Roger Federer [ Images ] came out on top in the battle of the Wimbledon [ Images ] champions when he trumped Lleyton Hewitt [ Images ] 7-6, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals on Monday.

- Images from Day 8

Australian Hewitt, the only men's winner in the draw other than five-times champion Federer, kept the Swiss on his toes during a tight first set.

Once Federer had earned the tiebreak 9-7 with a 195 kph thunderbolt ace, he ran Hewitt ragged on a sun-drenched Centre Court and chalked up his 63rd consecutive win on grass with an unreturnable serve.

Federer will next face either Croatia's [ Images ] Mario Ancic, who was the last man to beat the world number one on grass in the first round here in 2002. 

Ancic beat Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco [ Images ] in a five-set marathon (3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 13-11) in 229 minutes (the last set lasting for 95 minutes).

NADAL SURVIVES INJURY SCARE

Rafael Nadal [ Images ] survived an early scare when he needed treatment to his right calf before beating Mikhail Youznhy 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 on Monday to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

The second seed, 1-0 up after serving first, slipped and landed badly on his right leg chasing a crosscourt shot and needed a time-out for treatment on the side of Court One.

However, it proved a blip and the Spaniard crushed an opponent he needed five sets to overcome at the same stage of Wimbledon a year ago. He next meets Frenchman Richard Gasquet or Briton Andy Murray [ Images ] in the last eight.

The Russian, seeded 17th, had won the last of their previous 10 meetings by a remarkable 6-0 6-1 in the final at Chennai in January. Their tally is now 7-4 to Nadal.

LOPEZ OUSTS BAGHDATIS

Spaniard Feliciano Lopez [ Images ] saved three match points before outlasting Cypriot number 10 seed Marcos Baghdatis [ Images ] 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 8-6 to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Monday.

The 26-year-old left-hander, seeded 31, was staring defeat in the face when serving at 4-5 0-40 down in the final set but saved all three match points, the final one with an ace, to hold.

He then broke Baghdatis, a semi-finalist here two years ago, to seize the initiative and confidently served out for victory.

Lopez, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2005, his best result at a grand slam, now takes on Marat Safin [ Images ] or Stanislas Wawrinka.