A display of violent hitting from Robin Soderling on Saturday showed why it is always unwise to ignore a Swede at the business end of Wimbledon.
A display of violent hitting from Robin Soderling on Saturday showed why it is always unwise to ignore a Swede at the business end of Wimbledon as Serena Williams gave herself a ''must do better'' report as she eased into round four.
Another warm day in south west London promises much with world number one and 2008 champion Rafa Nadal making his bid for fourth-round berth while 'Andy-monium' reaches fever pitch again when home hope Andy Murray takes to Centre Court.
Until 1922 the reigning singles champions at the All England Club were granted byes to the final the following year and at times against Dominika Cibulkova on Saturday it seemed a policy worth reviving given Williams' complete dominance and lack of competitive challenge.
The 28-year-old three-time champion bludgeoned her way through the opening set in just 18 minutes, the third straight match she has won the first without losing a game, but the Slovak finally struck some kind of form to at least spare any further blushes.
"I served well in the second set but that was about all I did well. I have to play better than what I did today," said Williams, sporting a strawberries and cream dress on her return to Centre Court.
The victory set up a potential repeat of the 2004 final against Maria Sharapova should the 16th seed come through later on Saturday against Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
Victoria Azarenka, the 14th seed from Belarus, was sent packing 7-5 6-0 by Czech Petra Kvitova as Chinese ninth seed Li Na reached the last 16 for the second time in three years with a 6-1 6-3 win over Australia's Anastasia Rodionova.
Some of the leading men's seeds will have been anxiously checking the draw earlier this week to see just where they might run into Soderling, who is becoming a real challenger for the title on the skidding lawns.
Soderling battered 15 aces in a bulldozing two-hour performance against Brazilian 25th seed Thomaz Bellucci on Court One, winning 6-4 6-2 7-5.
The Swede, a player transformed since two appearances in the French Open final, alters his game little for grass with big-swinging forehands and angled backhands that left Bellucci pinned against the back wall for much of their third-round battle.
Not since Stefan Edberg in 1990 has a Swede graced the final here but Nadal and Murray will certainly be wary of his presence in their half of the draw.
"I played well today and despite it only being three sets it was tough," said Soderling, one of only three men yet to drop a set in the tournament.
To reach the quarters for the first time Soderling must next beat David Ferrer after the Spanish ninth seed came from 4-2 down in the fifth to beat Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.
Nadal faces German 33rd seed Philipp Petzschner and is followed onto Centre Court by Murray, who takes on Frenchman Gilles Simon, seeded 26.
Another Frenchman mercifully heading for an ice bath and a sleep is Nicolas Mahut.
The player who will long be remembered as the loser of tennis's longest ever match earlier this week against John Isner also bowed out of the doubles with partner Arnaud Clement.
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