World No 1 Ashleigh Barty reached the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time while Serena Williams made the second week for the 16th time on Saturday.
Barty overwhelmed British wild card Harriet Dart 6-1, 6-1 while 37-year-old, seven-time champion Williams produced her most convincing display in dispensing with German Julia Goerges 6-3, 6-4.
Two-time champion Petra Kvitova reached the last 16 for the first time in five years – the last time she did in 2014 she won her second title.
Czech sixth seed Kvitova defeated Poland’s Magda Linette 6-3, 6-2 and will face either Britain’s Johanna Konta or Sloane Stephens of the United States for a place in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, there was another top seed upset as Barbora Strycova knocked out fourth seed Kiki Bertens 7-5, 6-1
Barty, bidding to become the first Australian Wimbledon women’s champion since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won her second title in 1980, will play Alison Riske for a place in the last eight. The unseeded American knocked out 13th seed Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
She is also the first Australian woman to make the second week since 2010.
“That was really good,” said Barty. “I served really well and getting out of the love 40 game was massive. “Incredible it is a first for me (to be in the last 16), new territory for me.”
Williams reached the fourth round for the 16th time and goes on to face Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro for a place in the quarter-finals. The Spaniard beat Lauren Davis, who beat defending champion Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 6-3.
Eleventh seed Williams, who defeated Goerges in last year’s semi-finals, is bidding to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles.
“It’s been an arduous year for me, so every match I’m hoping to improve tons,” said Williams, who hada knee problem which affected her season. “Every time I get out there, I try. I’m getting a really late start but all that matters is that I’m still here.”
Results
3rd rd
Ashleigh Barty (AUS x1) bt Harriet Dart (GBR) 6-1, 6-1
Alison Riske (USA) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI x13) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Serena Williams (USA x11) bt Julia Goerges (GER x18) 6-3, 6-4
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x30) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Elise Mertens (BEL x21) bt Qiang Wang (CHN x15) 6-2, 6-7 (9/11), 6-4
Petra Kvitova (CZE x6) bt Magda Linette (POL) 6-3, 6-2
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