Serena Williams managed to defy a calf injury to keep her title hopes alive, showing characteristic determination to win a dramatic encounter with Daniela Hantuchova.

The two-time former champion was leading by a set and had just levelled at 5 5 in the second when she suffered a spasm in her calf - a problem which saw her collapse to the turf behind the baseline.

But although the problem initially reduced her to walking pace, a timely rain interruption allowed her to regroup and she ran away with the final set to post a 6-2 6-7 (2/7) 6-2 win.

Her next match pits her against top seed Justine Henin, who endured fewer problems against Patty Schnyder, the title favourite losing just four games.

She required just 56 minutes to defeat the world number 15 6-2 6-2.

Serena's sister Venus Williams was also involved in a thrilling encounter, surviving the curse of Court Two for the second time in seven days.

The three-time former champion secured a 6-2 3-6 7-5 win over a battling Akiko Morigami.

Several other third-round matches were completed after being held over from Saturday.

Fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nicole Vaidisova (14) both wasted little time in moving into the last 16.

And both were only on court for around 15 minutes before wrapping up wins.

Kuznetsova was a 6-2 6-3 winner over Agnieszka Radwanska while Vaidisova beat Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-2.

They were soon followed into round four by sixth seed Ana Ivanovic, who completed a 6-3 6-2 win over Aravane Rezai.

Ivanovic will now play Nadia Petrova (11) who finished off Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3 7-6 (7/3).

However, 12th seed Elena Dementieva made a shock exit.

The Russian resumed a set to the good against 16-year-old Austrian Tamira Paszek, but won just five games when the duo returned to Court Three and slumped to a 2-6 6-2 6-3 defeat.

Michaella Krajicek reached the quarter-finals for the first time with a 6-3 6-4 win over Laura Granville.

Granville had put out Martina Hingis in round three but could not raise her game to the same level against Krajicek, whose brother Richard took the men's title back in 1996.

In the men's section, Rafael Nadal was in a final-set fight when rain forced his third-round clash with Robin Soderling into a second day.

Having won the opening two sets, the second seed missed a match point in the third set shortly before a rain delayed.

When the players returned, Soderling fought back and appeared to have the momentum going into the fifth set, although Nadal was a break up in the decider when play was abandoned for the day.

The scoreboard read 6-4 6-4 6-7 (7/9) 4-6 2-0 at the time and the pair will now have to complete the match on Tuesday.

Mikhail Youzhny awaits the winner of the above match after beating Jarkko Nieminen in straight sets.

The 14th seed got the better of the Finn in three tight set 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to reach the fourth round for the third time.

Elsewhere Marcos Baghdatis was a comfortable victor over 2002 runner-up David Nalbandian.

The 10th seed, a semi-finalist in SW19 last season, eased to a 6-2 7-5 6-0 win to move into the last 16.

A one-sided third set followed as Baghdatis set up a fourth-round meeting with either Nikolay Davydenko or Gael Monfils.

Davydenko led by two sets and 3-0 when play was halted.

Tomas Berdych also progressed earlier in the day, winning 6-4 7-6 (7/2) 7-6 (7/3) against Hyung-Taik Lee.

There he will play 35-year-old Swede Jonas Bjorkman, who enjoyed a 6-2 6-1 6-4 win over fellow golden oldie Wayne Arthurs, 36, a result which brought the curtain down on the Australian's colourful career.

Novak Djokovic was a set to the good against Nicolas Kiefer in their third round match when rain brought an end to play.

The fourth seed took the first set 7-6 and was 6-5 up in the second before the weather intervened.

The third round match between Lleyton Hewitt and Guillermo Canas is level at one set apiece, with former champion Hewitt a break up at 3-1 in the third set.