Federer rallies to progress

Roger Federer avoided following Rafael Nadal out of Wimbledon as he came from two sets down to beat Julien Benneteau.

Wimbledon was still coming to terms with Nadal's shock second-round exit as Federer took to the court, but the Swiss player ran into trouble as his French opponent claimed a formidable two-set lead.

Nadal, a finalist in the last five years he has played, was dumped out by unknown Lukas Rosol late last night, blowing the bottom half of the men's draw wide open.

However, six-time Wimbledon champion Federer is in the top half along with Novak Djokovic and remained on course to match Pete Sampras' all-time record of seven titles by coming back to win 4-6 6-7 (7/3) 6-2 7-6 (8/6) 6-1 and reach the fourth round.

Benneteau had Federer where he wanted him when leading 6-5 and with 15-30 against the serve in the fourth set, but the danger was averted.

Earlier in the day and also in round three, Djokovic made a shaky start but soon improved as he saw off Radek Stepanek 4-6 6-2 6-2 6-2.

Djokovic is due to tackle his fellow Serbian Viktor Troicki on Monday. Troicki saw off Argentinian Juan Monaco in straight sets, 7-5 7-5 6-3.

French number 18 seed Richard Gasquet overpowered Spain's Nicolas Almagro to win 6-3 6-4 6-4.

He will face German Florian Mayer who saw off big-serving Polish player Jerzy Janowicz to claim victory over five sets - 7-6 (7/5) 3-6 2-6 6-3 7-5.

Janko Tipsarevic was unable to join compatriot Djokovic in the fourth round after he was beaten by Mikhail Youzhny.

The eighth seed went two sets down before winning the third, but Russian Youzhny hit back to prevail 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3 to line up a meeting with Denis Istomin.

Istomin secured his place in the fourth round - the first time an Uzbek player has reached this stage of a grand slam - after he beat Colombian Alejandro Falla.

Istomin took a two-set lead before Falla claimed the third, but a fourth set tie-break saw him clinch the 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7/5) win.

Spaniard Fernando Verdasco saw his campaign fall by the wayside after he was beaten by former semi-finalist Xavier Malisse in a testing five-set match, losing 1-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 4-6 6-3.

Also victorious today was American Sam Querrey who got the better of Canadian Milos Raonic in a big-serving second-round contest on Court One, which continued at lunchtime after bad light last night brought it to a halt.

Querrey is another in the section of the draw previously occupied by Nadal, and after a 6-7 (7/3) 7-6 (9/7) 7-6 (10/8) 6-4 victory he acknowledged the task of everyone in the bottom half has been made slightly easier.

"It's going to be someone new now (in the final)," Querrey said. "It's a possibility for someone else to get to the final and possibly win it."