Andy Murray had to play later than anyone ever had in Wimbledon's long history - and indoors to boot - before overcoming Stanislas Wawrinka in a five-set match yesterday that continued long after darkness set over the All England Club.

The third-seeded Murray won the first match contested entirely under Centre Court's new roof 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, converting his first match point at about 10:40 p.m.

Murray sent a forehand winner out of his Swiss opponent's reach to set off a thunderous cheer inside Centre Court that echoed from the white canvassed roof covering the lawn.

Murray broke for a 2-0 lead in the fifth set under the floodlights, but his Swiss opponent broke back for 3-2 and then held to even the decider. But Murray went ahead for good by converting his third break point for a 5-. lead with a forehand winner down the line and then served out the match.

Murray will next play Juan-Carlos Ferrero as he bids to become the first Briton since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the grass-court Grand Slam.

The new roof had closed for the first time during play earlier Monday, during the second set of top-ranked Dinara Safina's win over Amelie Mauresmo.

Safina rallied to win that match 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In the first Centre Court match of the day, Roger Federer improved to 11-0 against Soderling, including a victory in the French Open final to complete a career Grand Slam three weeks ago.

This time the No. 2-seeded Federer came through on a handful of key points. He earned the only service break of the match in the ninth game of the opening set, when Soderling committed five unforced errors to fall behind for good, 5-4.

Soderling led in the final tiebreaker but double-faulted on the next-to-last point, then hit an errant return.

With all 16 fourth-round matches scheduled, the Williams sisters remained on course to play an all-family final for the second year in a row.

Five-time champion Venus led 6-1, 0-1 when Ana Ivanovic retired with a left thigh injury. Two-time champion Serena beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 6-1. Venus beat Serena in last year's final.

American 17-year-old Melanie Oudin's surprising run ended when she lost to No. 11-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 7-5.