The best match of the day was between two seasoned, grizzled and married tour veterans who share 957 career victories. The best quarterfinal match was between two guys that decided after 2008 to rededicate themselves, to log countless miles, lift an infinite number of pounds and hit zillions of tennis balls to reach the next level. Andy Roddick prevailed over Lleyton Hewitt who fought nobly and, like Roddick, deserved to win. This was a match where both players deserved to win, where you could not be disappointed by the outcome. It was that good, that suspenseful, that filled with high drama and stellar play.

It could have been the finals. It was that good. Most likely, it will surpass the finals and the semifinals for drama and heroics.

Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt did what they do best. They played a professional tennis match. They played to win. They played as if they had been there before. They left nothing on the court. They played like two players who have played before and who have built respect for each other’s games.

What drama! The Aussie Crazies were out in force. Those yellow and green shirts jumping up and down, loudly proclaiming their loyalty and defending Australia’s honor as Hewitt has been doing all by himself for some time now.

The American crazies were there too, cheering, interrupting passionate in their exuberance. Like Hewitt, Roddick has been carrying his flag for a long time as well. Like Hewitt, it means something to Andy. It is the way he learned to play, the old way. The way that makes the Brits crazy that they have not had a winner in 73 years.

As expected, Andy Murray moved on Wednesday, blowing out Spain’s play-in Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 6-2. On this day, Andy Murray did what he had to do. He appeased the gallery, gave the media something nice to write about and can now rest with his lovely lady waiting for the older, out-manned Roddick to come out with his 140 mph serve and smack hard shot after hard shot at him. On paper, Andy has reached the finals. But then again, that is why they lace up the sneakers and trot on out there. Another reason is because you might not be exactly sure which Andy Murray will show up for the semis.

What we do know is which Tommy Haas, which Andy Roddick and which Roger Federer will show up. As much as the Brits may not want to admit it, there will be three tennis professionals and a young Scotsman in the semis. After that, we shall see.

On this day, in this match, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick went toe-to-toe. Roddick won the first set 6-3, and the third set 7-6 (1), while Hewitt prevailed at 7-6 (10), 6-4. Andy Roddick only has a 10-12 won lost record in five set matches. The players have gone at it 12 times. They now stand at 6-6.

So, you knew the fifth set belonged to either player. These two fellows are in terrific shape. It was hot, humid and long. The match fell just shy of four hours court time. At 4-4 in the fifth with Lleyton serving, Roddick fought off 3 game points before finally grabbing an ad. Hewitt served him to submission.

But, the American answered back and got it back to game point. This time, he converted his 4th of 12 break points. He then did what he does best and served out the match, recording his personal best 43rd ace along the way.

The day is over. Tomorrow, the ladies will go at it in the semis. But on this day, the best match of the day featured Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Murray and the Brits who stuck around on Henman’s Hill got their money’s worth. What a match!

So, the Brits got their wish. Their man and clear crowd favorite moved on. But, to be completely honest it was 19th seed, Stanislaus Wawrinka, whose stock rose by leaps and bounds.

The 24- year old took on the world’s third ranked player on his home court and came ever so close to sending fifteen thousand courtside spectators as well as thousands watching on Henman Hill’s giant screen home to sulk.

The Brits are pretty anxious to win this one. For those Wimbledon neophytes, it has been 72 years since Fred Perry kept the trophy at home. This year, the Brits have reason for optimism. Murray is a good player. He has defeated the best player to ever pick up a racket four straight times.

The problem for Murray is not his ability. It is what is between his ears. He is unconvinced that he can win Grand Slam Championships and all the fuss and media focus seems to weigh upon the youngster. Andy Murray could use a lesson or two from the Williams sisters. Now there are two high profile competitors that set their eyes on a goal and go for it. Mastering the media is just one of those things great players learn to do. Murray needs some work on that, but he does get points for astute companion selection.

Wawrinka reached the 4th round at Wimbledon last year. He followed that up with a 4th round appearance in the U.S. Open. The guy has some game, but the resume lacks real quality Grand Slam wins.

Give the man his due. He showed. He was composed. He played aggressively. He stood in the Lion’s Den and performed well, very well. He shocked the pro-Murray crowd with a 34 minute thrashing (6-2) of the Scotsman in the first set. He did everything right. His aggressiveness stunned the crowd, stunned Murray and showed just how fragile Murray can be.

To his credit, Murray clawed his way back. He captured a big break in set two and served out the set for a 6-3, 45 minute turnabout. The crowd roared back into the match and the Centre Court knew their man was ready to claim the match for Queen and Country, or something like that.

Murray had the momentum and went for the juggler. He held off several key break points late in the set and made a break at 3-3 hold for the 6-3 win. When Wawrinka replays the match, he will bemoan the fact that at this point he had only converted 2 of 11 break point opportunities.

Stanislaus Wawrinka was apparently the only person who did not know the match was over. He played on and got better and better, feistier and feistier. It seems like Stanislaus was not buying into the Murray is infallible thing. Wawrinka battled through set four. He matched shot for shot with the three seed. When the pressure was on, Wawrinka out-served and out-strategized the Scotsman. Murray appeared shell-shocked looking to his mother and to his lady friend for help. At times, it seemed Murray was trying to bring the crowd into the match. At 5-5, Wawrinka got the break he needed and then held serve to force the fifth set.

If Andy Murray is to win Wimbledon, he had better keep his eye on the ball and his mind on the moment and off the women in his life.

At 10:39 at night, Murray quieted the fans on Henman’s Hill, gave his mother something to cheer about, earned an admiring smile from his lady friend and allowed the 15,000 Brits under the roof to celebrate his 6-3 final set win.

Stanislaus Wawrinka congratulated the winner. Tonight he will remember that on this day, in the first complete match played under the roof, he could very easily have pulled off the event’s biggest upset.

As it is, Murray moves on to put his legions through another raucous, nerve-wracking match against unseeded Juan Carlos Gerrero. I mean, really!

At the top of the bracket, two former Grand Slam Champions will slug it out when Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick go at it again. Roddick recently beat Hewitt 7-6, 7-6.

The other Swissman, Roger Federer will take on heavyweight serve specialist, Ivo Karlovic while Novak Djokovic tries to hold off Tommy Haas. Haas is playing well and will give Djokovic plenty of chase.

All the gentlemen’s quarterfinal matches will be played on Wednesday. Monday was a long, great day of tennis. It is fitting that Murray won. But, it does raise questions about his ability to put matches away. He did not appear a Grand Slam Champion on day one of week two.

When Rafael Nadal withdrew from Wimbledon, Juan Martin del Potro moved from his fifth seed to fill the reigning champion’s spot at the top of the draw. The top quarter of the gentlemen’s draw is lightly regarded. Del Potro has never been a “clutch” performer. 6th seeded Andy Roddick has not won a Grand Slam since his 2003 US Open. The unseeded Hewitt is the only other player in the quarter with any major silverware having won the US Open way back in 2001 and having championed Wimbledon way back in 2002. While Roddick has resurrected his game, Hewitt has suffered one disappointment after another.

The bookmakers viewed this quarter with quiet reserve. It seemed that whoever the semi-finalist from this group would be, they just might win through attrition. On the other hand, Hewitt and Roddick are experienced. Opportunity was knocking and they were not about to blink.

Buoyed by a cluster of Aussie fans, the 10-year tour veteran and past-prime 28-year old, came from the locker room with the look and bounce of a winner. All barrels were firing from the start. With 505 career wins, Juan Martin del Potro had nothing Lleyton Hewitt had not seen before. And, Hewitt had salvos that caught the big Argentine flat footed and in dismay.

Hewitt was charged with energy, quick on the Center Court and charged with an all-out game plan. Lleyton Hewitt was going to do what he has done at every Major Championship. He was going to compete hard and with intent. Every shot would have a purpose. And, if he lost, Juan Martin del Potro would know he had been in a Grand Slam tennis match.

Unlike his previous 40 matches against the world’s greatest players, Mr. Hewitt would show his fans what they came to see; a throwback of sorts. There were no nerves. There were no inconsistencies. Hewitt started fast and never stopped. Del Potro was left to shake his head and wonder “who is that masked man?”

With 14 clean aces and just 3 double faults to go with a measly 14 unforced errors, this looked like the Lleyton Hewitt from a different era. This guy was good; dominant in fact. On this day, a fierce Lleyton Hewitt would not loose his serve until it was 5-4 in the third set.

As del Potro has never bounced back from a two set deficit, the French Open semi-finalist and star-waiting-to-happen had the dazed look of someone who had looked at the future and did not like his chances. The big Argentine was playing not to lose instead of playing to win. In Grand Slam tennis, that just does not get the job done. At Wimbledon, if you blink, you are done.

Juan Martin blinked against Hewitt and the savvy Aussie seized the momentum and never let go. Del Potro, known as an intimidating server registered just 10 aces but tallied four double faults and blasted 24 unforced errors. Those numbers do not measure up against a player of Hewitt’s caliber.

Hewitt was seeing the Argentine’s serve clearly. At times, it seemed like he was at the point of return before the ball landed. Generally characterized as a “feisty” Aussie contender, Lleyton Hewitt officially became a “defiant” contender on Thursday.

So defiant in fact that after losing his serve at 5-4 in the third, he broke right back and then provided the knockout blow by holding convincingly at 6-5, setting off a lively celebration in the Aussie Centre Court corner.

Like Hewitt, Roddick also moved ahead and set fans contemplating the intensity that will most likely accompany the quarterfinal pairing. Roddick bested Hewitt at Queen 7-6, 7-6. A rematch promises hard serving, hard hitting and quick resolution.

Congratulations Mr. Hewitt. A job well done!