Jonas Bjorkman reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam event for only the second time in his career following a marathon victory over Radek Stepanek.
Bjorkman won 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 in four hours three minutes to set up a last-four clash with world number one and defending champion Roger Federer on Friday.
The 34-year-old Swede was made to work for his place in the semis during an epic clash of mixed quality that saw Stepanek squander a match point in the fourth set.
Veteran Swede Bjorkman had won all three previous meetings between the two and he continued his 100% record on Court One in a match stopped twice because of rain.
Stepanek, watched by girlfriend Martina Hingis, would frequently mark winning points by skipping across court or pumping his fist, but early pressure from Bjorkman meant there was little opportunity to celebrate at the start.
The Swede broke in the second with a decisive smash and moved to 40-0 in the third when the heavens opened, but he successfully completed the match when play resumed.
Stepanek started winning his own serve and began turning the screw on Bjorkman, securing three break points - the last of which his Swedish opponent hit into the net.
Bjorkman's accuracy had gone to pieces - especially on his first serve which was only in about 50% of the time - and Stepanek was in the driving seat was when play was suspended for a second time.
Stepanek made no mistake on his serve once the rain stopped and the set went into a tie-break which Bjorkman controlled, capitalising on a poor smash to win 7-3.
Once again Bjorkman was hampered by his misfiring serve, double faulting in the fourth on the way to being broken.
The rivals were happy to play at the net, resulting in some entertaining exchanges, but Bjorkman came off best in the ninth when Stepanek struck wide with a lob.
He was broken back immediately, however, with a magnificent cross-court forehand from Stepanek helping the Czech take the second set 6-4.
An exchange of breaks marked the opening stages of the third set with Stepanek looking the more comfortable, but he could make no further headway into his opponent's serve.
Predictably a tie-break ensued and Bjorkman seized control by firing a stunning forehand that left Stepanek stranded, but he 27-year-old rallied to win 7-5.
All the momentum was with Stepanek as he broke in the third, Bjorkman hitting into the net, and with games going according to serve, he looked set for victory.
But serving for the match, he could not finish Bjorkman off, slipping once and double faulting twice.
For a third time a tie-break was needed and Stepanek squandered a match point, which he hit into the net, before allowing Bjorkman to take the set 7-6 (9-7).
The third set proved equally competitive with Stepanek broken in the ninth as Bjorkman moved onto the brink of victory.
Serving for the match he looked in total control, wrapping up the last set 6-4 to win epic contest when Stepanek fired into the net.
