Carnage continues

The mayhem created by an Australian firecracker the previous evening continued in brutal fashion yesterday courtesy of Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov who annihilated defending Wimbledon men's singles champion Andy Murray in three sets.

With the dust still settling on 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios's third-round demolition of world No1 Rafael Nadal, Dimitrov caused the second seismic shock on Centre Court in the space of 24 hours by outclassing Murray 6-1 7-6 (4) 6-2.

The Briton's shattering defeat means that two of the so-called Big Four in men's tennis have departed in quick succession from the grasscourt Grand Slam, both walloped by members of a brash new generation of big hitters with no fear and scant regard for reputations.

"Everyone's starting to get better," a downbeat Murray said.

But fourth seed Roger Federer made sure his name would not be added to the casualty list, with a come-from-behind 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4 victory over Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka to secure his 35th Grand Slam semifinal appearance.

The 32-year-old is bidding to become the first man to win eight Wimbledon singles titles. In the semifinals, he plays another of the new guard, No8 seed Milos Raonic, who became the first Canadian man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals in 106 years when he ended the giant-killing run of Kyrgios.

Federer dropped a set for the first time in this year's tournament but eventually emerged unscathed just hours after defending champion Murray had walked off stunned by his defeat by Dimitrov.

Murray's defeat was the latest in a long line of shocks on Centre Court over the last nine days.

World No1 Rafael Nadal and former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova were despatched earlier - Nadal with surprising ease by Kyrgios.

However world No2 Novak Djokovic - the beaten finalist last year who prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-2 yesterday against giant Croat Marin Cilic - still stands in his way, as do some richly talented youngsters.

With cracks beginning to show in the top echelons of the men's game, Canada's Eugenie Bouchard and Romania's Simona Halep heightened the sense of a changing landscape in women's tennis too, both reaching the semifinals.

Bouchard, 20, beat German Angelique Kerber 6-3 6-4, while Romanian No3 seed Halep, 22, added to her great year by beating 2013 runner-up Sabine Lisicki 6-4 6-0.

Of the last four standing in the women's draw, only 2011 champion Petra Kvitova has tasted Grand Slam glory.