Serena and Dementieva progress at Wimbledon

(GETTY IMAGES)

Olympic champion Elena Dementieva brushed aside fellow Russian Regina Kulikova 6-1 6-2 to book a place in the Wimbledon fourth round for the sixth time in her career today.

The fourth seed, who looks to have one of the best quarters in the draw, broke twice in the opening set before wrapping it up in just 24 minutes before Kulikova, playing her sixth match after a tough qualifying run, improved markedly.

The world number 191 made more of a game of it in the second but Dementieva had too much in her armoury, sealing victory with a scrambled backhand down the line.

She will play Russia's Elena Vesnina or Slovakian 14th seed Dominika Cibulkova for a place in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, twice former champion Serena Williams outclassed Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-3 6-4 to book her place in the fourth round.

The 27-year-old American, seeking to add another Wimbledon crown to the Australian Open she won in January, broke for a 3-1 lead in the opening set against the world number 53 and never looked back.

The second seed breezed through the opening set in 28 minutes and though Vinci had the audacity to break back with a refreshing penchant for serve and volley, Williams completed victory with a crunching ace on Court Two.

She will play either Japan's Ai Sugiyama or Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia for a place in the quarter-finals.