Wimbledon 2011: Bernard Tomic extends dream run

Rising star Tomic is currently at 158 in the world rankings

Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals by beating Belgium's Xavier Malisse 6-1 7-5 6-4 in the fourth round.

The German-born 18-year-old is the first qualifier to reach the last eight since Vladimir Voltchkov in 2000.

Tomic had already become the youngest man to reach the fourth round since Michael Chang in 1990 by ousting fifth seed Robin Soderling on Saturday.

He next faces Novak Djokovic after the second seed beat Michael Llodra.

Tomic has long been earmarked as one of the sport's rising stars after winning the Australian and US Open junior titles.

He made a red-hot start on a sun-baked Court 18 against Malisse, 30, who reached the semi-finals at the All England Club in 2002.

Tomic broke the Belgian twice as he raced into a 5-0 lead and he finished off the first set after just 21 minutes.

Malisse finally found some rhythm in the second, but the Australian kept the pressure on, landing the decisive break at 5-5 and holding serve to open up a two-set advantage.

In the third, he produced a sublime forehand winner on the run to break for a 5-4 lead before serving out for victory.

So far, Tomic has upset number 29 seed Nikolay Davydenko in the first round, come from two sets and a break down to beat Igor Andreev, and stunned Soderling in straight sets.

"I never thought I'd be here for the second week. What a feeling and what a tournament it's been for me," he said.

Tomic added the key to his progress had been abandoning the more defensive approach that had brought success as a junior.

"Now I've found my game, where I need it to be, and that's to have fun, relax out there, not play under pressure," he said.

In a battle between two unseeded players on Court Three, Feliciano Lopez fought back from two sets down to beat Lukasz Kubot 3-6 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (9-7) 7-5 7-5.

The Spanish world number 44, whose fans include Andy Murray's mother Judy, will play the British fourth seed in the quarter-finals.

American 10th seed Mardy Fish booked his place in the last eight with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-4 victory over last year's beaten finalist Tomas Berdych, the Czech sixth seed.

Fish, who hit 23 aces against Berdych, said: "That was one of the best serving days of my life."

The 29-year-old has never reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament - he was a quarter-finalist at the 2007 Australian Open and 2008 US Open.

He next plays defending champion Rafael Nadal who defeated Juan Martin Del Potro 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.

French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also knocked out a higher-ranked player in straight sets, seeing off Spanish seventh seed David Ferrer 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-1).