Davenport powers on

Top seed Lindsay Davenport today cruised into the Australian Open quarter-finals as sixth seed Elena Dementieva crashed out.

Davenport had no problems in beating 13th seed Karolina Sprem 6-2 6-2 but Dementieva became the biggest casualty of the tournament so far when she lost in three sets to Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder.

Russian Dementieva, beaten finalist in the French and US Opens last year, needed treatment on court for a nasty blister as Schnyder recovered from a set down to record a 6-7 7-6 6-2 victory.

The 12th seed, who reached her first grand slam semi-final in Melbourne last year, will play Anastasia Myskina or Nathalie Dechy in the last eight.

Davenport, seeking to end a five-year grand slam drought, will face the winner of the evening match between Australian Alicia Molik and Venus Williams.

After a first week bereft of major shocks - ninth seed Vera Zvonareva the major casualty - sudenly there were two in one day as third seed Anastasia Myskina followed compatriot Dementieva out of the championships.

French Open champion Myskina was brushed aside by France’s Nathalie Dechy, the 19th seed winning 6-4 6-2 to set up a quarter-final clash with Schnyder.

Dementieva had been 4-0 ahead in the second set and seemingly cruising to the quarter-finals before allowing Schnyder back into the match.

“What can I say?” Dementieva said. “Such bad luck today. I was 4-0, 30-0. I didn’t take my chance. There is always a very important game, very important point in a match.

“If you are not taking it, that can change the whole match. And that’s what happened today. She just started to play well. I think I lost my rhythm. I thought it’s over already. I don’t know how I did it.”