Tennis:Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo crashed out of the Australian Open after suffering a 6-4 6-3 fourth-round defeat against Lucie Safarova.
And third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova later became the second high-profile casualty of the fourth round, as the Russian fell to a 6-4 6-2 defeat against 16th seed Shahar Peer on day seven at Melbourne Park.
Peer became the first Israeli woman to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final and will face former champion Serena Williams.
Mauresmo had burst into a 4-1 lead at the start of the her match only for her 19-year-old opponent to win five straight games as the second seed dropped her first set of the tournament.
Safarova opened up a 4-1 lead in the second, breaking Mauresmo's service twice, before the world number three won two straight games to reduce the deficit.
But world number 74 Safarova retained her advantage to book a place in the quarter-finals - where she will face Nicole Vaidisova - after winning her third match point as Mauresmo drilled a return into the net.
Czech teenager Vaidisova is now the highest seed in the bottom half of the draw after booking her place in the last eight with a 6-3 6-3 victory over seventh seed Elena Dementieva.
A mid-match weather delay seemed to have no effect on former winner Williams as she moved into the last eight pretty comfortably.
With the American 3-0 up in the first set of her clash with the in-form Jelena Jankovic, seeded 11, rain caused a delay as the roof on the Rod Laver Arena was closed.
But when play resumed, Williams continued her dominance as she posted a 6-3 6-2 success to book a last-eight clash with Peer.
Daniela Hantuchova, the 15th seed, recorded a 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 6-3 victory over Ashley Harkleroad to set up a fourth-round meeting with fourth seed Kim Clijsters.
China's Na Li progressed into the fourth round, recording a 6-2 6-2 victory over ninth seed Dinara Safina - while 12th seed Anna Chakvetadze beat Jelena Kostanic Tosic 6-4 6-4.
Li, the last Asian player in either singles draw, will meet three-times former champion Martina Hingis, while Chakvetadze takes on Switzerland's Patty Schnyder.
In the men's draw, world number one Roger Federer cruised through to the quarter-finals with a straight-sets win over Serbia's Novak Djokovic.
The Swiss defending champion won his match in the Rod Laver Arena 6-2 7-5 6-3 to set up a last-eight clash with seventh seed Tommy Robredo of Spain, who beat 18th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet in four sets.
Robredo prevailed 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-4 after a hard-fought encounter.
Sixth seed Andy Roddick battled through to the quarter-finals with a hard-fought five-set triumph over Mario Ancic.
Roddick will face compatriot Mardy Fish, who earlier beat Spain's David Ferrer, in the last eight after coming through a tense contest 6-3 3-6 6-1 5-7 6-4.
The American eased through the first set, but Ancic responded and claimed a crucial break in the eighth game of the second to level the contest.
Roddick hit back and cruised through the third set and was only distracted by the mis-pronunciation of his name by the French umpire.
But again Ancic responded, before Roddick sealed the epic contest in a little more than three hours in the best match of the tournament.
Fish set up the meeting with his former room-mate with a 6-1 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 7-5 victory over the 16th seed.
Tommy Haas, the 12th seed, booked his place in the fourth round with a 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 6-3 victory over fellow German Florian Mayer - while 13th seed Tomas Berdych also progressed with a comfortable 6-2 6-1 6-1 triumph over Dmitry Tursunov.