Murray, Roddick, Ferrer reach Wimbledon 3rd round

Wimbledon: Andy Murray managed to deal with Ivo Karlovic's hard serve to eliminate the Croat 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (4) on Thursday and reach the third round of Wimbledon.

Murray gave the home crowd at Centre Court a brief scare when he was broken in his first service game, but he held serve the rest of the way and broke Karlovic four times.

Murray once again carries the hopes of the home nation that he can become the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win Wimbledon and reached the third round for the seventh straight year. He has reached the semifinals at the All England Club the last three years.

Andy Murray managed to deal with Ivo Karlovic\'s hard serve to eliminate the Croat 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (4).

A day after Prince Charles made his first visit to Wimbledon since 1970, Murray was watched by Kate Middleton's sister Pippa in the Royal Box.

Andy Roddick advanced to the third round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in 2012 when he beat Bjorn Phau 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-3. Roddick has struggled much of the year and he's seeded only 30th, but he won his fifth grass-court title last week as a wild card at Eastbourne.

No. 7 David Ferrer defeated Kenny de Schepper 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-4 and will next play Roddick. No. 13 Gilles Simon, who stirred debate this week when he said men should be paid more than women at tennis tournaments, lost to Xavier Malisse 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Brian Baker, a qualifier whose career was derailed for 6 and a half years by injuries, is into the third round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. He beat Jarkko Nieminen 6-0, 6-2, 6-4.

"I was definitely not expecting to get through so easily," Baker said.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)