By Simon Stone, PA Sport

Click here for day five results

Greg Rusedski found himself the name on everyone's lips at Wimbledon after an impressive straight-sets demolition of American Andy Roddick in the third round.

The British number two destroyed the 11th seed 6-3 6-4 6-2 in a performance John McEnroe described as "easily the best match" he had ever seen Rusedski play.

It propelled the 23rd seed into the limelight and the reckoning for the title, beaten fifth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov preferring his chances to those of fellow Briton Tim Henman.

And Roddick admitted his opponent was a genuine contender to become the first British men's singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936.

"I don't see why not," Roddick said. "He's got the game, it's more between the ears than anything. He is playing well."

Rusedski was in inspired form from the outset and his teenage opponent, tipped for great things, had no chance of preventing Rusedski from setting up a last 16 clash with Belgium's Xavier Malisse.

"That was great stuff from Rusedski," added McEnroe in his television commentary on BBC1. "He is starting to think he can do it here. Roddick doesn't know what hit him right now."

Rusedski praised the support of the patriotic home crowd and added: "I knew I had to come up with a good match, I was expecting a tough match and I was really pleased the way I played today.

"I'm looking forward to my next match. Malisse is a very good player, he is talented and I just really want to enjoy this at the moment because you don't get many performances on Centre Court where you play so well. This was a big step forward for me."

Yevgeny Kafelnikov became the latest big name to be dumped out of Wimbledon when he lost to Belgian Xavier Malisse.

The fifth seed had no answer to Malisse's game on Centre Court and succumbed in straight sets, 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 6-1.

Malisse, who has yet to drop a set in the championship, destroyed Kafelnikov with a superb performance, forcing the Russian into a series of unforced errors from which he could not recover.

"He made more mistakes than I did," said the 21-year-old Malisse.

"We had some tight games but I always seemed to come out of them.

"I knew it was going to be a mental battle and I couldn't afford to let my head break.

"I came up with some good passing shots in the third set but by then I knew I only needed one break and he wouldn't have tried too hard after that."

Malisse certainly enjoyed his first experience of Centre Court, claiming the intensity helped raise his game.

"There is all this noise before the first ball is hit, then everyone goes quiet. It is unbelievable, an inspiration."

Big server Mark Philippoussis recovered from a poor start to beat Nicolas Kiefer and reach the last 16 at Wimbledon.

The 'Scud' eventually won through 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-2, his heavy serve proving too much in the end for the tenacious German who struggled with his footing throughout the match.

After so many shocks in the last three days, it looked like Philippoussis - three times a quarter-finalist but only in the tournament because of a wild card after an injury-ravaged 18 months - was going to be the next big name to fall.

Kiefer broke the Australian's first service game, aided by a couple of double faults and retained his composure to take the set.

The second followed exactly the same pattern in reverse, this time Philippoussis the man to benefit, although Kiefer will reflect on five missed break points just side of his own service loss which probably proved crucial.

Philippoussis grabbed the vital break midway through the third set and with his trademark impressive serve firing well, never looked in real danger of being headed.

In contrast, Kiefer was starting to look tired and after a weak half-volley had found the net to give his opponent one break, two more gave him a second and the match was gone.

Philippoussis said: "I didn't get the start I wanted - but I don't really think I did anything wrong.

"He came out of the blocks a lot faster than me and took advantage of the slow start on my part - but I'm not too disappointed about that."

Philippoussis next plays Richard Krajicek.

The Dutch former champion beat Andre Agassi's conqueror Paradorn Srichaphan in straight sets.

Krajicek, the only former champion still in the men's singles, continued his comeback from a career threatening elbow injury with a comfortable 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-2 win over the 23-year-old Thai player.

Krajicek revealed that, after being out following a career-threatening elbow injury since November 2000, he has come into Wimbledon without any practice.

"I thought I would be good for one or two rounds and then go home. I'm a little bit surprised I have got to this level because I haven't been practising."

George Bastl, the lucky loser who overcame seven times champion Pete Sampras in a five-set epic upset on Wednesday, was put back in his place.

Argentina's David Nalbandian, the 28th seed, had little trouble beating Bastl 6-2 6-2 6-2 and making him look exactly what he is - a player ranked 145 in the world.

He will now meet Australia's Wayne Arthurs in the fourth round. The Middlesex-based player won his own battle of the big servers against Taylor Dent. He won in four sets which failed to produce a break of serve.

The 15th seed Andrei Pavel blew a two-set lead as he lost to Nicolas Lapentti.

Lapentti, whose best grasscourt performance came at Wimbledon two years ago when he beat Greg Rusedski in a Davis Cup tie, fought back from what seemed to be the dead at 3-6 3-6.

The 22nd seed must have feared the worst going into the thrid set tie-break but he won that 7-2 to begin his fightback.

From there, Pavel was the one in freefall, dropping the fourth 6-4 and he was never in the decider, losing his serve early on and eventually going down 6-2.

He next faces Arnaud Clement, a comofrtable winner over Olivier Rochus who beat Marat Safin earlier this week.

In the women's singles, Jennifer Capriati moved into the last 16 with a 6-4 6-2 defeat of the Czech Republic's Daja Bedanova.

But Capriati again had a few problems with her serve before setting up a clash with Greece's Eleni Daniilidou in the fourth round.

Capriati said: "I knew she'd be a difficult opponent and she played exactly like I thought she'd play.

"I lost my concentration just a little bit and the wind picked up a little bit. I was ahead and maybe thought I'd just keep going on a roll and backed off a little bit.

"But I think I got it back right away. I think I'm playing pretty well on the grass, I'm returning and serving well. The more I play I think the more I get better on the grass."

Chanda Rubin stepped out the shadow of doubles partner Anna Kournikova and booked herself a meeting with Serena Williams in the fourth round.

The American was on court with Kournikova on Thursday night, when a giant crowd assembled mainly to watch the glamorous Russian.

But while Kournikova crashed out of the singles in the opening round, Rubin booked her place in the last 16 at the expense of Russian Tatiana Panova - ironically Kournikova's conqueror.

She recovered from going an early break down in the first set to record an impressive 6-4 6-1 win.

Kournikova's reeplacement as Wimbledon 2002 pin-up is Daniela Hantuchova and she will be Jelena Dokic's next opponent.

Court 18 was packed an hour before the 19-year-old Slovakian arrived and she proved too strong for Slovenian Maja Matevzic.

Hantuchova was a 6-4 6-4 winner, finishing off Matevzic with a cross-court forehand.

Dokic enjoyed a straight sets win over Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy on Centre Court.

The Yugoslav seventh seed wasted nine set points before clinching the opener but had fewer problems in the second set as she wrapped up a 7-5 6-2 win.

Dokic said: "I'm a lot happier with how it went today than the other day.

"She played some good points to come back to 5-5 in the first set and I was a little bit down.

"ut I was extra happy because I kept on playing even though I knew I should have made that first set a lot easier."

Second seed Williams survived a major fright by Belgian qualifier Els Callens to book her place against Rubin.

The French Open champion was given the runaround by her 31-year-old opponent on Wimbledon's infamous court two before squeezing through 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-2).

The 119th-world ranked Callens, who has failed to get past the second round of Wimbledon in seven attempts, served for the first set and broke the world number two for a second time in the second set.

Despite the yawning gap in age and big-match experience, Williams never looked comfortable within the claustrophobic confines of the "graveyard of the champions", where Peter Sampras had perished two days earlier.

"She played pretty much immaculate tennis," admitted Williams, who intends to ring up her father Richard, her coach who has remained in America, in a bid to iron out faults in her game.

"I'd like to talk to him about my match," she said. "I'm missing too many first serves and not converting my break points.

"I feel like going back out to practise. I'm playing doubles tomorrow so maybe I can practise then."

Meanwhile, Amelie Mauresmo also moved into the fourth round by defeating Russia's Anastasia Myskina.

The ninth seeded Frenchwoman - who was beaten in her only Grand Slam final in Melbourne by Martina Hingis in Australia three years ago - deserved the success.

She will play America's Laura Granville for a place in the quarter-finals. Granville put out Mary Pierce.