By Stephen Wilson

LONDON (AP) _ American James Blake, Argentina's David Nalbandian and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova were all eliminated from Wimbledon on Friday while three-time champion Roger Federer of Switzerland continued to roll along.

Nalbandian, a finalist in 2002, and Kuznetsova, a former U.S. Open champion and finalist at the French Open three weeks ago, were both bounced in third-round matches while Blake lost a five-set affair.

Fourth-seeded Nalbandian lost 7-6 (9), 7-6 (9), 6-2 to 30th-ranked Fernando Verdasco of Spain in the third round. No. 5 Kuznetsova was ousted 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 by Li Na, who became the first Chinese woman to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Eighth-seeded Blake faded against 53rd-ranked Max Mirnyi of Belarus _ extending Blake's record in five-setters to 0-9. Blake won just nine points in the last set as Mirnyi pulled away for a 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory.

Blake rallied strongly from one set and a break down to go up two sets to one. But the 6-foot-5 Mirnyi capitalized on Blake's second serves in the last two sets and played aggressive serve-and-volley tennis, winning 67 points at the net.

Federer, meanwhile, kept up his fast start. He had 50 winners and only 13 unforced errors in a 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over 77th-ranked Nicolas Mahut of France.

The only surprise came when Federer was broken for the first time in the tournament when he served for the match. He broke right back in the next game to close it out.

Nalbandian, who was beaten by Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the 2002 final, had never lost before the round of 16 in three previous attempts at Wimbledon.

``I didn't play good,'' he said. ``I couldn't return any serves.

``I missed a lot of chances. He played OK. He didn't play great. I just lost by myself.''

Nalbandian reached the semifinals at both the Australian and French Opens this year. He retired with an abdominal injury during the French semifinal against Federer.

Despite his high seeding, Nalbandian was not considered among the chief contenders to unseat Federer. Hewitt and American Andy Roddick are regarded as the main threats.

Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion, reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2003 and 2005. She lost to Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne in straight sets in the French Open final June 10.

Li is only the second Chinese player to get this far at any Grand Slam; Zheng Jie made it to the fourth round of the 2004 French Open.

Zheng and Peng Shuai have also reached the third round here this week, with Zheng facing second-seeded Belgian Kim Clijsters on Friday. Peng plays Saturday against Flavia Pennetta of Italy.

Hewitt needed just over half an hour Friday to move into the third round.

The sixth-seeded Australian had split the first four sets with 102nd-ranked Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea when their match was suspended by darkness Thursday.

Returning to Court One under sunny skies, Hewitt broke Lee in the 10th game of the fifth set to finish a 6-7 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-4 win. Friday's play took 38 minutes, while the match lasted three hours 56 minutes overall.

Lee fell behind 0-40 on his first service game of the fifth set, but saved three break points and held. Hewitt got in trouble at 15-30 and 30-30 on his serve in the ninth game, but hit consecutive aces (his 18th and 19th of the match) to hold, pumping his fist and shouting, ``Come on!''

That seemed to lift Hewitt, and he went on to break for the match in the next game. After Hewitt ripped a forehand winner to put Lee down 15-40, the Korean dumped a forehand approach into the net on match point. Hewitt celebrated by dropping down to one knee and pumping his right arm three times.

In another match that had been suspended Thursday, Britain's Andy Murray completed a 7-6 (5), 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 win over France's Julien Benneteau to set up a third-round meeting against Roddick.

Henin-Hardenne became the first player to reach the fourth round with another routine win in straight sets. The third seed beat 34th-ranked Anna Chakvetadze of Russia, 6-2, 6-3 in 65 minutes on Court 2, known as the graveyard of champions because of its history of big upsets.

There was no danger of a surprise this time as Henin-Hardenne overwhelmed the 19-year-old Russian with 23 winners.

Henin-Hardenne, the Wimbledon finalist in 2001, won the French Open last month for her fifth major title. By winning Wimbledon, she would complete a career collection of all four Grand Slam titles.