Paszek marches on

Austrian Tamira Paszek was the first woman to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon today as she claimed an impressive win over Roberta Vinci.

Champion at Eastbourne in the week leading up to Wimbledon, the 21-year-old has kept her form together and had too much for Italian 21st seed Vinci today in posting a 6-2 6-2 success.

Unseeded Paszek has reached a second successive Wimbledon quarter-final. She was beaten last year by Victoria Azarenka, who was preparing to take on Ana Ivanovic today for the right to play Paszek again.

Today’s win was her ninth in a row on grass.

Meanwhile four-time champion Serena Williams survived a stiff test on a damp and drizzly Court Two as she saw off Yaroslava Shvedova in three sets.

Williams overcame the elements, as well as her in-form opponent – Shvedova recorded the first-ever ’golden set’ at a grand slam on Saturday – to progress to a 12th Wimbledon quarter-final, winning 6-1 2-6 7-5.

And Williams’ quarter-final opponent will be the defending champion, Petra Kvitova, who was also extended to three sets as the Czech edged past Italian Francesco Schiavone.

Kvitova beat the former French Open winner from a set behind, prevailing 4-6 7-5 6-1 on Court Three.