Mark Philippoussis and Alexander Popp were gearing up for a potentially epic fifth set today after rain prevented the completion of their quarter-final.
Philippoussis was getting the better of his German opponent having stormed back from two sets down but the pair were locked together at 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-3 and 2-2 in the deciding set when play was stopped for the day shortly before 7.30pm.
Popp, a quarter-finalist on his only previous appearance at the championships three years ago, made a brilliant start and looked set to coast into the last four.
He produced a superb return to break Philippoussis in the third game of the first set, and a deep cross-court backhand in the fifth game of the following set helped take him to the brink of the last four.
But the Australian gathered his thoughts better during the four rain delays and earned his first break of the Popp serve in the sixth game of the third set before taking it 6-3.
