Tomas Berdych is no stranger to stripping off. Earlier this week, the No.6 seed tweeted a link to a naked photo-shoot in which he participated as part of a charitable promotion for Cancer Research UK.
On Saturday it was the 2010 Wimbledon finalist’s game that was laid bare as he struggled to find the momentum against a journeyman opponent before eventually prevailing 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-6(3) in two hours and 39 minutes.
Ranked 31 places below the Czech, the clay-court specialist Pablo Andujar was never supposed to pose this much of a threat.
Yet he was quickest out of the starting blocks, suitably warmed from two previous five-set matches, one of those against Lukas Rosol – the man who beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2012. From the off, he dazzled the Czech with an aggressive baseline campaign and occasional forays to the net.
The approach seemed to unsettle Berdych who mis-fired forehands into the tramlines and struggled with his rhythm, coordination and ball toss in breezy conditions.
The world No.6’s concentration also wasn't helped by the noise from the nearby Court 12 where Lleyton Hewitt's fans were supporting their hero in the doubles with cries of "let's go Aussie, let's go''. In addition, Berdych lost his footing on two occasions.
He was broken early in the opening set and despite recovering to level at 4-4 was broken again in the ninth game to allow the Spaniard to serve out the set.
But Andujar, holder of three titles, could not keep up this spectacular form. At 29 he is the same age as Berdych but has spent five hours and 48 minutes on court (excluding the time expended in the men's doubles) to reach this stage and equal his best Grand Slam showing.
Andujar lost the second set in 23 minutes and Berdych, who reached the quarter-finals at Halle recently, started to take control. A sumptuous backhand winnner earned a break for 5-3 before a 124mph ace set up two set points. Berdych netted the first but converted the next opportunity with a clean backhand winner down the line.
By the fourth set tie-break Andujar appeared to run out of steam, producing a string of errors. When Berdych crafted a sublime forehand winner on his second match point it took him into the fourth round of Wimbledon for the seventh time.
Elsewhere, No.13 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s hopes of emulating his 2011 semi-final run were dashed at the hands of veteran world No.25 Ivo Karlovic. The big serving Croat hit 41 aces on the way to his 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(9) victory, which took almost three hours.
The Frenchman was asked whether he was aware that Karlovic appeared to double hit the ball at the net in the fourth set on Tsonga’s set point. “Yeah, but, I mean, it's the job of the umpire to see it. If he can't see it, I can't do anything. Even if I saw it, I can't say anything, so,” he said. “It doesn't change the result.”
Karlovic, who faces No.3 seed Andy Murray in the fourth round, has now amassed 136 aces in three matches. Does he think he stands a chance against the Scot, whom he has never beaten?
“I feel good. It will not be easy... but if I continue serving like this, I will definitely have opportunity.”