In this bandana battle, there was only ever one winner. How long a man just a month shy of his 40th birthday can carry on making such sartorial choices might ordinarily be questionable, but Roger Federer continues to do things convention suggests people his age should not.
This was not Federer at his wonderfully fluid best – those days are probably gone – but it did not need to be. The relative ease with which he progressed to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory on Wimbledon’s last ever ‘Manic Monday’ suggests the 20-time grand slam champion is rounding into this tournament at just the right time.
Bearing a passing resemblance to The Karate Kid, Lorenzo Sonego was handed a lesson in grass-court matchplay from tennis’ own Mr Miyagi.
Federer needs no reminding of his advancing years, given how frequently it is mentioned every time he steps on court. He knows his prime is behind him.
“It’s all a bonus, and we’ll see how far it can go,” he had said before this fourth-round encounter. On this basis, there is mileage yet for a man who remains SW19’s favourite son, even if he will be the oldest grand-slam quarter-finalist in the Open era.
“I’m extremely happy,” he said on court afterwards. “It was tricky conditions inside and outside against Lorenzo, who is always dangerous, but I felt after that first set I was able to control things.
“It was a great match and I couldn’t be more excited to be in the quarters.”
There was little in the way of flamboyance here; few moments of jaw-dropping brilliance. There are more errors than there used to be. There is less interaction with the crowd and more total focus. It is the work of a man who knows what to do, and precisely when and how to do it.
Not that it was smooth sailing from the outset. The opening set seemed to take an age: almost an hour had passed in a neck-and-neck battle when, with Sonego facing the most crucial of break points at 5-5, rain started falling.
By then, Federer’s vulnerabilities had already been evident for the Italian to capitalise on if he so wished, even losing 11 successive points at one stage as his radar seemed to have somehow miscalibrated.
But that all changed following a 20-minute delay for the Centre Court roof to be closed, after which Sonego, the world No 27, wilted.
He immediately double-faulted on the first point back to gift Federer the break he had doubtless been fearing for every minute of that weather-enforced pause, and from there things reached an increasingly rapid conclusion.
If the second set was simple, the third was something of a non-event. The identity of Federer’s quarter-final opponent remains unknown after the match between Hubert Hurkacz and Daniil Medvedev was halted due to rain during the fourth set of their encounter. Either way, Federer will be grateful for an extra day’s rest.
“Those guys are young, they can recover,” he joked. “It’s not a problem for them.”
Elsewhere, Russia’s Karen Khachanov ruined Sebastian Korda’s 21st birthday by defeating the American in an epic encounter to secure his place in the quarter-finals.
Playing at his debut Wimbledon, Korda was attempting to match his father Petr’s achievement in reaching the last eight at the All England Club in 1998, but slipped to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 10-8 defeat in a match lasting just shy of four hours.
It was the first five-set match of American Korda’s career, with the final set featuring an astonishing 13 breaks of serve.
Khachanov will now face Andy Murray’s conqueror Denis Shapovalov after the Canadian 10th seed beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-3, 7-5.
07:16 PM
Roger post-match interview
The crowd are cheering so much Lee McKenzie cannot be heard!
He’s won his 118th Wimbledon match.
Roger Federer “I heard congratulations at the end of the question – the rest was lost! Tricky conditions inside and out, and against Lorenzo who is always dangerous.
“But I felt after the first set I was able to control things. I couldn’t be more excited to be in the quarters. Thank you guys for coming out and supporting and making it special.”
On his next opponent, still playing their fourth-round match: “It is not fair for anyone. I have been in these situations before – but these guys are young and they can recover. Unfortunately they are very, very good too, so hopefully it rains again tomorrow… I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”
Huge ovation at the end, applauds the crowd, and he’s off.
That’s it for the live blog, now over to Ben Bloom for the match report.
07:15 PM
Roger Federer wins 7-5 6-4 6-2
he becomes the oldest man to reach the quarter-finals in the open era.
07:13 PM
Roger serves for the match
Gorgeous languid forehand from the back of the court right onto the intersection of the back and side lines. That’s 30-0. A wild backhand from Sonego means it’s 40-15… and two match points… The Italian puts a return long, and that’s that.
07:10 PM
Sonego 2 Federer 5 (RF two breaks up) (RF two sets up)
And that is what he has done. Now we need to see some Turin breaks. What have you got, Mr Sonego?
07:07 PM
Sonego 1 Federer 5 (RF two breaks up) (RF two sets up)
Roger holds his serve and the man from Torino will have to serve to stay in the championship.
07:02 PM
Sonego 1 Federer 4 (RF two breaks up) (RF two sets up)
Sonego holds, despite Fed giving the serve the charge on 40-0, unsuccessfully.
06:58 PM
Sonego 0 Federer 4 (RF two breaks up) (RF two sets up)
After a particularly excellent Fed shot….
Inverdale: “You could at least smile, Roger”
Henman: “He’s just working out if he should charge him for this lesson.”
Federer putting the hammer down now with a commanding service game. Even has time for a bit of catching practice with a ball kid.
06:55 PM
Sonego 0 Federer 3 (RF two breaks up) (RF two sets up)
Lorenzo Sonego makes the old man run in that game, sending Roger haring to the back of the court at 0-40. And then getting the better of a net exchange and making him tear around again. Sonego continues to try and get the crowd on side. It’s a bit of a WG Grace (“they’ve come to see me bat young man, not you etc etc”)
Fed wins the third of the three break points and goes a double break up
06:51 PM
Sonego 0 Federer 2 (RF a break up) (RF two sets up)
Fed consolidates with a service hold.
06:49 PM
Sonego 0 Federer 1 (RF a break up) (RF two sets up)
30-30 on the Sonego serve and he rushes, hitting a backhand into the net, very half cooked. Roger has another BP at 30-40. First serve misses. Second serve in, Fed returns, Sonego puts a simple shot limply into the net. Meh. Sonego serve broken again
06:44 PM
Roger Federer leads 2-0
Any hope for Sonego? Well, we will know soon enough. He is to serve here.
06:42 PM
Federer wins second set 6-4
He was serving for the previous set at 5-4 and hit a flat spot, but nothing like that this time: commanding service game, and Federer leads 2 sets to 0
Sonego didn’t see a break point in that set. Federer made just four unforced errors to the Italian’s nine. Roger had two BPs and converted one of them. All numbers that speak to a much more clinical job from RF.
06:38 PM
Sonego 4 Federer 5 (RF a break up) (RF one set up)
Sonego at 30-15, has all the time in the world to tuck away a volley on his serve… somehow manages to drain it into the net. Dear me. Comes back at the legend with some big hitting, getting those long levers moving and getting some power too. He’s got himself out of trouble there.
But Federer now servers for the second set
06:34 PM
Sonego 3 Federer 5 (RF a break up) (RF one set up)
Federer puts his foot down. 5-3. Absolutely ruthless in that game. Clinical.
06:32 PM
Sonego 3 Federer 4 (RF a break up) (RF one set up)
Federer raising the pressure, raising the intensity. In to attack the serve with a chip and charge. 0-15. Sonego wins the next point. Shot of the match now from Sonego as he races to a ball and whips it across court, lovely lovely shot and he gestures to the crowd as if to say: Come on! Come on! How about cheering for me too?!
The veteran, I’m sure, will be looking to just slow it down for a minute here, stamp out any hint of momentum.
It is very nearly full on centre.
06:29 PM
Sonego 2 Federer 4 (RF a break up) (RF one set up)
Sonego signs of frustration. Had a couple of mini sniffs there at 0-30 but couldn’t press that home, Fed wraps this up with increasing authority. I fear for the Italian now.
06:25 PM
Sonego 2 Federer 3 (RF a break up) (RF one set up)
30-30 on the Sonego serve…. longest rally of the match…. a glorious crosscourt forehand from RF leaves his opponent stumbling and missing. 30-40 but the second serve kicks up and Fed’s return is long. 40-40.
Sonego has not come to the net much at all, does so now, and has dribbled an unforced error into the net with a forehand volley.
Another BP. And this time he takes it! Sonego leaves a groundstroke a bit short, coming into the net on the Federer forehand, poor tactical choice to invite Federer to hit a forehand passing shot. Shock: Federer is quite good at that. Break of serve
06:21 PM
Sonego 2 Federer 2 (on serve) (RF one set up)
Sonego cannot make any impression on the Federer serve at all there. It’s quite gloomy at centre. The lights are on, inside the roof, but it seems quite murky on the TV at least.
06:16 PM
Sonego 2 Federer 1 (on serve) (RF one set up)
The pattern is set: Federer is holding his serve relatively easily. Sonego is having to work hard to hold his.
Federer slips – not what he or his fans want to see. He’s okay.
06:11 PM
Sonego 1 Federer 1 (RF one set up)
Roger holds that serve easily enough.
06:09 PM
Sonego 1 Federer 0 (RF one set up)
Federer gets some pressure on the Sonego serve but the Italian holds it.
Henman: “In the indoor conditions without any wind swirling around, you would expect him to raise his game.”
06:02 PM
Federer wins the first set 7-5
Roger is a long way off his best. Some unforced errors here take him to 15-40…. Two good serves, two points, back to deuce. His supporters cheer. A commanding point on second serve, coming to the net, gives him a set point at A-40. The veteran produces a good serve, it’s returned but Fed has the angle and he wins the point
Federer wins 7-5
Federer made 17 unforced errors, and only scored with two of nine break points.
The Italian was a bit unlucky with a couple of calls, and the rain delay came at a bad time for him as well. But he has reasons for optimism.
05:59 PM
Sonego 5 Federer 6 (Federer a break up)
Oh crikey that could not have gone worse. Double fault! Sonego is broken
And Federer can serve for the set.
05:58 PM
Sonego to serve
and a break point down.
05:58 PM
They have got back on
at centre court.
05:32 PM
This is good
All hail Mrs T!
05:25 PM
Plays suspended at 5-5….
Tense this! Sonego serving, struggling, fighting. It’s 40-A… a massive moment for this young Italian. He holds with a good serve. But a half court half shot from Sonego sits up on the mis-hit and Federer puts it away with the drive volley. Sonego hangs tough.
But another break point now. Sonego goes all out for a big forehand it dips just enough to kiss the line. They continue to battle away – but rain is starting.
Awful time for play to be suspended if you’re Sonego: 5-5 and serving at 40-A, he’s got to save that break point. But not yet, not yet.
05:19 PM
Sonego 5 Federer 5 (on serve)
Nice effort! He’s got pressure on the Federer serve, a poor forehand from Roger. And would you believe it, Roger Federer has been broken to love!
05:18 PM
Sonego 4 Federer 5 (Federer a break up)
Sonego has held his serve there and now has to see if he can get stuck into the Fed serve.
05:13 PM
Sonego 3 Federer 5 (Federer a break up)
Despite a double fault (the wind has got up – ball toss issues?) in that game, Federer holds his serve.
Songeo will serve next to stay in the first set.
05:10 PM
Sonego 3 Federer 4 (Federer a break up)
Ah, and there it goes. A mixture of forehand errors, and the failure to challenge an incorrect line call, have hurt Sonego in that game. Roger Federer breaks serve.
A forehand was hit long, Sonego seemed startled by the very late call. He looked up his box, and decided not to challenge it. The call was wrong, and the player’s decision not to challenge it was wrong, too.
05:07 PM
Sonego 3 Federer 3
Problem for Sonego though is that he’s back serving again about two seconds later because Fed has held in a flash.
04:58 PM
Sonego 3 Federer 2
That service game seemed to be going okay for Sonego but he’s in trouble here at 40-40. Federer comes to the net, behind an average approach shot, Sonego tries the lob but gets it all wrong. Federer whacks that away. Now Sonego hits a little shot that just clips the line. It’s called out, wrongly – but because the call came as Federer was making his shot, the umpire orders the point replayed. Shades of Man United getting penalties at Old Trafford there I guess – Sonego’s not just playing a man but a sporting legend and institution. I’m not saying the umpire is consciously biased for a second obviously. But we’re all human, apart from Roger Federer basically, is the vibe.
Sonego feels he has to win this point twice, which he does, but soon RF has another break point. Sonego saves that one as well.
But on it goes… a fifth deuce. Eventually Sonego holds serve.
04:50 PM
Sonego 2 Federer 2
And more encouraging moments in this fourth game, Sonego with a flamboyant backhand drive. And now Federer puts a regulation overhead out – somebody in the crowd yelled out, or a phone went off, just as he was making the shot. He glowers. Roger puts both of those irritations behind him.
It’s all square and on serve. Sonego serves next.
04:47 PM
Sonego 2 Federer 1
This has been a good start from the Italian, he seems to have settled pretty well, and has managed to win his first two service games.
04:46 PM
Lorenzo Sonego will serve first
Can he get off to a good start and put Roger on the back foot?
04:38 PM
Sonego on the BBC
Sonego and his childhood friend AlterEdo collaborated to produce a reggaeton track, ‘Un Solo Secondo’, last month.
“We always sang a lot growing up, so to do something helped me not focus on tennis all the time,” he said.
“I like dancing and I listen to music all the time before matches.”
04:32 PM
Sonego
is from Turin in Italy; he’s six foot three. He is 26. He was in the youth system of Torino football club as a kid.
He’s never been further than the fourth round at a Slam, indeed his previous two appearances at Timbledon ended in first round defeat. Very similar to the guy Novak Djokovic just played, in that regard.
04:31 PM
Federer and Sonego
have met once before, at the first round of Roland Garros in 2019; Federer won in straight sets.
04:18 PM
Roger Federer will be out on centre shortly
Can he join Novak in the next round?
03:59 PM
Roger Federer plays on centre next
The Swiss great is bidding to take his place in the quarter-final; his rival Novak Djokovic booked his spot there earlier this afternoon with an east win over Chile’s Cristian Garin.
Novak Djokovic reached his 12th Wimbledon quarterfinal Monday to pull even with Arthur Gore, who had a 117-year head start, while a parade of newcomers also made the final eight.
First-timers on the men’s side included Canadian Denis Shapovalov, Italian Matteo Berrettini, Marton Fucsovics of Hungary and Russian Karen Khachanov, who won a bizarre fifth set to beat American Sebastian Korda on his 21st birthday.
Women advancing to their first Wimbledon quarterfinal included No. 1-seeded Ash Barty, No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, Tunisian Ons Jabeur and Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic.
Djokovic, the two-time defending champion, held every service game to tie Gore and beat No. 17 Cristian Garin, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
Gore first played Wimbledon in 1888. Djokovic made his debut in 2005, and they share third place on the men’s all-time list for most men’s quarterfinal berths, behind Roger Federer’s 18 and Jimmy Connors’ 14.
We will see if Roger Federer can join him; Roger is next on court once Gruaff and Kerber finish.