BEIJING (AP):SIGNALLING HIS recent tailspin may be over, Roger Federer avenged a defeat four years ago at the Olympics by beating Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6 (4) yesterday to reach the quarter-finals.
It was Federer's biggest victory since he lost to Rafael Nadal in an epic Wimbledon final last month.
Federer wept after losing to Berdych in the second round at the Athens Games four years ago. This time he was shouting "Yes!" and punching the air after he smacked a service winner on match point.
"He's always dangerous," Federer said. "I just tried to play tough and compact and not give him much."
Nadal also advanced
Nadal also advanced, digging out of a hole in a pivotal service game and beating Igor Andreev of Russia, 6-4, 6-2. Venus and Serena Williams won to remain on course for a sibling showdown in the women's final on Saturday.
Nadal and Federer could meet for the gold medal on Sunday. Regardless of the tournament outcome, Nadal is assured of climbing to No. 1 in the rankings next week, ending Federer's 4 1/2-year reign.
Federer will next face No. 8 James Blake, who advanced by beating No. 10 Gilles Simon of France 6-4, 6-2. Blake, the lone American to survive the first round of men's singles, is 0-8 against Federer and has won only one of their 22 sets.
'To good for me'
"If he's too good for me, he's too good for me," Blake said. "Every time at the beginning of each match, I've felt like I could come out on top."
Blake is part of an American team that has gone 11-0 the past two days. The Bryan brothers won in doubles, as did Lindsay Davenport and Liezel Huber.
No. 3 Novak Djokovic, who could face Nadal in the semi-finals, beat No. 13 Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 7-6 (3), 6-3.
No. 4 Serena Williams busted a racquet in frustration over a slow start, then rallied to beat 18-year-old Alize Cornet of France 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Williams' outburst came as she fell behind 5-1 in the first set.
"I've been really working on my temper," she said. "But I was just making so many errors, and I wasn't practising like that at all. It came to a point, I think I hit a backhand in the net, and I had just had enough."
Williams gradually tamed her erratic groundstrokes, and after managing a service break in the opening game of the final set, she held in five consecutive games for the victory.
Venus Williams, playing her first tournament since winning Wimbledon for the fifth time, also reached the final eight by defeating No. 12 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-2. Venus, seeded seventh, is seeking to add to her Olympic medal collection after winning the singles and doubles at Sydney in 2000.
"It's only every four years, so now is the time to really play well," she said.
