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Live Commentary: David Ferrer vs. Ivan Dodig - as it happened

Read how David Ferrer's fourth-round clash against Ivan Dodig ended in a tough win for the Spaniard.
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David Ferrer took on unseeded Ivan Dodig in the fourth round of Wimbledon and came from a set behind to win.

The first two sets went to a tie-break and somewhat against the run of play, with Dodig claiming the first and Ferrer the second.

That win in the breaker was the catalyst that spurred the Spaniard on to breeze through the final two sets to set up a clash against Juan Martin del Potro or Andreas Seppi.

Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.


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Hello tennis fans! It's round four day - my favourite day of Wimbledon. All the players left in the draw play today, which means a full day of high-class tennis.

It starts with us here at SM with number four seed David Ferrer against Ivan Dodig.

Ferrer had to play his very best tennis on Saturday evening as he got past Alexandr Dolgopolov in five sets in a quite thrilling encounter.

For his Croatian opponent Dodig, this is uncharted territory for him. He tore apart Igor Sijsling with the dropping of just one game - with his opponent retiring in the last - and is in the form of his life. Indeed it was only against Philipp Kohlschreiber in the first round that he had a tough encounter, winning in five through the German's retirement.

The sun is out and it looks ahead to be a glorious fourth round day at Wimbledon. Dodig was out a moment ago, but Ferrer is yet to show. He was supposed to be here at 11.30 but maybe he's overslept?

Here he is! I'm hearing there was a problem with his taping. If the cut-off time before being disqualified was 10 minutes, he cut that very fine indeed!

In fact the time is 15 minutes, so he could have waited longer. Dodig's previous best Slam performance was the third round at the Australian Open, also this year. So he's blooming quite let on and if his performance in the last round is anything to go by this won't be a straight-sets win for Ferrer. Dodig always plays well at Queen's, but just hasn't until now kept his form into Wimbledon.

Ferrer, fresh from his first Grand Slam final last month at Roland Garros, has no Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer to contend with, of course. However, he is in Novak Djokovic's half of the draw, which means a second-successive final would require a win over the Serb - a big ask for the clay specialist.

With the warmups coming to an end, just a reminder of what other Wimbledon action we have going on at the moment. The 2011 women's champion Petra Kvitova is on court against Carla Suarez Navarro - you can follow that with Sian Cowper.

Here we go then, Dodig to serve...

He's raced into a 40-0 here with some big serves and really quick turnarounds between them.

He wraps up the hold with a nice shot at the feet of Ferrer, who was coming to the net. That's the perfect start for the Croatian.

Ferrer has started well too, with two serves being returned out and then a lovely piece of net play moving him 40-0 up.

An ace for Ferrer to finish and he holds to love. Excellent start with the ball from both men.

Great stuff from the Spaniard. He finds the angles from the baseline with his forehand, then wrong-foots Dodig with a big shot for 0-30.

He comes to the net this time after forcing Dodig out wide, and he has two break points...

One is saved with a thunderous ace down the middle. Ferrer challenges but there's no way that was out. One break point left.

Good point! Dodig comes to the net and clips the ball across on the angle to Ferrer's backhand. He gets there but returns it just wide for deuce. Strong play to recover from the Croatian.

Another break point is saved; this time with some good defensive slices from the baseline to force Ferrer to net. Then Ferrer looks to dominate a point by coming to the net, but finds the ball over his head from a lob that's perfectly in court from Dodig. He then holds with Ferrer netting a return. Good tennis so far.

Dodig wins the first point, but loses out in a rally and nets the backhand. It's 15-15.

An unlikely unforced error at the net from Ferrer allows Dodig to level and then he swipes a forehand well wide for break point...

Well saved! He gets the second serve to spin up really high, and the return allows him to execute the perfect forehand winner.

After a strong start, both men have struggled on serve in the last two games. However, Ferrer too manages to save a break point to hold.

Just magnificent from Dodig. A lovely drop shot that Ferrer cannot reach from his position a few steps behind the baseline brings up 30-0.

A big 131mph serve brings up 40-30, but then a short second serve gives Ferrer an opportunity with the shorthand that he doesn't fail to take. Then, another advance to the net from the Spaniard levels the game at deuce.

A break point for Ferrer is saved by another monstrous serve. Ferrer's return goes into the crowd where a suspicious looking boy tries to keep the ball - but he's quickly made to give it back.

It's another struggle, but Dodig manages to hold again. There are signs that a break is coming, but both players are turning it up on serve when the pressure is on.

At 30-0 up Ferrer looks to dominate another point from the baseline, but Dodig has other ideas by lashing a backhand winner down the line.

Then at 40-15 down he's still not out of it! A big forehand over the shoulder followed by another fizzing backhand get him back to deuce. He's hitting it really cleanly when given the chance - both are, really.

It's lovely from Ferrer. Dodig battles valiantly to stay in a point, but that angled forehand again from the Spaniard is just too good at times. We're still with serve and this is shaping up into a real contest.

Brilliant backhand volley from Dodig, who had to slide to reach it but did just that and put it away for 15-0.

Another excellent volley, this time immediately following a wide serve. Dodig races in and stops it the other side of the net. It's the most comfortable hold for some time, as Ferrer slips on that dodgy baseline on court 2. He's fine, though, it's hard now rather than green.

What a winner from Ferrer. Dodig knocks it into the corner and comes to the net, but Ferrer fizzes it back past him on the backhand for 30-15.

Strong hold from Ferrer, to follow suit. If nothing gives here we're going to a tie-break, and that looks quite likely at the moment.

But hold on, Ferrer moves 0-30 up with a good backhand and then went for it on the second serve. However, he netted to allow Dodig back in.

Brutal from Ferrer! He batters the yellow thing from the back of the court, but Dodig doesn't lie down, so he wins with a drop shot that the Croatian returns just wide. Great point, and break point...

It's saved magnificently! A big serve down the middle followed by a drop volley on the run - saves don't come better than that.

It's a long and tough service game, but Dodig holds with a couple of huge serves that Ferrer cannot send back. He's hanging on somewhat, but yet ahead in the set.

Brilliant accuracy from Ferrer. He starts with a wide serve that's returned out, before clipping the corner with an inside-out forehand winner.

What an excellent hold. He wraps up the game with a lovely controlled volley into the space he opened up, and is definitely on top at the moment.

He proves he's on top by digging out a running backhand winner across court and past Dodig, who was quite well positioned in fairness.

Is this where he breaks? He's 0-30 up, as he was in the last game. How will he play this one?

Last time he threw the point away, but this time Dodig wins it all by himself by finding the line with a backhand. Important point.

With two break points, Ferrer puts a backhand into the net. One remains.

Big, big serve from Dodig and Ferrer puts it into the tramlines. It's deuce again but quickly advantage Dodig as he aces down the middle.

Ferrer gets a touch of luck on the net cord, but then hits the pass wide to hand the game to Dodig. Eight break points saved so far from Dodig - many of them saved with important serves. Now Ferrer must serve to take us to a breaker.

It's another very straightforward hold for Ferrer, who indeed has forced the tie-break in this first set. With Dodig's serve, this set is anyone's game now.

Ferrer *0-1 Dodig

Ferrer *0-2 Dodig - Brilliant rally, and Dodig comes out on top with Ferrer netting.

Ferrer 0-3* Dodig - Fantastic! Dodig slips, but gets forward to push Ferrer's drop shot back past him down the line.

Ferrer 1-3* Dodig - Another superb rally. This time a 28-shot rally ends with the Spaniard coming to the net to volley the winner. Bruising stuff this.

Ferrer *1-4 Dodig

Ferrer *2-4 Dodig

Ferrer 2-5* Dodig - Wild forehand from Ferrer!

Ferrer 2-6* Dodig

Ferrer *3-6 Dodig

SET! A convincing breaker from the world number 49. Although he was second best for much of that set, he stepped it up and has the advantage.

The absolute key stat there was eight break points dropped from Ferrer, and just one for Dodig. The Spaniard also uncharacteristically made 15 unforced errors to Dodig's 12.

Effortless hold to start the set for the Spaniard. Now he must make inroads into Dodig's serve - or at least start converting break points.

A 127mpg ace and a good baseline point see Dodig go up 30-0.

Just brilliant serving for Dodig. When he's accurate with his first serve there's no hope for Ferrer, which is exactly what happened in that game.

Dodig takes the first two points of Ferrer's next serve, but some athletic tennis from Ferrer brings him level.

He then races on to a drop shot to push the winner past Dodig for 40-30 but Dodig battles back with some huge shots and a forehand winner on the line.

Dodig thinks he has the break when Ferrer's backhand is called wide. But on review it's a sublime winner to save the game for the Spaniard. Ferrer responds to get advantage of his own.

You don't get closer to a break than that for Dodig and Ferrer realises as much to hold. It was the battle of the challenges, as Dodig gets one very wrong at the end and has to concede the game.

Dodig is really on top of this now. He races 40-0 up and then finishes the game with a mammoth serve. Both his service games this set have been to love. If there's a break soon it looks likely to go the Croat's way.

Now it's Ferrer's turn for a simple service game. It's motoring along this set, but there's still a long way to go. Someone surely has to break at some point.

Dodig wins another service game without too much issue. He's been the better player in this set, whereas Ferrer probably edged the first but lost it. Ferrer's set then?

Ferrer nets a backhand very poorly, which offers Dodig two break points...

He saves the first with a fine serve that Dodig can only loop wide.

Ohhh, it's the very best of Ferrer! He bruises the ball from the baseline, before finally coming in to play a lovely volley that drops just over the net. What a save.

They just keep coming through battles on serve. Ferrer has saved more than his fair share of break points in what is almost the opposite of the first set.

Dodig is now 40-0 up and has yet to lose a point on serve in the set! His serving is the best I've seen at the tournament so far.

It's 16 from 16 for Dodig. Another service game from the Croat flies by - pressure is really on the Spaniard at the moment.

Now it's Ferrer's turn. A couple of big serves get him 30-0 up in this important game for him.

However, his third double fault lets Dodig back in, and the Croat then somehow puts a winner from miles back down the line on his backhand side. What a shot!

That's how you hold! Ferrer dinks a drop shot from midway inside the court and Dodig doesn't even bother - he was never reaching that if it was allowed to bounce four times.

Now 40-0 for Dodig. That's 19 of 19 service points...

Make that 20 from 20! It's a staggering display of serving from Dodig who is improving as this goes on - worryingly for Ferrer.

Nothing is giving at all now. Ferrer is looking strong from deep and wraps up his own service game, but not quite as quickly as Dodig. Presumably, the next will go with serve too and take us into another breaker.

Dodig has lost a service point. I repeat, Dodig has lost a service point! It's his first double fault and Ferrer skips across to the other side with glee.

He's got a taste for points against Dodig's serve now, Ferrer, as he returns a winner as the Croat came into the net. Brilliant.

Then boom! A 124mpf ace levels us at 30-30, before another big serve is returned out.

A couple of hiccups, but Dodig holds serve. Like last time, going on his serve, I have to make him favourite in the breaker.

Ferrer 1-0* Dodig

Ferrer 1-1* Dodig

Ferrer *1-2 Dodig

Ferrer *1-3 Dodig - Ferrer nets at close range and Dodig has the mini-break. Poor volley.

Ferrer 2-3* Dodig - Close margins there, as Dodig goes just wide with a forehand.

Ferrer 3-3* Dodig - The Croat so close to getting his volley over the net, as it clips the cord and comes down the wrong side.

Ferrer *3-4 Dodig

Ferrer *4-4 Dodig

Ferrer 5-4* Dodig - It's vintage Ferrer right now and he's very much on top of this breaker.

Ferrer 5-5* Dodig - The Spaniard's pass is INCHES wide on the forehand.

Ferrer *6-5 Dodig - WHAT a return! Dodig dives but cannot reach it. Set point...

Ferrer *6-6 Dodig

Ferrer 7-6* Dodig

SET! Ferrer takes it! Dodig nets. Just as the first went the way of the player who wasn't on top during the set itself, Ferrer battles to take the second after being second-best in the 12 games prior. This is great stuff so far.

Over on centre, Sabine Lisicki is giving a good account of herself early on against Serena. It's 2-2 there, and you can follow that (in a new tab) by clicking here.

Good start to the set for Ferrer, who goes to the wrong end. He won't be able to return Dodig's serve from there!

This game isn't so comfortable for Dodig. Ferrer is battling and he gets advantage with a passing shot at the net.

BREAK! We have our first break! It's largely out of the blue, as Ferrer had not one look-in in the last set, but he's been buoyed by the second set win and powers home a forehand winner to get ahead in the third.

Now it's Ferrer who is serving perfectly. Most of his first serves were on target, which made it easy to pick off Dodig. Can the Croat respond before this set gets away from him?

Dodig makes one short second serve that Ferrer smacks across court on the return and another on the backhand that finds the corner. He follows up with a forehand winner down the line and from 0-40 down it's deuce.

However, Dodig recovers to hold, and that's an important one. He'll have to break back, but still has plenty of time in the set to do so.

He's looking tired Dodig, and Ferrer is looking majestic. It's the Croat doing all the running but the Spaniard winning the points as he holds to love.

Ferrer has three break points. The first is saved with a delicate drop shot at the net.

BREAK! However, Ferrer makes no mistake with the second and moves two breaks ahead. This set is very quickly going the way of the Spaniard. He's 4-1 up after 20 minutes.

Dodig gets a good look-in on a second serve, but can only find the tramlines. It's not going right for him any more.

Ferrer continues to dominate and is now 40-0 up after yet another winner.

Dodig limply returns into the net and gives up another game. Ferrer is one away from this set, and you'd think he'll do it with another break here.

Finally a big serve is too good in this set, but it's come at 0-30 down.

Now three set points for Ferrer...

SET! Sure enough, Ferrer takes it with ease. That's a surprise, as the first two were so hotly contested. Dodig must respond very early in the third or he's out.

Elsewhere, Williams is incredibly a set down to Lisicki, losing the first 6-2. And Laura Robson threw away a 5-4 lead serving for the set and 5-2 in the tie-break to lose the first set against Kaia Kanepi.

The crowd are behind Dodig at the moment, as he wins the first point in the third.

Ferrer wins the next two to move 30-15 up but Dodig slams a backhand down the line to level it.

Then a really poor drop shot at the net goes out, and hands Dodig a break point...

What a point! It's terrific accuracy initally from Ferrer, but after a poor smash Dodig wins it with a winner across court. Another break point...

He's being run ragged Dodig. Left to right and then left again, but he finally cannot clear the net, and then a dropshot also doesn't go over to hand advantage to the Spaniard.

A good hold from Ferrer, then. He wins it with a forehand and survives two break points. That would have been huge for the exhausted looking Dodig, but it wasn't to be for him.

Ferrer initially looks to have the measure of Dodig's serve, but he responds with a couple of huge ones to claw deuce. Then it's break point Ferrer but Dodig saves with a calm volley at the net. Great play.

BREAK! He battles and never gives up the Spaniard. His accuracy and power is just shining through now as he scrapes what is probably a decisive break.

No problems whatsoever for Ferrer on his serve, and in 19 minutes he's 3-0 up in the fourth. I can't see a way back for Dodig here - that breaker in the second when he dominated the set was the killer blow for him you feel.

It's a comfortable start from Dodig, but Ferrer battles back to 40-30. However, the Croatian holds to get his first game on the board in this set. Can he battle against Ferrer's serve here?

It doesn't look like it. Ferrer dominates two more points to go 30-0 up.

In fact, not at all. Ferrer wraps up his game as quickly as Dodig was in the second. He holds to love and is now two away from reaching the quarters.

Great play from Ferrer. He's just on top of every rally and finishes this one at the net by wrong-footing the Croatian for his 50th winner of the match.

Break point Ferrer...

BREAK! Yep, too good. Another winner at the net for Ferrer wraps up the break and he now serves for the match.

Dodig is not going down without a fight but he just doesn't have quite enough in the rallies. It's 30-15.

Two match points Ferrer...

GAME, SET AND MATCH FERRER! In the end, he's just too strong, but there's no doubt he had a real tough battle today. Credit to Dodig for how he started, but after Ferrer took the second in a breaker there was only one winner.

It was a really good game of tennis to open the day on court two. Ferrer now plays Juan Martin del Potro or Andreas Seppi in the quarters.

Thanks for joining me here. I'll be back very soon for Radwanska against Pironkova - so do join me for that. From here, though, goodbye!

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Ivan Dodig of Croatia serves to Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany during their Men's first round singles match on June 25, 2013
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