IT DIDN'T seem to be a fair way for one of the great Wimbledon stories to end. Stefan Edberg, champion here in 1988 and 1990, had made it to the quarter finals or better on five occasions so far in this, his farewell tour. A couple of weeks ago on grass he saw off Goran Ivanisevic, Todd Martin and Thomas Muster on the ways to the final at Queen's and this was Wimbledon, where anything could happen for the 30 year old. Well that's the way the fairytale went anyway.

The great favourite of the crowd still looked the same, still played the same and still looked as though the three or four steps into the net on court number one here were all part of his service action.

Unfortunately, though, his judgement was no longer as flawless, his volleying so inspired, while the speed and agility to get back to the baseline when required, was simply not there in his legs anymore.

Mikael Tillstrom, a 24 year old who grew up idolising the man whose career he brought to an end here, had the decency to look embarrassed about his win afterwards, but he had good reason to be proud too, for he had out fought his fellow Swede in what was the most engaging of battles.

Remarkably, the pair had never met before in competition and perhaps the younger man benefited from not having suffered any defeats against the master in his younger days. This time, certainly, he showed no signs whatsoever of being intimidated by the task in front of him, with the world number 58 settling in at the back of the court as his opponent, with the crowd willing him on, hurtled forward at every opportunity.

Tillstrom took the opening set 6-4 with Edberg taking the next by the same margin to level things up, but it was in the third specifically in the tie break when Edberg double faulted at 4-5 that the prospect of defeat began to loom very large.

Tillstrom, who has jumped 50 places on the world ladder this season, held his own serve to win the tie-break 7-5 and in the seventh game of the fourth set he scored the last real breakthrough she quired for victory. Lobbing brilliantly and, on occasion, passing to match, Tillstrom made Edberg's stock in trade approach look like so many rash sprints for the net but there was little that the former world number one could do about it, his 61st game at Wimbledon was not the time for new tricks.

Edberg did his best to break back coming from 40-15 to deuce in game eight and 30-0 to 30-15 when trying to stay in the match but, on both occasions there were poor volleys either into the net or long, that allowed his opponent to keep hold of his advantage. In the end Edberg sent his return of a strong serve at 5-4 and 40-15 into the net and the Swede, playing for the first time at these championships, had beaten the man playing here for the last time.

"I did what I could but it wasn't enough," said a saddened Edberg afterwards. Maybe this wasn't what I expected," he admitted, before adding "but it has to end some time."

In his day Edberg had always shown the ability to make the big matches look like "just another day at the office," which, of course, is one of the signs of a truly great player. On his day, though, defending champion Pete Sampras seems to go well beyond that point, more the guy from across the hall who is on holidays just now, but has dropped in on work to pick up his wages while the kids wait outside in the car. Yesterday, without a doubt, was one of his days.

Against Mark Philippoussis, an Australian who seems a certainty to feature in the latter stages of this event many times over the year to come, the world number one sent a very clear message to those of his main rivals who are still involved in these championships, about his intentions, while he entirely crushed any doubts; concerning his resolve in the aftermath of the death of his coach and friend, Tim Gullikson.

Anyone questioning the ability of 19 year old Philippoussis to compete with the champion on this sort of stage, had only to look back upon their meeting at the Australian Open where the man from Melbourne emerged a 6-4, 7-6 7-6 winner from a match, fought long and hard from the baselines. This time the score was not so dissimilar, it read 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 but it was Sampras who was the winner while the style of the match, as the top seed pointed out afterwards, could not have been more different.

The first set, which Sampras had taken to four in the deciding game, had lasted 49 minutes, but the remaining two of the contest lasted barely that again with the American looking content to pick up the break he required in each. It was a fine win and, on the strength of this performance there are some unpleasant days ahead for rivals who might well be wishing that lady luck had offered the refuge of a place in the other half of the draw - well away from the seven times Grand Slam winner.

Court number two, meanwhile, which has once again been the scene of so many of the tournament's biggest shocks this year, yesterday hosted the match between one of Sampras's principal rivals, Goran Ivanisevic, and Pierre Bouteyre. Somewhat inevitably the 24 year old left hander pummelled his way to victory over his French opponent in straight sets. It was very much standard fare from the world number seven with a succession of points decided on the simple basis of whether or not his blistering serves landed in or not.

Like Sampras, the twice beaten finalist rarely looked threatened on his own service while, in breaking once a set he did enough, and little more, than he was required in order to beat the Frenchman 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 and make it into the last 32 of these championships.

It emerged afterwards that Ivanisevic had God on his side, with the Croat apparently accompanied on his travels these days by his Catholic priest, friend and mentor, Father Joe.

"I don't see much of him during the tournaments because he is staying with my father, but he helps me to feel calmer than before and he's fun to talk to, although I can't curse which is difficult, I have to concentrate on that a lot."

Asked if he had turned to religion in an attempt to land this title he laughed, replying mirthfully: "I have prayed a lot to win here but I am still waiting, perhaps I have done something bad." We may have to get in touch with Maynooth about this one hut, if the Lord looks at all favourably on true entertainers, Ivanisevic, Father Joe or no Father Joe, may still have a very long wait on his hands.