In a tournament most notable for the absence of world number one Rafael Nadal, only two of the 20 Spaniards who started the Wimbledon 2009 campaign have survived into the fourth round.

Spanish tennis achieved a first last week when six of the country's male players made it into the third round on the hallowed turf of SW19, but they are now down to just two.

Number 7 seed Fernando Verdasco, conqueror of James Ward, Kristof Vliegen and Albert Montañes, faces the Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic in the next round, the man who has served the most 'aces' in the tournament so far (102), 46 of which were against Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round.

'Against Karlovic you need to be well prepared psychologically', commented Verdasco. 'He doesn't give you much chance to get into a rhythm and it's almost impossible to win points on his first serve,' he added.

Juan-Carlos Ferrero, who got into the tournament on a wild card, told the press he was very happy with his fitness and was not surprised to have got as far as he has.  He hoped to have 'more opportunities' against France's Gilles Simon in the fourth round than he did against chile's Fernando González, who he eventually defeated 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
 
In the women's event Carla suárez Navarro went out 6-0, 6-4 to Venus williams and Anabel Media Garriques lost 2-6, 2-6 to Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, leaving no Spanish players in the last 32.