Saturday was a bad day for American tennis players at Wimbledon, with Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and defending champion Venus Williams all knocked out of the tournament.
In a third-round match on Center Court, second-seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain defeated the 36-year-old Agassi in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4. This is Agassi's last appearance at Wimbledon. He plans to retire from tennis after the U.S. Open in New York.
Later on Center Court, Andy Roddick fell in straight sets to Britain's Andy Murray, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4. Murray faces Cypriot player Marcos Baghdatis, a four-set winner over Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean (4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1).
Williams lost in three sets to Serbian player Jelena Jankovic (7-6, 4-6, 6-4). Jankovic next plays ninth seed and former French Open tennis champion Anastasia Myskina of Russia, who scored a 6-3, 6-4 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain.
Meanwhile, 2004 Wimbledon champ Maria Sharapova of Russia defeated American veteran Amy Frazier in straight sets (6-3, 6-2). The Russian plays Italian Flavia Pennetta, who defeated China's Shuai Peng in straight sets (6-2, 6-3).
World number one women's player Amelie Mauresmo of France breezed into the fourth round with a straight-sets win over Australian Nicole Pratt (6-1, 6-2). Mauresmo plays Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, who beat Dinara Safina of Russia (3-6, 7-6, 6-1).
Earlier, seventh-seed Elena Dementieva of Russia ousted compatriot Elena Likhovtseva in straight sets (7-5, 6-3). Dementieva plays American Shenay Perry, a 7-5 6-3 winner over Austrian Sybille Bammer.
In men's action, former champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia defeated Olivier Rochus of Belgium in straight sets (6-1, 6-4, 6-4). Hewitt plays Spain's David Ferrer, who beat 10th seed Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in five sets (4-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4).
Seventh-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia scored a four-set win over Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka (7-6, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3). Another Croatian, fifth seed Ivan Ljubicic, lost to Russian Dmitry Tursunov in five sets (5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-2). Tursunov plays Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, a four-set winner over Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany (1-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6).
American Mardy Fish withdrew from his third round match against Irakli Labadze of Georgia. The American player had flu-like symptoms after his win over Melle Van Gemerden of the Netherlands.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
