist pumping and fiery game burns as it always has. The fearless aggressive style has not been toned down since he was last a threat a few years ago. He also knows Djokovic is a player who can sway in form from match to match, tournament to tournament. Hewitt respects him but yesterday his tone was confident and hopeful.

“He’s been a little bit up and down over the years,” Hewitt said of Djokovic. “I played him at Queens once, the year he made it to the final against Rafa (Nadal). I thought he played bloody well that year. Then he came and lost to Safin second round at Wimbledon. But yeah he’s a quality opponent. It’s another step up. If I go out there the way I’ve been playing and hitting the ball, I can give him a run for his money.”

Djokovic was also purring. His game is easy on the eye. Placement was his thing yesterday against the Spanish 28th seed and his movement, as ever, seemed effortless, his hitting solid off both sides. The head has always been “The Joker’s” thing, his occasional blemish.

Hewitt’s parting shot before he left yesterday was about the World Cup and Australia’s win over Serbia but it might also have a relevance for his match to come. “They were shattered him (Djokovic) and Zimonjic in the locker room,” said the 15th seed. “They expected us to tank.”

Day five and big John Isner, 6ft 9ins and size 15 feet, is in the Diary Room. Why will my body not function he asks Big Brother. Why can’t I hit the ball or move my legs and why is my neck so stiff I can’t see the ball when I toss for serve? Today was destined not to be just another day for the Marathon Man and so it transpired. The scorecard from Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, now a souvenir piece, reminded us of his 11 hour and five minute match, where his serve was unbreakable for days.

Yesterday it was broken three times in the first set for 6-0. It took 16 minutes and Isner hit no aces. The second set fell 6-3, the third 6-2 and in an hour and 14 minutes the record breaker was out of the tournament to 49th ranked Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker. “It was brutal. Things were looking pretty bleak right from the get-go,” said Isner, who didn’t even warm up because of fatigue. “It wasn’t like I was dying out there. I was just tired,” he said.

Roger Federer’s 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over Arnaud Clement looked anything but tiring. It earned him a weekend off and a meeting with 16th seed Austrian Jurgen Melzer, with whom he used to play doubles. Andy Roddick was delayed for a little longer when he dropped the second set. But the American fifth seed collected himself to win in four against Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.