Russians and Roddick run riot

Maria Sharapova [ Images ] and a troika of Russian compatriots blazed a record-breaking trail at Wimbledon [ Images ] on Monday while leading men's contenders Andy Roddick [ Images ] and Lleyton Hewitt [ Images ] were almost as dominant.

On a frenzied day when all 16 fourth round matches were crammed into the schedule, women's top seed Lindsay Davenport [ Images ] won a three-set battle with Belgian Kim Clijsters [ Images ] and U.S. compatriot Venus Williams [ Images ] tasted some sweet sisterly revenge.

Defending champion Sharapova was joined by Anastasia Myskina [ Images ], Nadia Petrova [ Images ] and Svetlana Kuznetsova [ Images ] in the last eight, a record representation for a single nation at that stage of a grand slam women's singles.

Second seed Sharapova dispatched Nathalie Dechy [ Images ] of France [ Images ] 6-4, 6-2 victory on Court One.

"I'm playing better and better," said the 18-year-old after her fourth consecutive straight sets win of a so-far flawless title defence.

U.S. men's second seed Roddick cowed Argentine claycourter Guillermo Coria 6-3, 7-6, 6-4 although third seed Hewitt had to fight a little harder, losing a third-set tiebreak before beating American Taylor Dent in four sets.

Clijsters, the 15th seed who lost to Davenport in three sets at this year's French Open [ Images ], battled gamely on Centre Court to force a third set but double-faulted on match point to hand the 29-year-old American a 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 success.

Awaiting Sharapova in the quarter-finals is eighth seed Petrova, who saved two match points before beating Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic 6-7, 7-6, 6-3.

WOBBLY START

Gutsy ninth seed Myskina came through her third dramatic three-setter in four matches 1-6, 7-6, 7-5 against compatriot Elena Dementieva [ Images ], the sixth seed whom she beat in the 2004 French Open final.

Also Read Paes-Zimonjic in third round Complete coverage

U.S. Open champion Kuznetsova, on her 20th birthday, completed the Russian quartet by overpowering experienced Bulgarian Magdalena Maleeva 6-4, 6-3.

She will face Davenport next while Myskina's quarter-final opponent is third seed Amelie Mauresmo [ Images ].

A semi-finalist on her last two Wimbledon visits, the French number one overcame a wobbly start to beat yet another Russian Elena Likhovtseva 6-4, 6-0.

Her compatriot Mary Pierce [ Images ], the surprise French Open finalist earlier this month, brushed aside Italian Flavia Pennetta [ Images ] 6-3, 6-1 to reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final since 1996.

She will next face Venus, who avenged her sister Serena's shock third-round loss to fellow American Jill Craybas by thrashing the 30-year-old 6-0, 6-2 on court two, the scene of Craybas's upset in dwindling light on Saturday.

"I definitely wanted to do it a little bit for my sister, but mostly for me," said the twice former champion.

ANCIC OUT

Hewitt employed his raking service returns to quell the square-shouldered Dent, winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 to set up an intriguing last-eight meeting with Feliciano Lopez.

"I felt like I went up a notch today," said the chirpy Australian.

Lopez upset last year's semi-finalist Mario Ancic of Croatia, the 10th seed, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last eight at a grand slam for the first time.

He therefore became the first Spaniard in 33 years to reach the men's quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

Fernando Gonzalez [ Images ], meanwhile, became the first Chilean to reach the last eight at Wimbledon since 1985 with his 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory over Russia's [ Images ] Mikhail Youzhny.

His dubious reward is a probable quarter-final with defending champion Roger Federer [ Images ], who was due to play the last match on Centre Court later on Monday against Spanish claycourter Juan Carlos Ferrero [ Images ].

French 19-year-old Richard Gasquet proved no match for 2002 runner-up David Nalbandian [ Images ] of Argentina and was swept aside 6-4, 7-6, 6-0 by 18th seed.