Serena fights back in thriller

Four-time champion Serena Williams clinched a marathon triumph over China’s Zheng Jie to reach the Wimbledon last 16 on Saturday as Lukas Rosol, the conqueror of Rafael Nadal, returned to anonymity.

Sixth-seed Williams, playing in her 13th Wimbledon, saw off 25th-seed Zheng, a semi-finalist in 2008, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 9-7 and will tackle Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan for a place in the quarter-finals.

“It was good to win that. I needed a tough match and she’s always playing me incredibly well,” said Williams.

Wildcard Shvedova will go into Monday’s fourth round tie having made history as the first woman at a Grand Slam to achieve a Golden Set.

Shvedova won 24 points and conceded none in a first set 6-0 wipeout of Italian 10th seed, and French Open runner-up, Sara Errani on her way to the last 16 for the first time.

Shvedova, who won 23 points in succession at the Memphis tournament in 2006, took the second set 6-4.

“Today I laid a golden egg,” the Kazakh later tweeted.

Back to obscurity

It was good while it lasted: Lukas Rosol loses to Philipp Kohlschreiber after his epic Nadal victory [GALLO/GETTY]

Czech world 100 Rosol had caused one of the greatest upsets in the history of the sport when he beat world number two Nadal in five sets in the second round under the Centre Court roof on Thursday.

But on a windswept Court 12 on Saturday, normal service was resumed as German 27th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who beat Nadal on grass at Halle two weeks ago, eased to a 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) win and a first appearance in the last 16.

Kohlschreiber, who claimed victory on a fourth match point, will tackle American qualifier Brian Baker for a place in the quarter-finals.

Baker’s fairytale return hit a new high when he enjoyed a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over France’s Benoit Paire.

Baker lost six years of his career to an assortment of injuries that left him needing five different operations on a hernia, left and right hips and right elbow.

The 27-year-old, who started the year ranked 458, will rise to at least 78 after his performances at Wimbledon.

“It’s been unreal,” said Baker, who took a job as a college tennis coach to maintain his feel for the sport during his lengthy lay-off.

“On court I still have nerves when you know what’s on the table and what you have accomplished. It’s crazy.”

Breezing through

Defending women’s champion Petra Kvitova wasted little time moving into fourth round as the Czech took just 53 minutes to crush America’s Varvara Lepchenko 6-1, 6-0.

The 22-year-old Kvitova, who has lost just 13 games in her three matches, blasted 15 winners and forced the out-classed Lepchenko to make 38 errors in a brutal demolition on Court One.

Kvitova, seeded fourth, will play former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone for a place in the quarter-finals.

“I’m feeling better with every match I play here. The third round today was much better than the first round,” Kvitova said.

“I’m so happy that I played well and I’m glad that I made so few unforced errors.”

Former world number one Ana Ivanovic, the 14th seed, reached the last 16, coming from behind to clinch a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win against Germany’s Julia Goerges.

Ivanovic will play second seed Victoria Azarenka, a semi-finalist in 2011, who put out Slovak qualifier, and world number 178, Jana Cepelova, 6-3, 6-3.

Also going through was Austria’s Tamira Paszek, the first round conqueror of former number one Caroline Wozniacki. Paszek enjoyed a 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 win over Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer and will face Italian 21st seed Roberta Vinci who defeated Croatia qualifier Mirjana Lucic in two tie-break sets.