Martina Hingis's Wimbledon comeback stalled in the third round on Friday when she was outclased by Japan's Ai Sugiyama 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

- Images from Day 5

The Swiss 12th seed, playing at the grasscourt grand slam for the first time since 2001, had lost just seven games coming into the third round match.

Number two seed Kim Clijsters moved effortlessly into the fourth round at Wimbledon on Friday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over China's Jie Zheng.

The Belgian, who won last year's US Open after being a Grand Slam runner-up four times, put paid to Jie Zheng's Wimbledon chances with some solid serving and pinpoint accuracy in their baseline rallies.

In the first set, the world number two raced to a 5-2 lead before dropping her serve. But she broke right back to re-establish her dominance over a player ranked 35 places below her.

In the second set, Clijsters kept up relentless pressure, overpowering Jie Zheng and never letting her find any sort of rhythm. The victory took her just 71 minutes.

Sugiyama proved to be a more stubborn opponent and she stormed back from 3-0 down in the decider to clinch victory in one hour and 44 minutes after the 1997 champion's backhand floated just wide.

The turning point appeared to come in the fifth game of the third set. Hingis thought her crosscourt effort had hit the line but it was called out and the Tokyo-born Sugiyama happily pocketed the game.

The former world number one was unhappy with the line judge's verdict and tried to get the umpire to overrule the call but failed. Television replays confirmed the ball was out.

From then on, a pumped up Sugiyama acquired a new spring to her step and ran out winners with ease while Hingis struggled to get her focus back.

Sugiyama capitalised on her 25-year-old opponent's frustration and broke in the final game to secure only her second victory in eight meetings against the Swiss tactician.

She will next meet French qualifier Severine Bremond for a place in the quarter-finals.