Title-holder Maria Sharapova moved into the last 16 at Wimbledon on Saturday with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia. The Russian second seed broke early in both sets and was always comfortably in command as she wrapped up her 20th straight win on grasscourts, taking in back-to-back titles at Birmingham and last year's breakthrough triumph here.
Sharapova has dropped just 11 games in three ties although she looked somewhat below her best against Srebotnik who made little effort to move off her baseline and take the initiative.
The second seed will next play the winner of the tie between France's Nathalie Dechy and Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine for a place in the quarter-finals.
Top seed Lindsay Davenport also looked like advancing to the last 16 after lifting the first set 6-2 against Dinara Safin, the younger sister of Marat who went out of the tournament the previous day.
Her reward will likely be another clash with Belgium's Kim Clijsters if the Belgian defeats Roberta Vinci of Italy in her third round tie.
Mary Pierce of France continued her return to form with an accomplished 6-1, 6-4 win over young Serbian hope Ana Ivanovic to join Sharapova in the fourth round.
The 12th seed will next go up against the winner of the tie between Eleni Daniilidou of Greece and Flavia Pennetta of Italy for a place in the quarter-finals.
It looked like being a classic battle of the ages between the 30-year-old Pierce, twice winner of Grand Slam titles, and 17-year-old Ivanovic for whom great things are being predicted on just her second full season on the WTA Tour.
But it was the power and poise of Pierce that dominated the early exchanges breaking serve to lead 3-1.
Ivanovic had the chance to break back in the fourth game but let slip two vital break points allowing Pierce to stretch her lead and go on to take the set 6-1.
Pierce, who reached the French Open final earlier this month, broke serve in the first game of the second set and held her own to 15 to effectively snuff out any hint of a fightback from the Serbian youngster playing in her first Wimbledon.
Pierce held onto her own serve after that to advance into the last 16 in this her 10th appearance at the All England Club.
Also through to the last 16 were Russian eighth seed Nadia Petrova who defeated Cara Black of Zimbabwe 6-4, 6-3 and Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic who ousted former winner Conchita Martinez of Spain 6-4, 6-1.
DAVENPORT IN LAST-16: Top seed Lindsay Davenport of the United States reached the last 16 by defeating Dinara Safina of Russia 6-2, 6-1 in a third round tie.
Davenport will next go up against either Kim Clijsters of Belgium or Italy's Robert Vinci for a place in the quarter-finals.
EVERGREEN PIERCE: Mary Pierce of France continued her return to form with an accomplished 6-1, 6-4 win over young Serbian hope Ana Ivanovic.
The 12th seed will next go up against the winner of the tie between Eleni Daniilidou of Greece and Flavia Pennetta of Italy for a place in the quarter-finals.
It looked like being a classic battle of the ages between the 30-year-old Pierce, twice winner of Grand Slam titles, and 17-year-old Ivanovic for whom great things are being predicted on just her second full season on the WTA Tour.
But it was the power and poise of Pierce that dominated the early exchanges breaking serve to lead 3-1.
Ivanovic had the chance to break back in the fourth game but let slip two vital break points allowing Pierce to stretch her lead and go on to take the set 6-1.
Pierce, who reached the French Open final earlier this month, broke serve in the first game of the second set and held her own to 15 to effectively snuff out any hint of a fightback from the Serbian youngster playing in her first Wimbledon.
Pierce held onto her own serve after that to advance into the last 16 in this her 10th appearance at the All England Club.
RESULTS (x denotes seeded player):
Women's singles (3rd round): Maria Sharapova (RUS x2) bt Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) 6-2, 6-4; Nadia Petrova (RUS x8) bt Cara Black (ZIM) 6-4, 6-3; Mary Pierce (FRA x12) bt Ana Ivanovic (SEM) 6-1, 6-4; Kveta Peschke (CZE) bt Conchita Martinez (ESP) 6-4, 6-1.
COLLATED ON FRIDAY
Women's singles (3rd round): Amelie Mauresmo (FRA x3) bt Shenay Perry (USA) 6-0, 6-2; Elena Dementieva (RUS x6) bt Mashona Washington (USA) 7-5, 6-1; Magdalena Maleeva (BUL) bt Antonella Serra Zanetti (ITA) 6-3, 6-2; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x5) bt Nicole Vaidisova (CZE x27) 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2; Elena Likhovtseva (RUS x13) bt Silvia Farina Elia (ITA x22) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4; Anastasia Myskina (RUS x 9) bt Jelena Jankovic (SEM x17) 6-0, 5-7, 10-8.