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56 THE Swiss seven-time champion marched imperiously past Aus- tralian Sam Groth 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5/7) 6-2, with nine-time SW19 queen Martina Navratilova watching on from the Royal Box. England's record Test wicket- taker Jimmy Anderson topped a clutch of cricketing names on show, alongside footballer- turned-presenter Gary Lineker, England rugby boss Stuart Lan- caster and captain Chris Rob- shaw. Armed forces veterans who competed at last year's inaugural Invictus Games received a spon- taneous standing ovation, before Groth forced a rewrite on Wim- bledon's stats books. Electrical storms overnight eased Wimbledon's stif ling heat- wave, but on court Australia's 6ft 4in specimen Groth threw down the real thunderbolts. The 27-year-old produced the second-fastest serve ever at Wimbledon, at 147mph in just his second service game of the match. Groth boasts tennis' fastest serve of all time at 163mph, and duly bumped Andy Roddick 's 146mph effort from 2004 into third place. Milos Raonic brief ly held Wim- bledon's third-fastest serve this week with 145mph in his second- round encounter with Tommy Haas. The Canadian hardly had time to lay claim to a place in the top three, however, with Groth's monster strike nudging him down the pecking order too. American Taylor Dent has somehow clung on to his record Wimbledon serve of 148mph, that he fired down in 2010. Federer kept his latest quest for a record eighth Wimble- don crown bang on track, how- ever, setting up a fourth-round meeting with 20th seed Roberto Bautista-Agut. Four years ago Groth quit ten- nis for a crack at Australian Rules Football after a nasty shoulder injury and the breakdown of his marriage to fellow tennis star Jarmila Gajdosova. A stint in Vermont Eagles' sec- ond string preceded half a season of top-level action, before Groth missed tennis' individual mental challenge. Since his return a year later he has steadily climbed the rank- ings, reaching a career-high of 66 before this tournament. Groth pushed the match into a fourth set, claiming the third via a tie-break when all in attend- ance expected a peremptory fin- ish from the Swiss master. The ageless Federer quickly re- summoned his trademark oth- er-worldly Wimbledon persona though, to glide into SW19's sec- ond week for the 12th time in 13 years. Vermont reserves coach Jeff Rudd purred "physically he's got it all" when Groth made his short-lived Aussie Rules move. "It's only a matter of learning where to run on the ground, and getting your touch and that sort of thing," continued Groth's one- time sport-switch mentor. Touch could remain the differ- ence between Groth circling ten- nis' true big guns and number- ing among them - and it is that intangible quality with which Federer dominated this match. Former British and Irish Li- ons captain Brian O'Driscoll - rugby's most-capped player of all time - also popped up in the Royal Box, underlining Fed- erer's undeniable imprint on the world 's greatest tennis tourna- ment. "It's hard not to be impressed with Federer," said O'Driscoll. "His charisma, his grace and his movement around the court is just so special." Last year Federer agonisingly blew his best chance yet for that elusive eighth crown, losing out in five sets to Novak Djokovic. Every year without that land- mark lengthens Federer's odds of overhauling fellow seven-time winner Pete Sampras. But a slight chink of light in Federer's section of the draw and yet more controlled play on his favourite surface ensures the 17- time grand slam champion re- mains a definite title-contender. Sport maltatoday, SUNDAY, 5 JULY 2015 KICKBOXING TENNIS Two title belts for Team Noel FIVE athletes from Team Noel won their matches in the latest edi- tion of Gladiators Night. Among them there were also two World Kickboxing Network (WKN) title belts. Zahra, won over Ladistav Kristufek from the Czech Republic after engaging in a 5x3 professional level. The showdown was dominat- ed mostly with leg techniques and most of them to the head. In the last two rounds the two athletes start- ed using more hand techniques and striking each other with strong hits. Zahra got points when hitting Kristufek by "spinning hook kicks". In Zahra's corner there was as well Osman Yigin, World Thai Boxing Champion. Melvin Fenech, faced Ryan Cachia, New Kickboxing, in a K1 match and won the WKN National Title Belt. It was a hard struggle for both of them which continued pressing on each other all the time. In the end it was a jury's decision that gave the victory to Fenech The match for Clayton Desira and Eman Zammit was a short one. In the first round Desira started hitting Zammit often with cross punches to the head. Because of this Zammit's team decided to stop the match before the start of the second round. Thus Desira wins by a KO. Brent Spiteri faced Keith Micallef in K1 where both athletes kept on attacking in short bursts. Spiteri used much more powerful tech- niques involving knee to the head. The jury gave the victory to Spiteri by points. Joshua Sciarino won over Enrico Mannicaro in Kickboxing. It was an intense match for both athletes without rest. Sciarino started work- ing at close quarters with Boxing techniques and finishes the attack with low kicks. The jury decided that it was a victory for Sciarino. Christopher Rotin loses his match with Vio Franco. Both athletes be- gan to make a counterattack after another without stopping. Rotin controlled the first round. They showed good technique which often ended the leg attacks to the head. Franco won the fight by points. For more information visit the Gladiators Promotions Facebook page or contacted to Master Noel Mercieca on 79208283 Federer fends off Australian Sam Groth Pomp and circumstance launched Wimbledon's sporting Saturday with a host of stars announced to adoring crowds, before Centre Court's real king Roger Federer quickly reclaimed the limelight Roger Federer: Four-set winner