WIMBLEDON, England -- After hanging by a thread on Monday, British sixth seed Tim Henman staged a recovery against American Todd Martin to romp into the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Resuming their fourth-round match two sets to one down, Henman outplayed Martin to seal a 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 4-6, 3-6, 6-2 victory on Centre Court.

"It was different story today, I'm pleased to get through," Henman said. "I scared myself a bit."

The match had been stopped on Monday evening because of bad light.

Henman now plays 19-year-old Swiss Roger Federer, who stunned seven-time champion Pete Sampras, in the fourth round.

Henman, 26, is hoping to become the first Briton to win the men's singles title since 1936.

He ripped through the fourth set with a break for 4-2.

With Martin, 31, struggling in the heat, Henman reeled off a series of winners down both flanks to rampage to victory with two more breaks in the final set before a delighted home crowd.

The British No. 1 was being cheered not only by the 13,800-capacity Centre Court but also several thousand fans crammed on the Aorangi picnic terrace hill watching on a giant television screen.

Both players have endured their share of Wimbledon heartache. In 1996 Martin tossed away a 5-1 fifth-set lead to lose to MaliVai Washington in the semifinals and Sampras beat him at the same stage in 1994.

Sampras also beat Henman in the semifinals in 1998 and 1999, and the Englishman, through to his fifth Wimbledon quarterfinal, will be doubly relieved not to have to face him again.

Resuming two sets to one down, Henman immediately set about the American with a verve which had been lacking the previous evening.

The Englishman drew first blood at 3-2 when he forced two break points and took the second of them by spearing a service return back at the feet of Martin, who could only scuff it into the net.

With some difficulty, Henman held serve but then closed out the set comfortably to level the match at two sets all.

The momentum was with the home favorite but he twice had to save break points at 1-2.

The match turned there and then as Martin, grimacing from a heavily strapped knee, proved unable to do the same in the very next game and Henman was suddenly 4-2 up.

A Henman backhand down the line allowed him to break again for 5-2, and he sealed the victory on his first match point when Martin netted a forehand.