Under-pressure Perry fails to keep US flag flying

SHENAY PERRY admitted the burden of being the last remaining American in Wimbledon led to her straight-sets capitulation to Elena Dementieva.

Perry was routed 6-2 6-0 on Court Three with seventh seed Dementieva hardly breaking sweat on the way to setting up a quarter-final against fellow Russian Maria Sharapova.

There will be no American interest in the last eight for the first time since 1911, with Perry, their last hope, buckling under the pressure.

“For the first couple of days I didn’t really pay attention to the fact I was the only American left,” said the 21-year-old from Washington DC.

“Yesterday I didn’t think too much about it but today it got to me a little bit. I didn’t handle it as well as I would have liked to.”

Dementieva will be playing in her first Wimbledon quarter-final in eight attempts with Sharapova lying in wait following her hard-fought 7-6 3-6 6-3 triumph over Italian Flavia Pennetta.

Ai Sugiyama, the Japanese 18th seed who beat Martina Hingis in the third round, was dumped out admitting she could not cope with Severine Bremond’s serve.

French qualifier Bremond, ranked 129 in the world, registered a 7-6 6-3 success on Court 13 and now faces Justine Henin-Hardenne in the quarter-finals.

“I struggled with her serve. She was serving really fast and made a good percentage of first serves,” said Sugiyama.

“On the big points she was serving aces, so what can I do? She was also slicing well so even though I was at the baseline I couldn’t get any rhythm.”

Na Li made history by becoming the first Chinese player to reach the singles quarter-finals of a Grand Slam event.

Li, ranked 30 in the world and playing in her first Wimbledon, overcame a slow start to defeat Czech 10th seed Nicole Vaidisova 4-6 6-1 6-3 on Court Three.

“I’m proud of myself because this is the first time I’ve got this far and very proud for my country as well,” said Li.

Russian Anastasia Myskina faces a daunting last eight appointment with women’s top seed Amelie Mauresmo after beating Jelena Jankovic 6-4 7-6 (7-5).

Myskina looked comfortable in brushing Jankovic aside but was surprised by the Serbian’s attitude.

“She’s a really strange player. I don’t think she really cares about the way she plays. She cares more about how she looks,” she said.

Mauresmo beat Ana Ivanovic 6-3 6-4, second seed Kim Clijsters dismissed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-2 and Maria Sharapova overcame Flavia Pennetta 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-3 to complete the ladies’ quarter-final line-up.