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'Big Four' set for titanic battles


It was in 2011 that the undisputed superpowers last all made it to the business end of the tournament and chances are that they will extend their domination of the season's third Grand Slam event.


Lleyton Hewitt was the last man other than them to lift the trophy back in 2002. Since then, Federer has won seven and Nadal two, with Djokovic and Murray taking one apiece.


Today, they are in fourth-round action, with top seed Djokovic, the 2011 champion and runner-up to Murray in 2013, taking on flamboyant Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a semifinalist in 2011 and 2012.


Djokovic has a 12-5 winning record over Tsonga, including the 2011 last four at Wimbledon as well as the quarterfinals of the 2012 Olympics also played at the All England Club.


Tsonga's last win over the Serb was four years ago in Australia.


Nadal, the world No1 and champion in 2008 and 2010, has already overcome a psychological barrier by making the second week for the first time since 2011.


He has dropped the first set in all three rounds so far and tackles 19-year-old Australian wild card Nick Kyrgios, the world No144, for a place in the quarterfinals.


Federer, who won the last of his seven Wimbledon titles in 2012, tackles Spanish veteran Tommy Robredo, who has made the fourth round for the first time at the 13th attempt.


Federer has won 10 of his 11 meetings against him. However, Robredo triumphed when they last met at the US Open fourth round last year, in what was Federer's earliest exit in New York for a decade.


Murray has reached the last 16 for the seventh year in succession and has dropped just 19 games in three rounds, comfortably a personal best in his tournament history. The third-seeded Murray plays Kevin Anderson, the first South African to make the fourth round for 14 years.


'He's a big guy with a big game,' said Murray, who has a 1-1 record against Anderson. 'He's played some very good tennis this year. Probably been his best year on the tour so far in terms of consistency. It will be tough.'


Murray won in straight sets in the first round of the 2010 Australian Open before Anderson hit back with a win at the 2011 Montreal Masters.


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