Anastasia Myskina's Wimbledon fortunes took a turn for the better when the Russian ninth seed booked her place in the quarter-finals at the All England Club.
The 2004 French Open champion had never been past the fourth round in SW19, and had needed three sets in each of her matches this time.
It went to the wire again yesterday against sixth seeded fellow Russian Elena Dementieva, whom Myskina beat in Roland Garros.
Dementieva cruised through the first set in just 22 minutes before the 23-year-old former world No 1 battled back to win 1-6, 7-6, 7-5, saving two match points against her along the way.
Nadia Petrova, the eighth seed, had also never progressed beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon but the 23-year-old defeated Kveta Peschke, of the Czech Republic, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3.
Venus Williams, the two time champion and 14th seed, avenged her sister's defeat to Jill Craybas in some style. The American world No 85 had shocked younger Serena on Saturday, but Venus raced to a 6-0, 6-2 win in just over one hour.
Williams will meet Mary Pierce, the 12th seeded French Open finalist, who recorded a straight-sets win over Italian Flavia Pennetta.
In the top-half of the draw, No 1 seed Lindsay Davenport saw off Belgian Kim Clijsters.
The 29-year-old American, champion here in 1999, battled to a 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 victory after one hour and 50 minutes of highquality tennis. Davenport will now face US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
