Malisse ends Rusedski's dream

Belgium's Xavier Malisse ended Greg Rusedski's Wimbledon dreams in 32 tense minutes on Tuesday, winning the final set of their fourth round match 6-4 after the pair returned to complete Monday's match with the score locked at two sets all.

Rusedski's defeat leaves compatriot Tim Henman on a sole charge to become the first Briton in 66 years to win the men's singles crown.

Malisse and Rusedski were called off court late on Monday evening in the fading light with the score at 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Rusedski is armed with the fastest-recorded serve in tennis, but Malisse -- a second round loser here last year -- was up to the task, breaking the left-hander in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead when Rusedski netted a simple forehand volley.

He served to stretch into a 5-3 lead and although Rusedski held for 5-4 the damage was done.

Malisse, 21, served out for victory and next faces Mark Philippoussis or former champion Richard Krajicek in the quarter-finals.

Venus romps through to semi-finals

Meanwhile, defending champion Venus Williams cantered into the semi-finals without breaking stride, dismissing Russia's Elena Likhovtseva 6-2, 6-0.

The top seed's victory was simplicity itself on a blustery Centre Court against an opponent who in four rounds had not lost a set in the championships.

Venus, though, proved an entirely different proposition to the Russian's earlier opponents, the champion's long limbs smiting the ball into all corners of the court with all her might.

Likhovtseva, ranked 48th in the world, managed to hold her own in early exchanges but Venus turned up the heat midway through the opening set.

Breaks in the sixth and eighth games won her the opener in 27 minutes as she went from strength to strength.

Under increasing pressure, the blonde Likhovtseva -- thrashed by Venus in the third round here last year -- began to go for too much on her shots and errors crept in.

Venus marched on in relentless fashion, tearing through the second set 6-0 after just 47 minutes of one-sided action.

The American skipped to the net before pirouetting and waving to the crowd.

She will face either Monica Seles or last year's runner up Justine Henin in the last four.