China's Li breaks new ground, Murray woe

Li Na created history for China at Wimbledon yesterday while the United States departed from the singles with its tail firmly between its legs.

British hopes of a first men's champion since 1936 also evaporated in the searing sunshine when Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis brushed aside Scottish teenager Andy Murray in the fourth round.

Li, 24, overcame Czech 17-year-old Nicole Vaidisova 4-6 6-1 6-3 to become China's first grand slam singles quarter-finalist.

"I'm proud of myself and very proud for my country as well," Li said, speaking via an interpreter.

Li beat Russian French Open runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round and she used her withering forehand to cow Vaidisova, who reached the last four at Roland Garros.

She plays Belgian second seed Kim Clijsters in the last eight. Clijsters outclassed Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-2 yesterday.

Before Wimbledon the best singles showing by a Chinese player was Zheng Jie's run to the French Open fourth round in 2004.

Shenay Perry's 6-2 6-0 defeat by Russian Elena Dementieva meant there would be no American man or woman in the quarter-finals of the singles for the first time since 1911. Venus Williams, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, James Blake and Mardy Fish all lost in the third round.

Federer breezes through

Triple champion Roger Federer's Wimbledon title charge gathered momentum yesterday after he dispatched Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3 6-3 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.

Berdych had inflicted one of the most painful defeats of his career on Federer, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, but there would be no repeat performance yesterday.

Federer oozed class on a sweltering Centre Court and wrapped up his 45th consecutive victory on grass with an unreturnable serve after 83 minutes. The Swiss no.1 will next take on big-serving Croat Mario Ancic, the last man to defeat Federer on green lawns in 2002. Ancic eliminated talented Serb Novak Djokovic in five sets.

Murray delivered an error-strewn display on Centre Court against Australian Open runner-up Baghdatis, in contrast to his clinical third round win over third seed Roddick.

In his first Wimbledon quarter-final Baghdatis will face Lleyton Hewitt. The sixth seed beat Spain's David Ferrer in four sets to reach the quarter-finals for the third successive year.

Dementieva will play fellow Russian Maria Sharapova in her first Wimbledon quarter-final.

Sharapova, the 2004 champion, dropped her first set of the tournament in a tough 7-6 3-6 6-3 win over Italian Flavia Pennetta.

French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne was an impressive 6-3 6-1 winner over Slovak Daniela Hantuchova and will face French qualifier Severine Bremond in the quarter-finals.

Bremond shocked Ai Sugiyama 7-6 6-3.

Henin-Hardenne will complete her full set of grand slam titles if she wins the grasscourt event.

Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman, at 34 the oldest man left in the singles, reached the last eight with a five-set win over doubles partner Max Mirnyi of Belarus. He will play next Czech Radek Stepanek.

Other result: Nadal bt Labadze 6-3 7-6 6-3.