WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Six-time champion Roger Federer was eliminated in the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the second straight year, wasting a two-set lead before losing 3-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France.
Federer looked to be heading for another routine victory on Centre Court after dominating the second-set tiebreaker. But the Frenchman broke once in each set to level the match, and broke again to start the fifth.
Federer never recovered and must wait another year for a chance to equal Pete Sampras' record of seven Wimbledon titles. The third-ranked Swiss lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals last year.
In other men's action, Novak Djokovic overcame his protege, holding on to reach the semifinals for the third time in his career with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over 18-year-old Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic.
Djokovic has been practicing with Tomic on-and-off since the two became friends last year in Australia. This was the first meeting between the two in a competitive match.
Later Wednesday, defending champion Rafael Nadal was to face Mardy Fish, while No. 4 Andy Murray was scheduled to take on Feliciano Lopez.
At the start on Court 1, Djokovic appeared to have little to worry about, rolling through the first set and on his way to a fifth straight major semifinal. But Tomic didn't quit, instead breaking Djokovic to take a 3-1 lead in the second set and eventually evening the match.
Tomic again went up a break in the third, but that's when Djokovic got going. The two-time Grand Slam champion won five straight games to take the third set, and then won the first two games in the fourth. Although Tomic got back on serve at 2-2 and was two points from winning the set at 5-4, Djokovic soon broke to take a 6-5 lead and held for victory.
Djokovic started the 2011 season by winning 41 straight matches, but that came to an end with a loss to Federer in the French Open semifinals. If the Serb reaches the final at the All England Club for the first time this year, he will guarantee himself the No. 1 ranking. He can also claim the top ranking if Nadal fails to defend his title.
Tomic was the youngest man to start in the men's draw this year, and the youngest to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals since Boris Becker defended his title in 1986.
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Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/tennis/06/29/wimbledon-wednesday.ap/index.html?eref=si_latest
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