Russians, Federer 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 Roger Federer [ Images ] and Andy Roddick [ Images ] were just as dominant.

On a 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 US 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 Russia [ Images ] 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.

Defending men's champion Roger Federer displayed similar authority in beating 2003 French Open [ Images ] champion Juan Carlos Ferrero [ Images ] of Spain 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.

Despite recording his 33rd consecutive win on grass, the perfectionist Swiss, who is seeking a hat-trick of Wimbledon titles, was not overly impressed.

"Today I thought it was extremely slow somehow," he said. "It was very hard to overpower him, whereas normally this is my strength.

"I wish I could serve and volley a bit more."

Second seed Roddick cowed Argentine claycourter Guillermo Coria 6-3, 7-6, 6-4.

The American, who lost in last year's final to Federer, ventured to the net more than usual against Coria but said he could not yet afford to plan a rematch with the Swiss.

"It's close, but it's far," the 22-year-old said. "I'm not good enough to overlook the next two matches and look ahead."

Roddick next faces French practice partner Sebastian Grosjean. The ninth seed, a losing semi-finalist at Wimbledon in each of the last two years, needed all his resolve to beat Russian Dmitry Tursunov [ Images ] 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Monday.

Australian third seed Lleyton Hewitt [ Images ] had to fight a little harder, losing a third-set tiebreak before beating American Taylor Dent 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3.

GUTSY MYSKINA

Clijsters lost to Davenport in three sets at this year's French Open and the 15th seed 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 win.

"I was really bummed about not winning the second set but I felt like I did really well up until the very end stages," said the American, who is seeking to add to her 1999 Wimbledon title.

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.

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.

US Open [ Images ] 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 ] 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.

ANCIC OUT

Spain's Feliciano Lopez will play Hewitt next after upsetting 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 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 Mikhail Youzhny.

The only man yet to drop a set, his dubious reward is a quarter-final with Federer.

19-year-old Frenchman Richard Gasquet was swept aside 6-4, 7-6, 6-0 by 18th seed and 2002 runner-up David Nalbandian [ Images ] of Argentina.

In the last eight the Argentine faces 12th seed and 2002 Australian Open [ Images ] champion Thomas Johansson. The Swede beat Belarussian Max Mirnyi [ Images ] 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.