Serena Williams finds vintage form to reach quarter-finals

13th seeded Russian Kuznetsova served for the first set leading 5-4, but was broken back before rain tumbled down and players were forced to take a break as the roof over Centre Court was pressed into action.

The brief interval seemed to benefit Williams as she came bouncing out with some of her very best form to overwhelm Kuznetsova in taking a step nearer a seventh Wimbledon crown and a 22nd Grand Slam, a feat that would equal Steffi Graf's record haul in the open era.

It is the 12th time Williams has reached the last eight at the Grand Slam on grass.

She will face another Russian on Tuesday in the form of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who completed 6-3 6-3 win over Coco Vandeweghe earlier on Monday.

Kuznetsova, a double Slam winner and three-times Wimbledon quarter-finalist, beat Williams on a hardcourt at the Miami Open in March.

But on this occasion the six-times Wimbledon champion was too hot to handle, beginning the match as if late for an Independence Day appointment, serving a succession of aces and then hitting a brace of groundstroke winners, one off each wing, to break the Russian in the fourth game.

Kuznetsova battled her way back, varying her pace by mixing in slices and drop shots on a surface on which both players at times struggled to keep their footing.

Williams eventually shaded a first set that featured five breaks of serve and a break for drizzle when the Centre Court roof was closed.

She ran though her opponent without losing another game after play resumed at 5-5 in the first set.

Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) 5-7 6-1 9-7

8-Venus Williams (U.S.) beat 12-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 7-6(3) 6-4

1-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat 13-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 7-5 6-0

5-Simona Halep (Romania) beat 9-Madison Keys (U.S.) 6-7(5) 6-4 6-3

Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) beat 28-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-4

19-Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) beat 3-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) 6-3 5-7 9-7

21-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) beat 27-CoCo Vandeweghe (U.S.) 6-3 6-3

4-Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Misaki Doi (Japan) 6-3 6-1