Roger Federer booked his place in the last 16 with a 6-3 6-2 6-7 6-1 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber on Centre Court.

The world number two once again treated the All England Club to an exhibition of grasscourt tennis, however he did drop his first set of the tournament before wrapping up victory in two hours and 30 minutes.

Federer will face Robin Soderling in the fourth round in what is a repeat of the French Open final, where Federer beat the Swede to lift his first title at Roland Garros.

"It has been a good first week," Federer reflected. "I thought this was my best match of the tournament even though I lost a set. It's fine as long as you come through without losing too much energy

"It will be nice to have Saturday and Sunday off and get rid of the pressure for a day or so. I felt a lot of pressure two years ago but I feel relaxed now. It's going to be an exciting second week

Number 13 seed Soderling shrugged off a minor fitness scare to breeze past Spain's Nicolas Almagro 7-6 6-4 6-4 on Court Three.

World number four Novak Djokovic was equally as impressive during his 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory over Mardy Fish last up on Centre Court.

The Serbian will tackle Israel's Dudi Sela in the fourth round after he shocked Spain's Tommy Robredo 7-6 7-5 2-6 7-5.

Number seven seed Fernando Verdasco also extended his stay at Wimbledon into a second week after a 4-6 6-1 6-4 7-6 triumph over Spanish compatriot Albert Montanes.

Verdasco's prize is a fourth round meeting with big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic after he powered past ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 6-7 7-5 7-6.

World number 36 Karlovic fired down 46 aces en route to victory, and is now just one win away from a career-best effort at SW19.

Speaking after his win, the Croatian said: "I like it when people talk about my serve because if I can win with only one shot I am a genius!"

A marathon match between 11th seed Marin Cilic and Tommy Haas was halted due to bad light at 6-6 in the fifth set.

Andreas Seppi and Igor Andreev will also have to come back on Saturday after their match had to be stopped with the Russian up two sets to one and all-square at 5-5 in the fourth.

In the women's draw, Serena Williams clinically booked her place in the last 16 with a straight sets victory over Roberta Vinci.

The two-time champion and number two seed blew her unseeded Italian opponent away 6-3 6-4 inside 67 minutes and will face Daniela Hantuchova for a place in the quarter-finals.

Speaking after her victory over world number 53 Vinci, Williams said: "I don't think I played great today at all.

"I'm just glad to have got through it and go onto the next match."

Unseeded Slovakian Hantuchova, who knocked out Briton's Laura Robson in the first round, recorded a 6-4 6-3 win over doubles partner Ai Sugiyama in their first round match on Court 18.

Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva brushed past compatriot Regina Kulikova with an emphatic 6-1 6-2 victory in their third round clash.

Dementieva, a semi-finalist at SW19 last year, will play another Russian, Elena Vesnina in the next round after she ousted Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova 7-5 4-6 6-4.

Dementieva said afterwards: "I think it was a good match, we'd never played before but I felt from the beginning I was very focused and aggressive and satisfied with the way I was playing.

"Even though it was 6-1 6-2 we had some tough rallies in the second set and I think it was a good test for the next round.

"It was great being in the semis here for the first time last year and hopefully that experience will help me."

There was early disappointment for number seven seed Vera Zvonareva on day five when she was forced to pull out of her third-round match against Virginie Razzano due to an ankle injury.

Eastbourne runner-up Razzano, the 26th seed, faces unseeded Italian Francesca Schiavone in the fourth round after she breezed past number 12 seed Marion Bartoli 7-6 6-0.

Number 10 seed Nadia Petrova produced an inspired comeback to overcome Argentina's Gisela Dulko on Court Three.

The feisty Russian battled back to win 3-6 6-3 6-4 and will meet eighth seed compatriot Victoria Azaranka next up.

Azarenka saw off Sorana-Micaela Cirstea 7-6 6-3 on Centre Court to keep her hopes of a maiden Grand Slam title alive.