• Wimbledon

Federer takes express route into last eight

Roger Federer was in imperious form against Tommy Robredo © Getty Images

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Roger Federer wasted no time in dismissing Tommy Robredo in the fourth round at Wimbledon and posted a performance that should have the top three seeds taking note of the seven-time champion.

With Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray - seeded first and third respectively - having got their fourth-round matches out of the way under the Centre Court roof on Monday, there was still matters to be taking care of for Federer and No.2 seed Rafael Nadal, who are due to meet each other in the semi-finals should both progress that far.

'Playing Stan is something quite amazing'

Stanislas Wawrinka defeated Feliciano Lopez in straight sets to set up an all-Swiss quarter-final © Getty Images

• Roger Federer hailed his Wimbledon quarter-final meeting with fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka as "something quite amazing" for their country.
• Federer was speaking ahead of Switzerland's World Cup last 16 match against Argentina later on Tuesday and believes the nation is punching above its weight.
• "I think for a smaller country we've done well over the years in many sports, actually," Federer said to the BBC. "It's nice having the soccer national team do so well now, especially with Ottmar Hitzfeld our coach who has been with us a long time.
• "It would be something quite amazing playing Stan in the quarters here because that's stuff that just doesn't happen very often in Swiss sporting terms."

Federer ensured he moved one step closer to that possible meeting with a thumping 6-1 6-4 6-4 victory over Robredo in a little over an hour and a half.

"I feel like a soccer player - 96 minutes sounds just about right!" said Federer afterwards to the BBC, when asked about his matches lasting no longer than 96 minutes so far in the tournament.

"I'm clearly very pleased with the first week. It's always very exciting to be this deep into the second week and it's really nice the way I'm playing. I think I'm serving well, moving well, I think I'm returning alright so all the things are happening that I need to be happening to go deep in this tournament again."

Federer has been critical of slow play during this tournament, a familiar theme for the former No.1, and he was in no mood for slowing down in a match that was held over from Monday due to rain. Playing on what is traditionally a day off for the men may well have irked him, as he swept to a 6-1 first set success in just 21 minutes.

The relentlessness continued in the first game of the second set as Robredo was broken to love in the blink of an eye. The Spaniard did at least steady the ship as the set progressed, but that break proved the difference as Federer took it 6-4. The pair had been on court a mere 53 minutes.

Robredo responded in the third set with his best few points of the match, which centred around a determination to get to the net. However, Federer has yet to drop a set in the tournament and continued to be unflustered on his own service games. Eventually, the step up in class required by Robredo proved too much and he was broken in the seventh game of the third set.

Federer will now face compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, who defeated Feliciano Lopez 7-6(5) 7-6(7) 6-3 in a tight encounter that included just one break of serve.

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