LONDON, June 29: Roger Federer breezes through three rounds at Wimbledon while he targets a record sixth consecutive title but he expects the easy ride to end when he faces former champion Lleyton Hewitt on Monday.

Federer and the Australian, who meet for a place in the quarter-finals, have had plenty of time to study each other’s game -- they first played each other when they were 15.

“It’s always a challenge playing Lleyton. He’s a great player, a guy I really enjoy watching as well. He’s a great competitor. We go back a long time,” the 26-year-old Swiss said.

“Especially here and with him being the former number one and the former champion, I think it’s an intriguing match for both of us.”

While Federer’s biggest concern in his early matches has been keeping his cream and gold 1920s-style cardigan clean, Hewitt is contending with a hip injury that will soon require surgery and has failed to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam since the 2006 US Open.No matter, says Federer, because as the only other former champion here Hewitt has the knowledge and the mental strength to pose a genuine danger.

“He knows what it takes to win slams. I think Lleyton Hewitt definitely believes very strongly in his chances,” Federer said.

Seeing the relaxed demeanour of Federer, it is hard to recall that just three weeks ago he suffered the worst defeat of his career in the French Open final to Rafael Nadal, whom he could meet in the final here.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal on Saturday stepped up his bid to dethrone Roger Federer at Wimbledon, the second seed clicking into overdrive to dismiss German Nicolas Kiefer 7-6 6-2 6-3 and reach the fourth round.A ruthless Venus Williams and a hobbling Jelena Jankovic restored some order to the women’s draw to keep their grand slam hopes alive heading into the second week.

“I am doing well, only losing one set. From now on, I know that I am going to have a tough time,” Nadal said after completing a highly satisfactory first week.

Britain’s Andy Murray matched his best grand slam performance with a 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-2 success over German Tommy Haas, raising expectations among a feverish home support that he could become the first British men’s singles champion at Wimbledon for more than 70 years.

Following the shock exits of top seed Ana Ivanovic and former champion Maria Sharapova and with Serena Williams also hitting her stride the Williams sisters are now favourites to contest their third Wimbledon final on July 5.

“The first set was pretty clean. The second set she just changed her strategy, started playing better and got that break back. I played aggressive to get the break back,” Venus said.

Results:

Men’s singles third round results (prefix number denotes seeding):

* 17-Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) bt 16-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 7-5 6-7(5) 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3; Marin Cilic (Croatia) bt 14-Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4 7-6(6); 2-Rafael Nadal (Spain) bt 27-Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) 7-6(3) 6-2 6-3; 12-Andy Murray (Britain) bt Tommy Haas (Germany) 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3 6-2; Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) bt 25-Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 7-6(1) 7-6(3) 6-3; 8-Richard Gasquet (France) bt 28-Gilles Simon (France) 6-3 6-3 6-7(3) 6-3; Arnaud Clement (France) bt Jurgen Melzer (Austria) 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4.

Women’s singles third round results (prefix number denotes seeding):

* 24-Shahar Peer (Israel) bt 9-Dinara Safina (Russia) 7-5 6-7(4) 8-6; 21-Nadia Petrova (Russia) bt 16-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) 7-6(11) 7-6(4); Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) bt Peng Shuai (China) 6-3 1-6 6-4.—Agencies