On Court Two, Sam Querrey finished off the Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga over two days 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-5 to progress to the second week at Wimbledon.
Sam Querrey runs away with the first set
Serving first, Tsonga was taken to deuce by Querrey but hung on to begin the contest. The big American also held his serve to get on the board, 1-1. The next two service games from the pair were easy holds of serve with only one point being lost as both looked equal in the opening set at 2-2.
In the fifth game, having stayed in touch with the Frenchman, Querrey pounced and hit a stunning backhand passing shot to bring up the first break point of the entire match at advantage. Tsonga quickly snuffed out the break point with an unreturnable serve to bring the game back to deuce.
However, a double fault instantly gave the American a second break point opportunity. He wrong-footed Tsonga with a forehand winner and got the breakthrough in the match at 3-2. This was impressively consolidated by the 29-year-old to lead 4-2.
The 12th seed gained a love-30 lead in the next game but Querrey turned it around with an exquisite return that caught the baseline to bring up a third break point of the set. The 32-year-old opened up the court but put wide a volley to go the double break behind, 5-2. Querrey sealed the first set, 6-2 in his next service game.
Tsonga draws level
Down a set, Tsonga came out and served to begin this second set. The 24th seeded American carried off where he left off, holding serve with ease to love to restore parity, 1-1. The Frenchman held his second service game of the set to put the pressure back on Querrey.
The pressure was well and truly on as Tsonga earned his first break point of the match against the big-serving American at 30-40. Querrey served, hit a big forehand, went to the net as Tsonga sent the return long of the baseline with the game going to deuce. Querrey then won the next two points to keep the set on serve at 2-2.
The American then tried forcing the pressure, taking the fifth game to 30-all but Tsonga came through untroubled to edge out in front at 2-3. Querrey held his serve again to draw level but the 12th seed raced away with his service game to love to go up 3-4.
The Frenchman continued to pressurize the American and soon, found himself with a second break point of the set at 30-40 with Querrey shanking a forehand. Engaged in a mini-rally, Querrey faltered and produced an unforced error with the Frenchman breaking for 3-5. This was backed up with a hold of serve for 3-6 with the match leveling at one set apiece.
Querrey edges back out in front via tiebreaker
After winning the second set, it was Tsonga who had the momentum going into the third. Querrey secured his opening service game to 30, while Tsonga held to love with the score at 1-1 early on. Just like for many parts of the second, both remained to show just why they remain tough to beat with steady hold of serves.
With the American now up 3-4, the match began to open up and a break point arrived at the 29-year-old American, 30-40 after a solid return left Tsonga on the back foot who returned only for Querrey to fire a forehand winner. An unforced error sent the game back to deuce. However, a few points later, Querrey had a break point chance again. Only for this one to be saved again.
A third and final break point would be gone from the American as Tsonga hung on in to draw level at 4-4. The Frenchman would then have his chance to break the Querrey serve at 30-40 but found no answers with the third set staying on serve at 5-4. A fourth break point of the match would be desperately missed from Querrey in the 11th game as both were looking to break ahead.
The American served it out in the next game to send the set to a tiebreaker. The first five points went the way of the server with Querrey ahead at 3-2. Tsonga lost his serve in the sixth game but won the next point, 3-4. Querrey won his next two points and gained match points, 6-3. Tsonga saved three match points but the world number 28 volleyed his way to two sets to one lead, 7-6(5).
Tsonga races away with the fourth set to send the contest to a fifth
After losing the previous set, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga began the fourth in good spirits by staying ahead at 1-2. In the fourth game, he began to make his move and a break point arrived 30-40. Tsonga took charge of the rally and finished it off with a wonderful overhead smash to break before going on to consolidate the break to take a 1-4 lead.
Looking to send the match to a decider, the Frenchman continued to up the stakes as Querrey failed to handle him with double break point chances heading Tsonga's way after a blatant forehand error occurred.
A forehand winner followed by a volley sent the game to deuce and having failed to hold serve, Querrey fell behind a third break point, smashing a volley wide. Taking control of the net and the mini-rally, Tsonga then unleashed a forehand crosscourt passing shot winner to break and almost guarantee a fifth set.
The 32-year-old reached a set point at love-40 with Querrey cracking a shot wide. Tsonga then won the next point and the set 1-6 with the American hitting an unforced error.
Querrey comes back the next day to win
Starting out the fifth set, Querrey held serve to 15. Tsonga also kept up his serving ways and eased through his opening service game to love for 1-1. With the final set being so crucial the two big hitters found their serves with both holding their second service games of the final set 2-2.
Having served first, Querrey would be putting the pressure on the Frenchman keeping ahead at 3-2 and hoping to break the Tsonga serve. But the 32-year-old would match Querrey, with a combination of good serves and powerful hitting to draw level at 3-3.
With the two serving almost immaculate, Tsonga would slightly falter allowing Querrey to get to deuce in the eighth game from 40-15 ahead. But the Frenchman hit two unreturnable serves to stay in touch with the American at 4-4. Just a few games later with Tsonga ahead 6-5, the umpire was forced to suspend the match due to darkness.
Coming back the very next day, Querrey began positively, troubling Tsonga and earning a break/match point. This was put way and the American progressed to the fourth round for the second year running. Through frustration, the Frenchman bashed a ball out the court.