Peer downs Safina in epic

Shahar Peer came through an titanic battle with Dinara Safina to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time.

Shahar Peer came through an titanic battle with Dinara Safina to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time. In what was one of the matches of the tournament out on Court 11, Peer struggled to put away an ailing opponent but eventually clinched a 7-5 6-7 (4/7) 8-6 victory after three hours and 25 minutes. It was a match which had almost everything, Safina threatened one of her famous comebacks before being reduced to tears in the closing stages by a thigh injury which required treatment in the final set. Peer will have been mightily relieved to have sealed victory, having led by a set and a double break and twice serving for the match in the second set. Serving at 5-4 and then 6-5, Peer was broken by Safina, who then took the tie-break to force a decider. Peer must have feared the worst, knowing Safina had shown amazing resolve at the recent French Open where in two consecutive matches she saved match points before losing in the final. The final set was full of some brutal baseline rallies and this time it was Safina who had the chance to finish things off. However, the ninth seed was clearly troubled by her injury and struggled to get any spring in her service action. With her delivery weakened, she was unable to serve out at 5-4 and instead Peer was soon back in front. The Israeli, seeded 24, missed match point in the 12th game but finally booked her place in the fourth round when Safina double-faulted two games later.