While you were sleeping

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BEIJING -- This has not been a good year for Roger Federer. He lost in the final at Wimbledon, he’s losing his No. 1 ranking next week and now he’s lost in the quarterfinals at the Olympics to the United States’ James Blake. It is Blake’s first career victory againt Federer, who couldn’t even extend the match to three sets in the 6-4, 7-6 (2) loss.

Not only will there not be a rematch of the Federer-Rafael Nadal Wimbledon final, there won’t be another Williams sisters final.

Serena Williams lost in the quarterfinals to Russia’s Elena Dementieva, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Another potential upset in the making: The U.S. women’s softball team has a 16-game Olympic winning streak dating to 2000. It has a 2-0 record going into Thursday’s game here against Canada, having allowed no runs and no hits.

Bottom of the first inning. First pitch by Monica Abbott of Salinas. It’s called illegal. Abbott throws another illegal pitch. Canada’s Melanie Matthews hits a deep fly to center field. Caitlin Lowe of Tustin drops it, her first error in 123 games with the national team. Matthews goes to second, then third when Abbott throws another illegal pitch.

What’s going on here?

Jennifer Yee drives in Matthews with a sacrifice fly.

The United States still hasn’t given up a hit, but it has given up a run, albeit unearned.

Top of the fourth. The United States at bat and . . . rain delay. It’s the second one of the game. This one causes a postponement.

Come back tomorrow at this time, Little Nell on the tracks and Dudley Dooright coming to the rescue. No, forget that. He’s Canadian.

Elsewhere:

(All times PDT)

10:45 p.m. (Wednesday) Kim Rhode of El Monte, Ca., won gold medals in women’s double trap in 1996 and 2004 only to see her event eliminated. She turned to skeet and won a silver medal here, losing in a three-way shootout for gold to Italy’s Chiara Cainero but besting Germany’s Christine Brinker.

12:06 a.m. Jun Gao of Gaithersburg, Md., and Crystal Huang of San Gabriel, Calif., advanced to the bronze-medal match in women’s team table tennis with a 3-0 victory over Nigeria.

2:25 a.m. Khatuna Lorig competed in one Olympics for the former Soviet Union (Unified Team) and two for her native Republic of Georgia. Now living in West Hollywood, Calif., she did surprisingly well in archery, advancing to the quarterfinals before losing, 111-105, to the world’s No. 1 ranked Yun Ok Hee of South Korea.

2:44 a.m. The Netherlands had the bases loaded with none out in the bottom of the ninth inning when the umpires called the game because of rain. The United States, leading 7-0, was awarded the victory. The Netherlands protested against the decision that went in favor of its former manager, Davey Johnson, but officials denied it.

3:04 a.m. Having finished 1-2-3 in the women’s individual saber competition, the U.S. fencers figured to dominate the team saber event. But Mariel Zagunis of Portland, Ore., Sada Jacobson of Dunwoody, Ga., and Becca Ward of Beaverton, Ore., were upset in the semifinals. They rallied for a 45-38 victory over France for the bronze medal.

3:29 a.m. Adam Wheeler of Lancaster, Calif., beat South Korea’s Han Tae Young, 3-1, 4-1, for the bronze medal in 96 kilogram Greco-Roman wrestling.

4:45 a.m. Garrett Weber-Gale of Milwaukee and Ben Wildman-Tobriner of San Francisco advanced out of their heats in 50-meter freestyle swimming.

5:40 a.m. Michael Phelps finished second in his 100 butterfly heat but easily qualified for the semifinals. Ian Crocker of Austin also advanced. Katie Hoff, who, like Phelps, is from Baltimore, was given a chance for six gold medals. She won none. In her last event, she failed to advance out of the 800 freestyle prelims.

6:55 a.m. Kobe Bryant and Chris Bosh each scored 18 as the U.S. basketball team beat Greece, 92-69. The United States had another outstanding defensive effort, forcing 25 turnovers and coming up with 15 steals.

7:30 a.m. Wake up, smell the oolong tea!

Coming up later this morning: Venus Williams vs. China’s Li Na; Rafael Nadal vs. Austria’s Jurgen Melzer, weather permitting.

-- Randy Harvey